Teaching Secondary Technologies PG (11371.2)

Required texts

Recommended Texts

Connell, A., Edwards, A., Hramiak, A., Rhoades, G., & Stanley, N. (2015). A practical guide to teaching computing and ICT in the Secondary School. Routledge

Fleer, M. (2024). Technologies for children. Cambridge

Goldman, S., & Zielezinski, M. B. (2021). Design Thinking for every classroom. Routledge

Hardy, A. (2020). Learning to Teach Design and Technology in the Secondary School. Routledge

Lau W. (2017). Teaching Computing in Secondary Schools. Routledge

Yadav, A., & Berthelsen, U. D. (2022). Computational Thinking in education: A pedagogical perspective. Routledge

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

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

All assessment tasks must be submitted on UCLearn (Canvas) via the appropriate dropbox. Where this is not possible, exceptions may be sought from the Faculty Associate Dean of Education (ADE).  It is the student's responsibility to upload the correct corresponding draft or assessment item, to the right submission section. Assignments must be submitted by the student in a format accessible to the assessor(s) - as stated on the relevant Canvas site.  Please do not submit zip files or documents created in 'Pages': Microsoft Word or PDF documents are best. 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 tasks 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. 

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, except for Assessment Task 3 -Teacher Reflection and Resources. If you adapt resources from commercial sites and sources, please note this in your lesson planning and resource development.

Artificial Intelligence

Students may use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) as indicated in the assessment instructions for this unit. GenAI may be used for Assessment 3

GenAI may only be used in authorised ways when completing assessments at UC. This means that GenAI can only be used for an assessment when:

1. The Unit Convener has authorised its use for that assessment;
2. The student uses it in the way that the assessment instructions allow for;
3. The student fully acknowledges its use, with appropriate citations and references. Each referencing guide provided by the Library provides advice on how to appropriately reference the use of GenAI in-text.

Where the assessment instructions do not specifically state that GenAI may be used and how, then its use is not allowed for that assessment. If students are unsure, they should seek advice from the Unit Convener.

Students should be aware that the University of Canberra utilises GenAI detection software. Suspected instances of unauthorised GenAI use may lead to a Learning Validation Conversation' designed to provide assurance that a student is able to demonstrate relevant knowledge and skills to meet required learning outcomes. Students who are suspected of having misused GenAI in assessment may be required to attend a summary inquiry for suspected misconduct.

It is strongly recommended that students keep records of the development process for all works submitted for assessment, or drafts of work submitted for a work-in-progress review, in a learning portfolio or equivalent. Failure to provide evidence of the development process for assessment may influence a suspicion of GenAI misuse or other forms of academic misconduct. 

The GenAI for Students Library Guide provides further information, including how to reference GenAI.

Special assessment requirements

A minimum aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the unit as well as the satisfactory attendance of all school based clinics and successful completion of Professional Experience. 

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

You will be working in small groups to plan and deliver lessons during the school based workshops.  This means that you will need to prioritise shared planning time together outside of the workshops (face to face or onlilne) so that you have shared and equitable contribution to this work.

This means that you will attend and participate in a three hour workshop each week and additional hours will be composed of shared planning with your peers, undertaking reading and planning individually and researching for your assignment tasks. In addtion, 15 days of placement is required.

An approximate breakdown of the workload is:

Workshops and online participation       60 hrs

Weekly lesson planning                         60 hrs

Reading and individual study                120 hrs

Assessment  Preparation                      60 hrs

Total hours                                             300 hrs

Participation requirements

Participation in school based tutorial classes is a compulsory condition of this unit, and attendance will be recorded. You must participate in 100% of the school based tutorial classes to pass this unit. In the event that you cannot attend your assigned session due to illness or extreme circumstances, you must provide appropriate documentation to the Unit Convener as soon as possible. In the case of sessions missed due to illness or extreme circumstances, both the academic content and the professional experience component are required to be made up. More than two documented absences may lead to failure of the unit due to non-completion.

Successful completion of the professional experience placement is critical to success in the whole unit. Refer to assessment (5a) on the Canvas site for further details. Students must familiarise themselves with the processes and policies related to professional experience.

Note: This unit commences with Week 1 on campus (see timetable for rooms) and weeks 2-7 will be school based to meet accreditation requirements of 3 days professional experience. Weeks 9-12 will see a return to on campus workshops. 

There is a strong correlation between participation and success in higher education. Your participation and engagement with online activities will enhance your understanding of this unit's content and therefore the quality of your assessment responses. Lack of participation may result in your inability to satisfactorily pass assessment items.

Required IT skills

It is expected that students undertaking this unit will have a sound level of information technology competence that includes electronic manipulation of documents, PowerPoints, photographs, videos, slideshows, e-books, websites and apps.  Students need to bring an electronic device (laptop or Smart tablet) to all workshops.

Artificial intelligence services must not to be used for assessment or assessment preparation by students unless explicitly allowed in the assessment instructions for an assessment task published with the assessment task and/or in the unit outline. That is, an artificial intelligence services may only be used if:

• its use is authorised by the unit convener as part of a specified assessment task, and
• it is used in the way allowed in the assessment instructions and/or unit outline, and
• its use is appropriately referenced, meaning that students must reference the use of AI in their assessment in the same way as they reference other source material.
• GenAI may be used for Assessment 3, Part B ONLY.

In-unit costs

Nil

Work placement, internships or practicums

This unit involves placement and In school clinics and therefore, additional student responsibilities are required in addition to those described in section 6. Work-place learning requires strict adherence to professional practice principles and ethics. Confidentiality must always be maintained,(refer policies on ATES - Professional Experience Handbook, ACT ED Teachers' Code of Professional Practice (or equivalent) and Student Conduct Rules), including for assessment items such as reports or essays. The professional nature of this unit also requires 100% participation at all school based tutorials activities (lectures, practicals etc if scheduled – see section 3) for the successful completion of this unit (also see section 6c). If attendance requirements cannot be satisfied (e.g. timetable clash), it is recommended that you contact the Academic Programs Team to discuss re-scheduling this unit.

This unit involves work integrated learning (WIL). Students must adhere to University policy during WIL activities, including the Student Conduct Rules 2018, the WIL policy and WIL procedures. Students need to ensure they have their WWVP card in ACT and for NSW, their Working with Children Check. 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. Please refer to the professional experience section on the All Teacher Education Students (ATES) site for full information on the Professional Experience requirements.

Students who are in placement units or in school based units are also required to complete an Acceptable use of ICT resources form in order to access ICT resources in their placement school. A hardcopy of the form will be distributed and collected by your tutor early in your first Placement unit

Students are required to complete and submit a 'UC Student Acknowledgement Form' before undertaking their first Professional Experience. A link to this form is available on your canvas site.

Additional information

Provision of information to the group

Notifications through the Canvas Announcements Forum or the Canvas Discussion Forums 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 website (forum messages are also emailed to student email addresses only).  Students should ensure they check their student email regularly.  The Canvas discussion forums will be checked by staff regularly.

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.

Theoretical foundations: This unit covers the theoretical principles of Pedagogical Content Knowledge and the implications for teaching practice. This unit is based on current and emerging professional practices for beginning teachers, as they begin their professional career.

Research Led Education: There are active researchers teaching this unit who are able to engage students in deep and active learning and transmit to students their passion for the research they are carrying out. A focus of the unit is to assist preservice teachers to be classroom ready. Through inquiry-based teaching and project based learning, the learning and assessment modes develop research skills in the preservice teachers.

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