Unit Descriptions
 |
Drama Units |
|
English Units |
|
History Units |
|
Education Studies Units |
|
Early Years Units |
|
Middle Years Units |
|
Senior Years Units |
|
Curriculum Studies Units |
|
History Units |
|
Professional Experience Units |
HUMANITIES UNITS
Drama units
DM100 THE ELEMENTS OF DRAMA
This unit is intended to enable the student to explore important foundational ideas relating to the nature and elements of drama, and to begin thinking about the relevance of Christian faith to drama and the arts. Students will also be introduced to a number of practical strategies for developing dramatic skills and expressive responses in order to consolidate and supplement existing experiences of drama.
DM110 EXPRESSIVE FORMS I
This unit seeks to introduce students to the major elements and genres of expression through voice and movement. It is intended to develop foundational skills in the use of voice and movement as a fundamental requirement for dramatic performance. As well as fostering the practical skills of the students, the unit also causes students to reflect upon the power and possibilities of creative expression within a biblical framework.
DM120 INTRODUCTION TO DRAMATIC PERFORMANCE
This unit introduces students to the roles, skills and processes involved with staging a dramatic performance through direct involvement in a live theatre presentation. As well as developing individual roles within the performance, students will also be introduced to the various elements and skills which contribute to the production, including stage, set and costume design technical aspects, stage management and administration.
DM210 EXPRESSIVE FORMS II
This unit extends and enhances the student’s mastery of voice and movement skills gained in DM110 Expressive Forms I, with special emphasis on mime and mask. As well as developing a higher level of practical skill, the student is challenged to reflect critically on the nature and interpretation of meaning in a range of more difficult contexts and genres. A particular emphasis of the unit is the significance of symbol and ritual in dramatic expression.
DM220 ADVANCED DRAMATIC PERFORMANCE
This unit extends the skills and experience gained in DM120 Introduction to Dramatic Performance. Students will work collaboratively with a director to prepare and perform a more challenging dramatic piece, with special emphasis on interpreting a text, creating a character and negotiating meaning.
DM230 APPROACHES TO ACTING
This unit is intended to introduce and promote critical analysis of a range of methods of acting on the basis of a Biblical worldview. Students will experience the acting process from the first reading if a script to interpretation on the stage. A variety of approaches to interpretation of a particular role will be explored in order to promote creative exploration of texts. In this way, students should be able to develop their own approaches to text and roleplay.
DM240 DRAMA IN FILM AND TELEVISION
This unit introduces students to the particular dynamics and challenges associated with drama in the film and television context. Students will examine the processes of film and television drama production and a range of dramatic and technical skills associated with it. They will also examine the possibilities for and constraints on producing quality film and television drama informed by a Christian perspective.
DM250 DRAMA AND THE CHURCH
This unit is intended to prepare students to create and produce Christian drama characterised by artistic integrity and thematic depth both within and outside of the Church. Students will evaluate attitudes to drama within the Church in the past and in the present, and will consider the possibilities and constraints of presenting a Christian message in dramatic form. The unit will culminate with student-devised performances in a church or community setting.
DM260 YOUTH THEATRE
This unit will explore the possibilities and challenges of youth theatre in a range of contexts. Students will be introduced to a range of models and theories for facilitating drama among young people, as well as a variety of strategies for developing creative expression amongst young people. Students will also be required to develop and implement a short-term dramatic experience with a group of young people.
DM285 CONTEMPORARY DRAMA
In this unit, students will study a cross-section of major works from the latter part of the twentieth century representing playwrights of many nations of the world. The unit focuses on textual exploration and understanding as well as experimentation with the dramatic forms developed by the playwrights. Workshops will explore dramatic art within a framework of contemporary Christian thinking which interrogates and appreciates the dramatic works of this period.
DM290 AUSTRALIAN DRAMA
This unit provides students with an overview of the historical development of Australian drama as an expression of Australian culture. It examines the distinctive features of Australian drama, the major dramatists and the characteristic themes and social concerns which they have explored. Consideration is also given to the creative elements of drama performance, and students will have the opportunity to plan and present a section of an Australian play.
DM380 TOWARDS A THEOLOGY OF THE ARTS
This unit examines a range of theological approaches to the arts as well as issues raised by commitment to faith and art in a postmodern world. It provides an opportunity for students to reflect on their own theology of the arts, and to develop an appropriate artistic response to the ideas and issues raised by the unit, and indeed by the whole of their drama studies.
DM395 DRAMA RESEARCH PROJECT
This unit is intended for students in the last year of their Drama studies who would like to specialize in a topic of interest, such as a detailed study of a particular author. It is particularly valuable as an exercise in individual research for those who intend to proceed to postgraduate studies in Drama.
English units
EL110 THE WESTERN LITERARY TRADITION
This unit provides a broad historical understanding of the periods and influences which have shaped the Western literary tradition. The recognition that writers are not creating works of literature in a vacuum, but responding to particular political, social, intellectual and religious influences, is very significant for a full understanding of literature. Such an understanding is essential to provide a framework within which to appreciate the different conventions and characteristics of the major literary periods.
EL120 INTRODUCTION TO AUSTRALIAN LITERATURE
This unit introduces the themes, imagery and styles of writing which have characterised Australian literature. Students will read and analyse works by leading writers in a variety of genres, especially poetry and the short story. The unit will cover a range of works to establish an understanding and appreciation for the breadth and diversity of Australian literary expression.
EL200 SHAKESPEARE AND HIS TIMES
The works of William Shakespeare are at the centre of the Western literary tradition and the age in which he lived constitutes one of the richest periods in the history of Western literature. This unit focuses on the characteristics and conventions of poetry and drama in the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. Tragic, comic and historical Shakespearean plays will be explored, as will the Shakespearean sonnet and devotional poetry of the seventeenth century. This will offer students the opportunity to develop an advanced understanding of the traditions and development of poetry and drama.
EL210 MODERNIST LITERATURE
This unit provides insight into the psychology of modern culture by illuminating some of its most powerful questions and passions. Within the context of the literature of the modernist period, which dominated the first half of the twentieth century, certain themes will be highlighted: the intellectual struggles of philosophers to cope with a worldview bereft of God; clashes between cultures, especially in colonial situations; rivalries between divergent religious traditions and moral codes. In studying these issues, students will be introduced to some of the twentieth century’s leading authors and most influential texts.
EL220 THE MEDIA IN CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
The various forms of modern mass media constitute one of the most pervasive influences on society. It is important, then, to be familiar with the different forms of media and to understand the roles they play in shaping lives. In this unit, students will be encouraged to appreciate the positive contribution of the media to society, recognize the limitations and weaknesses of each medium and examine the moral and ethical dimensions of the modern media. In doing so, they will develop an understanding of the interplay between the media and the message and of the use of the media as a tool of mass communication.
EL225 CONTEMPORARY AUSTRALIAN WRITERS
This unit explores contemporary Australian literature by examining the works of writers who have made their mark in recent years. It will evaluate the major themes that have dominated our cultural conversation, and will compare and contrast the responses of authors to major issues on both the Australian and the international stage.
EL230 AMERICAN LITERATURE
This unit introduces the major themes and authors of the American literary tradition and examines works by from a range of periods and genres. It highlights a number of important interconnecting themes and motifs, such as man’s relationship with the natural environment, the search for spiritual meaning, the American Dream, race relations, social conflict and ‘the journey’. In order to introduce students to a wide a range of authors and perspectives, the unit will focus on poetry and short stories, supplemented by longer pieces of prose. In this way, students will be given a broad introduction to the dominant concerns, interests, styles and settings of American Literature.
EL240 FILM NARRATIVES
This unit will explore the different approaches to narrative used in a number of representative films and in the work of several important film directors. Students will engage with historical developments in film narrative, as well as with new approaches to narrative arising from postmodern theory. A particular feature of this unit will be the challenges of narrative structure that arise in translating and/or reinterpreting a work of literature for the screen, for which students will undertake a comparative study.
EL260 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION
This unit provides students with a wide-ranging knowledge of fantasy and its close relation, science fiction. It offers a careful examination of the distinctiveness and diversity of these genres, and demonstrates how both have been used to comment on our own society and culture. Students will be introduced to leading Christian and secular writers of fantasy and science fiction, in order to illustrate the similarities and differences in their approaches to their work. This will enable students to appreciate the reasons why a wide range of writers have turned to fantasy and science fiction as a powerful imaginative experience and valuable form of social commentary.
EL265 ADOLESCENT LITERATURE
This unit is designed for people who have an interest in adolescent and young adult literature, and want to know what young people are reading. It is based on both novels and poetry that portray teenagers in a variety of roles. Students will gain an appreciation of how young people learn through the reading of literature, and will examine the relevance of a variety of issues to the reading and teaching of such literature, such as reader-response theory (as against author intention theory), theory and practice, literacy, literary criticism, and the relation of adolescent and young adult literature to “classic” literature.
EL275 WOMEN’S WRITERS
The study of women’s writing and of women writers, from its beginnings in Classical Greece to its varied forms in the early twenty-first century, reveals some basic differences between male and female writers in relation to the subjects they choose and the styles in which they write. This unit provides students with knowledge and understanding of women’s writing and of women writers from historical, literary and philosophical perspectives. The women writers who will be studied in some depth span the periods from the nineteenth century, through to the present day, and will include poets and Australasian writers.
EL380 HISTORY OF LITERARY CRITICISM
This unit introduces students to the field of literary criticism. It raises fundamental issues such as the nature and interpretation of various forms of literature, and provides an overview of the historical development of literary criticism. It also highlights the critical reflections of writers who have tried to interpret literature within the context of Christian belief, such as Sir Philip Sidney, TS Eliot, JRR Tolkien, Flannery O’Connor and Dorothy L Sayers. This unit serves to provide for students a basis for examination of the fundamental questions arising in regard to the development of a Christian approach to literary criticism.
EL395 ENGLISH RESEARCH PROJECT
This unit is intended for students in the last year of their English studies who wish to specialize in a topic of interest, such as a detailed study of a particular author. It is particularly valuable as an exercise in individual research for those who intend to proceed to postgraduate studies in English.
History units
HT100 TURNING POINTS IN WORLD HISTORY
In order to understand the contemporary world, it is necessary to understand the major periods and events which have shaped world history. This unit provides an overview of such periods and events from the end of the Roman Empire to the late twentieth century and focuses on those decisive moments which have played an important role in shaping western civilisation and the world at large. By using a close examination of key events as a basis for exploring wider cultural and historical shifts, students will gain understanding of both contingency and continuity in history and a greater understanding of the complexity of historical development and analysis.
HT120 INTRODUCTION TO AUSTRALIAN HISTORY
This unit provides a survey of Australian history in order to give students insight into the past struggles and on-going issues of contemporary importance which have shaped Australian society. The major themes and issues of Australian politics, society, economics, religion and foreign relations which have characterized and influenced Australian history will be examined and, beginning with Australia’s Aboriginal roots, the unit will trace Australia’s development from its days as a penal colony through its nineteenth century expansion to nationhood, and on to its new and uncertain role as a regional power in the Asia Pacific region in the early twenty-first century.
HT150 ANCIENT CIVILISATIONS
This unit introduces students to the major civilisations that inhabited the Mediterranean and Middle East in ancient times. From the ‘dawn of civilisation’ in Mesopotamia, the unit moves to the civilisations of Egypt, Israel, Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome, giving an introductory knowledge of the rise and fall of these important societies. The unit also exposes students to some of the key issues facing the historian, such as the nature of historical evidence and the subjective factors which have influenced the writing of history. A special focus of the unit relates the Old Testament to the history of the Middle East in order to demonstrate its value as a source of reliable historical information.
HT200 RENAISSANCE AND REFORMATION
This unit highlights the development of Europe from its relatively static character during the Middle Ages to a period of significant growth and dynamic cultural change by the conclusion of the Thirty Years’ War. It will compare and evaluate the nature of the Renaissance in both Italy and Northern Europe, and will investigate the reasons for the Reformation by considering the events and historical processes which contributed to the split in the Church and to the development of a plethora of Protestant denominations. A major focus of the unit will be to consider whether the Renaissance and Reformation should be interpreted as divergent events, or as different expressions of the same ‘reforming spirit’ acting both within the Church and the society at large arising from the reaffirmation of the importance of the individual and the recognition of the need for renewal of the existing structures of authority and power.
HT211 WAR AND PEACE IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Throughout the twentieth century, world events and international relations have been overshadowed by the spectre of war. Even the periods of relative peace have been tenuous. Ideals such as national self-determination, racial supremacy, anti-imperialism and democracy have provided potent fuel for conflict. This unit provides the opportunity for a detailed analysis of key events which have shaped the modern world, with particular emphasis on international relations and the various efforts to establish a secure and free international order as well as the ideologies which have challenged this international order. In this way, students will gain an understanding of the causes of conflict and peace in the modern world.
HT220 ISSUES IN AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY
This unit endeavours to approach Australian history from a social history perspective, examining a range of social and cultural issues which have contributed significantly to the attitudes, values, status and identity of the Australian people. While the unit will involve a range of core experiences, there will also be scope to investigate issues of topical relevance or of particular interest to students through a research project. The overall aim of the unit is to build up a comprehensive and critical picture of contemporary Australian society which is founded on a careful and detailed investigation of the trends and influences which have given Australian society its distinctive characteristics.
HT235 POLITICS AND CONFLICT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
The nations of southeast Asia are of great significance to Australia’s foreign policy and economic development, yet few Australians have an understanding of their history, politics and culture or of the common interests and cultural differences which shape our relationship with them. A study of the history of southeast Asia will engage issues of wider, global significance, such as colonialism and the rise of Third World nationalism, militarism and the Second World War, communism and the Cold War, and particular emphasis will be placed on Australia’s political, economic and cultural relationships with Asia and the likely nature of its future role.
HT240 MODERN CHINA AND JAPAN
This unit focuses on the two nations which have traditionally dominated eastern Asia in political, economic, geographic and demographic terms. China has exerted a very considerable influence on Asia for millennia, and continues to have enormous significance as the last major bastion of hard-line communism. Japan has long cherished dreams of hegemony in Asia and has attempted to achieve this goal in a number of ways, first by military means and then through its post-war economic miracle. While students will gain an appreciation of the rich and ancient cultural heritage of each nation, the main period for examination will be the modern era. The history of these powers in the last century provides ample scope for comparative discussions of their struggles to develop an efficient political and economic system and to discover an appropriate national identity.
HT245 ISRAEL AND ISLAM: THE MODERN MIDDLE EAST
Since the founding of the state of Israel, the Middle East has remained an area of tense international relations. In order to understand contemporary issues and problems, it is necessary to investigate their historical background and to examine the current religious, political and racial issues which make the Middle East so volatile. From the Christian perspective, the Middle East has a central position in human history, both as the birthplace of the Judeo-Christian tradition and as the focal point of Biblical eschatology. It is important, then, that Christians have a balanced and perceptive understanding of the political and religious complexities of the area, which will enable them to evaluate critically the past grievances, the present crisis and the possible future direction of events in the Middle East.
HT250 GREECE AND ROME: 500BC TO AD150
This unit focuses on the Classical Age of Greece, the Roman Republic and the early Imperial history of Rome. It explores the growth, development and decline of these civilisations of the ancient world, as well as the political, social and cultural contributions made by the Greeks and Romans and their lasting significance. It highlights key leaders and thinkers who shaped the ancient world, and the conflicts which determined the course of history. Particular emphasis will be laid on exploring issues which continue to have relevance in the modern world.
HT260 AUSTRALIA, ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
This unit surveys Australia’s relationships with the Asia-Pacific region before 1945, and focuses attention on the period since World War II when Australia’s foreign policy turned increasingly towards this region. Important themes include Australia's relationship with the USA, its reaction to Communism, involvement in regional economic and defence alliances, its bilateral relationships with specific Asia-Pacific nations and response to specific foreign policy problems, such as East Timor and Cambodia. In this way, the unit highlights the advantages to be gained and the challenges to be overcome as Australia seeks to consolidate its future as an Asia-Pacific power.
HT380 UNDERSTANDING HISTORY
This unit examines the major issues which confront the historian in understanding history and the historiographical process. It identifies and critiques the major models and theories of history, within the context of a survey of the development of historiography, and analyses important historiographical debates in order to highlight the contrasting philosophies of history and the practical implications of their divergent assumptions. Particular attention will be paid to the contributions of Christian historians in the area of historiography, in order to promote reflection on the particular advantages and dilemmas which arise out of the Christian worldview for the historian.
HT395 HISTORY RESEARCH PROJECT
This unit is intended for students in the final year of their History studies who wish to specialize in a topic of interest, such as a study of an historical figure or period. It is particularly valuable as an exercise in individual research for those who intend to proceed to postgraduate studies in History.
EDUCATION UNITS
Preservice Education units for students commencing in 2006 or later
Education Studies unitsED111 CULTURAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL CONTEXTS FOR EDUCATION
This unit is the first in a strand of Education Studies in the preservice teacher education courses. It encompasses the notion that culture and development underpin the context, perceptions and outcomes of education, and that, in order to be professional and effective, educators need to be cognisant of this.
ED112 WRITING AND RESEARCH FOR TEACHERS
This unit explores the processes and dynamics of communication in the academic and professional contexts, and highlights the need for teachers to be effective communicators in a vocation that imparts information and skills to others. It addresses the processes and methods of research techniques, and makes students aware of the continuing need to engage in research to advance their knowledge of content areas and of general trends in the profession. Students will engage with the skills and processes of effective research practices, competent written and oral communication, and the basic study skills that are essential for tertiary education.
ED113 INTRODUCTION TO TEACHING AND LEARNING
This unit is designed to introduce student teachers to the many theories that link to practice in the classroom. In doing so, it will build their knowledge, understanding and experience of a range of basic teaching skills.
ED114 PERSONAL PROFICIENCY IN CROSS-CURRICULAR LITERACIES
This unit is designed to introduce students to the many aspects and contexts of communication systems relevant to educational contexts. It will build students’ personal proficiencies in all forms of language literacy, numeracy and technological literacy.
ED215 PLANNING FOR LEARNING
This unit is designed to introduce student teachers to the many theories that link to practice in the classroom and to build their knowledge, understanding and experience of a range of basic teaching skills.
ED216 PHILOSOPHICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION
Drawing upon the fields of educational philosophy and sociology, this unit seeks, to develop an understanding of the ideas and philosophies that have shaped contemporary educational theories, of various theories regarding the nature of society, and of the contexts in which education is seen to operate. This unit will provide the tools for the preservice teacher to think in critical and reflective ways about the foundations, nature and current social contexts of teaching and to develop ways of thinking about and reconceptualising education that are distinctively Christian.
ED217 USING CROSS-CURRICULAR LITERACIES IN THE CLASSROOM
This unit is designed to facilitate students’ understandings of and competency in planning for and implementing language literacy, numeracy and digital literacy teaching and learning through all key learning areas. It will build students’ personal proficiencies in critical literacy and the use of the Multiliteracies pedagogical model for teaching and learning.
ED318 MOTIVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF LEARNERS
Given the range of social complexities existing in Australia today, the motivation and management of learners in the classroom context is a vital component of student teachers’ studies into teaching and learning. This unit is designed to assist students to investigate their personal understandings and actions in relation to classroom management, explore a range of models and theories of management and discipline, and develop personal theories of practice in relation to the motivation and management of learners.
ED319 INCLUSIVE PHILOSOPHY AND PRACTICE
This unit focuses on best practice from literature and research, grounded in a values- and Bible-based personal and professional philosophy of inclusive education. Issues addressed include learning style, identification of strengths, needs and disabilities, relevance of student strengths and needs for assessment, curriculum, teaching and reporting processes and strategies, planning and programming to meet student needs, support technologies for learners with complex behaviour challenges, legal implications and risk assessment and management processes, and resources, supports, and networks across disciplines to assist teachers and schools.
ED410 CURRICULUM AND PRACTICE
This unit develops frameworks for student teachers to review curriculum orientations, personal teaching styles and learning design competencies. It provides a basis for the development of an Action Research Project on approaches to teaching for transformation during SP404 School-based Internship Program.
ED411 ENTERPRISE EDUCATION PROJECT
This unit gives students an opportunity to pursue an area of educational interest and to design, implement, review and evaluate an enterprise education project that is professionally relevant and contextually appropriate to the educational community. The student will identify an area of interest or an issue for investigation, critically review relevant literature, design the project and methods of exploration/ investigation, pursue the investigation, and report in a form deemed appropriate, such as a curriculum plan, report, journal, article or research paper, together with any supplementary materials. Student will present their projects at an Enterprise Education symposium.
ED412 BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL TEACHER
This unit requires student teachers to reflect on their SP404 School-based Internship Program experiences in order to develop concepts, competencies, strategies and procedures for their induction into schools as ‘beginning teachers’.
Early Years units
EY201 THE DEVELOPING CHILD IN THE EARLY YEARS
This unit is the first in a strand of Early Years Units and lays the foundation for an holistic understanding of the domains of development of the young child. The need for a thorough knowledge of current developmental research and theories, as a basis for sound pedagogical practice, is articulated and explored in this unit.
EY202 ASSESSMENT, REPORTING AND EVALUATION IN THE EARLY YEARS
This unit is designed to build students’ knowledge and understandings of assessment, evaluation and reporting and to assist them with preparing and using authentic assessment tools for Early Years students. The unit will focus on meaningful, authentic and integrated tasks that link assessment with learning. In this way students will be equipped in using motivating and engaging assessment tasks designed to cater for the learning needs of students in the Early Years.
EY302 PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION IN THE EARLY YEARS
This unit is the second in the Early Years Strand of studies which relates to authentic, appropriate approaches to Curriculum development in the Early Years. The notions of the interplay between knowledge of child development research, curriculum pedagogies, current documents, learning experiences and the learning environments inform the core knowledge of this unit.
EY305 ESTABLISHING EFFECTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS IN THE EARLY YEARS
This elective unit in Early Years Studies encompasses the notion that the quality of the physical, psychological, aesthetic, intellectual, experiential and social environments are congruent with the success or failure of the learning experience for young children. The provision of healthy ’learnscapes’ is part of the duty-of-care responsibilities of the Early Years educator.
EY404 ISSUES AND PERSPECTIVES IN EARLY YEARS EDUCATION
This unit is the capstone unit in the Early Years strand and encompasses the notion that graduands need to possess a critical knowledge of current and emerging trends, initiatives, research and documents which shape the parameters of the Early Years field.
Middle Years units
MY201 DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES IN THE MIDDLE YEARS
This unit is the first in the Middle Years strand and is designed to introduce students to the specific developmental milestones and needs of Middle Years learners. It encompasses the notion that thorough knowledge of the developmental milestones and needs of Middle Years learners is the basis for sound pedagogical practice in teaching and learning.
MY202 ASSESSMENT, EVALUATION AND REPORTING IN THE MIDDLE YEARS
This unit is designed to build students’ knowledge and understandings of assessment, evaluation and reporting and to assist them with preparing and using authentic assessment tools for Middle Years students. The unit will focus on equipping students to use meaningful, authentic and integrated tasks that link assessment with learning.
MY302 PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION IN THE MIDDLE YEARS
This unit is designed to assist students with preparing for participating in curriculum work for Middle Years students within a range of schooling contexts. The unit will focus on equipping students to develop motivating and engaging learning environments which are designed to cater for the learning needs of students in the Middle Years.
MY404 INVESTIGATING ISSUES AND PERSPECTIVES IN MIDDLE YEARS EDUCATION
This unit is designed to facilitate students’ awareness of and initiation into the critically reflective community of professional practitioners. It encourages students to develop knowledge of and skills in identifying and using quality research and resources to initiate personal and professional renewal and development.
Senior Years units
SY201 Secondary Curriculum Studies I
This unit provides student teachers with frameworks and strategies for planning, implementing, organising, managing, evaluating and reflecting on secondary curriculum area programs. It introduces them to a range of methodologies and approaches to teaching for learning in their selected curriculum areas.
SY302 SECONDARY CURRICULUM STUDIES II
This unit focuses on developing student teachers’ knowledge, processes, skills and abilities in the areas of the evaluation of student learning (diagnosis, remediation, extension and enrichment), the assessment of student’s exit levels of achievement and student certification procedures. Student teachers who are about to enter their final year of preservice teacher education need to be cognisant of the policies, processes and pitfalls associated with these teacher responsibilities.
Curriculum Studies units
AT104 ARTS STUDIES ELECTIVE I
Artistic expression is both an indicator of and a tool for cognitive, affective, aesthetic and spiritual growth. This unit examines the stages of development students undergo in their artistic development and seeks to develop understandings of pedagogy and practices that are appropriate for visual and performing arts in the early and middle years of schooling. Students will examine the philosophical and practical implications of teaching the visual and performing arts from a distinctively Christian worldview.
AT204 ARTS STUDIES ELECTIVE II
This unit builds upon the foundations laid in AT104 and develops further understandings of pedagogy and practice in the visual and performing arts. Students will examine the processes of development that are experienced by the growing child: the manipulative, perceptual and cognitive aspects of life as well as the expressive and artistic areas. Through this unit, students will develop strategies which will lead them into new fields or into the refinement of present abilities.
CE104 FOUNDATIONS IN THE TEACHING OF CHRISTIAN STUDIES
This unit will enable students to investigate the contexts and developmental imperatives for meaningful and effective teaching and learning within Christian Studies programs. The unit will explore the pathways of spiritual development from a range of perspectives, including both theological and psychological, and will investigate a range of approaches and perspectives for the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of spiritual formation and Christian Studies themes and principles amongst students.
CE204 CHRISTIAN STUDIES AND THE CREATIVE ARTS: A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN
Within a modern context, the Christian church has used the creative arts to great effect in connecting with contemporary culture and to communicate the unchanging message of the Gospel in a fresh, creative and innovative manner. This unit will investigate and critique a wide range of creative arts approaches and strategies that are commonly used within many Christian Studies programs. Modules relating to praise and worship, role plays/dramatic performances and interpretative art/dance will be explored and the pedagogical and theoretical implications of these approaches within the context of spiritual formation of the learner will also be analysed and evaluated.
EL104 INTRODUCTION TO TEACHING ENGLISH
This unit introduces students to historical and contemporary approaches to teaching English in Australia. Students should gain understandings to engage with language structure, language learning and pedagogy. There is emphasis on the critical evaluation of strengths and weaknesses of literacy teaching strategies in relation to scholarly research. Attention is given to the importance of teaching emerging forms of technological, multi-modal, and culturally-diverse textual practices in the context of globalisation. Opportunities are provided to students to demonstrate their own multiliteracies skills through oral, linguistic and digitally-mediated assessment items. Christian perspectives of language and teaching approaches are integrated throughout this unit.
EL204 PEDAGOGIES FOR TEACHING ENGLISH
In this unit, students are introduced to pedagogy, discourse and issues of diversity for teaching English. The focus will be on pedagogy for teaching linguistic, visual, oral, gestural, auditory, spatial and digital communication. Students will evaluate critical literacy pedagogy from a Christian perspective.
EL205 MULTIMODALITY AND DIVERSITY IN THE CLASSROOM
This unit introduces students to a repertoire of specific strategies for teaching the construction of texts across a range of modes (linguistic, visual, auditory, spatial, gestural, and digital). Current policies and educational initiatives for sequencing multiliteracies learning for culturally and linguistically diverse student are evaluated. Specific multiliteracies assessment and evaluation issues and methods are examined. A wide range of pedagogical models are applied to the students’ design of multiliteracies programs.
HP104 HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
This unit develops a philosophical perspective on human health and movement practices. The views developed undergird a study of health, movement theories, psychomotor development, aquatics, games and associated pedagogy. Students will develop skills in health and movement practices as well as curriculum development in Health and Physical Education.
LT104 ISSUES IN TEACHING LOTE
The unit aims to relate aspects of language teaching, such as sociolinguistics, second language acquisition, teaching methodology and assessment, to the teaching and learning of Languages other than English (LOTE) in Australian schools. Particular attention is given t familiarising students with resources, curriculum documents and useful technological possibilities.
MA104 TEACHING PATTERNS, NUMBER & OPERATIONS
This first core P-9 mathematics education unit introduces students to patterning, number and operations topics, covering the syllabus strands Patterns & Algebra and Number.
MA204 TEACHING SPACE, MEASUREMENT AND CHANCE & DATA
This second core P-9 mathematics education unit introduces students to topics in the syllabus strands Measurement, Space, and Chance and Data.
MA205 ENGAGING MATHEMATICS LEARNERS
This unit is designed to build students understanding of the needs of divergent Mathematics learners.
SC104 SCIENCE FOR P-9 TEACHERS
This unit is the core science education unit for P-9 BEd students. Its aim is to prepare students to be teachers with a broad knowledge of scientific content, coupled with knowledge of best practice in science education, including various approaches to the teaching of science.
SC204 INNOVATIVE SCIENCE TEACHING
This unit, the first science studies elective, is designed to help students to develop their personal scientific knowledge, but more importantly to provide experience of ‘best practice’ science education, based on latest research into how students learn science.
SC205 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE STUDIES
This unit exposes students to key concepts involved in environmental protection and management, and uses a variety of strategies to raise awareness of associated issues, including field studies, focussed research, group investigations and discussions.
SE104 FOUNDATIONS IN STUDIES OF SOCIETY AND ENVIRONMENT
This foundational core unit in Studies of Society and Environment (SOSE) aims to develop students’ ability to reflect on their life experiences and to develop critical understandings of social institutions, processes, traditions and values. This is achieved through the study of the rationales and philosophies, contributing social science disciplines and fields of learning, various belief, moral, ethical and value systems, social institutions and processes, and approaches to curriculum associated with SOSE. In particular, attempts will be made to develop understandings of society, of social processes and institutions and of their relationships to various environmental settings, from the Christian perspective of responsible discipleship.
SE204 CREATIVE TEACHING STRATEGIES FOR SOSE
This unit will investigate and analyse a range of issues and principles for making SOSE lessons and units innovative, creative and engaging for learners and to break down misconceptions that surround this key learning area. Students will engage in an exploration and analysis of a diverse range of innovative, creative and divergent strategies for breaking down the walls between classroom and society and these will be critiqued within a Christian framework of cultural transformation, missional and transcendent teaching and learning tasks.
SE205 INNOVATIVE SOSE TEACHING: FROM SYLLABUS TO SIMULATIONS
This elective unit in Studies of Society and Environment (SOSE) aims to develop students’ ability to develop whole school, contextually significant curriculum programs that are well documented, innovative and reconceptualised from a distinctively Christian perspective within the SOSE key learning area. Complimenting this investigation will be an analysis of a range of inquiry based approaches to SOSE, including the construction and development of an age appropriate and intellectually challenging simulation game/scenario.
TN104 TECHNOLOGY STUDIES ELECTIVE
This elective unit gives P-9 student teachers grounding in the Years 1-10 Technology syllabus, and equips them to develop and implement a program of engaging, worthwhile technology lessons.
TN204 ICT ELECTIVE
This elective unit gives students with a particular interest and expertise with ICTs to explore more advanced uses of ICTs to develop meaningful, innovative programs of learning for their students.
Professional Experience units
SP200 SCHOOL-BASED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES I
In this unit, students will be formally introduced to early learning centres, classrooms and school life, and will begin to develop observational and reflective abilities together with general teaching skills and abilities. The teaching focus will be on mini and whole group/class lessons. Students will be expected to apply learnings from the units ED113 Introduction to Teaching and Learning, and ED215 Planning for Learning within the context of this practicum, and to consider their personal suitability for teaching.
SP231 SCHOOL-BASED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES GE I
In this unit within the Bachelor of Education (Secondary/Middle Years - Graduate Entry) course, students will develop general teaching skills and abilities. The specific focus of these experiences will be on teaching individual, series and full days of lessons, and students will be expected to exhibit general mastery of basic teaching skills in preparation for continuous teaching on succeeding professional experience units.
SP301 SCHOOL-BASED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES II In this unit, students will continue to develop general teaching skills and abilities. The specific focus of these experiences will be on teaching individual, series and full days of lessons. There is considerable integration with ED318 Motivation and Management of Learners. Students will be expected to exhibit general mastery of basic teaching skills in preparation for continuous teaching.
SP302 SCHOOL-BASED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES III
In this unit, students will begin to develop greater autonomy within the classroom by taking greater responsibility for observing, planning and teaching during two weeks of continuous practice. They will be encouraged to experiment with diverse approaches using greater learner involvement and to design lesson sequences which, together with a unit, seamlessly integrate faith and learning principles and imperatives.
SP332 SCHOOL-BASED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES GE II
In this unit within the Bachelor of Education (Secondary/ Middle Years - Graduate Entry) course, students begin to develop greater autonomy and responsibility within the classroom by taking greater responsibility for observing, planning and teaching during two weeks of continuous practice. They will be encouraged to experiment with diverse approaches using greater learner involvement and to design lesson sequences which, together with a unit, seamlessly integrate faith and learning principles and imperatives.
SP403 SCHOOL-BASED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES IV
This unit involves students in continuous practice and the assumption of major responsibility for a group/ class for at least three weeks. Students will observe, plan, teach and evaluate at least two units of work related to curriculum units in their courses, and are expected to exhibit teaching competence closely related to beginning teaching proficiency. Successful completion of this unit provides access to the unit SP404 School-Based Internship Program.
SP433 SCHOOL-BASED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES GE III
This unit within the Bachelor of Education (Secondary/Middle Years - Graduate Entry) course involves continuous practice and the assumption of major responsibility for a group/class for at least three weeks. Students will observe, plan, teach and evaluate at least two units of work related to curriculum units in their courses, and are expected to exhibit teaching competence closely related to beginning teaching proficiency.
SP404 SCHOOL-BASED INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
The School-Based Internship Program is the capstone of the undergraduate preservice teacher education courses and is designed to orientate and induct students into the world of the ‘beginning teacher’. The unit builds upon students’ previous professional experiences and serves as a transitional pathway between preservice teacher education and employment. Students will be supervised by experienced teachers and, working in collaboration with supervising teachers, will assume increasing responsibility for a group/class as the Internship proceeds.
Preservice Education units for students commencing pre-2006
Education Studies units
ED131 CULTURAL INFLUENCES ON EDUCATION
This unit is the first in a strand of Education Studies in the Bachelor of Education program. It encompasses the notions that ‘culture’, in its broadest meaning, underpins the context, perceptions and outcomes of education, and that, in order to be professional and effective, educators need to be cognisant of this.
ED132 DEVELOPING PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION
Effective communication is a vital factor for success in both academic and professional contexts. This unit will explore the processes and dynamics of communication in both settings, particularly in terms of classroom teaching. Students will engage with the skills and processes necessary for effective written and oral communication as well as the study skills essential for tertiary education.
ED133 HUMAN DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE LIFESPAN
Students will explore the various contours of the human person (cognitive, emotional, spiritual, moral, relational and volitional) and will provide understandings upon which they will be able to appreciate and acknowledge the multifaceted scope and complex nature of human development. This exploration will take place within a contextual framework that uses Erickson’s stages of psychosocial development as a paradigm through which other theories and developmental levels will be filtered.
ED134 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM
This unit prepares students to use information technology to support and encourage learning among their students.
ED231 LEARNING ABOUT TEACHING
This unit investigates a range of key principles and approaches in relation to classroom planning, teaching and learning. It is foundational in investigating major pedagogical issues and imperatives which will be further developed in later units of the strand.
ED232 CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
The topic of classroom management is a vital one given the range of social complexities existing in Australia today. For teachers to manage successfully, they first have to understand both themselves as classroom leaders and the psycho-social needs of the students, and the interrelationships of these within the classroom. It is upon this foundation that models and theories of management will be studied, and students will be encouraged to develop personal theories of practice.
ED331 CURRICULUM PLANNING AND EVALUATION
This unit aims to develop students’ abilities to reflect upon and analyse key pedagogical elements that underpin curriculum documentation. This is achieved through the study of a range of national, state and systemic curriculum documents. Students will identify and investigate the key orientations and core elements of these curricula, and critique of current developments within Queensland curriculum policy and decision-making will also be explored. Students will become curriculum decision makers and practitioners by applying their theory of curriculum to specific units of work.
ED332 PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
This unit draws upon the terminology and concepts of philosophy to consider major philosophical schools of thought and their approaches to education. Students will draw upon Christian theology and philosophy to articulate and justify their own views of educational theory and practice, and apply these in reflection upon selected issues in education.
ED333 THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM
This unit focuses on best practices drawn from literature and research in educational provision for students from the social justice target groups including identification, diagnosis, intervention, curriculum planing, pedagogy, program implementation and support services.
ED431 CURRICULUM THEORY IN PRACTICE
This unit develops frameworks for student teachers to review curriculum orientations, personal teaching styles and learning design competencies. It provides a basis for the development of an Action Research Project on approaches to teaching for transformation during SI405 School-Based Internship.
ED432 SOCIETY AND EDUCATION
Drawing upon the field of educational sociology, this unit develops an understanding of major theories regarding the nature of society and the contexts in which education occurs. Notions of the nature and goals of schooling and the relationship between education and society are investigated, as are perspectives regarding the social dimensions of schools and the ways in which societal factors impact upon the educational experiences of teachers and students. Students are encouraged to reflect upon and clarify key values which shape the nature of education in the light of a Christian worldview.
ED433 THE DEVELOPING PROFESSIONAL
This unit involves student teachers reflecting on their School-based Internship experiences in order to develop concepts, strategies and procedures for their induction into schools as ‘beginning teachers’.
Field Studies units
SP201 SCHOOL-BASED PRACTICUM I
In this first four-week practicum, student teachers will be formally introduced to early learning centres, classrooms and school life, and will begin to develop observational and reflective abilities together with general teaching skills and abilities. The teaching focus will be on mini and whole group/class lessons. Student teachers will be expected to apply learnings from ED231 Learning about Teaching within the context of this practicum, and to consider their suitability for teaching.
SP202 SCHOOL-BASED PRACTICUM II
In this second four-week practicum, student teachers will continue to develop general teaching skills and abilities. The focus will be on teaching individual, series and full days of lessons. There is considerable integration with ED232 Classroom Management. Student teachers will be expected to exhibit general mastery of basic teaching skills in preparation for continuous teaching.
SP303 SCHOOL-BASED PRACTICUM III
In this third four-week practicum, student teachers begin to develop greater autonomy in teaching. They take greater responsibility for observing, planning and teaching during two weeks of continuous practice and will be encouraged to experiment with diverse approaches using greater learner involvement and to design lesson sequences which, together with a unit, integrate faith and learning.
SP304 SCHOOL-BASED PRACTICUM IV
This four-week practicum involves continuous practice and the assumption of major responsibility for a group/ class for at least three weeks. Student teachers will observe, plan, teach and evaluate at least two units of work related to curriculum units at College and will be expected to exhibit teaching competence more closely related to beginning teaching.
SI405 SCHOOL-BASED INTERNSHIP
This Internship is a ‘one-term-immersion’ model which is designed to build upon students’ one hundred days of previous field studies experiences. It is intended to serve as a transitional ‘pathway’ between the practicum and employment. The preservice teacher will be supervised by an experienced teacher for Term 2 and, working in collaboration with the supervising teacher, will assume increasing responsibility for the group/class as the Internship proceeds.
Curriculum Studies units
AT231 ARTS EDUCATION I
This unit develops a theoretical framework of the learning processes which children experience in expressing themselves in the visual arts, and an overview of the stages of development in these processes over the years from early childhood until adolescence. The skills developed in preceding workshops sessions are used to illustrate aspects of the theoretical models of the artistic process. The unit also deals with classroom organisation and program planning, with an emphasis on balance in the program through use of all elements of design and use of a variety of media.
AT232 ARTS EDUCATION II
This unit seeks to provide understandings of methodologies and practices appropriate for music education in the primary school. It emphasises the processes of children’s musical development and addresses an understanding of pedagogy and practice in classroom music education.
EL131 LINGUISTIC FOUNDATIONS
This unit is intended to provide students with a broad foundational framework of linguistic and grammatical understandings in order that they develop insights into the structure of English, as well as some languages other than English to provide comparisons and contrasts. A brief account will be given of the changing focus of linguistics through recent history, looking particularly at those linguists whose work has significantly impinged on current educational theory. The multi-layered nature of language will be investigated, and elements of English at each layer explicated. Attention will be given to those features of language useful to tertiary students and English teachers.
EL232 LISTENING AND READING IN THE PRIMARY CLASSROOM
This unit introduces the definitions, theories, models of and approaches to language and literacy education. It focuses on Listening and Reading and considers debates about oral language acquisition and reading development. Various approaches to teaching language, including skills based, strategic approaches, personal development and holistic approaches, and critical, social literacy are covered.
EL233 WRITING AND SPEAKING IN THE PRIMARY CLASSROOM
This unit introduces the definitions, theories, models of and approaches to language and literacy education. It focuses on Writing and Speaking and considers research and debates about written language acquisition and development. Various approaches to teaching language, including skills based, strategic approaches, personal development and holistic approaches, and critical, social literacy are covered. Students will formulate a personal philosophy and framework for teaching language.
HP231 HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
This unit develops a philosophical perspective on human health and movement practices. The view developed undergirds a study of health, movement theories, psychomotor development, aquatics, games and associated pedagogy. Students will develop skills in health and movement practices as well as curriculum development and evaluation in Health and Physical Education.
MA131 TEACHING NUMBER & OPERATIONS
This first primary mathematics education unit provides students with a foundation for subsequent units, focussing on the number strand of the mathematics syllabus.
MA132 TEACHING SPACE AND MEASUREMENT
This second mathematics unit introduces students to the content and methodology of the space, measurement and chance and data strands in the primary school mathematics program.
MA233 PLANNING AND DIAGNOSIS IN MATHEMATICS
This third mathematics education unit provides experiences in planning and assessing in school and class mathematics programs, and in the use of diagnostic teaching practices to effectively manage children’s school mathematics experiences.
SC131 SCIENCE FOR PRIMARY TEACHERS
This introductory science unit prepares students to teach science at primary school level through introduction of conceptual knowledge in each curriculum strand, including discussion of the nature of science and the “working scientifically” strand.
SC232 PLANNING AND TEACHING PRIMARY SCIENCE
This second unit in primary science education prepares students to plan and teach units of work taking into account current knowledge of the nature of science and how children learn science.
SE131 FOUNDATIONS IN STUDIES OF SOCIETY & ENVIRONMENT
This unit aims to develop students’ ability to reflect on their life experiences and to develop critical understandings of social institutions, processes, traditions and values. This is achieved through the study of the rationales and philosophies, contributing social science disciplines and fields of learning, various moral, ethical and value systems, social institutions and approaches to curriculum associated with Studies of Society and Environment (SOSE). In particular, students will investigate and critique SOSE Syllabus documents, and will develop understandings of society, social processes and institutions and their relationships to various environmental settings, from a Christian perspective.
SE232 PLANNING AND TEACHING STUDIES OF SOCIETY AND ENVIRONMENT
This unit gives students opportunity to consider issues of methodology and curriculum design, implementation and review in Studies of Society and Environment (SOSE). In the course of such considerations, students will be given the opportunity to develop their own critical Christian worldview of SOSE and to compare it to other worldviews. In particular, students will investigate the concept of ‘cultural transformation’ as it applies to issues of SOSE.
TN231 TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
This unit aims to introduce students to Technology as a Key Learning Area, in terms of its contribution to school curriculum programs and the ways in which it can develop a critically reflective approach to the pervasiveness of technology and its impact on people and society.
Early Childhood units
EC131 CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND CHILD STUDY
Students who are completing an early childhood major in their preservice teacher education program need to be able to understand the contexts of family life, society and culture, as well as critically evaluating theoretical, historical and applied knowledge. From this knowledge base, they will develop strategies and skills for observing and interacting with young children. This unit therefore provides an experience base for the selection and organisation of appropriate learning situations for young children in a variety of contexts.
EC232 EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CURRICULUM PLANNING AND EVALUATION
This unit explores the parallel initiatives of planning and implementation in early childhood settings through both theoretical and practical investigations of strategies, case studies and approaches used by practitioners when they plan for and implement programs of learning for young children. Historical influences, the place of ‘stakeholders’ and differing paradigms within ‘the field’, and how these each impinge upon practice, will be investigated.
EC331 ASSESSMENT, REPORTING & EVALUATION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION This unit engages student teachers in processes and strategies related to assessment, reporting and evaluation of early childhood children, settings and curriculum. Particular attention is paid to negotiation, individual education programs, working with specialist personnel and parents, and quality assurance.
EC234 ISSUES AND PERSPECTIVES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
This final coursework unit in the Early Childhood Studies specialisation engages students in a range of professional and policy issues that include curriculum areas (KLAs and FLAS), accreditation, leadership, management practices, policy documents, partnerships, advocacy and developmentally appropriate practice (DAP).
Inservice and Postgraduate Education units
ED440 DEVELOPING AND APPLYING A CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW
This unit develops Christian philosophical foundations and introduces students to the critical appraisal of worldviews and to the major components of a Christian worldview and of other worldviews present in Western culture and in contemporary Australian society. Students will extend and apply their consideration of worldviews by examining curriculum areas in the light of a Christian worldview.
ED441 PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
This unit draws upon the tolls and understandings of philosophy to consider major philosophical movements, their educational theories, and their implications for education today. Students will deal with philosophical issues in education, and develop, defend and apply their personal philosophy of education from a Christian perspective.
ED450 THE TEACHER AS LEADER
‘Leadership’ in schools is not the sole responsibility of those in administrative positions, but is a concept that encompasses a range of contexts and functions. Indeed, ‘leadership’ is very much the concern of the classroom teacher in that he/she is charged with the educational development of the students in his/her care. It is thus imperative that teachers be aware of various models and theories of ‘leadership’, the factors that affect it, and the view of ‘leadership’ offered by Scripture. In this way, teachers can be equipped to approach their task of leadership with a sense of where they are going, how they will get there, and what their students can become, as a result of walking with them on the journey.
ED460 THE SPIRITUAL FORMATION OF TEACHERS
This unit provides students with the content knowledge and analytical procedures to describe, map and analyse their stages of and pathway(s) for spiritual formation. The unit also explores avenues for the enhancement of personal growth and spiritual formation in relation to the resulting living curricula.
ED463 SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
This unit provides the experiential, theoretical and practical bases for this qualification in TESOL. Students encounter a range of practical as well as theoretical devices, to assist them to enter the world of the ESL learner and experience the emotions, as well as gaining understandings of a wide range of issues, that are significant foundations and impediments to second language learning.
ED464 LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
This unit develops students’ understanding and conceptual abilities about the interrelationships between language and culture. Particular case study settings are selected for investigation and analysis in terms of socialisation factors that influence, enhance and inhibit linguistic competence.
ED465 ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING METHODOLOGY
This unit introduces students to the nature, theories, history and best international practices in English language learning. It provides opportunity for the students to engage with language learners; develop experiential knowledge, strategies and skills of language learning practices; and to engage in the planning and critique of programs to assist language learners.
ED466 PROGRAMS, RESOURCES AND EVALUATION
This unit engages students in the evaluation of language competence, as well as developing the students’ abilities to evaluate planning, resources and learning environments. The focus in this unit is on the development of evaluative, diagnostic and remedial abilities in relation to language learning.
ED467 INDEPENDENT TESOL STUDY
This unit requires students to select a topic or issue that is of current significance to TESOL teachers, students and/or learning settings. Through a contracted and supervised project, students will explore the literature, current contexts and educational practices associated with the selected topic or issue. The outcomes of students’ studies will be shared in report form as well as in conference/seminar settings.
ED468 TESOL PRACTICUM
This unit will involve regular continuous practice of at least 100 hours in a TESOL learning setting and assumes major responsibility for the learning of a group or selected TESOL classes. Students will observe, plan, teach and evaluate at least two programs of work that they have personally developed under the supervision of an accredited TESOL teacher. They will be expected to exhibit teaching competence at the level of beginning teaching.
ED470 CURRICULUM INVESTIGATIONS
This unit engages teachers in curriculum with special attention to sources, theory, orientations, and processes. These learnings are developed in the context of investigations into current Australian curriculum approaches at national, state, and school levels. Particular attention is paid to the personal curriculum practices of practitioners.
ED471 APPROACHES TO CHRISTIAN STUDIES
This unit addresses the need for Christian schools to design, develop, implement and review programs that attempt to integrate curricular programs related to student faith and learning. It is the integration of these dimensions, within the competing curriculum space, that is at the heart of Christian educators where the knower is integrated with the known.
ED472 ENGLISH CURRICULUM STUDIES
This unit focuses teachers’ attention on the needs, problems and issues facing English teachers in schools. There is a strong link between curriculum theory and practice in a study of this nature. It requires teachers to be informed of current state and national initiatives in this curriculum area, as well as to develop strategies for solving curriculum area problems at the school level.
ED473 TEACHING MATHEMATICS DIAGNOSTICALLY
This mathematics education unit provides opportunities for teachers to develop diagnostic and intervention processes appropriate for use by classroom teachers, and to apply them in practice by working with a suitable child and formally reporting the outcomes.
ED475 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CURRICULUM STUDIES
This unit focuses teachers’ attention on the needs, problems and issues facing Science and Technology teachers in schools. There is a strong link between curriculum theory and practice in a study of this nature. It requires teachers to be informed of current state and national initiatives in this curriculum area, as well as developing strategies to solve curriculum area problems at the school level.
ED476 ARTS CURRICULUM STUDIES
This unit focuses teachers’ attention on the needs, problems and issues facing Arts teachers in schools. There is a strong link between curriculum theory and practice in a study of this nature. It requires teachers to be informed of current state and national initiatives in this curriculum area, as well as developing strategies for solving curriculum area problems at the school level.
ED477 TECHNOLOGY CURRICULUM STUDIES
This unit focuses teachers’ attention on the needs, problems and issues facing Technology teachers in schools. There is a strong link between curriculum theory and practice in a study of this nature. It requires teachers to be informed of current state and national initiatives in this curriculum area, as well as developing strategies for solving curriculum area problems at the school level.
ED478 LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH (LOTE) CURRICULUM STUDIES
This unit focuses teachers’ attention on the needs, problems and issues facing LOTE teachers in schools. There is a strong link between curriculum theory and practice in a study of this nature. It requires teachers to be informed of current state and national initiatives in this curriculum area, as well as developing strategies for solving curriculum area problems at the school level.
ED479 HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM STUDIES
This unit focuses teachers’ attention on the needs, problems and issues facing Physical Education teachers in schools today. There is a strong link between curriculum theory and practice in a study of this nature. It requires teachers to be informed of current state and national initiatives in this learning area, as well as to develop strategies for solving curriculum area problems at the school level.
ED480 ISSUES IN EDUCATION
This unit draws upon the contributions to educational thought of other disciplines, such as sociology, history, philosophy and theology, and focuses on the societal and cultural contexts of schooling, the diverse societal expectations of schooling, and their implications for curriculum and practice. Students will select two current issues in education for particular study, considering both the wider societal dimensions of the issues, and their ramifications at the school level.
ED481 DEVELOPING A CHRISTIAN SCHOOL CULTURE
This unit challenges students to apply cultural concepts and understandings to thinking about, investigating and intervening in school settings. In particular the unit focuses on a consideration of the desirable features of Christian school culture, and strategies for developing and maintaining such a culture.
ED488 STUDIES OF SOCIETY AND ENVIRONMENT CURRICULUM STUDIES
This unit assists teachers who are interested in the Study of Society and Environment curriculum area to develop contextually significant curriculum programs within their educational contexts. There is a strong link between curriculum theory and practice in a study of this nature. It requires teachers to be informed of current state and national initiatives in this curriculum area, as well as to develop strategies for solving curriculum area problems at the school level. This unit of study will assist teachers in their investigation, application and review of these initiatives in the area of SOSE.
ED489 MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM STUDIES
Recent developments in mathematics syllabus materials in Queensland have brought with them a challenge for experienced teachers to become familiar with outcomes-based approaches and new approaches to teaching of mathematics, without losing existing good practice and rigour in classroom mathematical activity. This unit develops the student’s familiarity with the QSA syllabus, and addresses critical questions regarding the teaching of mathematics in the 21st century.
ED490 RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN TEACHING METHODOLOGY
This unit engages teachers in a review of their personal and professional approaches to the design, implementation and review of teaching for learning. With the aid of the educational literature, teachers develop an action research project to extend the repertoire of their understandings, skills and tactics that promote student learning.
ED491 TEACHING CHRISTIANLY
This unit seeks to engage teachers in personal investigations of Scripture, as well as the relevant educational literature, in order to develop teaching-learning practices that will enable one to teach Christianly. A clinical trial of proposals will enable the evaluation, re-conceptualisation and critical reflection of practice to be undertaken.
ED492 MENTORING: RELATIONSHIPS WHICH NURTURE
Mentoring relationships and processes create a context for the development of the potential within others. This unit explores rationales for, and various approaches to, mentoring, which can be applied with the learning community of the school. It equips teachers with skills and understandings to mentor effectively, and provides an opportunity for their application through the development of a mentoring project within the school, which they will then evaluate and critique.
ED493 APPROACHES TO BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT
Successful behaviour management is undergirded by an understanding of the needs of students, and the impact of teacher behaviour, as well as by the investigation of successful current approaches to management. This unit explores these issues, and allows teachers to reflect on best practice, as well as on their own personal approach to behaviour management.
ED494 THE SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE LEARNER
This unit explores human development issues, especially as they relate to spirituality and faith. Areas examined include specific theories of faith and identity development. Different individual and cultural approaches to questions of transcendence will be examined, as will the importance and place of community and belonging in the developmental process. The implication of spiritual and faith development for education will be reflected upon.
ED495 CURRICULUM WRITING PROJECT
This unit gives students the opportunity to pursue an area of curricular interest in some depth. Students will identify areas of interest or issues for investigation and critically review available and relevant literature. They will design the curriculum writing project and the methods of exploration/ investigation, pursue the investigation and report to a group, in a form deemed appropriate (curriculum plan, report, journal, article, research paper or presentation), the findings of their projects.
ED496 EDUCATIONAL PROJECT
This unit gives students the opportunity to pursue an area of interest in some depth, though not at dissertation level. Students will identify areas of interest or issues for investigation and critically review available and relevant literature. They will design the educational project and the methods of exploration/investigation, pursue the investigation and report to a group, in a form deemed appropriate (curriculum plan, report, journal, article, research paper or presentation), the findings of their projects.
ED497 DIRECTED STUDY
For students undertaking a study of special interest, it is important that a process takes place of relating a Christian perspective to that study. This unit will normally provide that process, spread over the duration of the study. Students will relate to an appropriate faculty member, who will assist them.
ED511 CHRISTIAN FOUNDATIONS I: DEVELOPING AND APPLYING A CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW
This unit establishes a frame of reference for the course as a whole, by developing in some detail its underpinning Christian worldview and philosophy of education. The unit also examines other worldviews prominent in Western culture, and their educational expressions. Given this plurality of worldviews in our culture, the unit provides a framework to assist Christian teachers in identifying, thinking about and discussing fundamental beliefs and their educational implications.
ED512 CHRISTIAN FOUNDATIONS II: THINKING CHRISTIANLY ABOUT EDUCATION
This unit builds upon the preceding unit ED511 Foundations of Christian Education I. Where that unit developed a conceptual framework linking worldviews, philosophy and educational ideas, this unit operationalises those understandings by developing a set of conceptual tools to aid in the task of thinking Christianly about education.
ED521 THEORY AND PRACTICE IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP
This unit provides a broad treatment of various aspects of school leadership and administration, as well as an acquaintance with its theoretical basis. It also encourages the fostering of an ability to adapt to, and keep abreast of, new developments in the field of educational administration, as theories, practices and contexts inevitably change. It also addresses leadership from a Christian perspective, providing Biblical examples of leadership contexts and situations, and applying them to the school context.
ED522 THE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL AS A FAITH/LEARNING COMMUNITY
This unit explores the concept of organisational culture, particularly as it relates to Christian schools as faith communities with an emphasis on learning. As ideas concerning an ‘ideal’ Christian school culture come together, the unit also deals with an investigation of ways in which this development can be achieved in a scenario of which students have knowledge and/or experience.
ED523 LEADING CURRICULUM CHANGE
One of the most significant areas of change within school systems in the past twenty years is that of curriculum, and it is an area with which teachers and school leaders, especially within Christian schools, should be cognisant, in order for their practice to be properly and fully informed. This unit will provide an overview of curriculum change and development within Australian education systems over the last twenty years, with particular attention given to the Queensland example. It will also provide opportunity for the investigation of similar developments in students’ own contexts.
ED531 LEARNING: THEORY AND PRACTICE
Critical review of theoretical and practical approaches to the study of ‘learning’ will form the basis for the analysis of particular learning settings, to identify factors such as context, style, learner characteristics, motivation, task and processes that promote and/or inhibit learning. Students will be required to formulate a personal framework on ‘learning’ from these studies.
ED532 PERSONAL PEDAGOGY AS A LIVING CURRICULUM
This unit provides students with the content knowledge and analytical procedures to describe, map, and analyse their stages of and pathways towards a Living Curriculum. The unit also explores avenues for the enhancement and integration of personal and professional growth, through the trial and review of an innovation within the student’s educational setting.
ED533 CURRICULUM IN CONTEXTS
Through an analysis of curriculum theory and curriculum development theory, this unit establishes frameworks for the examination and critique of past and current innovations. These provide bases for the design, development, implementation and review of an educational innovation that will be trialled and reviewed in a selected setting.
ED581 INDEPENDENT STUDY/SEMINAR
This unit gives students the opportunity to pursue an area of interest in some depth, though not at dissertation level. Students will identify areas of interest or issues for investigation and critically review available and relevant literature. They will design the study and the methods of exploration/ investigation, pursue the investigation and report to a group, in a form deemed appropriate (curriculum plan, report, journal, article, research paper or presentation), the findings of their projects.
ED582 EDUCATIONAL PROJECT
This unit gives students the opportunity to pursue an area of interest in some depth, though not at dissertation level. Students will identify areas of interest or issues for investigation and critically review available and relevant literature. They will design the educational project and the methods of exploration/investigation, pursue the investigation and report to a group, in a form deemed appropriate (curriculum plan, report, journal, article, research paper or presentation), the findings of their projects.
ED583 INDEPENDENT STUDY (20 credit points)
This unit gives students the opportunity to pursue an area of interest in some depth, though not at dissertation level. Students will identify areas of interest or issues for investigation and critically review available and relevant literature. They will design the study and the methods of exploration/ investigation, pursue the investigation and report to a group, in a form deemed appropriate (curriculum plan, report, journal, article, research paper or presentation), the findings of their projects.
ED591 RESEARCH DISSERTATION (40 credit points)
This supervised program of study involves the design and implementation of a research project using appropriate reading, critical issues and research methodologies. A dissertation of 25000 words (or equivalent) will be prepared, presented and externally examined.
RM511 INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH METHODS
This unit introduces students to a range of research designs and methodologies that are commonly used within education. It provides a foundational understanding of both quantitative and qualitative methods of research, and equips students to be critical and discerning consumers of the published research of others. Students undertaking this unit will develop their understanding of a range of research designs, and will investigate the processes and principles that ensure that research is valid, reliable and useful within a particular research orientation.
RM512 CONDUCTING RESEARCH
This advanced research methods unit builds upon the understandings developed in RM511 - Introduction to Research Methods, and provides students with the skills, processes and knowledge necessary to design and conduct educational research within their particular field of interest. Students will be expected to develop a research proposal, in consultation with a supervisor, and will use this unit as a basis to prepare for a dissertation within their chosen field.
RM513 REVIEW OF RESEARCH LITERATURE
This unit requires students to access the literature which is of relevance to their proposed research studies. Various tools and strategies are used to search for and analyse the selected literature. Through processes of drafting a review and presenting a seminar on the selected literature, students will finalise their literature review.
