Course Title: Issues In Special Education

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Issues In Special Education

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
TCHE2572	Bundoora Campus	Postgraduate	360H Education	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2017
TCHE2610	City Campus	Postgraduate	360H Education	Face-to-Face	Sem 2 2021, Sem 2 2022, Sem 2 2023, Sem 2 2024

Flexible Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
TCHE2610	City Campus	Postgraduate	360H Education	Face-to-Face	PGRDFx2019 (EDUC)
TCHE2610	City Campus	Postgraduate	360H Education	Face-to-Face	PGRDFx2020 (All)
TCHE2610	City Campus	Postgraduate	360H Education	Internet	PGRDFlex23 (EDUC)

Course Coordinator: Naomi Symington

Course Coordinator Phone: By email

Course Coordinator Email: naomi.symington@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Bundoora

Course Coordinator Availability: by appointment

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None

Course Description

In this course you will investigate key aspects that underpin specialist skills in learning, in both mainstream and special school settings. You will reflect upon legislative requirements in relation to disability in Australia and the impacts and restraints of such legislation. You will examine central issues of diversity and inclusion. You will learn specialist teaching strategies and ways to address learning needs of students through curriculum support, collaboration with colleagues and parents/caregivers, resourcing and individual program plans

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

In this course you will develop the following program learning outcomes:

• Critically analyse and apply educational research to your professional practice, demonstrating inclusive, learner-focused, evidence-based teaching.
• Consolidate and synthesise expert content and pedagogical knowledge and judgement to develop highly effective and innovative teaching skills in an area of specialisation.
• Demonstrate a capacity for critically reflective practice including social, environmental and cultural professional awareness in both local and global contexts.
• Communicate and engage professionally and ethically with students, colleagues, parents, carers and education stakeholders from diverse backgrounds 

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: 

	APST Standards
1. Demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of legislative requirements and teaching strategies that support participation and learning of students with disability	1.6, 7.2
2. Evaluate strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers	3.7, 7.3
3. Articulate strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities for students of all abilities	1.5, 4.1
4. Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities	3.1
5. Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning	5.1

 

Overview of Learning Activities

You will be engaged in learning that involves a range of activities both face to face and online such as lectures, tutorials, group and class discussion, group activities and individual research. The overall purpose of learning activities is to help develop your critical skills and understandings in relation to teaching, learning and education and to your emerging professional identity. Activities will increase your skills in critically reading and engaging with academic literature, in reflective practice techniques, in applying theory and reflection in practice simulations, in analysing and imaginatively planning for the needs of another learner. Activities will also introduce you to various analytical methods that will be of general use in the field. The course will involve engagement with theory and linking this theory as much as possible to your professional interests as a teacher. 

Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems. A list of recommended learning resources will be provided by your lecturer, including books, journal articles and web resources. You will also be expected to seek further resources relevant to the focus of your own learning. 

Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes (CLO) and on your development against the program learning outcomes. The assessment is also mapped against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST).

Assessment tasks	Assessment of Course Learning Outcomes	Assessment of APST Standards Assessment
Task 1: Essay (50%)	CLO 1, CLO 2	1.6, 7.2, 3.7, 7.3
Task 2: Case Study (50%)	CLO 3, CLO 4, CLO 5	1.5, 4.1, 3.1, 5.1

Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.

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 Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.

Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions.