Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- External
- Attendance mode
- Online
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Education School
This course will focus on challenging behaviour displayed in school settings. Theoretical approaches, empirical evidence, strategies for prevention and reduction of challenging behaviour will be discussed. The focus will be on students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, social and emotional disorders and intellectual impairment.
This course may not be offered in person if the enrolment is less than 10 students.
Behaviours of concern/challenging behaviour is an increasing concern in schools. This course will consider challenging behaviour from a number of perspectives, will examine the empirical support for theories of the development and maintenance of challenging behaviour as well as the approaches to intervention that are based on the research evidence.ﾠ Empirically based positive behaviour supports (based on Applied Behaviour Analysis) that may be used by teachers and other professionals to prevent and reduce challenging behaviour at school-wide and individual levels will be presented.ﾠ Students will have the opportunity to develop practical skills in the assessment of the functions of challenging behaviour and planning for positive behaviour supports.
Course requirements
Restrictions
Quota: Minimum 10 student enrolments for In Person offering
Jointly taught details
This course is jointly-taught with:
- Another instance of the same course
This course has Internal and External offerings and will be run in a hybrid environment with simultaneous synchronous in-person and online delivery.
Course contact
Lecturer
Lecturer
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to provide students with an understanding of the empirically supported theories for the development and maintenance of challenging behaviours as well as the strategies for interventions that are based on research evidence. The major focus of the course will be on Positive Behaviour Support.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between student quality of life and challenging behaviour.
LO2.
Demonstrate an understanding of the environments, conditions and/or characteristics that make individuals vulnerable to the development of challenging behaviour;
LO3.
Identify evidence-based strategies that prevent or reduce challenging behaviours across a range of environments;
LO4.
Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of assessment and data to understanding the functions of challenging behaviour for a particular individual;
LO5.
Critically evaluate research that reports on interventions for challenging behaviour;
LO6.
Demonstrate written communication skills consistent with appropriate conventions of the American Psychological Association Publication Manual
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Assessment 1: Literature Critique | 20% 1000 words |
16/08/2024 2:00 pm |
| Presentation |
Assessment 2: Plan for School wide PBS
|
40% equivalent to 2000 words |
20/09/2024 2:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Assessment 3: Positive Behaviour Support Plan | 40% equivalent to 2000 words |
4/11/2024 2:00 pm |
Assessment details
Assessment 1: Literature Critique
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 20% 1000 words
- Due date
16/08/2024 2:00 pm
Task description
Behaviours of concern/challenging behaviours by school-aged students with impairments can be a significant barrier to their academic and social inclusion. With a human right to education and strategies that have an empirical basis, it is critical that such students are provided with interventions and strategies that are effective in decreasing the use of challenging behaviours and improving their quality of life.
You will need to:
1. Read this helpful blog on Concept Mapping: https://www.uow.edu.au/student/learning-co-op/effective-studying/concept-mapping/ - :~:text=To make a concept map,read and not overly complex.
2. Make a choice of how you want to complete your Concept Map. You can either:
a. Draw your Concept Map using pen and paper. When complete, you will take a photo; or
b. Write your concepts on post-it notes and move these around on a table or board. Again, when complete, take a photo; or
c. Complete an electronic concept map. In class, we will show you one program called MindMup https://www.mindmup.com/ It is free to use. If you choose to use it, here are some tutorials to get you started: https://www.mindmup.com/tutorials/index.html
3. Conduct a broad literature search and review peer-reviewed research literature in relation to the meaning of “student quality of life”, for school-aged students. When you investigate this, you need to look at student quality of life broadly (beyond school) as well as their educational quality of life (at school).
4. Conduct a second, more narrow literature search and review peer-reviewed research literature in relation to the specific challenges faced at school by one of the following group of students. You can, if desired, narrow this search to a particular age or year level, such as early childhood, primary or high school. You are then required to show how student quality of life can be strengthened (think about changes to systems, environments, practices). Your choice of student groups you can focus on include:
· Student with intellectual or cognitive disabilities
· Autistic students
· Students with a sensory disability impacting vision or hearing
· Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) students
· Students from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds
· Gifted and talented students
· Other students, by negotiation with the Course Co-ordinator
5. You may present a broad concept map that explores quality of life across multiple domains, or a deeper concept map that examines quality of life across one targeted domain. Your decision will be guided by the literature you identify through your search. If you exceed the 1,000-word limit, you may need to narrow your focus.
6. Present your findings as a concept map (see example below) showing how student quality of life can be strengthened your selected group of students by addressing the challenges they experience at school. We will discuss concept mapping at the Week 1 Lecture. The total word limit for your concept map should be 1000 words, with a margin of 1,100 words maximum.
7. Copy and paste either your photo or an image of your electronic concept map into a Word Document.
8. Below the image, provide a reference list using APA referencing style. The reference list will not contribute to your word limit.
9. Read the criteria sheet to ensure you have addressed all criteria.
10. Upload your completed word document to Blackboard for grading before the due date.
Submission guidelines
Upload your completed word document to UQ Learn for grading before the due date.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Extensions will be provided if there is supporting documentation and in accordance with UQ policy.
Late submission
A penalty of 1 grade for each 24 hour period from time submission is due will apply for up to 7 days. After 7 days you will receive a mark of 0.
Assessment 2: Plan for School wide PBS
- Identity Verified
- Mode
- Oral, Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia, Written
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 40% equivalent to 2000 words
- Due date
20/09/2024 2:00 pm
Task description
Assessment 2: Plan for Positive Behaviour Supports: School-Wide
Task Description:
“The goal of effective classroom management is not creating “perfect” children, but providing the perfect environment for enhancing their growth, using research-based strategies that guide students toward increasingly responsible and motivated behavior” (Sprick et al., 2006).
Effective strategies for working with students with challenging behaviours start with preventing those behaviours in the first place. This assessment is focused on Tier 1 implementation of school-wide positive behaviour supports that are universal, across all students, in all environments, are preventative and proactive (Sugai & Horner, 2002).
Setting up students and classrooms for academic and social success is a critical foundation for positive behaviour supports. Therefore, it is essential that teachers plan for positive, proactive, and instructional approaches to classroom management.
Taking the role of the classroom teacher, you will develop a narrated PowerPoint presentation that discusses Tier 1 school-wide positive behaviour supports for the classroom. This presentation should demonstrate an understanding of the essential elements school-wide positive behaviour supports and include the essential skills for classroom management as well as Tier 1 classroom practices.
Submission guidelines
Upload your completed word document to UQ Learn for grading before the due date.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Extensions will be provided if there is supporting documentation and in accordance with UQ policy.
Late submission
A penalty of 1 grade for each 24 hour period from time submission is due will apply for up to 7 days. After 7 days you will receive a mark of 0.
Assessment 3: Positive Behaviour Support Plan
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 40% equivalent to 2000 words
- Due date
4/11/2024 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
Written Presentation: Positive Behaviour Support Plan
Learning Objectives Assessed:
LO1: Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between student quality of life and challenging behaviour
LO2: Demonstrate an understanding of the environments, conditions and/or characteristics that make individuals vulnerable to the development of challenging behaviour
LO3: Identify evidence-based strategies that prevent or reduce challenging behaviours across a range of environments
LO4: Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of assessment and data to understanding the functions of challenging behaviour for a particular individual
Due Date: 04/11/24 14:00
Weight: 40%
Length: Equivalent to 2000 words
Task Description:
School-wide positive behaviour support takes a whole of school approach that focuses on improving a school's ability to teach expectations and support positive behaviour for all students .
It is important that teachers and other professionals have skills across a multi-tiered system of positive behaviour supports. This includes having a good understanding of approaches and processes in the assessment and planning of positive behaviour supports for individual students. This assessment requires the student to put into practice the knowledge and skills acquired through this course.
During the semester students identify a person (actual or from a case study) who engages in challenging behaviours. In weekly activities, students will identify a challenging behaviour they will address through the development of a positive behaviour support plan. For the background of this assessment students will formulate a mock functional behavioural assessment, and, based on the mock assessment, develop a positive behaviour support plan.
The requirements of this written assessment are;
1. A completed mock Functional Behavioural Assessment including Summary Statements
2. A completed Positive Behaviour Support Plan informed by mock functional behavioural assessment using the template provided and includes;
a. A brief overview of the focus person for whom this positive behaviour plan has been developed.
b. An operational definition of the target behaviour
c. Behaviour and other support strategies
d. An overview of the strategies that will be used to support the implementation of the plan within the School (or other) setting
NOTE 1: This is intended to be a practical assessment where you demonstrate your understanding of the specific skills and knowledge in positive behaviour support and apply them in practice. There is no requirement in the marking criteria that references are used.
NOTE 2: Students are required to use the plan template provided.
NOTE 3: More detailed requirements and marking criteria for this assessment is provided on the earn site for EDUC7230
Submission guidelines
Upload your completed word document to UQ Learn for grading before the due date.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Extensions will be provided if there is supporting documentation and in accordance with UQ policy
Late submission
A penalty of 1 grade for each 24 hour period from time submission is due will apply for up to 7 days. After 7 days you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Little or no understanding or demonstration task requirements. |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Little understanding or application of key concepts; no demonstration of wider reading; ideas are confused or incomplete. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Faulty or limited understanding of key concepts; poor demonstration of knowledge and application of ideas, ideas often confused; arguments lack substantiation or are inappropriate. |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Satisfies all basic requirements of the course, such as knowledge of fundamental concepts and performance of basic skills; demonstrates sufficient quality of performance to be considered satisfactory or adequate or competent or capable in the course. Communicates information and ideas adequately in terms of the conventions of the discipline. |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates ability to use and apply fundamental concepts and skills of the course, going beyond mere description or replication of content knowledge from source materials to show understanding of key ideas, awareness of their relevance, and some use of analytical skills. Communicates information and ideas clearly and fluently in terms of the conventions of the discipline. |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates awareness and understanding of deeper and subtler aspects of the course, such as the ability to identify and debate critical issues or problems. Uses analytical skills and offers insightful commentary, implications and conclusions. Uses a level, styles and means of communication appropriate to the discipline and audience. |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates comprehensive and complex understanding and insight of the topics; and proficiency in all of the objectives for the course; very strongly analytical; critically evaluative; able to develop, justify and sustain arguments. Uses a level, style and means of communication of a superior quality and appropriate to the discipline and the audience. |
Additional course grading information
Determining final grades: The final grades are determined by consideration of the weighting of individual assessment items, through the use of weighting formula and the profile of individual grades across accumulated assessment tasks.”
An exemplar to show calculation of the final grade:
All three assignments in this course will be provided a grade out of 7. The final grade will be calculated using the weighting and the individual assignment grades as follows.
Example:
A student receives the following three grades
Assignmentﾠ 1 (A1): grade of 6 at 20% weighting
Assignment 2 (A2): grade of 5 at 40% weighting
Assignment 3 (A3): grade of 6 at 40% weighting
The final grade for this student taking into account the weighting of each assignment would be:
ﾠﾠﾠ (A1)ﾠﾠﾠﾠ +ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ (A2)ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ +ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ (A3)ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ
(0.20 x 6) + (0.40 x 5) + (0.4 x 6) = 1.2 + 2 + 2.4 = 5.6
The final grade would be rounded to the nearest whole number; in this case the grade would be 6.
In the case where the final grade is 0.5 or above, the grade will be rounded up to the nearest whole number (e.g. 5.5 would become 6). In the case where the final grade is 0.49 or below, the grade will be rounded down to the nearest whole number (e.g. 6.49 would become 6).
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Supplementary assessment, if approved, will be provided by the Course Co-ordinator and must be submitted by the specified due date.
Additional assessment information
The following applies to all assessments in this course:
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the 'Assessment' folder in Blackboard for this course.
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.
Use of generative AI to support or inform assessment
These tasks have been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI tools.
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.
Additional learning resources information
Weekly study guides will provide additional learning exercises and resources
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 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Lecture |
24 July Week 1: Understanding the student Karen Nankervis Face to face (or Zoom)lectures - These are also available to the external students. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L06 |
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Lecture |
31 July Week 2: Understanding challenging behaviour Karen Nankervis Face to face (or Zoom)lectures - These are also available to the external students. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Lecture |
7 August Week 3: Introduction to Positive Behaviour Support Shiralee Poed Face to face (or Zoom)lectures - These are also available to the external students. Learning outcomes: L02, L05 |
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
14 August Week 4: No Class This Week - Public Holiday |
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Lecture |
21 August Week 5: Understanding Tier 1 of PBS Shiralee Poed Face to face (or Zoom)lectures - These are also available to the external students. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Lecture |
28 August Week 6: Understanding Tier 2 of PBS Shiralee Poed Face to face (or Zoom)lectures - These are also available to the external students. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Lecture |
4 September Week 7: PBS Theory to Practice Karen Nankervis Face to face (or Zoom)lectures - These are also available to the external students. Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Lecture |
11 September Week 8: Functional Behavioural Assessment Karen Nankervis Face to face (or Zoom)lectures - These are also available to the external students. Learning outcomes: L03, L04, L05 |
Week 9 (16 Sep - 22 Sep) |
Lecture |
18 September Week 9: Positive Behaviour Support Plans Shiralee Poed Face to face (or Zoom)lectures - These are also available to the external students. Learning outcomes: L03, L04, L05 |
Mid Sem break (23 Sep - 29 Sep) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
25 September University Mid-Semester Break - no classes |
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
Lecture |
2 October Week 10: Implementing PBS Plans Shiralee Poed Face to face (or Zoom)lectures - These are also available to the external students. Learning outcomes: L03, L05 |
Week 11 (07 Oct - 13 Oct) |
Lecture |
9 October Week 11: Data Collection and Progress Monitoring Shiralee Poed Face to face (or Zoom)lectures - These are also available to the external students. Learning outcomes: L04 |
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
Lecture |
16 October Week 12: Punishment, Restrictive Practices, etc Karen Nankervis Face to face (or Zoom)lectures - These are also available to the external students. Learning outcomes: L05 |
Week 13 (21 Oct - 27 Oct) |
Lecture |
23 October Week 13: Working with Families Karen Nankervis Face to face (or Zoom)lectures - These are also available to the external students. Learning outcomes: L05 |
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 - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.