Inquiry Into Practice

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:

Inquiry Into Practice

Unit ID:

EDMAS6226

Credit Points:

30.00

Prerequisite(s):

Nil

Co-requisite(s):

Nil

Exclusion(s):

(EDMAS6027 and EDMAS6126)

ASCED:

070303

Other Change:

Brief description of the Unit

In this unit PSTs will develop their understandings of the nature and value of practitioner inquiry and will demonstrate their understanding of the rationale for, application of, and articulation of practitioner inquiry as praxis-oriented, ongoing professional learning that improves student learning, their own practice and knowledge,, and the learning of colleagues.

Grade Scheme:

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

Work Experience Indicator:

No work experience

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:

On successful completion of the course, pre-service teachers will demonstrate their capacity to:

Knowledge:

K1.	Demonstrate broad knowledge of practitioner inquiry cycles that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.

K2.	Understand ways to eﬀectively document, monitor and evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning and professional practice.

K3.	Demonstrate understanding of informal and formal approaches to assess student learning for diagnostic, formative and summative purposes.

K4.	Conceptualise and articulate the notions of data, evidence and impact that inform practitioner inquiry in the classroom.

K5.	Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs and approaches.

K6.	Conceptualise and articulate the value of praxis and practitioner inquiry as relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers.

K7.	Develop and articulate understandings of the impact of praxis and practitioner inquiry in educational contexts for students and teachers.

K8.	Extend understandings of the dispositions and mind sets required to undertake practitioner inquiry.

Skills:

S1.	Collect, analyse and evaluate documentation related to teaching and learning, to plan for improved student learning.

S2.	Interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice.

S3.	Critically review and reﬁne practitioner inquiry in the light of personal reﬂection and feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices.

S4.	Use strategies to ensure ethical and professional requirements are met and, and if required, permission is gained from appropriate people.

S5.	Plan and conduct a practitioner inquiry in ways appropriate to the educational context and using an inquiry cycle.

S6.	Articulate and share new insights into professional practice, eﬀective teaching strategies and the impact of the inquiry with colleagues on a regular basis.

S7.	Reﬂect critically on the moral purpose of the practitioner inquiry.

Application of knowledge and skills:

A1.	Explain the impact of a praxis-oriented approach and practitioner inquiry within a school context including the inﬂuence of personal dispositions on professional learning and teaching practice.

A2.	Present ﬁndings from a personal practitioner inquiry including evaluation of data, modiﬁcations undertaken and their impact on teaching practice and student learning.

Unit Content:

The theoretical notion of praxis and its implications for teaching and for conducting practitioner inquiries.
The role of practitioner inquiry cycles as an approach that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.
Informal and formal approaches to assess student learning for diagnostic, formative and summative purposes to collect analyse and evaluate data, evidence and documentation related to teaching and learning, to plan for improved student learning.
Strategies to ensure ethical and professional requirements of conducting practitioner inquiries are met and, and if required, permission is gained from appropriate people.
Interpretation of student assessment data to evaluate student learning and the use of data to modify teaching practice.
Presentation of practitioner inquiry and articulation of its implications for improved student learning and ongoing professional learning needs and interests.
The value of relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers and the rationale for continued professional learning and its implications for improved student learning.
Extend understandings of the dispositions required to undertake practitioner inquiry.
The role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teaching in identifying professional learning needs.

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

K2, K4, K5, K6, K7, K8 S7 A1 APST: 3.6, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4

A praxis-oriented personal response related to identifying the impact of the practitioner inquiry, the school context, Professional Standards for Teaching, and personal dispositions on professional

learning and teaching practice.

Written Response

20-40%

K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, K7, K8 S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7 A2 APST: 3.6, 5.1, 5.4, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1

Formal presentation of practitioner inquiry that includes evaluation of data and evidence of student learning and modiﬁcation of teaching practice.

Report, portfolio, narrative

60-80%

Adopted Reference Style:

APA

Professional Standards / Competencies:

Standard / Competency

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

Attribute			Assessed	Level
Professional Practice
	3. Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning
		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
	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
		5.4 Interpret student data Demonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice.	Yes	Advanced
Professional Engagement
	6. Engage in professional learning
		6.1 Identify and plan professional learning needs Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs.	Yes	Advanced
		6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice Understand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers.	Yes	Advanced
		6.3 Engage with colleagues and improve practice Seek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices.	Yes	Advanced
		6.4 Apply professional learning and improve student learning Demonstrate an understanding of the rationale for continued professional learning and the implications for improved student learning.	Yes	Advanced
	7. Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community
		7.1 Meet professional ethics and responsibilities Understand and apply the key principles described in codes of ethics and conduct for the teaching profession.	Yes	Advanced