Course Title: Work effectively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2013
Course Code: TCHE5645C
Course Title: Work effectively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students
School: 360T Education
Campus: City Campus
Program: C5290 - Diploma of Education Support
Course Contact : Robyn Blaikie
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4838
Course Contact Email:robyn.blaikie@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Fiona Dean: Teacher

fiona.dean@rmit.edu.au

9925465
Nominal Hours: 55
Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Pre-requisites and Co-requisites
No specific pre-requisite and co-requisite.
Course Description
This course deals with the skills and knowledge required by education support workers to support, contribute to and coordinate education opportunities for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
CHCEDS505A Work effectively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students |
Element: |
1. Identify personal cultural identity and its influence on interactions with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students |
Performance Criteria: |
1.1Identify significant events in own family's history which may influence own current beliefs and values |
Element: |
2. Research and document some of the impacts of colonisation on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Australians |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1Identify some Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander historical issues for own district/state |
Element: |
3. Support cultural identity of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students |
Performance Criteria: |
3.1Identify and consult with appropriate persons to obtain knowledge of local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander groups |
Element: |
4. Create safe learning environments and provide social support for student achievement |
Performance Criteria: |
4.1In consultation with the teacher, plan and implement learning experiences that foster positive attitudes to learning and student achievement |
Element: |
5. Contribute to the design and implementation of inclusive learning experiences |
Performance Criteria: |
5.1Gather accurate and reliable information about students and their families from the teacher/ supervisor and use to identify student needs and design learning experiences
|
Element: |
6. Actively support students in developing personal identity, self-esteem and a positive self-image |
Performance Criteria: |
6.1Foster learning environments where relationships between students, teachers and other adults are based on trust and mutual respect
|
Learning Outcomes
Develop the skills and knowledge required by education support workers to support, contribute to and coordinate education opportunities for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students
Details of Learning Activities
The student learning experience will be facilitated through participation in a range of activities: 

Group discussion 

Research assignments

Guest speakers

Oral and/or written questions on "What if?" scenarios

Realistic simulations and role play
Practical demonstrations and direct observation of actual work and simulated work practice
Oral Presentations
Individual and group projects - Completing the projects will include negotiated independent study time and practical work
relevant to the unit of competency. 

Workplacement
Teaching Schedule
Please note: While your teacher will cover all the material in this schedule, the weekly order is subject to change depending on class needs and availability of speakers and resources.
Week 1-4
Impact of colonisation on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Australians
Analysing and documenting impacts of colonisation on Aboriginal and/or Torres
Strait Islander Australians
Discussion, Q&A activities, Evidence Guide
Week 5-8
Awareness of differences between cultural groups
Equity and diversity principles
Discussion, Q&A activities,
Assignment/project1 – Research/Q&A/Oral presentation
Week 9-12
Education policies and initiatives
Education policies and initiatives designed to support learning outcomes for
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples
Discussion, Q&A activities/Oral presentation
Week 13-16
Information sources for local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples
Appropriate teaching and learning strategies for use with Aboriginal and/or Torres
Strait Islander students
Discussion, Q&A activities
Scenarios/Q&A
Week 17-20
Appropriate teaching and learning strategies for use with Aboriginal and/or Torres
Strait Islander students
Factors affecting facilitation of individual and group learning
Reflecting on experiences working effectively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students
Discussion, Q&A activities
Progress interview – Evidence guide, Assignment 1, Evidence of practical experience experiences working effectively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students; e.g Observation/Demonstration, Third party
Semester 2
Week 1-4
Anti-discrimination and stereotyping
Local protocols for interacting with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community members
Discussion, Q&A activities, Evidence Guide
Week 5-8
Cultural protocols
Interacting in a culturally appropriate way with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait
Islander community members
Interacting appropriately with students/staff from diverse cultural backgrounds
Discussion, Q&A activities
Week 9-12
Inclusive learning strategies that encourage engagement of Aboriginal and/or Torres
Strait Islander learners
Working in consultation with the teacher celebrating diversity and building student
self esteem
Discussion, Q&A activities
Assignment/project 2 – Research/Scenarios
Week 13-16
Using communication skills to effectively liaise between differing cultural contexts
Using a range of communication styles to suit different audiences and purposes
Discussion, Q&A activities
Week 17-20
Discussion, Q&A activities
Assessment interview – review folio of final assessments e.g : Evidence Guide, Assignment/Project1 and 2, Evidence of working effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; e.g. Observation/Demonstration, Third party, Folio – Presentation (oral and written)
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
References
Other Resources
RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this
course through our online systems and access to specialised facilities and relevant software. You will also
have access of the library resources.
Overview of Assessment
You must demonstrate an understanding of all elements of the competencies in order to be deemed competent. Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks. You may be assessed by:
• Direct observation of actual and simulated work practice
• Oral or written questioning
• Assignments and projects
• Presentation of a portfolio of evidence which may comprise documents, and/or photographs and/or video and audio files
• Review of products produced through work-based or course activities
• Third-party feedback from a work supervisor/employer
Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online discussions, through individual and group feedback on practical exercises and by individual consultation.
If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or the Disability Liaison Unit if you would like to find out more.
An assessment charter (http://mams.rmit.edu.au/kh6a3ly2wi2h1.pdf) summarises your responsibilities as an RMIT student as well as those of your teachers.
Your courses assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies and procedures which are described and referenced in a single document: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=ln1kd66y87rc
Assessment Tasks
Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over a
range of assessment tasks. You may be assessed by:
• Direct observation of actual and simulated work practice 

• Oral or written questioning 

• Assignments and projects 

• Presentation of a portfolio of evidence which may comprise of documents, and/or photographs and/or video and audio files 

• Review of work produced through work-based or course activities 

• Third-party feedback from a work supervisor/employer 
Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class
and/or online discussions, through individual and group feedback on practical exercises and by individual consultation
Assessment tasks in this course are either formative or summative. Formative tasks provide the basis for ongoing feedback and can be considered essential building blocks for the more substantial summative assessment tasks. Summative assessment tasks in this unit are assessed using the following competency based results:
CA – Competency achieved
NYC – Not Yet Competent
Assessment Matrix
The assessment matrix demonstrates alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant Unit of Competency.
These are available from the course contact person (stated above).
Course Overview: Access Course Overview