EDX2190 Australian History and Society: Curriculum and Pedagogy
Assessment 1: Critical Essay
Due Date: 15th April 2013 Length: 2000 words (+/-10%) Weighting: 50%
Task Purpose:
The purpose of this assignment is to ensure that pre-service educators are provided with the opportunity to engage in an authentic inquiry. Students will need to critically analyse and evaluate a unit plan which attempts to meet the requirements of the Australian Curriculum: History. To complete this assignment successfully, it is expected that students will analyse the unit plan by making frequent reference to official curriculum documents and other relevant literature.
Students will develop the necessary skills and strategies needed to complete an historical inquiry and demonstrate this learning in their response to the assignment task. This first-hand knowledge, experience and appreciation of the inquiry process and its complexities is vital learning for emerging professionals, as they endeavour to navigate children through the new Australian Curriculum: History using an inquiry approach.
Task Outline:
You are required to write an essay in which you critically analyse and evaluate the attached unit plan. In critically analysing the unit plan you are required to consider the following criteria:
1. Curriculum intent (Melbourne Declaration & curriculum development documents)
2. Aspects of the curriculum (rationale, aims, cross-curriculum priorities, general capabilities)
3. Principles of inquiry pedagogy
4. Historical accuracy and appropriateness of resources
In order to do this it is suggested that you complete the following steps:
• Critically evaluate how well the unit meets the intent of the Australian Curriculum:
History o Refer to documents such as those on this ACARA page.
• Critically evaluate how well the unit addresses aspects of the curriculum o Historical knowledge, understanding and skills o Rationale, aims, CCPs, general capabilities
o Further research utilising curriculum related literature
• Critically evaluate what degree the unit enables inquiry pedagogy to be implemented o Inquiry processes o Purpose of inquiry
o Connection of inquiry pedagogy with the Australian Curriculum: History
• How useful the resources will be for a historical inquiry o Historically accurate o Appropriateness
o Connection with Curriculum and pedagogy
The Submission:
Complete the critical analysis in the essay genre, third person only. Limited to 2000 words (+ or -10%). You may use headings sparingly if necessary.
Before uploading to EASE, you are required to run your essay through Turnitin, which is software that identifies issues with referencing so that you can add additional references if required. The instructions are available on Study Desk. You must still submit your essay through EASE.
Task Requirements:
1. Use of APA referencing conventions and style guide
2. The conventions of academic writing must be followed. Please visit the Learning Centre page for guidance. If you require support please contact LTSU.
3. Extensions must be requested before the due date. These will be granted in accordance with USQ assignment policy.
Critical
analysis
Critically evaluates the alignment of the unit plan and the intent of the curriculum.
Critically evaluates the alignment of the unit plan and aspects of the curriculum.
Critically evaluates the alignment of the unit plan and the principles of
inquiry pedagogy
Critically evaluates the historical accuracy and appropriateness of resources Critically analyses the alignment of the unit plan and the intent of the curriculum.
Critically analyses the alignment of the unit plan and aspects of the curriculum.
Critically analyses the alignment of the unit plan and the principles of inquiry pedagogy.
Critically analyses the historical accuracy and appropriateness of resources. Describes the alignment of the unit plan and the intent of the curriculum.
Describes the alignment of the unit plan and aspects of the curriculum.
Describes the alignment of the unit plan and the principles of inquiry pedagogy.
Describes the historical accuracy and appropriateness of resources. Limited/No Outline of how the unit plan aligns with curriculum intent
Limited/No Outline of how the unit plan aligns with aspects of the
curriculum
Limited/No Outline of how the unit plan adheres to the principles of
inquiry pedagogy
Limited/No Outline of how the resources adhere to principles of historical accuracy and appropriateness.
Application Synthesises relevant information and literature to draw logical conclusions about the unit plan.
Justify assertions made throughout essay by making reference to curriculum documents and literature. Integrates relevant information and literature to draw logical conclusions about the unit plan.
Supports assertions made throughout essay by making reference to curriculum documents and literature. Outlines relevant information and literature to draw conclusions about the unit plan.
Highlights assertions made throughout essay by making reference to curriculum documents and literature. Limited information and literature utilised to draw logical conclusions about the unit plan.
Limited/No support for assertions made throughout essay.
Presentation:
Essay genre
Spelling
APA referencing All sentences are grammatically correct and correctly punctuated.
Introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs are well constructed and coherently linked.
All spelling is correct.
All in-text citations and reference list items are complete and formatted according to APA standards. Most sentences are grammatically correct and correctly punctuated, with no major errors.
Introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs are soundly constructed and clearly linked.
generally correct.
Most in-text citations and reference list items are complete and formatted according to APA standards. Most sentences are grammatically correct and correctly punctuated, with some significant errors.
Most paragraphs are soundly constructed and linked.
Several spelling errors.
Few references included but in-text citations and reference list items are complete and formatted according to APA standards. Multiple, significant errors in punctuation and grammar throughout the essay.
Few paragraphs are soundly constructed and linked.
Frequent spelling errors.
Insufficient references included and/or reference list items are not formatted according to APA standards.
Comments: