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Unit outline_

EDSE3111: Teaching Aboriginal Studies 1

Semester 1b, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This is the first unit of study in a suite of Aboriginal Studies curriculum units. In this unit, students will consider how discipline knowledge is organised, taught, and experienced across the secondary school years. The unit will emphasise the integration of knowledge within and across the Aboriginal Studies discipline area and consider the role teachers play in facilitating Aboriginal Studies pedagogy that scaffolds subject learning and connects to student lives. We will examine the Stage 4 and 5 Aboriginal Studies elective, its place in the K-10 HSIE continuum and the role of community consultation in the development and implementation of this elective in the school curriculum.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Education
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
72 credit points of units, including (EDSE2010 or EDHP2001) and 12 credit points at 2000-level from Indigenous Australian Studies
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Irene Wardle, irene.wardle@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s) Tarunna Sebastian, tarunna.sebastian@sydney.edu.au
Lynette Riley, lynette.riley@sydney.edu.au
The census date for this unit availability is 26 April 2024
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment hurdle task Designing an Assessment Task
Design an assessment task for the unit of work submitted earlier.
30% Week 09
Due date: 22 Apr 2024 at 23:59
1350 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5
Assignment hurdle task Learning from Country Critical Reflection
Critical reflection
30% Week 12
Due date: 13 May 2024 at 23:59
1350 words
Outcomes assessed: LO5 LO6
Assignment hurdle task group assignment Unit of work Stage 4 Aboriginal Studies
Produce an 8 week detailed unit of work.
40% Week 13
Due date: 20 May 2024 at 23:59
1800 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO2 LO6
hurdle task = hurdle task ?
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Task 1 Designing an Assessment Task

In this task, you will design an Assessment Task for the Unit of Work submitted for Task 1.

Task 2 Learning from Country Critical Reflection

You will participate in Learning from Country activities as negotiated with your lecturer and local Aboriginal community educators and organisations. You will be expected to organise one Learning from Country activity in your own time and include this experience in this task.

Task 3 Unit of Work

In this task, you will be required in pairs to produce an 8 week Unit of Work [UoW] on one option from the Stage 4 & 5 Aboriginal Studies syllabus including appropriate integration of Core 1 or Core 2 into your chosen option.

Assessment criteria

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

  • Consistently strong and ongoing demonstration and evidence of superior organisational and conceptual skills. The work is extremely well conceived, coherent, logical, original and lucid as well as professionally prepared.
  • Impressive and original depth of understanding of the content and discipline is displayed. Information is gathered from a wide range of current & relevant sources beyond the core materials.
  • Convincing synthesis of evidence, critical analysis and understanding of multiple perspectives to formulate a coherent argument.
  • Critical assessment and analysis of the relationship between theory, research and practice. Possible insightful and/or original deployments of theory or theoretical concepts. Implications for personal and professional practice are carefully considered and explored. Work potentially worth dissemination and/or postgraduate study.

Distinction

75 - 84

  • Consistently strong and ongoing demonstration of very good organisational and conceptual skills. The work is well conceived, coherent, logical and lucid as well as professionally prepared.
  • Thorough and comprehensive understanding of the content and/or discipline gathered from a wide range of current & relevant sources beyond the core materials.
  • Convincing synthesis of evidence, critical analysis and understanding of multiple perspectives to formulate a coherent argument.
  • Insightful critique or consideration of relationship between theory, research and practice. Personal / professional implications for practice considered.

Credit

65 - 74

  • Strong organizational & conceptual skills and evidence that the task is logical and coherent and professionally prepared.
  • Considers topics and issues in the broader disciplinary context. Evidence of having read current and relevant sources beyond the core materials.
  • Credible argument making relevant use of evidence, analysis and understanding. Able to apply concepts and draw and justify conclusions.
  • Critical or evaluative discussion/thinking about links between theory, research and practice.

Pass

50 - 64

  • Demonstrates task organization and conceptual understanding in a style which is mostly logical, coherent and flowing.
  • Clear understanding of topic. Demonstrates understanding of materials presented in core texts and readings.
  • Demonstrates some evidence of analytical and evaluative skills. Able to apply fundamental concepts and draw and justify conclusions.
  • Beginning to develop critical reflection and analysis of practice through theory and research. Relevant concepts etc applied in a generally appropriate and thoughtful way.

Fail

0 - 49

  • When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.
  • Attempts are made to demonstrate a logical & coherent understanding of the assessment task but some aspects may be confused or undeveloped.
  • Limited understanding of topic with serious gaps or errors. Demonstrates little evidence of having read materials presented in core texts & readings.
  • Little or no evidence of analytical and evaluative skills. Fails to draw on fundamental concepts and to justify conclusions.
  • Very little or no consideration of the relationships between theory, research and practice.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

A statement regarding late penalties will display on the unit outline above any qualifying information you choose to include. Click the ? icon to see the statement. Late penalties should be modified in accordance with the Assessment Procedures 2011.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 07 1. Understanding the broader Aboriginal context in Australia and syllabus and associated NESA documents. 2. Discussion Board Activities. Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5
Week 08 Learning from Country – Aboriginal community cultural wealth; 2. Engaging with Aboriginal families and communities. 3. Discussion Board Activities. Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 09 1. Planning and developing scope & sequences, units of work and lesson plans; 2. Applying curriculum frameworks such as the Quality teaching framework, 8 Aboriginal ways of learning. 3. Place-based, critical and culturally responsive pedagogies. 4. Discussion Board Activities. Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 10 Planning and developing scope & sequences, units of work and lesson plans; 2. Strategies in differentiating the curriculum, literacy, numeracy & ICT. 3. Discussion Board Activities. Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 11 1.Teaching Aboriginal Studies - teaching for social justice; 2. Engaging students through the arts and sports. 3. Discussion Board Activities. Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 12 1.Analysing the cross-curriculum priority. 2. Assessment Design. 3.Discussion Board Activities. Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 13 1. Assessment Design; 2. Deficit discourses and high expectations - meeting the needs of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students. 3. Discussion Board Activities. Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Articulate the importance of Aboriginal studies curriculum and knowledge in the lives of their future students.
  • LO2. Use Aboriginal studies curriculum and content, strategies and resources to plan and implement activities for use in a range of contemporary education settings.
  • LO3. Select and design quality resources to develop a professional portfolio.
  • LO4. Demonstrate knowledge of teaching and learning strategies in Aboriginal studies curriculum areas that meet the diverse needs of students.
  • LO5. Demonstrate a research-based approach to teaching based on a critical analysis of Aboriginal studies curriculum related documents.
  • LO6. Engage in collaborative professional practice with peers and colleagues.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes Competency standards
LO1
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Level – UG and MTeach) - AITSL
2.1.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
2.2.1. (Graduate) Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
2.4.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.
LO2
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Level – UG and MTeach) - AITSL
2.1.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
2.2.1. (Graduate) Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
2.3.1. (Graduate) Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
4.2.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions.
LO3
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Level – UG and MTeach) - AITSL
3.1.1. (Graduate) Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.
3.2.1. (Graduate) Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
3.3.1. (Graduate) Include a range of teaching strategies.
3.4.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.
3.5.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement.
4.1.1. (Graduate) Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.
5.1.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
LO4
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Level – UG and MTeach) - AITSL
1.4.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds.
2.4.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.
3.4.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.
3.6.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.
LO5
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Level – UG and MTeach) - AITSL
1.1.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning.
1.3.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socio-economic backgrounds.
1.4.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds.
1.5.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
3.7.1. (Graduate) Describe a broad range of strategies for involving parents/carers in the educative process.
4.1.1. (Graduate) Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.
7.3.1. (Graduate) Understand strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers.
7.4.1. (Graduate) Understand the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice.
LO6
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Level – UG and MTeach) - AITSL
1.4.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds.
2.4.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.
3.1.1. (Graduate) Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.
3.3.1. (Graduate) Include a range of teaching strategies.
3.7. Engage parents / carers in the educative process
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Level – UG and MTeach) -
Competency code Taught, Practiced or Assessed Competency standard
1.3.1 T P A (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socio-economic backgrounds.
1.4.1 T P A (Graduate) Demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds.
2.1.1 T P A (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
2.2.1 T P A (Graduate) Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
2.4.1 T P A (Graduate) Demonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.
2.5.1 T P A (Graduate) Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.
2.6.1 T P A (Graduate) Implement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students.
3.1.1 T P A (Graduate) Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.
3.2.1 T P A (Graduate) Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
3.3.1 T P A (Graduate) Include a range of teaching strategies.
3.4.1 T P A (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.
4.1.1 T P A (Graduate) Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.
5.1.1 T P A (Graduate) Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
6.3.1 T P A (Graduate) Seek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices.
7.3.1 T P A (Graduate) Understand strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers.
7.4.1 T P A (Graduate) Understand the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice.

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

New unit of study. Will respond of student feedback.

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