Integrating the Curriculum: Middle Years

This subject is not offered in 2014.

125 hours total commitment. Attendance at all classes (tutorial/seminars/practical classes/lectures/labs) is obligatory. Failure to attend 80% of classes will normally result in failure in the subject.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the HDisability Liaison Unit websiteH: Hhttp://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/H

This subject investigates in theory and practice models and approaches to curriculum organisation in the middle years of schooling. Teacher candidates will examine research into the middle years that highlights the significance of adolescent students’ engagement in meaningful, world-connected learning; the range of models and approaches to curriculum planning that account for the transition in learning from Years 5-8; the variety of structural organisers available for curriculum integration in contemporary educational contexts, with particular focus on the Victorian Essential Learning Standards and the Productive Pedagogies framework; and the barriers and constraints to successful curriculum integration. Specifically, teacher candidates will be involved in a critical examination of the learning, needs and interests of 10-14 year old students through (i) analysis and application of key recommendations for teaching adolescents that have emerged from research, and (ii) participation in practical, task-based group and individual planning, demonstration and analysis of some of the models and approaches to curriculum organisation in the middle years.

On completion of this subject, teacher candidates will be able to:

• Review research literature related to curriculum and pedagogy in the middle years of schooling;
• Demonstrate an understanding of some of the organising principles for curriculum integration used in current educational contexts;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between experiential knowing, holistic knowledge and subject disciplines.
• Demonstrate an understanding of key models and approaches for curriculum integration in the middle years; and
• Apply this understanding in the design of an integrated unit of work.

There are 2 assessment task:

• A literature review (2000 word) due mid semester (50%)
• An integrated unit for the middle years (2000 words) due mid semester (50%)

Collection of readings

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject, teacher candidates will have the knowledge, skills and understanding to enable them to:

• Be skilled communicators who can effectively articulate and justify their practices as knowledgeable agents of changes.
• Be flexible and able to adapt to change through knowing how to learn;
• Understand the significance of developing their practice on the basis of research evidence;
• Work in teams with skills in cooperation, communication and negotiation;
• Be independent of mind, responsible, resilient, self-regulating;
• Have a conscious personal and social values base.