Unit Outline

This unit considers the knowledge and skills required to facilitate engaging learning environments within applied learning settings. It will examine the theoretical underpinnings of learner and teacher engagement in a range of contexts, including face to face and online, and develop and evaluate techniques aimed at increasing levels of engagement. Through practical assessment tasks, students will develop their facilitation skills and explore ways to increase participation of learners. This unit will consider how educators can foster an environment where learners become increasingly responsible and self-directed in their own applied learning setting.

This unit suits people with some experience in working with learners (e.g. practicing teachers, trainers, classroom aides, or industry people who have worked with apprentices) who are interested in exploring issues of student disengagement, drawing on theories of how and why students might be engaged and then trialling new facilitation approaches that target student engagement.

Note: The third assessment task requires facilitation of a session with a class or small group of learners, so participants need to have access to a group to do this.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1.	identify and analyse key issues/themes of a factor of student engagement and implications of these for professional practice
2.	analyse student needs and use this information to design and evaluate strategies that support and encourage student engagement in learning
3.	apply and reflect on facilitation skills in an educational setting to promote student engagement in learning
4.	communicate in writing for personal and professional purposes including the use and integration of scholarly and professional literature and practical experience

Alterations as a result of student feedback

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Exploring Engagement	Week 7	45 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 2:	Reflecting on Engagement	Week 9	10 %	LO1, LO2, LO4
Assessment Task 3:	Exploring Facilitation	Week 13	45 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Exploring Engagement

Task Description:

In this assessment task you will develop your understanding of engagement and discuss the implications of it for professional practice. As a facilitator of discussion, you will explore a factor of engagement with your peers; encouraging alternative viewpoints and fostering engagement. To do this you will be placed in a small group (between 6 and 8 students) that have a corresponding number of topics/discussions. You will be required to facilitate one discussion, and also contribute to the discussions led by peers in your group.
The task has two parts. In part A you will:
a) Select one factor from the list available in MyLO.
b) Facilitate an online discussion in the MyLO Discussion Board that relates to your chosen factor. This will involve posing questions, concerns, ideas or issues for your group to engage with.
c) Participate in each discussion in your group.
In Part B you should:
a) Provide an overview of your chosen factor and its relevance to a specific learning environment.
b) Using Brookfield’s four lenses of reflection identify and analyse the key themes/issues that were uncovered through your exploration and examination of the extended literature as well as your reflections and discussions with peers and students.
c) Discuss the implications of key issues for professional practice, with particular reference to your own discipline area (current or intended).
d) Critically reflect on your own learning journey in this task, including your experience of facilitating an online discussion in this unit.
e) Incorporate relevant literature to support your own and other’s ideas.
The task should be submitted using the PebblePad template provided.

Completion of this Assessment Task relates to Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) 2.1, 2.2, 2.6, 3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 4.1, 4.5, 7.1

Task Length:

1800 words (this is for your submission – your contributions in MyLO do not form part of the word count)

Due Date:

Week 7

Weight:

45 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Discuss the theoretical underpinnings of facilitation as a means of engaging students in learning (25%)	LO1, LO3
2	Analyse and discuss issues around engagement and implications for your own teaching practice (30%)	LO1, LO2
3	Critically reflect on your role as facilitator in an online setting (30%)	LO3
4	Apply professional and academic skills to communicate and transfer knowledge to an intended audience (15%)	LO4

Assessment Task 2: Reflecting on Engagement

Task Description:

Participation in online meetings and learning activities has recently become our “new normal”, both in education and in workplaces. In our work roles we sometimes play the part of the facilitator, and as students and employees we experience the web-conference from the other side. In this short reflective assignment, you will discuss how your expectations and the reality of the experience, align, or do not align.

To achieve this, you will attend at least one of the webinars scheduled to occur prior to Week 8 and reflect on your experience.
Your submission should include:
a) A reflection and your thoughts about any engagement strategies that you identify and any that were not apparent during the web-conference.
b) Did you enjoy the web-conference? Why/why not?
c) What changes would you make to the delivery?
d) Scholarly references to support your claims.

Please note that this is a comparatively short writing task, so it is important to be as succinct as possible.

Completion of this Assessment Task relates to Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) 2.6, 3.5, 3.6, 4.1, 4.5

Task Length:

500 words

Due Date:

Week 9

Weight:

10 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Identify engagement strategies (40%)	LO1, LO2
2	Evaluate the use of engagement strategies (40%)	LO2
3	Apply professional and academic skills to communicate and transfer knowledge to an intended audience (20%)	LO4

Assessment Task 3: Exploring Facilitation

Task Description:

“One of the beauties of teaching is that there is no limit to one's growth as a teacher, just as there is no knowing beforehand how much your students can learn.” Herbert Kohl, US Educator.
As Kohl suggests, we are all on a continuum of development as a teacher. This assessment task invites you to deepen and extend your teaching skills through the facilitation of a lesson with a small group of learners of your choice.
To achieve this you will design and facilitate a short (45-60 minute) activity that:
• Involves a group of at least 6 learners (either face to face, or in a live online environment).
• Is outside of your comfort zone.
• Incorporates at least 3 facilitation strategies aimed at increasing student engagement.
• Demonstrates a range of verbal and non-verbal strategies to support student engagement.
Your submission should include:
e) A description of the learners (e.g. characteristics, learning needs).
f) A description of the facilitation strategy. What were the strategies used? What are the theoretical underpinnings of the strategies?
g) A reflection that evaluates your facilitation of the activity through the lens of three IAF competencies. How did the activity extend your skills as a facilitator? What went well (or not), and how might you improve?
h) Scholarly references to support your claims.
The task should be submitted in a webfolio format using the PebblePad template provided and should include a brief session plan as an appendix (this is not assessed).

Completion of this Assessment Task relates to Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) 2.1, 2.2, 2.6, 3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 4.1, 4.5, 7.1

Task Length:

2000 words

Due Date:

Week 13

Weight:

45 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Analyse strategies for supporting student engagement (30%)	LO1, LO2
2	Justify strategies for engagement in a chosen context (30%)	LO2
3	Evaluate a facilitation strategy using selected IAF competencies (30%)	LO3
4	Apply professional and academic skills to communicate and transfer knowledge to an intended audience (10%)	LO4

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.

Required Resources

Required reading materials

There are no texts to purchase for this unit. All readings are held in the Library’s reading lists. Reading Lists provide direct access to all material on unit reading lists in one place. This includes eReadings and items in Reserve. You can access the Reading List for this unit from the link in MyLO, or by going to the Reading Lists page on the University Library website.