Learning Area A1

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

170 hours

Participants must meet the minimum academic study requirements for teaching in specialist areas, in accordance with the Victorian Institute of Teaching's Specialist Area Guidelines, for entry into this subject.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Learning Area subjects assist participants to develop both the knowledge base and the skills of professional practice to enable them to effectively educate all students in their specific learning areas and to work effectively within school contexts.

Participants are supported to develop knowledge and skills related to curriculum content, best practice pedagogy and assessment in their specific teaching areas. They are encouraged to adapt and apply this knowledge according to the needs of their learning community and to link their classroom practice to key theory and research into the effective teaching of their subject areas.

Particular attention will be paid to developing familiarity with relevant curriculum standards and frameworks. Participants will be expected to use an evidence-base to inform their planning and sequencing of lessons, in the creation of units of work and in the use of a broad range of teaching strategies and tools, including the use of ICT.

In these subjects participants learn to use multiple assessment processes as evidence of student learning, to differentiate their teaching in order to facilitate all students’ progress and as feedback on the effectiveness of their teaching. Participants are supported to become critical, informed members of the school community who are able to reflect on their school’s curriculum policies and provision as well as the resources and infrastructure available for their Learning Areas.

On completion of this subject, participants should be able to:

• Understand the nature and scope of the learning area as they are taught in secondary schools and demonstrate competence on the teaching of concepts, knowledge and skills in their learning area.
• Collect information about student’s background, interests and learning needs and use evidence and professional judgement to set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics including students with disabilities and EAL learners.
• Apply theoretical knowledge to develop coherent learning sequences and programs, in accordance with curriculum frameworks.
• Select and use a wide repertoire of instructional strategies and resources including ICT in order to provide effective learning experiences for students.
• Create and maintain supportive, safe and high quality learning environments.
• Use a range of tools appropriate to the learning area to assess and provide feedback on student learning.
• Reflect on the effectiveness of their practices, programs and resources on student learning outcomes and identify the implications for future planning and professional learning.
• Use ICT to support subject teaching and expand curriculum learning opportunities for students.
• Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.

Textbook Evaluation (2000 Words) due May 50%

Design and Development of a Unit of Work (equivalent to 2000 Words) due November 50%

Hurdle Requirement:

Participation in five online tasks (3 hours each) January to November

This subject has a minimum hurdle requirement of 80% attendance at all tutorials, seminars and workshops.

Loughran, J. J. (2010). What expert teachers do: Teachers' professional knowledge of classroom practice. Sydney: Allen & Unwin and London: Routledge.

Discipline-specific reading will be available online via the LMS.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject, participants 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 change
• 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, reasonable, resilient, self-regulating
• have a conscious personal and social values base.