10 cp

This unit will focus on assisting preservice early childhood, primary and secondary educators to develop and apply a critical understanding of a variety of social and cultural contexts, including issues of disadvantage. Preservice teachers will be introduced to ways of selecting and delivering appropriate teaching, learning and assessment strategies to address these contexts. It is expected that the preservice educators’ commitment to social justice and inclusivity as well as their appreciation of the sacred will deepen and broaden as they gain understanding regarding the diverse religious, cultural and social backgrounds of children. Through early childhood and/or school-based experiences preservice educators will form links between theory and practice in a cohesive manner as they describe, analyse and reflect upon current practices, develop communication, planning and organisational skills and relate their observations to the theoretical foundations given in lectures and readings. It is anticipated that preservice educators will continue to develop their own quality pedagogy with particular reference to the significance of appropriately selected material matching student needs and considerations of intellectual quality, especially the elements of problematic knowledge and metalanguage. The graduate attributes of a spirit of service to the community and an enthusiasm to search for further knowledge and understanding will be evidenced throughout this unit through preservice educators’ work in acquiring knowledge surrounding the contexts within which they will teach.