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
1.2Identify aspects of the environment which influence own cultural identity
1.3Examine aspects of family history and personal cultural identity for impact on personal values and interactions with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students

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
2.2Analyse the impact of some Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander historical issues in own district/state
2.3Identify some contemporary impacts of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander historical issues on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people today
2.4Research the diversity of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander populations in own educational organisation and the wider community

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
3.2Identify and consult with colleagues to obtain knowledge about the cultural identity of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students in the educational organisation
3.3Develop skills and knowledge which enable supportive interactions with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students
3.4Handle information in a culturally appropriate way at all times including identification of how and with whom information can be shared
3.5Provide opportunities for students to share local context and cultural knowledge
3.6Use cultural diversity to enhance educational opportunities for all students
3.7Incorporate recognition of and respect for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander languages into the learning context in consultation with the teacher

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
4.2Establish constructive relationships with students based on mutual trust and respect
4.3Communicate and interact with students in an open, inclusive, equitable and ethical manner
4.4Encourage involvement of family and community members in all aspects of the student's learning
4.5Negotiate with community members any approaches to student support in areas that are outside of educational programs

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
5.2Evaluate learning and assessment resources to ensure they accurately represent different cultures, are not discriminatory and do not reinforce stereotypes
5.3Provide classroom teacher with written and verbal reports on student performance
5.4Plan and implement learning experiences that build on the diverse backgrounds of students and their families in consultation with the teacher/supervisor
5.5Plan and implement learning experiences that focus on events, customs and beliefs relevant to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities in consultation with the teacher/supervisor
5.6Access community resources that focus on events, customs and beliefs relevant to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities and, in consultation with the teacher/ supervisor, plan and use them in a culturally appropriate manner
5.7Discuss with teacher/supervisor support for students whose skills in reading/writing Standard Australian English (SAE) (or equivalent) and numeracy are below conventional levels

 

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
6.2Communicate and interact with students to foster their confidence, self-esteem, self-image and self-efficacy
6.3Plan, implement and evaluate group activities in consultation with the teacher, so that students use collaborative processes to set and achieve goals and solve problems
6.4Follow the organisation's policies and procedures on pastoral care
6.5Identify Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peers, mentors or members of staff to support individual students
6.6Follow relevant protocols in working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community members

 


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