1999 Education Handbook - Bachelor of Primary Education (BPrimEd)

Bachelor of Primary Education (BPrimEd)

General information
Objectives
Admission requirements
Credit provision
Course structure
Length of course/workload required
Further information

General information

Peninsula campus
Course code: 1514
Contact Peninsula campus: Ms Lynne Surman (please telephone 9904 4291 for initial inquiries)
Gippsland campus
Course code: 2542
Contact Gippsland campus: Dr John Pearson (please telephone 9902 6969 for initial inquiries)

Objectives

The major objectives of the Bachelor of Primary Education course are to provide students with a program of studies and experiences which should enable them to:

develop competence in general teaching skills and be able to relate these skills effectively to the key curriculum learning areas of the primary school;
gain a knowledge of the theoretical foundations of education, particularly those relevant to primary teaching;
gain knowledge and to develop skills and attributes which will foster learning that contributes to continued personal and professional growth;
develop effective interpersonal communication skills.

The overall aim of the course, therefore, is to produce a confident and competent teacher who is a well-educated person with a sound knowledge of the theoretical foundations of education and the necessary professional skills. Such a person should be at a level of competence at least equal to the best of their peers in Australia and overseas.

Admission requirements

Applicants must have satisfactorily completed the Victorian Certificate of Education or its equivalent. Within the Victorian Certificate of Education, English must be included in the applicant's `best four' subjects and applicants must have satisfactorily passed two units of VCE mathematics.

Credit provision

Applicants contemplating admission to this course may seek formal credit or recognition of prior learning. Applicants should apply for credit prior to enrolment but currently enrolled students may also apply. The Faculty of Education considers each application on its merits within the context of the faculty guidelines on credit transfer which are contained in a booklet Learning from experience available from the Professional Development Institute, Faculty of Education, Monash University, Gippsland campus, Churchill 3842 ($7 postage and packing).

Course structure

The degree is offered over four successive years and is designed to be cumulative in content. Whilst each of the three areas may appear to be discrete, it is expected that the teaching and curriculum studies and the education studies will have direct relevance to the practicum.

Teaching and curriculum studies (including a teaching practicum)

Appropriate connections between the teaching and curriculum studies and the practicum will be made in each subject offering. All eight key learning areas are represented as the basic structure, with added emphasis being given to mathematics and English. In the first three semesters two key learning areas form the basis of the subject offered. In the sixth and seventh semesters students are given the freedom to select a particular discipline for further study. Professional issues in the eighth semester will be a final preparation for students to enter the teaching profession (eighty-four points).

Education studies

Each subject offered within the education studies stream is studied from two perspectives: teaching and learning and a social impact perspective. Whilst these perspectives are not separate subjects within each education study, their presence will be clearly identified through subject planning, delivery and within the conceptual development of students (fifty-two points).

General studies

General studies electives which allow the student to enhance their personal development by pursuing a discipline area of study in the sciences, humanities or expressive arts.
Students are required to undertake studies in teaching and curriculum and education studies in each of the four years of the degree.

First year

The first-year program consists of:

Peninsula

EDF1301 Perspectives on learning
EDF1302 Perspectives on teaching
EDF1203 Curriculum studies: Primary English
EDF1204 Curriculum studies: Primary Mathematics
EDF1121 General Studies 1 Science
EDF1122 General Studies 2 Studies of Society and Environment
EDF1201 General Studies 4 Computer Essentials
EDF1124 General Studies 3 Music

Gippsland

EDF1301 Perspectives on learning
EDF1302 Perspectives on teaching
Students will undertake six first year subjects from other programs offered on the campus, to the value of 36 points

Second year

The second-year program consists of:

Peninsula

EDF2201 Child Development 1
EDF2202 Child Development 2
EDF2203 Primary Studies of Society and Environment
EDF2204 Primary Science
EDF2121 General Studies 5 Physical Education
EDF2122 General Studies 6 Art
EDF2105 Teaching Studies A
EDF4121 General Studies 8 Mathematics

Gippsland

EDF1203 Curriculum studies: Primary English 1
EDF1204 Curriculum studies Primary Mathematics 1
EDF2105 Teaching Studies A
EDF2201 Child Development 1
Students will undertake four second year subjects from other programs offered on the campus to the value of 24 points.
Details of third and fourth year subjects can be obtained from the campus office or relevant Course Coordinator.

Length of course/workload required

This course is a four-year concurrent course taken on-campus with a set of fieldwork experiences each year. The expected number of hours per week for a full-time student is forty-eight.

Further information

Students are referred to the subject descriptions, which include reading lists, following the course information in this handbook for details of the subjects offered in the Bachelor of Primary Education degree.
Further information regarding this course may be obtained from the senior administrative officer, Peninsula campus (telephone 9904 4291), Gippsland campus (telephone 9902 6969) or visit our web site at http://www.education.monash.edu.au/