Course coordinator
Ms Brooke Avery-Overduin
Please email me to arrange a time for a consultation appointment
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2025 (28/07/2025 - 22/11/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- External
- Attendance mode
- Online
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Education School
This course is designed for aspiring, newly appointed, as well as experienced leaders, teachers and practitioners who wish to establish, maintain, and sustain inclusive learning environments. It considers contemporary theory on inclusive education, and how this can be applied in practice to support all learners, particularly those vulnerable to educational exclusion. Issues such as the facilitators of, and barriers to, inclusive education will be examined. Students will build their knowledge on how to conduct and critique educational research throughout the course. Students will then apply their knowledge, drawn from research, to consider change management and courageous leadership practices that can be applied in educational settings to increase inclusion for marginalised learners.
This course may not be offered in person if the enrolment is less than 10 students.
The knowledge, skills, and attitudes of teachers and leaders can deeply influence the experience of belonging and connectedness for all learners, but particularly those who may feel marginalised in and by educational settings. In this course, you will have an opportunity to engage with the research on what contributes to an inclusive learning experience, and to reflect on your own beliefs, attitudes, and practices. The course is particularly targeted at classroom teachers who hold leadership aspirations, or those working in leadership roles currently who are committed to creating inclusive learning environments in which all learners can thrive. We will explore the empirical evidence onﾠwhat facilitates inclusion and search for solutions to the barriers for learners marginalised in schools. You will have an opportunity to deeply reflect on how schools and classrooms might be re-designed to ensure all learners can be included.
Course requirements
Assumed background
This course is designed for aspiring, newly appointed, as well as experienced leaders, teachers and practitioners who wish to establish, maintain, and sustain inclusive learning environments.ﾠ
Restrictions
Restricted to students enrolled in the GCEdSt and MEdSt.
Jointly taught details
This course is jointly-taught with:
- Another instance of the same course
Class taught in hybrid mode for Internal and External Students.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Ms Brooke Avery-Overduin
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
EDUC7250ﾠis a 2-unit course. UQ recommends that you spend approximately 10ﾠhours studying per weekﾠfor each 2-unit course, including contact time, during the semester. This means that minus the 2ﾠhours of class contact time, each week you should be spending about 8ﾠhours studying for this course.ﾠThis will includeﾠreading, watching and listening to all your weekly designated learning resources everyﾠweekﾠ (available on the EDUC7250ﾠBlackboard site).
Aims and outcomes
The course aims to develop students’ abilities to critically analyse educational research, legislation, policy, and practices and their application in inclusive learning environments. Learners in this course will apply what they know from best practice in relation to inclusive education to making educational reforms and improvements. The course further aims to develop knowledge about learners who are marginalised within educational settings and provide students with the tools to challenge the structures that contribute to their marginalisation. Finally, knowledge about leading innovation and change will provide students with an opportunity to deeply reflect on their own professional practice situated within the scholarship of inclusion.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Critically appraise the evidence underpinning inclusive education.
LO2.
Identify the legislative and policy environment in which Australian educational settings operate.
LO3.
Analyse the factors that contribute to educational exclusion and investigate practices that can address these.
LO4.
Identify students who might be vulnerable in educational settings and investigate how this can be addressed through the re-design of whole-school inclusive learning environments.
LO5.
Examine the evidence base documenting the adaptive skills needed to lead inclusive learning environments and apply these skills when planning.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation |
Critiquing educational research
|
30% 1800 words |
18/08/2025 2:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Reflective essay | 30% 1800 words |
15/09/2025 2:00 pm |
| Project | Action plan | 40% 2400 words |
3/11/2025 2:00 pm |
Assessment details
Critiquing educational research
- Identity Verified
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 30% 1800 words
- Due date
18/08/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L05
Task description
From a critique of current literature, you will develop and record a video that discusses how education settings can be inclusive.
Submission guidelines
Please follow submission guidelines on Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
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.
Reflective essay
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 30% 1800 words
- Due date
15/09/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L04
Task description
Using either a scenario provided on UQ Learn, or a de-identified case from your own experience working in educational settings, write an essay reflecting on the strengths and areas for improvement to support a setting wanting to build and enhance an inclusive culture.
Submission guidelines
Please follow submission guidelines on Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
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.
Action plan
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Project
- Weight
- 40% 2400 words
- Due date
3/11/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
Using either a scenario provided on UQ Learn, or a de-identified case from your own experience working in educational settings, write an action plan for strengthening inclusive culture.
Submission guidelines
Please follow submission guidelines on Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
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.ﾠ 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.ﾠ Uses a level, styles and means of communication appropriate to the discipline and audience.ﾠ |
| 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.
Assignment 1 (A1): grade of 6 at 35% weighting
Assignment 2 (A2): grade of 5 at 35% weighting
Assignment 3 (A3): grade of 6 at 30% weighting
The final grade for this student taking into account the weighting of each assignment would be: (A1) + (A2) + (A3)
(0.35 x 6) + (0.35 x 5) + (0.3 x 6) = 2.1 + 1.75 + 1.8 = 5.65
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.
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 AI/MT to support or inform assessment
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT 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 generative AI or MT 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 and MT 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
Library resources are available 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 (28 Jul - 03 Aug) |
Lecture |
Marginalised learners in educational settings Learning outcomes: L04 |
Week 2 (04 Aug - 10 Aug) |
Lecture |
Critiquing inclusive education research Learning outcomes: L01 |
Week 3 (11 Aug - 17 Aug) |
Lecture |
An overview of Human Rights, International Conventions and the legislative and policy frameworks that support inclusive education Learning outcomes: L02 |
Week 4 (18 Aug - 24 Aug) |
Lecture |
What inclusion and inclusive education looks like in practice Learning outcomes: L01 |
Week 5 (25 Aug - 31 Aug) |
Lecture |
Measuring inclusivity and reflexive practice Learning outcomes: L03 |
Week 6 (01 Sep - 07 Sep) |
Lecture |
Facilitators of, and barriers to, an inclusive education Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Week 7 (08 Sep - 14 Sep) |
Lecture |
Harnessing the power of diversity in your setting and classroom Learning outcomes: L03, L04, L05 |
Week 8 (15 Sep - 21 Sep) |
Lecture |
Leading a change management process in educational settings Learning outcomes: L03, L04, L05 |
Week 9 (22 Sep - 28 Sep) |
Lecture |
Planning for whole school inclusion Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04, L05 |
Mid Sem break (29 Sep - 05 Oct) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid-Semester Break |
Week 10 (06 Oct - 12 Oct) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Public Holiday - King's Birthday There will be no class this week. Please use this time to work on your assessment. |
Week 11 (13 Oct - 19 Oct) |
Lecture |
Student voice in inclusive settings, and working with families Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Week 12 (20 Oct - 26 Oct) |
Lecture |
Mentoring and coaching Learning outcomes: L05 |
Week 13 (27 Oct - 02 Nov) |
Lecture |
Courageous leadership: Challenging educational exclusion Learning outcomes: L03, L04, 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 for Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.