Course coordinator
Mrs Glenys Oberg
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 1
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Education School
Teaching is a multi-faceted profession. Becoming a teacher requires commitment and dedication to lifelong learning and personal growth through reflection. This course provides a further introduction to school life through workshops and school visits. Observation of practice will be provided to enable the opportunity for personal development and growth. Furthermore, practice in the design and implementation of lessons will also be a feature of this course. Therefore the focus of this course is on the development of lesson plans with further development of observation skills and understanding the importance of communication in a school context.
- 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.
- 10 days (two week block) of professional experience (except for Turn to Teaching Internship Program students, who will complete 15 days (three week block) of professional experience).
Becoming a teacher is a complex process. It requires an ongoing commitment to career long learning and professional development.
Preservice teachers entering the program are at the start of a developmental continuum where, as professional knowledge and skills develop, they are able to progress from observation to closely supervised practiceﾠwith the aimﾠtowards reaching a level of consultative and collaborative practice appropriate to the roles and responsibilities of beginning teachers demonstrated during an internship.
Learning experiences in this course are structured to challenge and support all preservice teachers as they work to develop a personal pedagogy informed by current best practice. Preservice teachers will be expected to present microteaching sessions incorporating the use of ICTs.
This course provides an introduction to teaching in the context of a contemporary primary school through a closely linked series of on-campus workshops and school visits. ﾠOnce the placementsﾠbegin, the workshops willﾠbe held on the school site to contextualise the learning. ﾠIn the workshops, the focus is on providing the preservice teachers with the skills and confidence needed for effective communication in a school setting and the skills needed for structured observation. These skills are necessary to function in the professional role of a teacher.
Understanding of the wider school context in which the preservice teachers will work is built up by a series of school visits where the emphasis is on structured observation.
This course is developmental and links to Professional Experienceﾠ2 and 3 providing a basis for the subsequent courses. This course will also build on and incorporate knowledge developed across the firstﾠsemester of the Master of Teaching (Primary) program.
Course requirements
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
Semester 1: Concurrent enrolment in 9 units of MTeach(Primary) courses and a Blue Card.
Semester 2: Successful completion or concurrent enrolment in 8 units of MTeach(Primary) courses (including EDUC7550) and a Blue Card.
Restrictions
Restricted to Master of Teaching (Primary) program students.
Semester 1 only: Restricted to students in the Turn to Teaching Internship Program.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Mrs Glenys Oberg
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
12ﾠx 2 hour workshops
10 days (2 week block) of supervised professional experience
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Aims and outcomes
- To begin to develop an understanding of teaching as a dynamic and challenging form of professional work
- To develop the skills of structured observation required for ongoing reflective practice
- To provide opportunity to develop and demonstrate a responsible and professional approach in interactions with all members of the school community
- To develop an understanding of the pervasive nature of, and strategies used to develop language, literacy and numeracy in learning and everyday situations
- To develop recognition of the impact of legislative, administrative and organisational requirements on the role of a teacher and the teaching and learning environment.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Demonstrate an understanding of teaching as a dynamic and challenging form of professional work.
LO2.
Demonstrate an understanding of the diverse backgrounds, development and characteristics of students, and how these may affect learning, and teaching strategies to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
LO3.
Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in learning areas.
LO4.
Identify and implement teaching strategies, including the use of ICTs, that provide students with appropriate, challenging learning goals and an engaging yet safe and supportive learning environment.
LO5.
Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies (including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches), the purpose of assessment moderation and a range of strategies for reporting to students and parents/carers.
LO6.
Demonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.
LO7.
Recognise and understand the place of legislative, school, employing authority requirements and systemic assessment data in the teaching and learning process.
LO8.
Demonstrate knowledge of relevant codes of practices and critical reflection on the technical and communication skills required to interact effectively with students, care givers and fellow professionals in an educational environment.
LO9.
Demonstrate clear, fluent, and coherent communication skills consistent with personal, professional and academic conventions.
LO10.
Demonstrate all teaching and professional requirements of the professional experience placement.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation/ Student contribution |
Policies & Procedures for Professional Experience
|
Pass/Fail |
7/03/2025 2:00 pm |
| Placement |
Professional Experience (Report)
|
Pass/Fail |
2/06/2025 - 20/06/2025
Evaluation forms due on completion of the practicum (Monday 23/6/25) |
| Portfolio |
Observations, lesson plans & teaching philosophy
|
Pass/Fail 3000 words |
27/06/2025 2:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Implementation of Recent Educational Developments
|
Pass/Fail 2000 words |
4/07/2025 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
Policies & Procedures for Professional Experience
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution
- Weight
- Pass/Fail
- Due date
7/03/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L07, 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: 4, 7
Statement:
I have read, understood and will abide by, the 2021 Policies and Procedures for Professional Experience Placements.
Hurdle requirements
Must be completed before placement.Submission guidelines
Completion of declaration statement on Blackboard to acknowledge that the student has read, understood and will abide by the policies and procedures.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Professional Experience (Report)
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Placement
- Weight
- Pass/Fail
- Due date
2/06/2025 - 20/06/2025
Evaluation forms due on completion of the practicum (Monday 23/6/25)
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08, L09, L10
Task description
Three week block (15 days)
You are required to attend a school allocated to you by the university in order to observe teaching practice, school life, students, and develop observation and communication skills within a school context. You will have one day per week for two consequitive weeks in a school and 100% attendance is mandatory. It is not acceptable to load single day visits into a reduced number of weeks.
You are required to be at the school at least half an hour before school starts.
Illness preventing attendance on your observation day must be notified to the placements administrator, education@uq.edu.au, the course coordinator, your teacher and the school coordinator. Missed days must be made up and negotiated to the satisfaction of the school. Work is NOT acceptable as a reason for missing an observation day.
Throughout the semester you will be required to attend on-campus workshops to prepare you for your observation days. Attendance is required for all of these workshops or you may jeopardise your placement. Any missed classes must be supported by medical certificates or other supporting documentation. Alternate assessment may be required to compensate for the missed days at the discretion of the course coordinator.
Your supervising teacher/s will prepare a report at the end of the 10 week period that will advise on your performance in the school context and will determine your outcome for the observation practicum.
NOTE: all students are responsible for the collection of original evaluation forms. These are to be uploaded to Blackboard on completion of the practicum (Monday 23/6/25). Failure to upload the practicum evaluation forms to 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.
APST: 2.1, 2.2, 2.5, 2.6, 3.1, 4.2, 4.3, 6.3, 7.1, 7.2
Hurdle requirements
Placement must be completed successfully to pass this course.Submission guidelines
Upload to link via Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
If there are make up days to complete due to absence during the professional experience, please negotiate submission of the report once these days have been completed
Observations, lesson plans & teaching philosophy
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia
- Category
- Portfolio
- Weight
- Pass/Fail 3000 words
- Due date
27/06/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L09
Task description
From your ten-day professional experience placement you are required to collate and present a portfolio containing a summary of observations, planning notes and a personal teaching philosophy.
Part A – Summary of observations
You are to prepare a 2000-word summary of observations that addresses all of the following topics:
· Understanding the school environment and being a teacher;
· Knowing your learners (physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning);
· Literacy and numeracy teaching strategies/programs and their application in the classroom and school;
· Practical approaches to manage challenging behaviour;
· Assessment (moderation of assessment and reporting mechanisms, the purpose of keeping accurate and reliable records).
In order to write the summary of observations, you should refer to the notes that you compiled for the various observation focus areas.
Part B - Planning notes and reflections
During the placement you have had the opportunity to plan for and present segments of lessons/mini lessons and full lessons (where possible).
1. You are to include three examples of plans that you created and presented and provide a personal reflection for each. Your reflection should address what went well and what you would improve for next time (150-200 words).
2. Based on these personal reflections and feedback provided by your supervising teacher(s), you are required to identify three professional learning goals that will guide your next professional experience placement. You should link your professional learning goals to relevant Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and their focus areas (you may present your goals as dot points).
Part C - Personal teaching philosophy
In reference to Part A and B and through reflection on the professional experience placement and your journey to date in the program, prepare a 500-word personal teaching philosophy that captures and presents how you will aim to ensure that your teaching has a positive impact on student learning. This statement should also identify your values, beliefs and ideas about teaching and the type of teacher you will aim to become.
The three domains from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers may help you frame your philosophy.
This will be an important and valuable statement to revisit as you progress through the professional experience courses and the Master of Teaching (Primary) program.
APST: 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.5, 4.3, 5.3, 5.5, 6.1, 6.3
Hurdle requirements
Assignment must be passed to successfully pass this course.Submission guidelines
Upload to link via Blackboard.
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.
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.
Implementation of Recent Educational Developments
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- Pass/Fail 2000 words
- Due date
4/07/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L09
Task description
As part of your observations during the 10 day block palcement, you are required to investigate and critically analyse the ways in which literacy and numeracy initiatives are implemented in your school and specifically in the classrooms you have been observing.
Prepare a report of 2000 words that clearly and coherently demonstrates your knowledge and understanding of recent developments in literacy and numeracy and how that is carried out in your specific school’s context. You must include a context for the report and a literacy and numeracy profile of the students in your placement school that draws on systemic assessment data for the school, class and focus students (school analysis e.g., PATM, PATR, NAPLAN). Your report should also evaluate a specific literacy or numeracy teaching program at your placement school. You should evaluate the learning program and its purported relationship with student learning. Your report should conclude with recommendations to adapt/modify/change the program for the purpose of improving student learning. Your report will be supported by evidence from your observation days with examples or case studies drawn from the classrooms you have been observing. You will also support your writing with references to academic literature.
Your report should also demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the following focus areas:
o Strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities (specifically in literacy and
numeracy)
o Literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas
o Assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning (specifically in
literacy and numeracy).
Please make sure you de-identify the school, teachers and students in your report.
APST: 1.5, 2.5, 3.6, 5.1, 5.4
Hurdle requirements
Assignment must be completed successfully to pass this course.Submission guidelines
Upload to link via Blackboard.
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.
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.
| Pass/Fails | Description |
|---|---|
| P |
Course grade description: All criteria must be passed in order to pass each assessment task All assessment tasks must be passed in order to pass the course AND Met the requirements of 80% attendance at on-campus workshops and 100% attendance on professional experience. |
| F |
Course grade description: One or more criteria failed in an assessment task and/or Did not meet the attendance requirements |
Additional course grading information
If students are unable to attend 80% of class, arrangements can be made to submit additional reflections to meet the attendance requirement.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is not available for some items in this course.
Additional assessment information
The following applies to all assessments in this course:
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.
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. ﾠ
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 (24 Feb - 02 Mar) |
Workshop |
An introduction to being a teacher & school life Role of a teacher; Qualities of a good teacher; Standards; Code of Ethics. Learning outcomes: L01, L06, L08, L09, L10 |
Week 2 (03 Mar - 09 Mar) |
Workshop |
Professional Issues School visit protocols - legal issues, statutory obligations including occupational safety and child protection policies. Learning outcomes: L01, L06, L08, L09, L10 |
Week 3 (10 Mar - 16 Mar) |
Workshop |
Literacy & numeracy across the curriculum Literacy and numeracy teaching strategies/programs and their application in the classroom and school. Microteaching activities. Learning outcomes: L03, L05, L10 |
Week 4 (17 Mar - 23 Mar) |
Workshop |
Know students and how they learn (Workshop): Understanding the physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning and the implications for teaching. Microteaching activities. Learning outcomes: L02, L10 |
Week 5 (24 Mar - 30 Mar) |
Workshop |
An introduction to lesson planning Setting learning goals and objectives for student learning making links within curriculum requirements and knowledge of how students learn. Microteaching activities. Learning outcomes: L04, L07, L10 |
Week 6 (31 Mar - 06 Apr) |
Workshop |
Introduction to classroom and behaviour management Classroom organisation - routines and strategies. Microteaching activities. Learning outcomes: L02, L04, L09, L10 |
Week 7 (07 Apr - 13 Apr) |
Workshop |
Plan for & implement effective teaching&learning 1 Lesson planning. Microteaching activities. Learning outcomes: L02, L04, L06, L07, L10 |
Week 8 (14 Apr - 20 Apr) |
Workshop |
Plan for & implement effective teaching&learning 2 Lesson planning. Teaching strategies for learning activities and physical layout of space. Microteaching activities. Learning outcomes: L02, L04, L06, L07, L10 |
Mid-sem break (21 Apr - 27 Apr) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid-semester Break |
Week 9 (28 Apr - 04 May) |
Workshop |
Planning & Communication within a school community Planning continued. Understanding the school environment and being a teacher. Microteaching activities. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08, L09, L10 |
Week 10 (05 May - 11 May) |
Placement |
Duty of Care Ten days of full time supervised practicum in a school setting. Observations, hands-on classroom assistance, planning and teaching segments of lessons and full lessons. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08, L09, L10 |
Week 11 (12 May - 18 May) |
Workshop |
Literacy and Numeracy Data Systemic data school, class, focus on students for example PATM, Learning outcomes: L05, L06, L07, L10 |
Week 12 (19 May - 25 May) |
Workshop |
Where to from here? Preparing for Placement Reflection on the professional experience. Recap of key assessment tasks. Reflection on course and preparing for future professional experience. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08, L09, L10 |
Multiple weeks From Revision week To Exam week 2 |
Placement |
Professional Experience Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08, L09, L10 |
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.
You'll also need to be aware of the following policies and procedures while completing this course: