Psychology Curriculum 2

Unit Outline (Higher Education)

Level of Unit in Course

AQF Level(s) of Course

Level of Unit in Course

Introductory

Intermediate

Effective Term:

2025/05

Institute / School :

Institute of Education, Arts & Community

Unit Title:

Psychology Curriculum 2

Unit ID:

EDMAS6116

Credit Points:

15.00

Prerequisite(s):

(EDMAS6016)

Co-requisite(s):

Nil

Exclusion(s):

Nil

ASCED:

070105

Other Change:

Brief description of the Unit

This course will continue to develop postgraduate Pre-Service Teachers (PSTs) knowledge of the scientific nature and diversity of Psychology as a field of study and its key experiments. The course will acquaint PSTs with the assessment procedures of V.C.E. Units 3 and 4, and encourage them to examine how the curriculum frameworks can be used to design effective learning experiences and assessment tasks. PSTs will reflect critically on their teaching practice in the light of contemporary research findings into teaching and learning.

Grade Scheme:

Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF)

Work Experience Indicator:

Placement Component: No

Supplementary Assessment:

Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment

Course Level:

Learning Outcomes:

Knowledge:

K1.	Develop a working knowledge of the concepts, substance and structure of the relevant senior Psychology curriculum documentation and guidelines, particularly for Psychology Units 3 and 4, including assessment and moderation requirements.

K2.	Develop, understand and apply contemporary theories, research and research practices related to the field of psychology.

K3.	Demonstrate understanding of effective learning, teaching and assessment strategies and approaches, in the Psychology specialist teaching area.

K4.	Develop understanding of the application of ICT and the use of literacy and numeracy teaching strategies in the Psychology teaching area.

Skills:

S1.	Apply the research skills needed to trace original research reports in either print or non-print media.

S2.	Plan learning sequences that consist of engaging classroom materials in a variety of media for a variety of learning needs.

S3.	Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.

S4.	Competently develop and evaluate a range of appropriately differentiated, resourced and sequenced lessons or units of work.

S5.	Evaluate the use of formal and informal formative assessment to enhance students reflective capacity and Psychology knowledge and skills.

S6.	Apply literacy and numeracy teaching strategies in the Psychology teaching area.

Application of knowledge and skills:

A1.	Design and articulate pedagogical reasoning for a series of VCE Unit 3 or 4 lessons..

A2.	Reflect on and critique sequence of lessons related to VCE Psychology Units 3 or 4, with particular attention to curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment issues and catering for diverse students needs.

Unit Content:

Topics may include:
1. Refreshing knowledge of key experiments outlined in the VCE Study Design and drawing attention to subsequent related research
2. Current theories in Psychology and making them comprehensible to VCE students in memorable and enjoyable ways
3. The complex paired assessment procedures of the V.C.E. Units 3 & 4, and exploring how these procedures may be used to create optimal participation, learning and enjoyment for their students
4. Examination of VCE summative assessment approaches including SACs, topic tests and revision sheets and recognising opportunities for formative assessment
5. Reflecting on teaching practice in the light of research findings into learning, memory, meta-memory, metacognition, and group interaction
6. Investigation into evidence-based teaching strategies relevant to teaching VCE units 3 and 4 in Psychology

Graduate Attributes:

Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.

FED TASK and descriptor		Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit
FED TASK and descriptor		Level
FEDTASK 1 Interpersonal	Students at this level will demonstrate an advanced ability in a range of contexts to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display high level skills in-person and/or online in: • Using and demonstrating a high level of verbal and non-verbal communication • Demonstrating a mastery of listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Demonstrating and showing empathy for others • High order skills in negotiating and conflict resolution skills\\ • Demonstrating mastery of working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams.	1 - Yes
FEDTASK 2 Leadership	Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery in professional skills and behaviours in leading others. • Creating and sustaining a collegial environment • Demonstrating a high level of self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect and justify decisions • Inspiring and initiating opportunities to lead others • Making informed professional decisions • Demonstrating initiative in new professional situations.	1 - Yes
FEDTASK 3 Critical Thinking and Creativity	Students at this level will demonstrate high level skills in working in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically to generate and consider complex ideas and concepts at an abstract level • Analysing complex and abstract ideas, concepts and information • Communicate alternative perspectives to justify complex ideas • Demonstrate a mastery of challenging conventional thinking to clarify complex concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving to new situations for further learning.	1 - Yes
FEDTASK 4 Digital Literacy	Students at this level will demonstrate the ability to work competently across a wide range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Mastering, exploring, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information professionally • Collating, managing complex data, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding professionally to messages in a range of professional digital media • Contributing competently and professionally to digital teams and working groups • Participating at a high level in digital learning opportunities.	1 - Yes
FEDTASK 5 sustainable and Ethical Mindset	Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery of considering and assessing the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting professional ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Demonstrate informed judgment making that considers the impact of devising complex solutions in ambiguous global economic environmental and societal contexts • Professionally committing to the promulgation of social responsibility • Demonstrate the ability to evaluate ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Communicating lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to the diverse professional others • Generating, leading and implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life	1 - Yes

	Learning Outcomes Assessed	Assessment Tasks	Assessment Type	Weighting
1.	K1, K2, K3, K4, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, A1; APST: 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1	Design and present a VCE Unit 3 or 4 sequence of lessons embedding teaching strategies which cater for diverse learners, include resources (including the use of ICT), assessment approaches and teach a lesson from the sequence with diﬀerentiated content, resources and assessment.	Curriculum Design and Teaching Performance	40-60%
2.	K1, K2, K4, S3, S6, A3; APST: 2.1, 2.5, 3.6, 4.1	Produce a reflective journal that examines curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment issues and strategies with links to course content within the VCE Units 3 and 4 of Psychology and which includes reflections and evaluation of a school's approach to curriculum issues related to VCE Units 3 and 4 Psychology	Reflective Journal	40-60%

Adopted Reference Style:

APA

Professional Standards / Competencies:

Standard / Competency

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL) - Graduate Teacher: Initial

Attribute			Assessed	Level
Professional Knowledge
	1. Know students and how they learn
		1.2 Understand how students learn Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.	Yes	Advanced
	2. Know the content and how to teach it
		2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.	Yes	Advanced
		2.2 Content selection and organisation Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.	Yes	Advanced
		2.3 Curriculum, assessment and reporting Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.	Yes	Advanced
		2.5 Literacy and numeracy strategies Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.	Yes	Advanced
Professional Practice
	3. Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning
		3.1 Establish challenging learning goals Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.	Yes	Advanced
		3.2 Plan, structure and sequence learning programs Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.	Yes	Advanced
		3.3 Use teaching strategies Include a range of teaching strategies.	Yes	Advanced
		3.4 Select and use resources Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.	Yes	Advanced
		3.5 Use effective classroom communication Demonstrate a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement.	Yes	Advanced
		3.6 Evaluate and improve teaching programs Demonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.	Yes	Advanced
	4. Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments
		4.1 Support student participation Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.	Yes	Advanced
		4.2 Manage classroom activities Demonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions.	Yes	Advanced
	5. Assess, provide feedback and report on student learning
		5.1 Assess student learning Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.	Yes	Advanced