Curriculum and Assessment in Secondary Education G (11351.1)

Please note these are the 2023 details for this unit
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Curriculum and Assessment in Secondary Education G
Available teaching periods Delivery mode Location
View teaching periods Placement
 Bruce, Canberra
EFTSL Credit points Faculty
0.125 3 Faculty Of Education
Discipline Study level HECS Bands
Academic Program Area - Education Graduate Level Band 1 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 1 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
This unit introduces students to the curriculum from various perspectives: the political influences upon curriculum, curriculum design and in particular the role of curriculum in planning, assessing and reporting student learning experiences.

This learning is the focus of 10 days supervised professional experience in a Secondary setting.

Learning outcomes

After successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Critically analyse the curriculum in terms of: Factors influencing its design, structural design of the curriculum, and ease of implementation;
2. Understand and apply principles of the curriculum when designing lessons that utilise elements of quality pedagogy;
3. Analyse and design learning area specific assessment strategies (informal, formal, diagnostic, formative and summative) to inform future teaching;
4. Interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice;
5. Demonstrate use of principles for effective feedback; and
6. Describe strategies used for reporting to students and parents/caregivers and the purpose of keeping accurate and reliable records of student achievement.
Upon successful completion of Professional Experience Pre-service Teachers will be able to:
7. Create and manage positive learning environments for all students, including those from diverse cultural backgrounds; and
8. Communicate professionally and engage collaboratively with colleagues, parent/carers, and the community.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings


Skills development

This unit prepares students with the theoretical and practical knowledge needed to programme for and teach students in Australian schools using the Australian Curriculum and to begin to develop pedagogical knowledge about the nature of teaching and learning, and the considerations that are made by teachers in diverse school contexts. It culminates in an end-of-semester practical placement in a school.



Prerequisites

None.

Corequisites

This unit is only available to students in EDM101 Master of Secondary Teaching.

Incompatible units

None.

Equivalent units

None.

Assumed knowledge

None.
Availability for enrolment in 2026 is subject to change and may not be confirmed until closer to the teaching start date.
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
2025 Bruce, Canberra Semester 1 03 February 2025 Placement Mrs Michaela Vergano
2025 Bruce, Canberra Semester 2 28 July 2025 Placement Mrs Michaela Vergano
2026 Bruce, Canberra Semester 1 16 February 2026 Placement Mrs Michaela Vergano
2026 Bruce, Canberra Semester 2 10 August 2026 Placement Mrs Michaela Vergano
Not available

Required texts

Key Texts:

Brady, L. & Kennedy, K. (2019). Curriculum construction (6th ed). Pearson.

Kennedy, K. & Henderson, D. (2024). Curriculum, pedagogy and assessment. Pearson.

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2011). The Understanding by Design guide to creating high-quality units. Hawker Bronlow, ASCD.

Wiliam, D. (2018). Embedded formative assessment (2nd ed). Solution Tree Press.

Other required and recommended readings are available in the library and/ or online. They are listed on the Canvas site.

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

All assessment items required to be submitted online must be submitted via the appropriate Canvas drop box. It is the student's responsibility to upload the correct and corresponding draft or assessment item to the right submission section. Assignments must be submitted in a format accessible to the assessor(s), as stated on the relevant canvas site. If the unit convener and/or tutor are unable to access a submission, a standard late penalty of 5% of the total marks possible for the task may be applied per day until the assignment is made accessible. An assignment submitted over 7 days late will not be accepted.

Approval of extenuating circumstances will be dependent upon the production of supporting documentation and at the discretion of the unit convener.

Special assessment requirements

An aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the unit. All assessments must also have been attempted and submitted. In addition to an aggregate mark of 50% being required to pass the unit and completion of all tasks, students must provide evidence of satisfactory completion of their Professional Experience.

Approval of extenuating circumstances will be dependent upon the production of supporting documentation and at the discretion of the unit convener.

All assessment items required to be submitted online must be submitted via the appropriate Canvas drop box. It is the student's responsibility to upload the correct and corresponding draft or assessment item to the right submission section. Assignments must be submitted in a format accessible to the assessor(s), as stated on the relevant canvas site. If the unit convener and/or tutor are unable to access a submission, or if no submission has been made by the due date and time, a standard late penalty of 10% of the total marks possible for the task may be applied per day, for three days, after which the submission will receive a score of ‘0' in keeping with UC's Assessment Policy.

Artificial Intelligence

Students are not allowed to use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in assessments for this unit.

When developing your lesson plans, it is encouraged that you are using your skills in lesson planning and design to create engaging and rich lesson resources. Using materials from commercial sites such as TPT, Twinkl, Sparkle Box etc. is not desirable in this unit. If you adapt resources from commercial sites and sources, please note this in your lesson planning and resource development.

AIM Module

The AIM module is a mandatory requirement to pass this unit. 

  • Students are required to complete AIM and upload the completion certificate (badge) to the assessment item drop box on the canvas site.
  • Students who do not submit the completion certificate will be given a withheld (WH) grade until such time as they upload it to the Canvas site

Provision of valid documentation

Please note that the University takes student conduct very seriously. All documentation provided to University staff must be valid and the provision of fraudulent documentation carries with it potentially serious consequences, including suspension and/or exclusion from the University. Note that all allegations of student misconduct will be referred to the Associate Dean for Education (ADE) as a prescribed authority for investigation.

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Learner engagement

Indicative breakdown of workload:

Coursework component:

  • Workshop participation: 30 hours
  • Weekly preparation for workshops: 30 hours
  • Assessment preparation: 90 hours

Professional Experience Placement component:

  • 10 consecutive working days with full participation during all work hours. 
  • Preservice teachers are expected to be available at the school 30 minutes prior to the start of the day and 60 minutes after the conclusion of lessons. 

Participation requirements

Students engagement with weekly module content, including completion of lectures, padlet and other discussion activities enhances your learning and is strongly advised. Student attendance at scheduled sessions and weekly workshops is recommended for successful completion of the course.

Successful engagement with all learning activities in this accredited Initial Teacher Education course is necessary to demonstrate that you have met the Australian Professional Standards for Graduate Teachers (AITSL, 2011).

Your participation in both class and online activities will enhance your understanding of the unit content and, therefore, the quality of your assessment responses. Lack of participation may result in your inability to pass assessment items satisfactorily.

Successful completion of the professional experience component is critical to success in the whole unit.  Refer to the assessment on the Canvas site for further details. Students must make themselves familiar with the processes and policies of professional experience.

Required IT skills

Implementation of technology for teaching and learning purposes is a required aspect of this course, including an understanding of e-safety aspects as they pertain to students.

In-unit costs

Travel and parking costs may apply to field trips and professional placement requirements in and around Canberra.

Work placement, internships or practicums

School-based Professional Practicum is a required element of this unit.  

  • A successful Pass in the professional placement is requisite for a Pass in this unit.

  • As this unit involves a "professional practicum", extra student responsibilities are required in addition to those described in section 6. Students must adhere to University policy during WIL activities, including the Student Conduct Rules 2018, the WIL policy and WIL procedure, and the Assessment policy, and Assessment procedure.Work-place learning requires strict adherence to professional practice principles and ethics. School, parent, teacher and student confidentiality must always be maintained. 

  • (See Policies on Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy https://www.canberra.edu.au/Policies/PolicyProcedure/Index/572 ; and Student Charter https://www.canberra.edu.au/Policies/PolicyProcedure/Index/200) and including for assessment items such as reports or essays. 

  • Learning in this unit will be integrally linked to experiences in professional contexts.

Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP - ACT ) background check and Working with Children Check (WWCC - NSW) are requirements of this Unit.

  • Students in this unit are required to have a current Working with Vulnerable People card to participate in this unit. Note that the Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act only applies to the ACT. For students undertaking placements in other states or territories, it may be that an alternate Police Check or a Working with Children Check is required. Students are responsible for arranging their own checks through the ACT Office of Regulatory Services or other State bodies. Please refer to the professional experience section on the All Teacher Education Students (ATES) Canvas site for full information on the Professional Experience requirements.

Additional documentation

  • Students are required to complete an Acceptable use of ICT resources form to access ICT resources in their placement school. A hard copy of the form will be distributed and collected by your tutor early in each semester. A link to this form will also be made available on the Unit Canvas site.¿

  • Students are required to complete a Student Acknowledgement form. A link to this form will also be made available on the Unit Canvas site.

  • Students are to be registered with TQI as a pre-service teacher and instructions are listed on the ATES site

  • Students with Placements in NSW must meet the minimum requirements and these are listed on the ATES site

Please note: This unit involves a professional work placement and hence, it requires strict adherence to professional practice, principles, and ethics. School, student, and/or research participant confidentiality must always be maintained, including for assessment items like reports or essays etc.

Additional information

Foundation of Unit

Curriculum and Assessment in Secondary Education uses the Australian Curriculum and relevant research as a platform to explore how to assess for, with and of student learning; plan macro units of work and apply this understanding when working from a classroom teacher's program; and provide feedback to learners. 

Provision of information to the group

Notifications made through Canvas are deemed to be made to the whole class.  It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they check for announcements on the Unit's Canvas site (annoucements are also emailed to student UC email addresses).  Students should ensure they check their UC student email regularly.  The unit's online discussion forums will be checked by staff regularly.

Provision of Valid Documentation

Please note that the University takes student conduct very seriously. All documentation provided to University staff must be valid and the provision of fraudulent documentation carries with it potentially serious consequences, including suspension and/or exclusion from the University. Note that all allegations of student misconduct will be referred to the Associate Dean for Education (ADE) as a prescribed authority for investigation.

Use of student email account

The University Email policy states that "students wishing to contact the University via email regarding administrative or academic matters need to send the email from the University account for identity verification purposes".  Therefore all unit enquiries should be emailed using a student university email account. Students should contact servicedesk@canberra.edu.au if they have any issues accessing their university email account.

In all cases of absence, sickness or personal problems it is the student's responsibility to ensure that the unit Convener is informed. The minimum participation requirement must be met in order to pass the unit (regardless of supporting documentation).