EDMA299 - Analysis of the Curriculum and Professional Learning Plan - Assignment Help

ASSESSMENT TASK 1

Analysis of the Curriculum and professional learning plan

Critical Task

Please see the extended task description in the appendices

Due date:                                         Friday 26^th August by 23.59 in your region

Weighting:                                       30%

Length and/or format:                  Equivalent to 2200 words of original material

Learning outcomes assessed:  2, 3 and 5

How to submit:                               Through LEO

Return of assignment:                 Returned via LEO and/or emailed rubric

APPENDIX 1

ASSESSMENT TASK 1: EXTENDED TASK DESCRIPTION

Analysis and skills audit and professional learning plan.

Rationale

Year 7 to 10 teachers are expected to teach the full range of a mathematics from the relevant State or Territory’s jurisdictional framework. This assignment consists of a self-audit of the topics contained in your particular region’s curriculum documents, an analysis of that process and then the formulation of a professional development plan to address areas that students are unfamiliar with or find challenging.

Part 1: Analysis and self-audit of the curriculum: You will select a year level (Year 8 – 10) you may also choose Year 7 content and then an area of study (Choose either Number and Algebra; or Geometry and Measurement; or Statistics and Probability) which will roughly span a semester of teaching (approximately 12 weeks). Analyse your identified area of study with reference to the following aspects.  You may present your work using a format sourced from literature, or your own format, like a template or a table.

• Content: List each syllabus outcome/content descriptor and indicate what your current level of understanding and knowledge of that syllabus outcome/content descriptor is. See Criterion 1 (C1) on the rubric.
• Teaching strategies: Discuss teaching strategies which you think will particularly be suitable to teach your identified syllabus outcomes/content descriptors and explain your thinking. You do not have to address all syllabus outcomes/content descriptors, but only refer to approximately 5 – 8 syllabus outcomes/content descriptors. Teaching strategies are not specifically related to mathematics and include explicit instruction, cooperative learning, groupwork, working in pairs, investigations, modelling using ICT, practical demonstration or experimentation, problem-solving, questioning techniques, developmental activities etc. You do not have to refer to literature in this section. See Criterion 1 (C1) on the rubric.
• Complex concepts: Identify any 5 – 8 complex concepts in your identified syllabus outcomes/content descriptors (for example, the theory behind constructing a tree diagram) and/or complex knowledge aspects (for example, knowledge of solving quadratic equations by using the quadratic formula for determining the roots) and/or complex skills (for example, how to construct a quadratic graph using Excel). You could, if you choose 8 complex concepts for example, discuss 8 complex concepts, or 5 complex concepts and 3 complex skills, or 2 complex concepts, 3 complex knowledge aspects, and 3 complex skills etc). Explain why you regard these as complex (that is, using multiple steps, higher order thinking etc) as opposed to basic or simple. See Criterion 2 (C2) on the rubric.
• Pedagogical/contemporary approaches to teaching: Refer to pedagogical/contemporary approaches more applicable to mathematics (for example, the ELPSA framework, problem-based learning or catering for diverse learner styles in mathematics) that will enhance learning in any 5 – 8 of your identified syllabus outcomes/content descriptors. Be specific, for example, do not just state that you will cater for visual learners, but explain how you will cater for visual learners by specifically referring to the syllabus outcome/content descriptor and how the specific mathematical content will be adjusted to cater for visual learners. NB: Literature should be integrated into this discussion.  Guideline: Minimum 3 contemporary sources. Contemporay sources refer to sources of the last 5 years (since 2017). See Criterion 3 (C3) on the rubric.

Part 2: Professional Learning Plan. Develop a professional learning plan to address the areas of weaknesses you identified in your self-audit. Your plan must outline a sequence of actions on your behalf that will address the weaknesses. Structure your learning plan as follows:

• Rationale (providing a set of reasons or a logical basis for your professional learning plan): In the first part of this assignment you identified your current level of content knowledge and you also discussed various complex concepts and pedagogical approaches. Reflecting on your strengths and weaknesses with relation to these aspects, provide a rationale (a set of reasons) why you can benefit from a professional learning plan. You do not have to list any specific actions yet, but rather explain which areas (content knowledge and/or complex concepts and/or pedagogical approaches) would need enhancement. See Criterion 4 (C4) on the rubric.

• Australian Professional Teaching Standards: In the previous criterion (rationale) you explained which areas (content knowledge and/or complex concepts and/or pedagogical approaches) would need enhancement. Now, align these areas to specific standards and focus areas within the Australian Professional Teaching Standards (you may do it in table form if you want to). Then, by reflecting on this alignment, discuss the complexities of a teacher’s role (for example, teachers need to possess a broad range of skills and fulfill a broad range of responsibilities) and the importance of professional learning (in other words, are the requirements as set out in the Australian Professional Teaching Standards easy to obtain or is professional learning required). In addressing this criterion, remember to specifically refer to your strengths and weaknesses discussed in the previous criterion (rationale). See Criterion 5 (C5) on the rubric.

• Clear and targeted professional learning plan (actions): Here you need to list specific actions you will undertake to address your weaknesses with relation to content knowledge and/or complex concepts and/or pedagogical approaches.

 Your actions cannot simply refer to ‘research’ or ‘study’ – you must be specific about what learning you will undertake over a period of time. You need to be resourceful. For example, you may consider joining your relevant region’s mathematics association and attend additional professional learning that may be on offer. You are not expected to undertake paid professional learning. If you undertake some professional reading, be specific about what that is and why you chose it (For examples, listing the specific chapter in a textbook, listing the specific Khan Academy video, giving the detailed references to an article you will read or have read etc.).  If you seek out an experienced teacher, make a list of questions and take notes about the suggestions they are making.

In the limited time frame it is not expected that you will be able to complete all the actions of your learning plan before task submission, but at least some evidence of completed activities must be presented.