Course coordinator
Dr Stevie Hepburn
Please email me if you would like to make a time to meet with me.
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2025 (21/07/2025 - 21/11/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Education School
This is the culminating professional experience course in the Bachelor of Education (Primary) program and as such the end point is for preservice teachers to have achieved the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at a Graduate stage. Becoming a teacher requires commitment and dedication to both lifelong learning and personal autonomy. This 35-day (7 week) block of professional experience demonstrates a movement along a developmental continuum where preservice teachers increasingly take on the roles and responsibilities of teachers to enter a phase of critical reflection and evaluation of their growth and development. This course focuses on the lifelong importance of professional learning to improve knowledge and practice and reinforces the critical need for ongoing engagement with colleagues, parents/carers and the community to build and foster supportive relationships.
As this course contains a professional experience component in a school, students are required to have a valid Blue Card for the duration of the placement.
Note: This course commences 1 week before standard Semester 2 classes.
Students entering the course are moving further along a developmental continuum. As their professional knowledge and skills have been developing to this point, they are able to progress from closely supervised practice towards a level of consultative and collaborative practice appropriate to the roles and responsibilities of beginning teachers. Students will be prepared to continue along a path of engagement with continued professional learning to improve practice and student learning.
ﾠLearning experiences in this course are structured to challenge and support all pre-service teachers as they work to develop a personal pedagogy informed by current best practice and pedagogical theory.
The course is structured to develop through an articulated program of on-campus learning experiences and one block field practicum placement. The block placement aims to support:
- An understanding of learning and teaching within the contexts of rapidly changing primary educational environments
- An understanding of the diverse ways in which schools function as learning communities
- An understanding of the critical role of relationships and partnerships within these communities of practice
- An understanding of relationships that characterise ethical professional practiceﾠ
- The skills required to apply professional and disciplinary knowledge to engage with curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and reporting of student outcomes
- The skills required to design and manage learning experiences that are socially just and inclusive
- The skills required to apply a range of literacies relevant to the educational context and the requirements of the discipline
- The skills required to create supportive and intellectually challenging learning environments to engage all learners
- The skills required to evaluate and reflect analytically and critically on personal practice to inform ongoing assessment of professional growth through the stages of beginning teaching.
ﾠ
This course allows students to demonstrate in a professional setting the national professional standards for graduates required by the Queensland College of Teachers for registration. Students are required to complete the Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA) in this course.ﾠ
Course requirements
Assumed background
It isﾠrequired that students enrolled in EDUC4750 will have successfully completed EDUC1740, EDUC2740 and EDUC3750 and have a Blue Card current for the semester.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
EDUC3750, a current Blue Card
Companion or co-requisite courses
You'll need to complete the following courses at the same time:
EDUC4703 or EDUC4706
Restrictions
Restricted to students enrolled in the BEd(Primary) and the BEd(Primary)(Hons)
Course contact
Course staff
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Please note: 80% attendance at workshops is expected. It is highly recommended that you attend the lectures in person (2 hours per week).
Workshops: Workshops will be held twice per week. Students are to attend both workshops for your workshop group each week. Each group will have a different tutor.
Placement: The professional experience for this course is a 7-week block (35 days).
Aims and outcomes
This courseﾠbuilds on earlier professional experience and curriculum courses included in the program. Learning experiences are structured to challenge and support preservice teachers as they develop a personal pedagogy informed by current best practice.ﾠ
The course aims to provide preservice teachers with the opportunity to:
- graduate as teachers who can contribute innovatively and creatively to addressing the educational challenges of changing social andﾠ community demands and the impact of technological change;
- develop an understanding of teaching as a dynamic and challenging form of professional work;
- further develop an understanding ofﾠteaching and learning within the contexts of rapidly changing primary educational environments;
- further develop the professional knowledge andﾠskills of pre-service teachers to the standards required for registration by the Queensland College of Teachers.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz |
Policy and Procedures document
|
Pass/Fail |
30/07/2025 2:00 pm |
| Placement |
Supervised Professional Experience
|
Pass/Fail |
Professional Experience 4/08/2025 - 19/09/2025 Professional Experience Report - Due 2pm 26/09/2025 |
| Portfolio |
Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA)
|
Pass/Fail |
7/10/2025 2:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique |
Critical reflective essay and professional learning goals
|
Pass/Fail |
24/10/2025 2:00 pm |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Policy and Procedures document
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Quiz
- Weight
- Pass/Fail
- Due date
30/07/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L08
Task description
Students must read the Policies and Procedures for Professional Experience Placements document and respond to the statement declaration on Blackboard by the due date. Failure to do so will result in a withdrawal of the placement and the awarding of a grade of Fail for the course.
APST: 7.1, 7.2
Statement:
I have read, understood and will abide by, the 2024 Policies and Procedures for Professional Experience Placements.
Hurdle requirements
Students must complete this task in order to undertake the professional experienceSubmission guidelines
Declaration Statement on Blackboard
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Contact the course coordinator directly regarding potential extensions for this assessment
Supervised Professional Experience
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Oral
- Category
- Placement
- Weight
- Pass/Fail
- Due date
Professional Experience 4/08/2025 - 19/09/2025
Professional Experience Report - Due 2pm 26/09/2025
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08
Task description
Students are required to successfully complete 35 days of a supervised and assessed professional experience block placement in an approved school setting. The placement will be arranged only by the School of Education.
All students are expected to have read and understood the policies and procedures for professional experience document and to abide by them. Students who fail to adhere to the Polices and Procedures will be in breach and may have their placement withdrawn.
The 30-day block will comprise observations, planning and teaching full lessons and sequences of lessons.
During the practicum, students are expected to demonstrate competence across the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APSTs).
To do this, students will demonstrate that they have undertaken the inherent requirements of the role of a teacher. This means that students at the very least, will be expected to:
- Attend the school at least half an hour before and after school start and finish times to discuss that day's and subsequent days' expectations
- Attend any meetings held during the time of the practicum, e.g. departmental or whole of staff meetings or any professional development meetings where the school approves attendance.
- Participate in extracurricular activities, etc., available during the block.
- Preservice teachers must sign an attendance record on each school day at the time of arrival at or departure from the allocated placement school.
APST: 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 2.1, 2.5, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4.1-4.4, 5, 6.3, 7.1, 7.2
Hurdle requirements
Students must pass the professional experience placement in order to pass the course. Supervising teachers and the school practicum (site) coordinator will complete the Final Professional Experience Recommendations report ﾠat the end of the supervised professional experience after consultation with the University Professional Experience Facilitator.Submission guidelines
Submit via link on Blackboard.
NOTE: All students are responsible for the collection of original evaluation forms. These are to be uploaded to Blackboard on completion of the practicum. The evaluation form is to be uploaded to Blackboard no later than Friday 26th of September by 2pm. Failure to upload the Final Professional Experience Recommendations report to the link on the Blackboard site may result in a failing grade being awarded for the course.
Please do NOT assume that your teacher will forward the form to the university or that the teacher will upload the form to Blackboard, as this is not the case.
If you have absent professional experience days that need to be completed, you are to submit your report once these days have been completed.
Please email the course co-ordinator to advise of any make-up days.
The student must obtain ALL of the signatures on the final report and upload it to BlackBoard.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
If you have make up days to complete due to absence during the professional experience, please advise the course coordinator directly and upload the final report once these days have been completed.
Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA)
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Portfolio
- Weight
- Pass/Fail
- Due date
7/10/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07
Task description
The Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA) is an integrated assessment that connects the academic program and the professional experience, and in so doing connects research, theory and practice. The GTPA is a single culminating authentic summative assessment designed to demonstrate preservice teachers’ ability to meet the Graduate Teacher Standards and to plan, teach, assess and reflect on their final-year professional practice. The GTPA requires preservice teachers to demonstrate a capacity to interpret student data and modify and transform their teaching practices to improve student learning. This involves the preservice teacher in adapting and strategising teaching practices to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
The GTPA is assessed by teacher educators within the higher education institutions (HEI). It is complementary to, but separate from, the Professional Experience Report.
The GTPA task will be assessed by your workshop tutor at university.
Refer to the “GTPA Preservice Teacher booklet" document for more information on the task.
APST: 1-7
Hurdle requirements
Students must receive 4/5 to successfully pass the Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA). The GTPA must be passed in order to pass the course. At the discretion of the Course Coordinator, re-submissions of Assessment task 2: GTPA task may be possible if a student demonstrates competence in 3 out of 5 practices.Submission guidelines
Please upload your submission using the Turnitin link on Blackboard
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Please note- as the GTPA is an externally administered assessment piece, there are strict fidelity requirements around the completion and submission of the task.
Extensions and requests beyond 7 days will only be granted with appropriate and relevant documentation and must meet UQ extension documentation requirements.
Late submission
Late submission of assessment without approved extension request via myUQ system will result in a failing grade.
Critical reflective essay and professional learning goals
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- Pass/Fail
- Due date
24/10/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L06, L07
Task description
Critical reflection and identifying professional learning goals are key components of improving knowledge and practice to become an effective teacher, and as such these processes have been recurring themes throughout the four professional experience courses in the Bachelor of Education (Primary) program.
Having now completed 80 days of professional experience in schools you are to critically reflect on your knowledge and practice so far and formulate professional learning goals in preparation for your entry to the teaching profession.
You are to prepare a 1500-word critically reflective narrative that will conclude with five professional learning goals for how you aim to demonstrate a positive impact of your teaching on student learning once you become a graduate teacher. Your response should draw on your critical reflections throughout each professional experience course, feedback provided by supervising teachers, the Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment and the evolution of your identified professional learning goals and personal teaching philosophy.
Within your critical narrative you should ensure that you demonstrate an understanding of the following focus areas and their ongoing importance as you progress through the profession:
1. The role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs.
2. The relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers.
3. Strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers.
4. Strategies for involving parents/carers in the educative process.
5. Strategies for reporting to students and parents/carers and the purpose of keeping accurate and reliable records of student achievement.
6. The role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice.
In order to engage in analysis and synthesis you must refer to academic literature throughout your critical reflection narrative (you should aim to include 8-10 references in your reference list).
APST: 3.7, 5.5, 6.1, 6.2, 7.3, 7.4
Hurdle requirements
Students must successfully pass this task in order to pass the course.Submission guidelines
Submit via Turnitin on Blackboard
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
Late submission of assessment without approved extension request via myUQ system will result in a failing grade.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Pass/Fails | Description |
|---|---|
| P |
Course grade description: Attendance and participation at 80% of workshops Satisfactory completion of supervised professional experience Satisfactory completion of the Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA) Satisfactory completion of the Critical Reflective Essay and professional learning goals ALL assessment tasks must be passed in order to receive a passing grade. |
| F |
Course grade description: The student has not demonstrated the required level of competence in any one of the assessment tasks listed above. |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is not available for some items in this course.
If you receive a grade of N for this course, you may be eligible for supplementary assessment depending on the reason that you have failed. EDUC4750 has partial exemption as it includes a supervised professional experience. Supplementary assessment may be offered to allow you to meet the minimum passing requirements except in circumstances where course failure is based on failure of supervised professional experience.
Additional assessment information
Students are expected to attend and participate in 80% of the workshops.ﾠ An alternative task/s due for completion ﾠprior to the commencement of the professional experienceﾠ may be requiredﾠ at the discretion of the Course Coordinator due to lack of attendance at workshops.
The following applies to all assessment in this course:
Use of generative AI to support or inform assessment
These tasks have been designed to be challenging, authentic, and complex. While students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of the assessment in this course will require them to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass these assessments, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission, independent of AI and MT tools.
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics for this course are available in the 'Assessment' folder in Blackboard.
Release of assessment item marks and feedback
In addition to the grade awarded, feedback will be provided in a timely manner to enable students to apply the feedback to further tasks within the course or program and/or plan for supplementary assessment, requests for re-mark, or re-enrolment. However, as per UQ Policy and Procedures Library under the Assessment Policy, results for the final assessment item are to be released only after the final grade for the course has been released. Time frames for applications for assessment re-mark are indicated under the Assessment Procedure.
Re-mark policy
After each assessable item, students will be given the opportunity to view their assessment and so satisfy themselves that a marking or administrative error has not occurred. The formal process of querying a course result (requesting a remark on academic grounds) is set out in the UQ Policy and Procedures Library under the Assessment Procedure.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (21 Jul - 27 Jul) |
Lecture |
An introduction to the course, final professional experience and GTPA
APST: 1-7 Learning outcomes: L01, L08 |
Workshop |
Using data and evidence to inform the teaching cycle
APST: 1.1-1.6, 2.1-2.6, 3.1-3.5, 5.1-5.5 Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L05 |
|
Workshop |
Plan, teach and assess
APST: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2,2.3,2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 3.1-3.5, 4.1, 5.1-5.5, 7.3 Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05 |
|
Week 2 (28 Jul - 03 Aug) |
Lecture |
Parental/carer engagement and Classroom management
APST: 1, 3, 4, 5.4, 7.3 Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Workshop |
Assessing, feedback and reporting; reflecting
APST: 1.1, 3.1, 3.5, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 5.2, 5.3, 5.5, 6.3 Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05 |
|
Workshop |
Appraising teaching practice
APST: 1,2,3,4,5 Learning outcomes: L05 |
|
Multiple weeks From Week 3 To Week 9 |
Placement |
Professional Experience Placement (PEx / Prac) The 35-day block will comprise observations, planning and teaching full lessons and sequences of lessons. During the practicum, you are expected to demonstrate competence across the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APSTs). To do this, you will demonstrate that you have undertaken the inherent requirements of the role of a beginning teacher. This means that at the very least, you will be expected to:
APST: 1-7 Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L08 |
Week 10 (22 Sep - 28 Sep) |
Lecture |
GTPA summary and Employment
APSTs: 1-7 Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L07 |
Workshop |
Professional experience debrief and GTPA summary and professional engagement
APST:1-7 Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05 |
|
Mid Sem break (29 Sep - 05 Oct) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid-semester break |
Week 11 (06 Oct - 12 Oct) |
Lecture |
Reflection on your program journey
APST: 6 Learning outcomes: L06, L07, L08 |
Workshop |
Critical Reflective essay and learning goals and GTPA
APST: 1-7 Learning outcomes: L04, L06, L07, L08 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
You'll also need to be aware of the following policies and procedures while completing this course: