EDUC 7220 - Critical and Culturally Responsive Teaching

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2023

Australia is growing superdiverse and while the Nation?s interculturality generally works well, Australian schools and teachers are struggling to cater equitably for the increasing cultural diversity of the student cohort. This course explores critical pedagogies for cultural diversity, with emphasis on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives. The course draws from a rigorous literature base to investigate the evidence for culturally responsive practice, which is expanded to incorporate questions of class, race, gender/sexuality, ethnicity and religion ? in this way, the course complements while extending on EDUC7558 `Middle and Secondary Years Pedagogy?, by developing concepts such as reflexivity and racial literacy and their translations into classroom practice. The first half of the course develops a political, historical and theoretical context for understanding Culturally Responsive Pedagogies (CRPs), which are practised in the second half. Pre-Service Teachers are positioned as co-learners and knowledge producers who are supported to investigate the central tenets of CRPs, defined as teaching which is: intellectually demanding; connected to learner lifeworlds; values students? cultural identities as learning assets; is activist-oriented; socio-politically informed; and transcends the classroom.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code EDUC 7220
    Course Critical and Culturally Responsive Teaching
    Coordinating Unit School of Education
    Term Semester 2
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Incompatible EDUC 7555
    Restrictions Available to Master of Teaching (Middle and Secondary) students only
    Assessment Personal reflection, Research project, Group presentation
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Samantha Schulz

    Course Timetable

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

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    Learning Outcomes APST (Graduate)
    1 Demonstrate awareness of the different philosophies, aims and politics of contemporary Australian education for culturally diverse student cohorts. 1.3; 1.4; 2.4; 3.3
    2 Demonstrate awareness of the educational experiences and needs of First Nations and culturally diverse, high poverty students, including gender and sexuality diverse youth. 1.3; 1.4; 2.4; 3.4; 4.1
    3 Demonstrate an understanding of selected current issues in Australian education that bear on educational inclusion for diverse student cohorts. 1.3; 1.4; 2.4; 3.3; 4.4
    4 Demonstrate skills in critically analysing research literature and translating theory on culturally inclusive teaching into classroom practice. 1.3; 1.4; 2.4; 3.3; 4.4; 6.3; 4.2
    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)

    Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth

    Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.

    1,2,3

    Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving

    Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.

    4

    Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills

    Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.

    4

    Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency

    Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.

    1,2,3,4

    Attribute 6: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency

    Graduates have an understanding of, and respect for, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, culture and knowledge.

    1,2,3,4

    Attribute 7: Digital capabilities

    Graduates are well prepared for living, learning and working in a digital society.

    4

    Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence

    Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.

    1,2,3,4
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    All relevant readings and other resources will be indicated in the Modules and the Course Readings of MyUni
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    1 hour lecture/seminar supported by 2-hour tutorial /workshops. This fulfils the taught and practised requirements for accreditation of initial teacher education courses with students have the opportunity to be taught and learn the knowledge, followed by an opportunity to practise the skills and knowledge taught to demonstrate understanding.
    Workload

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

    Mode Hours x Week Total
    Lecture 1 x 8 8
    Tutorial 2 x 8 16
    Reading and preparation 6 x 8 48
    Assessment 6 x 8 48
    Online tasks 5 x 6 30
    Overall Total 150
    Learning Activities Summary

    Lecture (Taught) Tutorial (Practiced) Link to learning outcome APST Assessment
    Week 1 Critical and culturally responsive teaching: This lecture explores what it means to be ‘critical’ and ‘culturally responsive’, and establishes a sociological imagination as the basis for this pedagogical disposition. The lecture explores how critical and culturally responsive pedagogies require complex contextual thinking and a capacity to apprehend ourselves as social beings, interconnected with others. The lecture also explores the key ideas that 1) Australian schooling has normalised competitive individualism in ways that devalue a diversity of learner lifeworlds, and 2) proposes that learning and social cohesion can only flourish when learner lifeworlds are brought to the centre of learning. Every tutorial is designed to build Pre-Service  Teachers’ (PST) sociological imaginations through culturally responsive practice (CRP), and hence each tutorial also bridges the research-teaching nexus. This tutorial introduces CRP through interactive activities that create space for dialogue, encounter, and relationship building. Whilst introducing the course and covering key pragmatic details (i.e., weekly schedule, assessments), we build a community of learners through individual, paired, small and whole group graduated activities that open space for learning about the unique collection of lifeworlds that comprise our whole. 1, 2 1.3
    1.4 2.4 3.3
    Week 2 Race, whiteness, and First Nations Education: This lecture establishes Indigenous sovereignty as the grounds on which we stand and the basis for the ways in which all Australians come together. It provides a potted history of First Nations education in Australia, and introduces the concepts of race and whiteness as lenses for apprehending Australia as a race structured society. This tutorial uses CRPs to explore the concepts of race and whiteness and investigates how ‘race’ has shaped Australian schooling. The tutorial uses ‘counter stories’ as a specific vehicle for engaging respectfully with racially marginalised viewpoints. The tutorial also introduces a framework on social justice as a device (heuristic) for enabling depth of critical thinking, and links this framework to the first assignment. 1, 2, 4 1.3 1.4 2.4 3.3
    Week 3 Neoliberalism, neoconservatism and choice: This lecture extends the historical overview of Australian schooling established in weeks 1-2 by exploring the second phase neoliberal turn in Australia. The lecture investigates how neoliberalism, underpinned by divestment in the public sphere and promotion of individual self-interest over common good, has enabled competitive, individualistic orientations to schooling, and school ‘choice’ rhetoric to be naturalised as ‘normal’ since the mid-1990s. The lecture explores how neoliberalism conceptually views the human in economic terms and empties the subject of content, while neoconservatism fills this gap with normative white hegemony. Critical and culturally responsive orientations to schooling are investigated as hopeful alternatives which foster social cohesion. This tutorial develops PSTs’ understanding of the social justice framework and scaffolds links to the first assignment. CRPs are used to engage PSTs in whole and small group analyses of publicly available ‘neoliberal texts’, before engaging in a whole group yarning circle for sharing ideas and emergent learning. 1, 3, 4 1.3 1.4 2.4 3.3
    Week 4 Class, poverty and privilege: This lecture introduces the concepts of social class, poverty and privilege to explore ways in which Australian schooling mediates classed privilege, and how educators may teach for social equity. The lecture constellates around a case study of two public schools in Australia situated across starkly divergent
    socio-geographic contexts. Each school’s performance on standardised measures
    of assessment are considered against the backdrop of neoliberal transformations
    in society, which have resulted in growing divisions between rich and poor. The
    lecture explores implications for culturally responsive practice by examining
    ways in which educators can value a broad scope of cultural capitals; how educators can work positively and respectfully with neglected and abused youth; and also how they might work fruitfully with structurally privileged young people.
    This tutorial immerses students in forms of experiential learning – a competitive, individualistic ‘game’, a high-stakes test, and a collaborative exercise that builds on participants’ existing knowledge and skills. These experiences and
    the affective intensities to which they give rise form a basis for critical reflection and discussion. Links are also made to PSTs’ core assessments.
    1, 2, 3, 4 1.3 1.4 2.4 3.3 Reflexive
    writing piece:
    integrates key theories on CRPs and social justice with personal experience and emergent teaching philosophy.
    Week 5 Gender and sexuality equity: This lecture establishes the idea that formal schooling is experienced by nearly all young Australians and re-produces the nation through framing what is ‘real’ or negated. Schooling that is silent on issues of gender ‘silences’ gender equity. The lecture introduces and explores the key concepts of gender and sex. It explores a ‘day at the soccer carnival’ as a basis for examining how gender is policed, performed, and reproduced at individual through structural levels in society.  It provides a potted review of major currents in Australian educational policy relating to gender. And
    finally, the lecture explores ‘what educators can do’ to be teachers of gender equity.
    This tutorial uses CRPs and specifically, body-based forms of learning to explore gendered social structures in Australian society. It engages PSTs in an
    exploration of gender stereotypes and how they are normatively ‘policed’, and then relates these explorations to current social statistics and educational policy. Finally, PSTs are engaged in gender and sexuality based ‘teachable moments’, before engaging in a structured discussion of the major research
    essay and forthcoming group presentations.
    1, 3, 4 1.3 1.4 2.4 3.3
    Students on placement for 6 weeks
    Week 10 Culturally responsive teaching: This lecture returns to the key idea that learning and social cohesion can only flourish when learner lifeworlds are brought to the centre of learning. It reviews the key sociological lenses that have framed PSTs’ learning journey over the first 5 weeks: race, whiteness, neoliberalism, neoconservatism, class, and gender. Finally, the lecture explores key contemporary ideas in culturally responsive practice, including current major research projects taking place in Australia, and the notion that embodied and emotional forms of learning can destabilise the western imperialism of pedagogical practices that privilege mind over body to the exclusion of a growing diversity of Australian students. This tutorial is entirely practice-based. It draws on Object Based Learning (OBL), counter story-telling, and Creative Body-Based Learning (CBL) as creative avenues for engaging all learners in culturally responsive orientations to education which
    centre dialogue, encounter, relationship-building. PSTs are reminded of the core requirements of their major research essays, and also the upcoming group presentations.
    1, 2, 3 1.3 1.4 2.4 3.3 Research
    essay: explores an aspect of Australian schooling through a chosen sociological lens
    and develops implications for culturally responsive practice.
    Week 11 Group Presentations Weeks 11 and 12 are devoted to group presentations in which small groups bring targeted areas of teaching and inquiry to life through CRPs. Presenters are
    asked to bridge the research-teaching nexus and engage ‘their learners’ in embodied, collaborative, and creative modes of learning which celebrate learner lifeworlds.
    1, 2, 3, 4 1.3 1.4 2.4 3.3 3.4 4.2 4.4 6.4 Group
    presentations:
    bridge the research-teaching nexus by exploring the application of CRPs to an area of teaching specialisation. Engages peers in collaborative learning and reflection.
    Week 12 Group Presentations and close. 1, 2, 3, 4 1.3 1.4 2.4 3.3 3.4 4.2 4.4 6.4 Critical
    personal reflection:
    self-assessment based on engagement with key ideas and their application
    through weekly collaborative practice.


  • Assessment

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

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

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Task Type Weighting Learning Outcome
    Individual: Personal reflection Summative 20% 1
    Individual: Research project Summative 45% 2,3,4
    Group Presentation Summative 35% 1,2,3
    Assessment Detail
    Assessment Task Description Due Date
    Personal Reflection
    (Reflexive Written Piece)
    500 words, 20%
    To be reflexive is to think critically ‘about your thinking’. This assignment asks you to start thinking reflexively about your identity as a teacher and beliefs about teaching. You will:
    A) reflect on your educational experiences or some aspect of them.
    B) Draw on our first weeks of resources to refine your thinking.
    C) make an initial attempt to align with one of three standpoints on social justice.

    The assignment has a broad provocation, which should frame your inquiry: Looking back, looking forward: what is my emergent standpoint on education?  

    The assignment is intended to reflect your emergent philosophy and it is anticipated that you will have some unresolved issues as well as new directions in your thinking. Being a critical, personal reflection, you are asked to write in ‘first person’ and use personal pronouns (I, me) while retaining a sophisticated academic tone – an example and ideas will be presented in workshops. The paper is formal so you must refer to the academic literature. It is expected that you cite from the first weeks of course materials, particularly Kemmis et al (1983), Starr (1991), and lectures 1-3.
    Refer to MyUni
    Research Project
    (Reflexive Research Paper)
    2000 words, 45%
    The assignment provides a general provocation: Apply a sociological imagination to your role as a future educator, with emphasis on a chosen lens.

    You will start by selecting a key theme from our course to be used as a lens for inquiry:

    Race/whiteness
    First Nations perspectives
    Class/Poverty
    Neoliberalism       
    Gender/Sexuality

    You will choose a personal cultural artefact* as a starting point for reflection, and then draw on secondary sources (i.e., academic peer-reviewed journal articles, chapters, our lectures, and books) as well as some online news or popular media sources where appropriate, to investigate how you are located within the broad field of inquiry, and what some initial implications are for your work as an Australian teacher. This is a reflexive paper, so you are asked to write in first person as you situate yourself sociologically. Your research paper should be presented in essay format using sub-headings. Ensure that you include the following:

    Title: Include a title that indicates the core issue of inquiry – titles should help to guide your reader.
    Introduction
    Situating Self
    Implications for teaching
    Conclusion
    References
    Appendix: Include a copy of your Core Materials Template as well as material of relevance to your cultural artefact.

    Examples and guidance for this paper will be provided progressively during workshops and in lectures.
    Refer to MyUni
    Group Presentation
    (Theory-into-practice presentation)
    20-30 minutes, 35%
    Groups will be arranged in the first weeks of the course. Groups will:

    1. Collectively select ‘one’ reading from your assigned theme (everyone in the group will read the same paper).
    2. Individually read the article and individually complete a double-entry journal (template on MyUni).
    3. Come together as a group to develop a presentation based on your shared reading, comprising an engaging overview of the article’s key points into which you theoretically integrate other readings and lectures from our course, and an activity in which you engage your peers in learning to bring your article’s key points to life. Presentations should conclude with 1 slide dedicated to ‘implications for educators’, another outlining ‘links to APST’ (including focus area 1.3, and one other focus area of the group’s choosing), and a final slide detailing ‘who did what’ (i.e., explain how group work was organised, shared and delegated).

    Themes and corresponding literature will be outlined in workshops.

    Refer to MyUni
    Submission
    You must submit an assessment task in accordance with the specified deadline, format and lodgement instructions, except as provided in the Modified Arrangements for Coursework Assessment Policy. Excepting the Group Presentation, all submissions will be via MyUni.
    Specific information will be provided in the Assessment instructions for each item online. Students will be required to upload written assignments 1 and 2 via Internet-based plagiarism detection service turnitin on MyUni.
    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

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    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.

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