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Monash University Handbook 2011

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Education

Undergraduate Handbook 2011 - Faculty of Education

Faculty information

Course information

Course-related policies and rules

The Faculty of Education is committed to innovative research and teaching that takes seriously the global/local interface of all the activities of a public university. The focus of our work is learning and development - the learning and development of individuals of all ages, and of organisations and communities.

Our mission is to contribute to the public interest through high-quality and ethical teaching, research and community service. To this end, we will create and pursue opportunities that strengthen and sustain a vibrant intellectual community.

Our vision is of:

  • graduates who are capable, ethical citizens of the world, distinguished by their knowledge, intellectual engagement and professional skill, and their innovation and flexibility
  • research practice and scholarly output that is recognised locally and internationally for its originality, rigour and impartiality, and for providing advice and services that inform and lead professional practice, public debate and policy, and community action
  • an intellectual, social, physical and web environment that challenges, enthuses and supports all to learn and excel and which sustains productive working relations characterised by parity of respect, contribution and recognition.

The Faculty of Education is located on three Australian campuses - Clayton, Peninsula and Gippsland - and also teaches in Singapore and Hong Kong, attracting students from throughout Australia and from more than 50 countries.

Courses

Courses offered by the Faculty of Education are designed to develop effective, innovative and sensitive professionals who support the learning and development of a diverse range of individuals, organisations and communities.

The faculty offers courses in:

Curriculum and pedagogy
  • initial teacher education (early childhood, primary, secondary and adult)
  • information and communication technology in education
  • literacy studies
  • mathematics and science education
  • music education

International education, language and cultural studies
  • applied linguistics
  • bilingual/immersion education
  • international education
  • teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL)
  • teaching English to speakers of other languages - international (TESOL - international)
  • teaching languages other than English (LOTE)

Psychology, counselling and inclusive and special/gifted education
  • counselling
  • gifted education
  • inclusive and special education
  • psychology

Sport and outdoor recreation studies
Work, learning and leadership studies
  • leadership, policy and change
  • mentoring and coaching
  • organisational leadership
  • school leadership
  • work and learning studies

As well as undergraduate studies, the faculty offers a number of graduate and postgraduate qualifications. Of particular interest to current undergraduate students studying non-education degrees are the:

  • Graduate Diploma of Education (Early Childhood)
  • Graduate Diploma of Education (Primary)
  • Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary).

These programs build upon a non-education degree which allow participants who have not studied an initial teacher education degree to gain necessary initial teaching qualifications*. Details of these postgraduate programs are available in the Postgraduate Handbook at http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/postgrad/.

* Most Australian states and territories (including Victoria) recognise a pre-service initial teacher education Graduate Diploma of Education, which builds upon a non-education degree as providing a four-year teacher education qualification. However, specific registration requirements may differ in some states and territories. Registration boards and employing authorities across the world may, similarly, have particular local requirements. Students wishing to teach at a specific location or setting outside Victoria are urged to check that a graduate diploma together with an undergraduate degree is recognised.

Student advisers

All students in the faculty are encouraged to see their lecturers about any academic problems they may have. Administrative staff may also be approached about issues impacting on their enrolment and progress through the course.

For routine inquiries, students should initially contact the admissions and student services office on their campus as follows:

Clayton

Telephone: +61 3 9905 2819

Gippsland

Telephone: +61 3 9902 6367

Peninsula

Telephone: +61 3 9904 4291

Initial teacher education

Pre-service education of teachers is available at undergraduate and graduate levels, offering qualifications in early childhood, primary, secondary and adult learning. The faculty offers undergraduate programs leading to the award of a three or four-year bachelors degree, or four-year programs leading to the award of two bachelors degrees - one in education and the other from partner faculties including Art and Design, Arts, Business and Economics and Science. Whilst all double degrees can be completed in four years some will require students to overload as the program comprises units which total more than a standard four year load. There is also a program within the faculty leading to the dual award of an education and a sport and outdoor recreation degree. Students should note that the single sport and outdoor recreation course does not prepare them for teaching unless studied in a double-award program with an education degree that leads to a teaching qualification, or by subsequently completing a pre-service Graduate Diploma of Education.

Early childhood

Early childhood education is offered on the Peninsula campus and off-shore in Singapore. These courses prepare students to work in preschools, childcare centres, mobile kindergartens, family day care centres, and hospitals as play specialists.

The four-year Bachelor of Early Childhood Education is an innovative degree that prepares people to teach across the early childhood and primary years.

The Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies offers a three-year degree program that can be completed over two years full-time (or four years part-time), with recognition of prior learning (RPL) taking the place of at least the first year. The course is designed especially for those who already have a two-year recognised relevant qualification, and provides an articulated pathway from a TAFE associate diploma or equivalent.

An honours year may be undertaken by graduates of either course.

Primary teaching

Primary school teacher education is a four year, full-time course offered on the Peninsula and Gippsland campuses. This bachelor degree focuses on teaching and children's learning in the areas of arts, English, mathematics, health and physical education, science, humanities and technology. Students undertake a range of practical experiences in primary schools and other appropriate settings, with the opportunity to include discipline studies options during the course.

Middle school specialism (Gippsland)

Gippsland students have the option of completing a middle school specialisation where their four education electives will be replaced with two middle school units and two specialism units (for teaching years 7-10) related to their chosen discipline sequences. These students will be required to do 25 days placement in a secondary school, and 55 days placement in a primary school.

Undergraduates can take a double degree combining a Bachelor of Education specialising in primary education with another bachelors degree. These double degrees are offered in collaboration with another faculty at the home campus of Peninsula or Gippsland or across two campuses (ie Peninsula and Clayton or Peninsula and Caulfield). An honours year may be undertaken by graduates of any of these courses.

Secondary teaching

Secondary teacher education courses are offered on the Clayton campus. Undergraduates can undertake a four-year double degree combining a Bachelor of Education (Secondary) with another bachelors degree. An honours year is available on completion of the double degree program.

Curriculum specialism units - Secondary teaching

Each student must choose two curriculum specialism units for study in Semester 2 of the fourth year of a double degree. Curriculum specialism units require a minimum minor sequence of tertiary undergraduate study (usually two units at first year and two units at second year). Students choose their curriculum specialism based on their major and minor studies in their undergraduate degree. Students are advised to consult the following list of curriculum specialism units together with the outlines for each unit and their prerequisites. This information should then be used to choose the appropriate prerequisite units in Semester 1, comprising of two core curriculum units or one core curriculum unit and one curriculum elective unit.

Students in doubt about the suitability of their qualifications for employment should check with the Registration and Accreditation unit of the Victorian Institute of Teaching on telephone +61 3 8601 5800, or at PO Box 531, Collins St West, Melbourne, Victoria 8007, Australia.

With permission from the course advisors, students may undertake study of curriculum specialism units in a combination of on-campus and off-campus modes.

Please note: The availability of any of the curriculum specialism units from year to year is dependent on the faculty's ability to provide appropriate tutorial assistance, supervision and teaching practice facilities.

Semester 1
Core curriculum units
  • EDF4110 Arts education
  • EDF4111 Business education
  • EDF4112 English language and literacy education
  • EDF4113 General science education
  • EDF4114 Health, sport and outdoor education
  • EDF4115 Information communication technologies and new media
  • EDF4116 Mathematics and numeracy education
  • EDF4117 Second language pedagogy
  • EDF4118 Social and environmental education
  • EDF4119 The world of Jewish education
Curriculum elective units
  • EDF4510 Connecting the curriculum
  • EDF4511 ESL in content areas
  • EDF4512 Gifted education
  • EDF4513 Indigenous and traditional education in a global world
  • EDF4514 Vocational and workplace learning
Semester 2
Curriculum specialism units

Adult learning

The Bachelor of Adult Learning and Development is offered from the Clayton campus. It is a unique three-year degree program based on adult learning principles that can be completed over two years, with recognition of prior learning (RPL) taking the place of the first year.

The course is specifically tailored for people aiming to become tertiary qualified practitioners who can enhance adult learning and facilitate the development of individuals, organisations, industry and local and global communities. Thus, it is designed for those already working with adult learners in diverse workplace and community settings (such as in TAFE, industry, private and ACE providers) who wish to upgrade their qualifications, gain recognition for prior experience and enhance their professional and career development.

Sport and outdoor recreation

The sport and outdoor recreation courses offered from the Peninsula campus prepare students to work in a variety of recreation and outdoor settings. The faculty offers the Bachelor of Sport and Outdoor Recreation as a single degree, or in double degrees with either a Bachelor of Education (Primary or Secondary) or a Bachelor of Business and Commerce, which also provide opportunities in traditional education and business settings.

Honours degree in education

An honours degree in education provides a foundation for students wishing to pursue higher degrees by research. A one-year full-time honours degree is available to students who have completed an undergraduate education degree.

 

Credit policy (including recognition of prior learning)

Credit may be granted for studies already completed at Monash University or at another tertiary institution, including overseas universities, or on the basis of recognition of prior learning (RPL). An application for RPL must be accompanied by an RPL portfolio. Applicants should apply for credit prior to enrolment, but currently enrolled students can also apply.

International students must apply for credit and/or RPL prior to enrolment.

The Faculty of Education considers each application on its merit within the context of the faculty and University guidelines on credit transfer. For further information, contact the Admissions and Student Services Office, Faculty of Education, Monash University, on the relevant campus.

Special requirements

Fieldwork

Students in undergraduate teacher education programs must successfully complete teaching practice, which consists of a minimum of 80 days of supervised school experience for primary and secondary programs.

To fulfil course requirements, additional placement days must be completed by early childhood students, and sport and outdoor recreation students will be required to complete experiential learning program days.

Those students who are employed in schools or early childhood settings and are required to do 80 days placement must complete a minimum of 50 per cent of supervised placement in a setting other than the school or early childhood setting in which they are employed. Students must be available to undertake placements on a full-time basis and attend their placement for full days at times determined by the faculty.

Working With Children Check

All education students will be required to complete a Working With Children Check (WWCC). The Victorian Department of Education and Training requires all student teachers to hold a current WWCC Card before being allowed to undertake fieldwork placements in schools and early childhood and other settings in Victoria. WWCC Cards (administered by the Victorian Department of Justice) are obtained by the student as part of the enrolment process. They are valid for five years and are applicable to practicum undertaken in government, Catholic and independent schools, and early childhood settings. Students are required to apply for a volunteer WWCC through a participating Australia Post outlet* and provide proof to the faculty that the WWCC has been undertaken. Because the WWCC is monitored on an ongoing basis, students will be required to nominate the Professional Placement Office as the `employer' as part of the application process. Further details will be available at enrolment/re-enrolment. A copy of the WWCC will be held on each student's file, but it is the student's responsibility to ensure their check is valid at all times throughout their enrolment and to provide the card upon request at the placement school. All off-campus and interstate students are required to provide a WWCC (or equivalent) issued from and as required by the state/territory in which their professional experience is to be undertaken.

NOTE: The course details provided in in the entries below are for those students who began their studies in 2011 - students who commenced their studies prior to this date should consult the Handbook edition for the year in which they started their course. Archived Handbooks are available at http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks.

Early Childhood teaching courses

  • 1515 Bachelor of Early Childhood Education - four years full-time (Peninsula)
  • 3708 Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies - three years full-time (Peninsula on-campus; Singapore off-shore)

Primary teaching courses

Single degrees

  • 1515 Bachelor of Early Childhood Education - four years full-time (also prepares students to teach across the full primary years) (Peninsula)
  • 1514 Bachelor of Primary Education - four years full-time (Gippsland* and Peninsula)

* A Gippsland option also prepares students to teach middle school.

Double degrees

  • 1541 Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education - four years full-time (Gippsland; Peninsula/Clayton)
  • 3727 Bachelor of Business and Commerce/Bachelor of Education - four years full-time (Gippsland)
  • 3717 Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Education - four years full-time (with overload) (Peninsula/Clayton)
  • 3711 Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Education - four years full-time (Gippsland; Peninsula/Clayton)
  • 2070 Bachelor of Sport and Outdoor Recreation/Bachelor of Education - four years full-time (Peninsula)
  • 3712 Bachelor of Visual Arts/Bachelor of Education - four years full-time (Gippsland; Peninsula/Caulfield/Clayton)

Secondary teaching courses

  • 1641 Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education - four years full-time with overload (Clayton)
  • 2026 Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Education - four years full-time with overload (Clayton)
  • 2025 Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Education - four years full-time (with overload) (Clayton)
  • 1633 Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Education - four years full-time with overload (Clayton)
  • 3718 Bachelor of Sport and Outdoor Recreation/Bachelor of Education - four years full-time with overload (Peninsula/Clayton)
  • 3719 Bachelor of Visual Arts/Bachelor of Education - four years full-time with overload (Clayton/Caulfield)

Adult Learning

  • 2296 Bachelor of Adult Learning and Development - three years full-time (Clayton)

Sport and outdoor recreation (non-teaching*) courses

  • 2069 Bachelor of Sport and Outdoor Recreation - three years full-time (Peninsula)
  • 3202 Bachelor of Business and Commerce/Bachelor of Sport and Outdoor Recreation (Peninsula)
  • * Note: The Bachelor of Sport and Outdoor Recreation is also offered as a double degree with the Bachelor of Education (Primary) and Bachelor of Education (Secondary). Refer to these course entries for further information.

Honours course

  • 2674 Honours degree of Bachelor of Education - one year full-time (Clayton; Gippsland; Peninsula)