EDUC9226 Professional Issues in Secondary Education

2015

4.5

10 x 1-hour lectures per semester
10 x 2-hour workshops per semester

1 Admission into MTS-Master of Teaching (Secondary)
1a Admission into BAMTPR-Bachelor of Arts, Master of Teaching (Primary)
1b Admission into BGSCMTPR-Bachelor of General Science, Master of Teaching (Primary)
1c Admission into BLANGMTS-Bachelor of Languages, Master of Teaching (Secondary)
1d Admission into BAMTS-Bachelor of Arts, Master of Teaching (Secondary)
1e Admission into BSCMTS-Bachelor of Science, Master of Teaching (Secondary)
1f Admission into MTSA-Master of Teaching (Secondary)
Must Satisfy: ((1 or 1a or 1b or 1c or 1d or 1e or 1f))

EDUC3627 has been successfully completed

This topic explores the nature of teachers’ professional working lives in secondary schools and the various contexts which shape those lives. The topic provides students with theoretical and practical appraisals of structures of daily life in schools and of the issues and changes that secondary teachers have experienced in recent decades. The content focuses on effects of globalisation and its impact on schools, national and State policy agendas; organisational cultures; teacher professionalism; teacher relations; school community; students’ lives and learning and the governance of schools.

Students are expected to investigate issues within three frameworks of: (1) academic research; (2) past and present theories and (3) current practices. Students are expected to critique and to integrate knowledge, experiences and expertise of various secondary school practitioners and also their stakeholders. Students are provided with opportunities to synthesise detailed ethnographic observations of daily life in schools which were observed and interpreted in situ during professional experience placements in SA schools.

The topic aims to build understanding about the nature of teachers’ professional lives in secondary school contexts and to prepare students to work effectively in a diversity of secondary education contexts

On completion of this topic students will be able to:

• Evaluate and generate complex ideas about teaching and learning in secondary schools at an abstract level and specifically analyse secondary school structures; organisational cultures; professionalism; pedagogy and relationships; through the lenses of research, theory and practice.
• Demonstrate cognitive, technical and creative skills to investigate, analyse and synthesise complex information and specifically analyse contemporary State, Federal and international education policies and evaluate their impact on the professional work of secondary school teachers
• At first hand, observe critically describe and interpret secondary school situations as experienced by various secondary school teachers.
• Demonstrate understandings of a range of issues, factors and contexts that shape the professional lives of teachers in schools and specifically interpret through first hand observations connections with wider readings and research.
• Confidently appraise a diversity of secondary education contexts students are likely to encounter in South Australia/Australia and internationally and the implications of these for being a teacher.
• Demonstrate appropriate investigative, technical research and communication skills that can progress to a capstone project.