Professional Documents
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Edpr3004 Cultural Contexts in Primary Education Semester 1 2018 Bentley Campus Int
Edpr3004 Cultural Contexts in Primary Education Semester 1 2018 Bentley Campus Int
Edpr3004 Cultural Contexts in Primary Education Semester 1 2018 Bentley Campus Int
School of Education
Unit Outline
Teaching Staff:
Acknowledgement of Country
We respectfully acknowledge the Indigenous Elders, custodians, their descendants and kin of this land past and
present. The Centre for Aboriginal Studies aspires to contribute to positive social change for Indigenous Australians
through higher education and research.
Syllabus
This unit examines social, cultural, linguistic, and economic forces which impact on classroom practices and student
learning outcomes. The unit requires analysis of the characteristics of classrooms and schools that reduce the effects
of inequalities through curriculum choices and pedagogical practices. This unit emphasises the Australian
Professional Standards for Teachers associated with student diversity including consideration of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander children in primary school classrooms.
Introduction
What are the significant influences shaping the organisation of education, the practices of teaching and learning, and
the educational experiences and outcomes of student learning? What does a sociological perspective bring to our
understanding of these influences? This unit introduces you to concepts and perspectives that develop your
understanding of the contextual dimension of schooling in Australian society. Education must be understood in
relation to the factors beyond the educational setting that shape how education and learning is thought about, acted
upon and enacted. An increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse population of students is requiring educators to
think differently about their ideas and practices. Increasing intervention in education through government policy and
programs, such as NAPLAN and increased school choice, are exerting a range of problematic effects on schools.
These developments relate to a wider set of changes occurring to government and society, called neoliberalism. This
unit encourages you, as a matter of urgency and professional responsibility, to engage with these issues and a range
of other forces shaping how educators think and act, as well as the experiences of children and students. Through
post-structuralist and critical theoretical lenses, you will be challenged to think about schooling, teaching and learning
as practices inextricably situated in and shaped by social, economic and political relations. You should complete the
unit with a toolkit of concepts and notions that enable you to critically and powerfully interpret and negotiate the
phenomena of teaching and learning in contemporary Australia.
Graduate Attributes
On successful completion of this unit students can:
addressed
1 Examine and evaluate current international and national education policy trends
Find out more about Curtin's Graduate attributes at the Office of Teaching & Learning website: ctl.curtin.edu.au
Learning Activities
There are some expectations regarding studying this unit.
All students are expected to engage in the content and activities of the unit. You are expected to prepare for the
weekly topics by: reading the topic information on Blackboard including viewing videos and links in Blackboard, and
reading the essential and recommended readings. You should take notes of your reading. These should be
completed prior to attending your workshop (or online collaborate sessions if being offered). Many of the readings
and activities are from the essential textbook.
Attendance at workshops for on-campus students: you are expected to attend 90% of the workshops. If you are
unable to attend your workshop you should inform your tutor prior to the session via email. The workshops are an
opportunity to clarify, discuss, share and expand on the topic readings and ideas. Some workshop time is allocated
for to prepare and complete your assessments. The online discussion board is available for you to share your ideas
with other students. Not engaging with the readings, workshops and discussion board will make the completion of
the assessment items more challenging.
You will receive feedback on your progress in this unit through assessment feedback, rubrics, tutor feedback and
comments on the discussion boards.
Learning Resources
Library Reading List
The Reading List for this unit can be accessed through Blackboard.
Essential texts
The required textbook(s) for this unit are:
l Gobby, B. & Walker, R. (2017). Powers of Curriculum: Sociological Perspectives on Education. Melbourne: Oxford
University Press.
(ISBN/ISSN: 9780190303709)
Online resources
l Gobby, B. & Walker, R. (2017). Powers of Curriculum: Sociological Perspectives on Education. Melbourne: Oxford
University Press.
(https://www.oup.com.au/books/higher-education/education/9780190303709-powers-of-curriculum)
(ISBN/ISSN: 9780190303709)
Assessment
Assessment schedule
Unit Learning
Task Value % Date Due Outcome(s)
Assessed
Report 50 percent Week: Week 6 1,2,5
1 Day: Monday 2 April
Time: 23:59 WST
Essay 50 percent Week: Week 15 3,4,5
2 Day: Monday 4 June
Time: 23:59 WST
Detailed information on assessment tasks
1. Report
There are three options to choose from:
Option 1
Many education systems are experiencing the effects of neoliberal policies/programs. Your task is to use at
least 8 unit readings (the essential and extended readings) from Topics 1-5 and other credible sources to
write a report into the topic of neoliberalism and school education. You must demonstrate a critical awareness
of ‘neoliberalism’ and its effects in the field of education.
Word count: 2000-2500. This includes all text (headings, in-text citations, captions and direct quotes). It
excludes the Reference list.
Option 2
Many education systems are experiencing the effects of neoliberal policies/programs. Your task is to create
an informative and engaging 8-10 minute investigative podcast (with a written transcript) for the ABC on the
topic of neoliberalism and school education. You must use at least 8 unit readings (the essential and extended
readings) from Topics 1-5 and other credible sources. See the unit’s Backboard site for more information
about file size and type.
Option 3
School choice, privatisation and marketisation have been a part of education policy for some time in Australia.
While some people believe private schooling offers a 'better education' than public education, others claim
that the benefits to students are not so clear and that other factors shape learning outcomes.
Conduct your own investigation into the link between private schools and educational performance using the
My School website to compare schools. Your research question is: Is there a clear link between private or
selective schooling and high academic results, or are there other factors at play? You must use at least 8 unit
readings (the essential and extended readings) from Topics 1-5. In addition to using these readings, you can
use other credible sources.
Word count: 2000-2500. This includes all text (headings, in-text citations, captions and direct quotes). It
excludes the Reference list.
Notes:
l Additional information about and requirements of these assessments are outlined on the Blackboard
site. Please read before commencing your assessments.
l Using fewer than 8 unit readings from Topics 1-5 may result in a fail for this assessment.
2. Essay
This assessment has two components. You must submit both components.
Part 1 (45 marks):
Write an essay in response to the following:
Teaching and learning is inextricably related to its social, cultural, economic and political context. Therefore,
Raewyn Connell (2009, p. 224) argues that educators need to see themselves as intellectual workers and this
requires them to possess a ‘depth of knowledge about the culture, and a practice of critical analysis.’ Write an essay
in support of Connell’s assertion.
You must use at least 8 unit readings (the essential and extended readings) from Topics 5-10. Using fewer
than 8 unit readings from topics 5-10 may result in a fail for this assessment.
Word count: 2000-2500. This includes all text (headings, in-text citations, captions and direct quotes). It
excludes the Reference list.
In addition to using the above required unit readings, you may also use other readings from the unit and
other credible/scholarly sources.
Part 2 (5 marks):
Produce a digital artefact that communicates the main ideas of your essay to an audience of teachers. You
may create PowerPoint slides, a Prezi, an info-graph using Piktochart or Glogster, a concept map using
Inspiration/Popplet, or similar.
Note:
l Additional information about and requirements of these assessments are outlined on the Blackboard
site. Please read before commencing your assessments.
Pass requirements
Please refer to Curtin University’s Assessment and Student Progression Manual for full details of all policies and
procedures associated with assessment at Curtin. Each of your tutors and Unit Co-ordinators is obliged to observe
this policy.
Assessment and Student Progression Manual
In order to pass this unit, all assessment tasks must be submitted and an overall mark of 50% or more must be
achieved. It is not essential to pass all assessments, although the overall Unit Learning Outcomes must be achieved in
order to pass a unit.
Successful submission means that:
then all components must be provided for the assessment to be deemed as submitted. Late penalties will
apply until the complete assessment is submitted.
l The electronic file must be readable. It is a student’s responsibility to ensure that assessments are complete
and have been successfully uploaded in a readable format. You are advised to check that your file can be
opened and that all sections are present and readable. Please seek assistance if you experience technical
problems.
Students are strongly advised to ensure work is backed up to a separate, retrievable location, as extensions are
unlikely to be granted for last-minute computer failure.
Resubmissions
A student who has received a fail grade (less than 50%) for an assessment, but achieves at least 40% of the possible
mark for an assessment that was handed by the due date, will be offered the opportunity to resubmit. Please note
that:
l the maximum mark a resubmission can be awarded is 50% of the possible mark (for example, 25/50)
l only one assessment resubmission per unit is possible.
l the resubmitted work must be received by the due date.
Due dates include the standard published due dates, the resubmission due date advised by Unit Co-ordinators, and
any dates negotiated through pre-approved assessment extensions.
1. All student assessments are required to have a due date and time specified on this Unit Outline.
2. Students will be penalised by a deduction of ten percent per calendar day for a late assessment submission
(e.g. a mark equivalent to 10% of the total allocated for the assessment will be deducted from the marked
value for every day that the assessment is late). This means that an assessment worth 20 marks will have two
marks deducted per calendar day late. Hence if it was handed in three calendar days late and given a mark of
16/20, the student would receive 10/20. An assessment more than seven calendar days overdue will not be
marked and will receive a mark of 0.
Assessment extension
A student unable to complete an assessment task by/on the original published date/time (e.g. examinations, tests) or
due date/time (e.g. assignments) must apply for an assessment extension using the Assessment Extension form
(available from the Forms page at students.curtin.edu.au/administration/) as prescribed by the Academic Registrar. It
is the responsibility of the student to demonstrate and provide evidence for exceptional circumstances beyond the
student's control that prevent them from completing/submitting the assessment task.
The student will be expected to lodge the form and supporting documentation with the unit coordinator before the
assessment date/time or due date/time. An application may be accepted up to five working days after the date or
due date of the assessment task where the student is able to provide an acceptable explanation as to why he or she
was not able to submit the application prior to the assessment date. An application for an assessment extension will
not be accepted after the date of the Board of Examiners' meeting.
Please note: The School of Education manages assessment extensions through a centralised lodgement
system. All applications should be submitted to EducationStudents@curtin.edu.au
To facilitate this process and ensure you receive the outcome of your application as quickly as possible, please use
the form found in the “Help” folder of your unit’s Blackboard site. You will need to go to the Student Support Section
titled “Essential Forms, Policies and Processes”.
All assessment extensions are governed by the guidelines contained in the Curtin University Student Assessment and
Progression policy. Assessment and Student Progression Manual
Fair and Accurate Assessment
The assessment in all units is subject to stringent assessment moderation processes, whereby academic staff work
collaboratively to calibrate expectations and review a cross-section of submitted work to remain calibrated and
confer on borderline grade or failing work. In no circumstances is only one academic staff member involved in the
assessment of student work across a unit.
Any student who genuinely believes that assessed work has been unfairly or inaccurately marked, or that their final
unit grade is inappropriate, has the right to request a review of the mark or final result. If this review process is
unable to resolve the issue, a formal assessment appeal may be lodged.
It is expected that most situations will be able to be resolved without the need for a formal appeal.
l Step 1 – Initial Request for Review by marker or unit co-ordinator. This informal review will be to check that
marking was accurate and complete and may or may not involve a re-marking of the whole work. Marks
cannot be reviewed downwards as a result of this informal process.
l Step 2 – Formal Appeal. If the informal review fails to satisfy the student that their work has been fairly and
accurately assessed, a formal appeal can be lodged on the relevant form and submitted to the Head of
School. Students will be expected to provide full details of:
¡ Their perceived basis for the appeal – for example, where in their work they believe they have
demonstrated a higher level of attainment
¡ The informal review process that has been engaged in and the outcome of any dialogue with tutors
and Unit Co-ordinators.
It is important to be aware that formal assessment appeals must be lodged within ten working days of the result for
the assessment task or final grade for the unit being released. Please read the Assessment and Student Progression
Manual carefully for further information concerning appeals against assessment decisions.
Deferred assessments
If your results show that you have been granted a deferred assessment you should immediately check OASIS for
details.
Supplementary assessments
Supplementary assessments, if granted by the Board of Examiners, will have a due date or be held between
11/07/2018 and 25/07/2018 . Notification to students will be made after the Board of Examiners’ meeting via the
Official Communications Channel (OCC) in OASIS.
It is the responsibility of students to be available to complete the requirements of a supplementary assessment. If
your results show that you have been granted a supplementary assessment you should immediately check OASIS for
details.
Referencing style
The referencing style for this unit is APA 6th Ed.
More information can be found on this style from the Library web site:
http://libguides.library.curtin.edu.au/referencing.
Privacy
As part of a learning or assessment activity, or class participation, your image or voice may be recorded or
transmitted by equipment and systems operated by Curtin University. Transmission may be to other venues on
campus or to others both in Australia and overseas.
Your image or voice may also be recorded by students on personal equipment for individual or group study or
assessment purposes. Such recordings may not be reproduced or uploaded to a publically accessible web
environment. If you wish to make such recordings for study purposes as a courtesy you should always seek the
permission of those who are impacted by the recording.
Recording of classes or course materials may not be exchanged or distributed for commercial purposes, for
compensation, or for any other purpose other than personal study for the enrolled students in the unit. Breach of this
may subject a student to disciplinary action under Statute No 10 – Student Disciplinary Statute.
If you wish to discuss this please talk to your Unit Coordinator.
Copyright
The course material for this unit is provided to you for your own research and study only. It is subject to copyright. It
is a copyright infringement to make this material available on third party websites.
Additional information
Student Support
Learning Centre
l Comprehensive support for many aspects of students’ learning is offered through face to face and online
resources via the Learning Centre
http://unilife.curtin.edu.au/learning_support/learning_centre.htm
Uni English
l This website has been designed to support students whose first language is not English. The Curtin University
UniEnglish website contains English language resources, activities, support information, and links to diagnostic
assessment tests.
http://unilife.curtin.edu.au/learning_support/UniEnglish.htm
Counselling
l All Curtin students are entitled to access Curtin Counseling for free, confidential and professional services. This
includes online students who may require individual counselling for personal, psychological, or study-related
issues (although please note that the counselling service is not the appropriate avenue for pursuing
assessment queries or debates). http://unilife.curtin.edu.au/health_wellbeing/counselling_services.htm
Enrolment
It is your responsibility to ensure that your enrolment is correct - you can check your enrolment through the eStudent
option on OASIS, where you can also print an Enrolment Advice.
Information on all of the above is available through the University's "Student Rights and Responsibilities" website at:
students.curtin.edu.au/rights.
Student Equity
There are a number of factors that might disadvantage some students from participating in their studies or
assessments to the best of their ability, under standard conditions. These factors may include a disability or medical
condition (e.g. mental illness, chronic illness, physical or sensory disability, learning disability), significant family
responsibilities, pregnancy, religious practices, living in a remote location or another reason. If you believe you may
be unfairly disadvantaged on these or other grounds please contact Student Equity at eesj@curtin.edu.au or go to
http://eesj.curtin.edu.au/student_equity/index.cfm for more information
You can also contact Counselling and Disability services: http://www.disability.curtin.edu.au or the Multi-faith services:
http://life.curtin.edu.au/health-and-wellbeing/about_multifaith_services.htm for further information.
It is important to note that the staff of the university may not be able to meet your needs if they are not informed of
your individual circumstances so please get in touch with the appropriate service if you require assistance. For
general wellbeing concerns or advice please contact Curtin's Student Wellbeing Advisory Service at:
http://life.curtin.edu.au/health-and-wellbeing/student_wellbeing_service.htm
To view previous student feedback about this unit, search for the Unit Summary Report at
https://evaluate.curtin.edu.au/student/unit_search.cfm. See
https://evaluate.curtin.edu.au/info/dates.cfm to find out when you can eVALUate this unit.
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