EDUC 6543A - Alternative Curricula A

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2015

The course aims to present information on a range of methodologies and develop a variety of pedagogical skills to help students to be better prepared for the start of their teaching career.

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Course Details

Course Code	EDUC 6543A
Course	Alternative Curricula A
Coordinating Unit	School of Education
Term	Semester 1
Level	Postgraduate Coursework
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	2 hours per week, in addition to a 2 hour common lecture focussing on Planning and Teaching
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	N
Prerequisites	None
Incompatible	EDUC 6517A
Restrictions	Available to Grad Dip Ed students only

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Robert Matthews

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

A detailed course timetable is included in the front section of the reader and on the MyUni site under course information.

Course Learning Outcomes

#	On Successful completion of this course student will be able:	APST Standard	AQF7/8	GA
Semester One
1	Demonstrate deep knowledge and understanding of the complexity of the discipline and the teaching strategies of the learning area.	2.1	Knowledge	1,2,3,5,6,7
2	Design and sequence unit and lesson plans based on essential content of the subjectarea, curriculum, including effective assessment principles.	2.2 & 2.3 & 3.2	Application	1,2,3
3	Assemble a range of subject-appropriate resources, including online, that engage a diversity of students in their learning.	2.6 & 3.4	Application	2, 4, 5, 8
4	Integrate relevant research and theory to develop a broad repertoire of subject-appropriate teaching and learning strategies, including use of ICT.	3.3 7 3.2	Skills	2,3,5
5	Assemble relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers including subject professional associations.	6.2, 6.3 & 7.4	Knowledge & Skills	4, 5, 6, 7, 8
6	Demonstrate a commitment to work ethically and collaboratively so as to meet the professional expectations required of teachers	6.2, 6.3, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4	Knowledge, Skills & Application	3,4,8
7	Demonstrate communication skills to present a clear and coherent exposition of knowledge and ideas to a diverse range of students	3.5, 4.2, 5.5	Knowledge, Skills & Application	2,4
Note: Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST): http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/hrdevelopment/pages/workforcedevelopment/Standards/?reFlag=1 Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF): http://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf/in-detail/aqf-levels/ Graduate Attributes: University of Adelaide Graduate Attributes: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/learning/strategy/gradattributes/

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Knowledge and understanding of the content and techniques of a chosen discipline at advanced levels that are internationally recognised.	1,2
The ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner.	1, 2, 3, 4, 7
An ability to apply effective, creative and innovative solutions, both independently and cooperatively, to current and future problems.	1,2,4,6
Skills of a high order in interpersonal understanding, teamwork and communication.	3,5,6,7
A proficiency in the appropriate use of contemporary technologies.	1,3,4,5
A commitment to continuous learning and the capacity to maintain intellectual curiosity throughout life.	1,5
A commitment to the highest standards of professional endeavour and the ability to take a leadership role in the community.	1,5
An awareness of ethical, social and cultural issues within a global context and their importance in the exercise of professional skills and responsibilities.	3,5,6

Learning Resources

Required Resources

Weekly readings may be accessed through a combination of on-line materials and a
course reader available for purchase from the image and copy centre (Level 1,
Hughes building).

Additional resources and links will be available on the MyUni site.
Please explore the site and familiarise yourself its layout.

Recommended Resources

Carl Rogers, Freedom to Learn.

Leo Tolstoy, Tolstoy on Education.

Krishnamurti, Education and the Significance of Life.

Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child (earlier
edition, The Montessori Method).

John and Evelyn Dewey, Schools of Tomorrow.

John Holt, How Children Fail.

A. S. Neil, Summerhill.

Ivan Illich, Celebration of Awareness.

Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed.

Kierran Egan, The Educated Mind: How cognitive tools shape
our understanding.

Online Learning

Any additional resources to support the delivery of this program will be uploaded onto MyUni and students will be notified of these.

Course communication will be primarily through emails and MyUni postings. It is a course requirement that you access and frequently check (at least 2 times per week) these communications.

Learning & Teaching Modes

Are face-to-face in lecture and tutorial format.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

Course contact is two hours per week - one hour lecture and one hour tutorial. (Plus additional 2 hour lecture for theCore Component)

Allow at least two hours per week for assigned reading materials from this part of the course.

Learning Activities Summary

Schedule
Lecture	Content	AITSL Standards
Week 1	Introduction to course. Overview of historical and contemporary contexts. Brief summary ofvarious theorists. Discussion of assessments and Group process. Discussion of Steiner online materials for use in assignments.	Standards 2 and 6
Week 2	Pestalozzi. La Floresta School, Bolivia	Standards 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 7
Week 3	Steiner or Waldorf Education.	Standards 1,2,3 ,4 and 5
Week 4	NO LECTURE THIS WEEK In own time watch the TED talk: Ken Robinson. Do schools kill creativity? http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html And participate in online discussion.	Standards 1,2,3 ,4 and 5
Week 5	NO LECTURE THIS WEEK Meet privately in your groups to discuss project. Submit a draft of your curriculum analysis to me electronically for comment.	Standards 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 7
Week 6	Montessori	Standards 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 7
Week 7	Neill and SummerHill.	Standards 1, 2, 3,4,5,6 and 7
Week 8	Group Presentation (School Tour on May 5 at Willunga Waldorf if interested)	Standards 1, 4,6 and 7

Specific Course Requirements

All students are required to attend the compulsory lecture and tutorial sessions. In the case of absence an email to the course coordinator, or a medical certificate or other verification is required. Participation in the group process is part of the assessment.

Small Group Discovery Experience

An 8 week long group process has been built into the course consistent with expectations of the small group discovery process.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Item	Weighting	Due Date
Steiner Curriculum Analysis	70%	June 25
Group presentation	30%	May 7

Assessment Related Requirements

Students must attend 80% of all lectures and tutorials and sign the attendance sheet on arrival.

Assessment Detail

Assignment 1:    Steiner Curriculum Analysis                                               70%

You are to analyse one of the High School subject strands from the Steiner National Curriculum:
http://steinereducation.edu.au/curriculum/high-school

Your task is twofold:

1.      To identify and discuss elements of alternative education that are embedded in your selected subject materials. Relevant points to consider are:

- How was creativity/play be included in classroom practice?
- How was the developmental stage of the ‘whole child’ included in classroom practice?
- How was the heart, that is, social, moral aspects, included in classroom practice?
- Plus any additional points featured in your particular subject area.

2.      In your analysis you are also required to discuss how you might use some of these practices in a mainstream context.

Length is 1500 words.

Further details including rubric are provided in lectures.

Assignment 2:      Group presentation                                                      30%

In this assignment your group will present a small unit of classroom work demonstrating alternative education insights as listed above in Assignment 1 (creativity/play; development of the whole child; social, emotional; and any others you wish to include)

This design speaks directly to what teachers may do in the classroom. Format will be a small unit of work – say 3 or so lesson ideas. The subject area (likely multi-discipline) will be determined by the subject backgrounds of group members.

This process will be closely scaffolded in lectures.

Presentation length to be negotiated.

Location will be the Smarte room.

You will have access to power point, digital camera (akin to OHP), CD, DVD and video facilities.

Further details including criteria are provided in the reader.

Submission

For Assignment 1:

Hard copy handed to me or placed in my pigeon hole (photocopier room, level 8, Nexus Building).

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator