International Professional Experience PG (11579.1)
| Available teaching periods | Delivery mode | Location |
|---|---|---|
| View teaching periods | Professional Experience |
Bruce, Canberra |
| EFTSL | Credit points | Faculty |
| 0.125 | 3 | Faculty Of Education |
| Discipline | Study level | HECS Bands |
| Academic Program Area - Education | Post Graduate Level | Band 1 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021) Band 1 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021) |
Note: This unit requires the completion of an international professional experience placement. Students must be granted an appropriate travel visa and be able to meet the personal financial costs associated with this placement in order to satisfy unit requirements. Scholarships or other allowances may be available from time to time to aid students to defray the cost of the international professional experience. Students are encouraged to discuss these options with their Program Director.
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will be able to:1. Contextualise the contemporary challenges in educational environments, both within Australia and in an international context;
2. Make links between different educational environments, policies and cultures;
3. Participate in teaching and learning in an international professional setting;
4. Develop an understanding of professional culture, structures, practice and ethics of the international professional setting;
5. Demonstrate an enhanced cultural intelligence through engagement with international professionals and peers; and
6. Identify and evaluate effective strategies to address challenges when engaging in professional contexts where the attitudes, values, knowledge and skills of colleagues may be significantly different from their own.
Graduate attributes
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
Skills development
This unit of study also allows students to demonstrate their capacity to meet the following Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Level):
1.3 Demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
2.2 Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
3.2 Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
3.5 Demonstrate a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement.
6.4 Demonstrate an understanding of the rationale for continued professional learning and the implications for improved student learning.
Prerequisites
None.Corequisites
None.Incompatible units
None.Equivalent units
None.Assumed knowledge
None.| Year | Location | Teaching period | Teaching start date | Delivery mode | Unit convener |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Bruce, Canberra | Winter Term | 08 June 2026 | Professional Experience | Dr Duncan Driver |
Required texts
- Buchanan, J., et al.. (2017). Preparing Teachers through International Experience: A Collaborative Critical Analysis of Four Australian Programs. In C. Reid et al. (eds.). Global Teaching (pp. 167-188).Educational DIalogues with/in the Global South.
- Chinnappan, M., et al.. (2013). Pre-Service Teachers' Attitudes Towards Overseas Professional Experience: Implications for Professional Practice. Australian Journal of Teacher Education 38(12). 36-54.
- Jin. A., et al.. (2019). An Australian International Teaching Practicum in China: Exploring Multiple Perspectives. The Australian Educational Researcher. DOI: 10.1007/s13384-019-00343-1
- Parr, J., et al.. (2017). Dialogue and Reciprocity in an International Teaching Practicum. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education. 45(2). 162-179.
- Stigler, J., et al.. (1991). How Asian Teachers Polish Each Lesson to Perfection. American Educator. Public full text: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265487182_How_Asian_teachers_polish_each_lesson_to_perfection
- Uusimaki, L., et al.. (2014). Cross-Cultural "Distance", "Friction" and "Flow": Exploring the Experiences of Pre-Service Teachers on International Practicum. Asia Pacific Journal of Education. DOI: 10.1080/02188791.2014.961897
- Wang, X., et al.. (2019). Chinese Teachers' Imaginaries: Comparing the Pros and Cons of Chinese Education and Other Education Systems. Compare. DOI: 10.1080/03057925.2019.1672521
Recommended readings for this unit of study include:
- H. Gardiner. (1991). To Open Minds. New York, Basic Books.
- E. Said. (2003). Orientalism. London, Penguin Books.
- D. Watkins et al. (eds.). (1996). The Chinese Learner: Cultural, Psychological, and Contextual Influences. Hong Kong, ACER.
Other required texts/readings will be advertised on the unit's Canvas site - please see weekly updates for details.
Submission of assessment items
Extensions & Late submissions
Where possible, all assessment items will be submitted online via the teaching site in UCLearn. The first page of each assessment item should include the following information:
- Student ID number:
- Assessment Name:
- Word Count (if applicable):
Students' names are not to be included on any assessment tasks/submission. Only Student ID numbers should be included (as per the Assessment Policy and Assessment Procedures).
Assessment items must be submitted to the assignment area in the UCLearn teaching site, relating to that piece of assessment. It is the student's responsibility to upload the correct and corresponding draft or assessment item, to the right submission section.
Late submissions will only be accepted for a limited period. If more than one late submission is made within that period, only the first late submission will be accepted for marking and may be subject to penalties as detailed in the Assessment Procedures.
Extensions
Students can apply for an extension to the submission due date for an assessment item due to extenuating, evidenced circumstances (specific details are found in the Assessment Procedures). An extension must be applied for before the due date. Documentary evidence (e.g. medical certificate) will be expected for an extension to be granted, however this will not guarantee that the application will be successful. The Unit Convener or relevant Program Director/Course Convener will decide whether to grant an extension and the length of the extension.
An Assignment Extension form is available from the Student Forms page.
Late Submission
Late submission of assignments without an approved extension will result in a penalty of 5% reduced marks from the total available, per calendar day late. An assignment submitted over 7 days late will not be accepted.
All assessment items must be submitted via the appropriate Canvas dropbox. 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 by the student in a format accessible to assessor(s) - 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, a standard late penalty of 5% of the total marks possible for the task may be applied until the student makes their submission accessible.
Special assessment requirements
The succesful completion of an international placement in Hangzhou, China, as a requirement of this unit of study.
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
In order to get the most out of your studies, it is strongly recommended that you plan your time commitments, actively engage in class discussions (online or face-to-face) and work with your peers as part of your study. This unit of study is unique, however, in that it also requires a 16-day international trip, the requirements of which must be carefully planned for and fully engaged with.
The schedule of activities for this unit includes fewer face-to-face workshops than a standard 3cp unit of study: this is partly because of public holidays that fall on Mondays (when our workshops are scheduled) and partly because the requirements of an international placement involve a more substantial commitment than those of an ACT-based placement.
Inclusion and engagement
If there are circumstances (i.e. disabilities or ongoing health concerns) that you consider will be challenging in an international setting, please make these known to the unit convener as soon as possible so that all possible accomodations can be made for you.
Participation requirements
Attendance at all scheduled sessions in this unit is compulsory and absences could result in a fail. All absences need to be supported by appropriate documentation (e.g. medical certificate).
Successful engagement with all learning activities in this accredited Initial Teacher Education course is necessary to demonstrate that you have met the Graduate career stage of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL, 2011).
It is recognised that sometimes absence is unavoidable. If you are absent for more than two sessions, however, your engagement with the unit could be considered unsatisfactory
Successful completion of the international professional experience placement is critical to success in the whole unit. Students must make themselves familiar with the processes and policies of professional experience and fulfill the requirements and expectations of international travel to mainland China.
Required IT skills
N/A
In-unit costs
Costs: $2,500 (approx.) + UC Tuition Cost
Inclusions: Professional placement, twin share accommodation, welcome dinner, on ground transport.
Exclusions: International airfares, visa, passport, personal insurance, most meals and personal expenses.
Funding: Endeavour Grants ($2,500) available for eligible students.
OS-HELP Loans (up to $8,295.00) for eligible students.
Work placement, internships or practicums
Professional experience is a required activity to receive a grade in this unit. A successful international professional placement is requisite for a Pass in this unit.
You are required to have a current Working with Vulnerable People card in order 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. 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 each semester.
Students are required to complete and submit a 'UC Student Placement/ Internship Agreement Form' before commencing Professional Experience. A link to this form is available on your canvas site.
Please follow the following instructions to ensure your unit convenor remains informed of your progress in your negotiated placement.
- Fill in the professional experience placement planner in collaboration with your school mentor. (This can be found on the Professional Experience site). Indicate on the planner when your interim and final reports will be completed.
- Upload your planner, as a draft, to this unit site using the dropbox
- If your proposed schedule for the completion of your interim and final reports changes, please upload a new planner with the new dates.
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 (Canvas 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.
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).
UC Work Integrated Learning Policy A Introduction
Work integrated learning (WIL) is deliberate and intentional learning in work supported by appropriate induction of students and supervisors and imaginatively embedded assessment. The University supports access to WIL programs for students enrolled in its courses as an integral part of their studies.
UC Work Integrated Learning Policy B Principles
WIL at UC recognises the breadth of the relationship between learning and work including: (a) learning at work; (b) learning for work; (c) learning to work; and (d) learning through work.
WIL programs accord with the University's strategic values and mission to prepare professional people professionally through work-based learning and collaborative teaching with external agencies.
A theoretical foundation for this unit of study involves the cycle of planning, teaching and reflecting. It is the last of these, in particular, that forms the basis of the unit's international experiences and links directly to the requirements of its assessment requirements.
