Dr Linda Westphalen
Education Specialist
Senior Lecturer
School of Education
Nexus 10, Room 805
linda.westphalen@adelaide.edu.au
08 8318 3784

There will be two hours of seminars and two hours of workshops.  As the seminars are run as a simulation, attendance is highly recommended.  The workshops will be student-led with guiding support.

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

	Learning Outcome	APST
1	Use the Australian Professional standards for Teachers to identify current and future learning needs	4.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.4
2	Develop a portfolio of resources on student issues and apply resources to case studies	6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4
3	Develop solutions for student issues appropriate to stage of development	1.1, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.4, 3.3, 3.6, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4, 5.2, 5.5, 6.3, 6.4, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4
4	Apply codes of ethics and conduct as well as legislative, administrative and organizational policies and processes to complex situations involving students, carers and the community	1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.4, 3.7, 3.6, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4
5	Engage with other professional educators and apply knowledge to various learning contexts	6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.4

There are no prescribed resources for this course.  Students must have completed the Keeping Safe Child Protection Curriulum before beginning, and a knowledge of Teacher protection strategies, codes of conduct and the Graduate Level of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers is assumed.

It is recommended that students actively engage with online resources relating to Child Protection and Duty of Care.  Other resources will be provided by the convener.

A working knowledge of how to access online sources is assumed.  Students will need to bring a laptop to all seminars and workshops as online materials will be accessed in all sessions.  Most assessment items will be uploaded via CANVAS, but some will be in hard copy to the lecturer.

All seminars will be run as a simulation: they are conducted as if students are Teaching Staff at a local School, Unreal High.  Active participation is therefore expected, as it would in a real secondary school.  Workships are student-led with guided support from the convener.  Online engagement is also required.

Delivery or Engagement Mode	Hours
Seminars	2 x 10 hours = 20 hours
Workshops	2 x 10 hours = 20 hours
Engagement with colleagues	16 hours minimum
Assignments, Reading and Preparation	110 hours
TOTAL	156 hours

Week	Seminar Hour 1	Seminar Hour 2	Workshop	LO	APST
1	APST Proficient Level:  where to from here? Transitioning to the workplace.	Staff Rooms:  teachers as colleagues.	Introduction UNREAL HIGH:Faculty Grouping, roles, assessment and your experience of schools thus far (Podcast due)	1, 5	4.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.4
2	Teachers as administrators:  record keeping, policies and accreditation	Reliefs and appraisals	Setting reliefs - writing and reviewing	2, 5	6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4
3	Critical Incidents:  School-based concerns requiring reporting to School Leaders and Parents	Review of legal and ethical responsibilities: case studies	Email: critical incident review (Email Critical Response due)	1, 3, 4	1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.4, 3.3, 3.6, 3.7, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 5.2, 5.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.4
4	Critical Incidents: Out of School Incidents and reporting to parents and School Leaders	Dealing with parents and carers: practicalities in communication: email, phone and face to face	Email responses and role play (Email response)	1, 3, 4	1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.4, 3.3, 3.6, 3.7, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 5.2, 5.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.4
5	Rural Schools: context and complexity	Rural School well-being - staff and student	Rural School research	1, 2	4.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.3, 7.2, 7.4
6	Rural Schools: classrooms and critical incidents	Rural School guided research	Rural School research (Research due)	1, 2, 3, 4	1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.4, 3.3, 3.6, 3.7, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 5.2, 5.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4
7	Professional Learning - Teaching Communities of Practice, Engagement and Case Studies	Creating an online community of practice	Supporting colleagues (Reflection 1 due)	1, 2, 5	4.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4
8	Peer Review of teaching:  Professional practice, currency and standard 6 of the APST	Professional Development: Identifying avenues for learning - using your ePortfolio	Professional Learning plan: application, rationale and actionable learning	1, 5	4.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.4
9	Student choice	Student choice	Student choice (Personal Learning Plan and Reflection 2 due)	n/a	n/a
10	Summary and review	Summary and review	No workshop	n/a	n/a

Students are expected to fully engage with the Unreal High School simulation.

Not required at this level, however student leadership in Faculty groups and as teacher-peers is expected.

Assessment Task	Task Type	Weighting	Learning Outcome	APST
Podcast Identifying Future Learning Needs	Formative	10%	1	4.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.4
Email Response	Formative	10%	2, 3	1.1, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.4, 3.3, 3.6, 3.7, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4, 5.2, 5.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4
Email Critical Incident	Summative	20%	2, 3, 4	1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.4, 3.3, 3.6, 3.7, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4, 5.2, 5.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4
Reflections on Professional Development Activities and Developmental Plans	Formative	20%	1, 5	4.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.4
Rural School Research	Summative	40%	2, 4	1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.4, 3.7, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4

Most assessments are premised on the assumption that they will engage fully with the simulation.  Some assessments have an open submission date, however in a school a rapid turnaround time is expected.  The timing of submissions is therefore counted in the assessment tasks and failure to submit within the timeframe will result in a zero mark in that aspect of the assessment. Note that timely submission is not the only criteria for assessment.

All assessments must be submitted by the end of week 9.  After this time, they will attract the same marking penalities as for usual university assessments and policy:  2 marks per day for 7 days; thereafter a late submission will be awarded a zero mark for that assessment item.

Podcast Identifying Future Learning Needs  (Formative 10%)
Learning Outcome 1;  APST: 4.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.4

Dear New Staff Member, As I am a hugely busy School Leader, I am unable to meet you all in person individually.  I ask that you begin your induction at Unreal High by creating a podcast about your recent Professional Experience. Your podcast should be a digital recording with images and sound of no less than two minutes and no more than three minutes long and should answer the following questions:

Where did you teach?
What subjects did you teach?
Did you have any misconceptions about the school that changed while you were there?
Given your experiences, what are your ‘teacher assets’?
What are 3 – 5 areas where you think you need to do more professional development? These should be linked to the Proficient level of the APST.

Your responses should be professional, considered and respectful of the school and its staff. While there is no intention to share this podcast with the community outside of Unreal High, this is Adelaide, Adelaide is small and insular, and the teaching community is replete with insider knowledge and gossip.  Don’t take the risk of school and/or teacher character assassination!

As Principal, I will review your podcast and give some feedback and guidance on where you could best seek ways to develop your skills in
teaching.  You would be advised to take note and outline in an email to me what steps you have taken to address these professional learning goals. This podcast to me is due at the end of week 2.

Kind Regards  (Principal)


Email Response (Formative 10%)
Learning Outcomes 2, 3; APST 1.1, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.4, 3.3, 3.6, 3.7, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4, 5.2, 5.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4

At Unreal High, the usual response time for an email is the same as most schools: 24 hours.  This might be a ‘Thank you for your email.  I
have to find out more.  I will get back to you’ type response, which basically is a way to give you time to do some research.  A response
after that MUST be within 24 hours.  This means that your email to a parent should be within 48 hours of receipt of their original email.  If
you respond after this time, it will be too late, the parent is likely to be talking to your Faculty Head, Deputy Principal or Principal, and
you will be polishing your resumé.

Their email to you may be professional and polite.  It may also be quite nasty.  Your response must be polite, pitched to a caring adult
but, as this may be someone who does not much care about your feelings or your workload, very carefully crafted with regard to language choice and use.  Please note that this caring adult will expect a researched, accurate and timely response.  You will need to comply with legal and policy requirements. It should not be a rant.


Email Critical Incident (Summative 20%)
Learning Outcomes 2, 3, 4
1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.4, 3.3, 3.6, 3.7, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4, 5.2, 5.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4

A lot has been happening at Unreal High.  Three critical incidents have happened and you have to write an email to school leaders and parents (ie 2 emails) about what happened and how you dealt with one of them.

This email must be professional in tone and consider APST, legal and risk assessments, ethical practice and Child Protection. It must also meet criteria for timeliness.  Each email must be detailed and complete.  Content MAY be repeated, however a clear distinction between audiences is expected.  Remember too that these documents may end up in Legal proceedings.


Reflections on Professional Development Activities and Developmental Plans (Formative 20%)
Learning Outcomes 1, 5; APST 4.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.4

This assessment has two parts. Each is worth 10%

Part 1. Your faculty has some funding set aside for Professional Learning.  The amount is variable depending on where you want to go and what you want to attend.  The money is enough for only one of your faculty to go to a Professional Learning event, but it needs to be spent by the end of January 2019, or the money returns to general funds. 

This application is to be decided and written as a Faculty group. As a Faculty, you must apply for funding to a PL event.  This event cannot be made up.  It can be local, state, national or international. The event must be topical and relevant to teaching your subject area.  It could be an ICT innovation that relates to TPACK, a workshop on pedagogy or a conference.  It should not be primarily about resources, but this can be part of the ‘package.’  If there are more than one of you in your faculty, you need to decide which of you is to attend.  This is usually based a teacher’s timetabled commitments, and their capacity to learn something new and then pass on what they have learned to their faculty peers.  It is also based on their passion for the PL activity.  A staff member who goes should gain the support of at least one other Faculty member and preferably all of them.  If you decide that If you think you should go instead of the chosen Faculty colleague, you may also put in a competing application with the support of another Faculty member.  This support cannot be anonymous.

You need to outline how the attending staff member will pass on this new knowledge back to your faculty.  You must include an estimated
budget, itinerary, time frames, learning outcomes and a justification relative to you Faculty’s professional learning needs.  Your
Professional Learning Plan application will not be considered if it is unrelated to the APST.

All of this is written as an application/justification for the grant monies, to be sent to your Principal on the appropriate form. 

Part 2.  You will receive a Professional Learning Application from another Faculty.  Using the rubric provided, write a 500 word review and reflection finishing with a recommendation to me (your Principal) about whether you think the application should be funded. Your response should be researched and based on your objective assessment of whether the application meets the APST, is adequately funded and is a worthwhile teaching and learning experience.

Both your application and your review should be uploaded individually to your eportfolios.



Rural School Research (Summative 40%)
Learning Outcomes 2, 4; APST 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.4, 3.7, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4

When you are nearing the end of the contract you have at Unreal High School, there is likely to be a new contract on offer at a rural
school.  Before you take up this contract, you need to find out more about the school and its context.  For this exercise, you will need to
research a rural school and its context.  Please DO NOT contact the school to ask:  this would be disruptive to the staff as a busy point of
the year.

Outcomes: Research the demographics and community resources for a teaching position in a rural area to get to know it better.  Learn about the cultural groups of a specific rural area and consider the impact of this on your role as a teacher. Understanding
the town, people and families who live there will give you background information in order to understand the students you will be teaching. 

This understanding supports you in designing a curriculum which is connected and relevant, and helps your transition to being a
professional in a rural area. 

Process: Select a town in rural South Australia.  If you are from rural South Australia, this place should NOT be the place from where you come. Get to know community demographics. Investigate the community and school in which you will be working by completing a search using google and/or other search engines or sites such as My School or the Australian Bureau of Statistics, so that you have current background knowledge of the school and community.

Explore:

1. How far (kms) from your home is the rural town/school? What is the geographical location (coastal/inland) and context?
2. How many schools are in the town/area? What types of schools are there? What is the context of the school that you have chosen relative to the others?
3. School Website – what does this tell you about the school and the values and focus for learning? How many students?  How
are their year levels structured?  What are the curriculum priorities?
4. Staffing: How many staff are there and what is the structure of the leadership team? What are the staffing priorities?
5. Get to know the community resources and services.  Investigate accommodation, banking and retail options that might be available to you if you gain employment in this location. What sports and recreational activities are playing in the town? What are the recreational activities?  What emergency services exist in the area (eg. Fire, police, ambulance)?  
6. What influences may affect your understanding of the students?  For example, are there Geographic/Environmental issues: rainfall, terrain, temperature?  How may this be an influence?
7. Historical: What is the history of the town and how may this be an influence families or give you contextual understanding?  Is there local tourism?
8. Diversity: What is the population breakdown represented in the town and therefore the school? What cultural groups are present? 
9. Economic: What is the main industry/business? What are the implications for local families? Consider issues in the rural sector that impact on schools – shearing, harvest, vintage, planting time, climate…
10. Political: Are there political agendas in the town? Is there a local council and what are the key issues on the council agenda at the moment which may have implications for the students you will be teaching?

Use these Numbered topics as Headings and write a short paragraph response based on your research findings for each numbered section.(Based on McCallum, F. and Price, D. (2016) (Eds) Nurturing Wellbeing Development in Education: From Little Things Big Things Grow. Routledge, London, pp. 127 – 8)

Estimated word count: 2000 words.

Most submissions will be online via CANVAS.  Some submissions will be in hard copy as per actual situations in schools.