2. Introduction to Education undergraduate study
Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood)
Course coordinator
Dr Jean Ashton
Phone: +61 2 9351 6319
Fax: +61 2 9351 4235
Email: j.ashton@edfac.usyd.edu.au
The Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) is a four-year, full-time professional degree course preparing students to work in a variety of early childhood contexts with children aged between birth and five years of age. Students undertake generalist units in education and professional studies as well as units of study specifically designed to facilitate students’ understanding of the growth and development of babies and young children in the years prior to school. Specialised units will focus on nurturing young children’s learning, working in partnership with families, early childhood curriculum, management of a range of early childhood services and on the professional and mandatory requirements of educators in the early childhood field.
The Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) prepares students to support babies’ and young children’s foundational learning in areas such as Language and Literacy, Mathematics, Science and Creative Arts as well as developing their understanding of Diversity and Difference including Indigenous Education, and Children with Additional Needs. Professional Experience (practice teaching) is integral to the program and commences in first year. Students will be introduced to observing young children, curriculum planning and teaching individuals and small groups in a range of settings for babies and young children which may include Occasional Care, Toy Libraries, Museums, Family Day Care, Long Day Care and Preschools. Several units of study undertaken outside the faculty give students the opportunity to engage in subject areas of interest at a tertiary level.
The Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) (Birth – Five Years) produces graduates who have:
- an evolving personal philosophy of early childhood education, based on an understanding of contemporary society, children’s development, early childhood policy and procedures, mandatory requirements, the variety of teaching opportunities in the early childhood field, and the purposes and functions of providing quality educational opportunities for babies and young children in the years prior to formal schooling
- knowledge, attitudes and attributes required for the effective performance of the complex tasks and responsibilities of professional early childhood educators
- a capacity to construct, implement and evaluate a context specific early childhood curricula with educational experiences appropriate to young children and their families
- an ability to develop partnerships with families to support the development and education of their babies and young children
- the maturity and humanity necessary for a professional educator in the early childhood field
- an ability to maintain, reflect upon, and evaluate their own professional development
- the ability to critically analyse new political, professional and policy developments.
The degree is awarded at pass or honours level
Bachelor of Education (Primary Education)
Course coordinator
Dr Alyson Simpson
Phone: +61 2 9351 6344
Fax: +61 2 9351 2606
Email:
The Bachelor of Education is a four-year, full-time professional degree course preparing students to work in primary schools and other contexts with children in Years K-6 (aged 5-12 years). Students undertake generalist units in education and professional studies as well as units of study in the sciences, social sciences and humanities offered by the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Economics and Business.
The Bachelor of Education (Primary Education) covers all the Key Learning Areas (primary subject areas) with special attention to the mandatory areas of Indigenous Education, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and Special Education. Similarly, professional experience (practice teaching) is integral to the program and commences in first year. Students will be introduced to teaching through small group teaching in schools and in out of school facilities that care for children. Students will also complete practical and theoretical studies relating to children with special needs and children from a wide variety of cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
In fourth year students can specialise in one of a number of year-long elective units such as Creative Arts, Special Education, TESOL and Aboriginal Education. Completion of one of these Special Options is equivalent to a major study (third year or 300 level) and equips a student with an additional teaching specialisation.
Foundation education studies examine education as a social science and explore issues of policy and social theory. Professional studies provide specialist expertise in areas of primary curriculum. Units of study undertaken outside the faculty give students the opportunity to engage in subject areas of interest at a tertiary level. In the first year, students also undertake a science foundations unit, which provides grounding in the four major science areas (physics, chemistry, biology and geology).
The Bachelor of Education (Primary Education) produces graduates who have:
- a broad general personal education with in-depth knowledge in at least one area
- an evolving personal theory of education, based on an understanding of contemporary society, children’s development, the variety of teaching roles, and the purposes and functions of schooling
- knowledge, attitudes and attributes required for the effective performance of the complex tasks and responsibilities of primary school teachers
- a capacity to construct, implement and evaluate appropriate programs of learning experiences for primary school children
- the maturity and humanity necessary for professional teaching
- an ability to maintain, enquire into, and evaluate their own professional development
- the ability to critically analyse new professional and policy developments.
Note
If you intend to seek employment with the New South Wales Department of Education and Training, you must have completed 2 units of Mathematics and 2 units of English at the HSC (or equivalent). Bridging courses in Mathematics may be available, the cost for which will be met by the student.
The schedule of studies for the four years of the degree follows:
Year I
- Two 100-level one-semester units of study in Education.
- Science Foundations 1 and 2.
- Two Junior (level 100) units of study chosen from those offered by the Faculties of Arts, Science, or Economics and Business.
- Professional Studies in Creative Arts (Visual Arts, Music, Drama and Dance) and Introduction to Teaching and Learning Literacy including 8 days observation in a school context (some limited teaching).
Year II
- Two 200-level one-semester units of study in Education.
- Two Senior (level 200) units of study offered by the Faculties of Arts, Science, or Economics and Business.
- Professional Studies, comprising separate semester units of study in English, Mathematics, Indigenous Education, Personal Development and Health/Physical Education, and Teaching and Curriculum, including Professional Experience (15 days).
Year III
- Two 300-level one-semester units of study in Education (The unit of study "Positive Approaches to Special Education" is compulsory if you are seeking employment with the Department of Education and Training).
- Professional Studies, comprising separate semester courses in English, Mathematics, HSIE, Creative Arts, Personal Development and Health/Physical Education, Science and Technology, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and Teaching and Curriculum including Professional Experience (15 days).
Year IV
- Two units of study in Education: one compulsory, Reading and Designing Research and one elective; or
- If eligible to enrol in honours, students enrol in Research Honours A and Research Honours B and complete a dissertation of 10,000 words or its equivalent.
- Professional Studies, comprising of separate semester units in Language, Mathematics, Teaching Children with Special Needs, Personal Development and Health/Physical Education, Science and Technology, Human Society and its Environment and a continuation of the Professional Experience (15 days + 30 days Internship placement).
- Two Special Units offered by the faculty. Some of these currently being offered are: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), Creative Arts, IT in the Primary classroom, Special Education, Gifted and Talented Education and Aboriginal Studies.
The degree is awarded at pass or honours level
Bachelor of Education (Secondary) (Human Movement and Health Education)
Course Coordinator
Dr Kate Russell
Phone: +61 2 9351 7056
Fax: +61 2 9351 2606
Email:
The Bachelor of Education (Human Movement and Health Education) is a four-year full-time degree course preparing students to work in the Personal Development, Health and Physical Education key learning area, primarily within secondary school contexts although some training to teach at primary school level is also included. Whilst the focus is on teacher education, this degree also forms a basis for students who want to work in settings related to community health, recreation, sport, and community fitness.
In the first year of your degree course, units in the sciences, social sciences and humanities are selected from a wide range offered by the faculties of Arts, Science, and Economics and Business. In your first year, you will choose two units from these as well as units in generalist education, which examine education as a social science and look at issues in policy and social theory. In the first year, you are also required to take one Science unit, Sports Mechanics and four units of professional studies in human movement and health education.
In second year you will continue with two units of study in generalist education and six units of professional studies in human movement and health education. Professional studies from year 2 will include teaching and learning curriculum development and school experience.
In third year you will continue with two units of generalist education and six units of professional studies in human movement and health education. In year four all units of study will be taken from professional studies in human movement and health education. You will undertake an Honours or non Honours route.
Students in Year 1 engage in 15 days of School Experiences in Primary Schools at the end of Semester One.
Students in Years 2 and 3 undertake 25 days of School Experiences in Secondary Schools at the end of Semester Two.
Students in Year 4 undertake an Internship of 30 days in a secondary school.
The Human Movement and Health Education Program prepares graduates who have:
- core knowledge essential to be educators in health education and physical education in school and community settings;
- technical background which includes ICT skills information relevant to the subject areas of health education, physical education, movement science, anatomy and physiology, and physical activity;
- knowledge of the historical/philosophical/socio-cultural impact on health status, behaviour, research, personal performance competencies, personal health, administration, role modelling, medical/safety/legal implications, marketing techniques, the selection of physical activities;
- interpersonal skills in the teaching of physical education drawing from the areas of games, dance, aquatics, gymnastics, track and field, outdoor and leisure pursuits;
- interpersonal skills in the teaching of health education drawing from the areas of growth and development, healthy lifestyles, drug education, sexuality education, nutrition, safe living;
- learned to utilise the applied science/social science theoretical background in the practice of health education and physical education;
- accepted their position as a role model of health-enhancing behaviour;
- the intention of pursuing professional liaison through colloquia, seminars, and professional associations.
The schedule of studies for the four years of the degree follows:
Please note: This is a new programme which will be phased in from 2009
Year I
- Education, teachers and teaching
- Human development and education
- 2 six credit point Junior/First Year units of study chosen from the Faculty of Arts, (eg History, English, Anthropology, Religious Studies, French, Arabic, Japanese, Philosophy), or the Faculty of Economics and Business, or the Faculty of Science
Professional Studies in HMHE
- Sports mechanics
- Professional practice in PDHPE 1
- Identifying health determinants
- Pedagogy for physical education 1
Year II
- Educational psychology
- Social perspectives on education
Professional Studies in HMHE
- Professional practice in PDHPE II
- Health of young people I
- Indigenous perspectives in PDHPE
- Outdoor education
- Pedagogy for physical education II
- Applied anatomy & physiology
Year III
- Positive approaches to special education
- Sports, leisure and youth
Professional Studies in HMHE
- Professional practice in PDHPE III
- Health theories and models in action
- Pedagogy for physical education III
- Pedagogy for physical education IV
- Health of Young People II
- Training for performance
Year IV
- Reading and designing research
OR
Research Honours A - Research Honours B
Professional Studies in HMHE
- Professional practice in PDHPE IV
- Community health issues
- Pedagogy for physical Education V
- Sports medicine
- Internship
AND either
One HMHE elective (Honours route)
OR
One Human Movement elective (non Honours route) and
One EDUF elective
By the end of Year 3 you are expected to have completed a WorkCover approved First Aid Certificate. This is a prerequisite for EDUH4050 Sports Medicine.
The degree is awarded at pass or honours level.
Bachelor of Education (Secondary: Humanities and Social Sciences) and Bachelor of Arts
Course Coordinator
Dr Tim Allender
Phone: +61 2 9351 6334
Fax: +61 2 9351 4580
Email:
This degree prepares students to teach in the following curriculum areas in secondary schools:
- English
- Drama
- History
- Languages (may be taken as a double method)
- Visual Arts
- Classical Hebrew and Judaism
- Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
- Geography*
- Economics*
- Mathematics*
In Years 1 and 2 students engage in a broad tertiary education, which includes subjects in the Faculties of Arts and Education and Social Work. In the third year of the degree students begin the full professional program in teaching and curriculum. The professional program involves the study of teaching and learning as well as methods of teaching the school curriculum.
The two degrees are completed in five years.
The schedule of studies for the five years of the degree is as follows:
Year I
- Two 100-level one-semester units of study in Education (12 credit points); and
- Six Junior (100-level) units of study chosen from those offered by the Faculty of Arts (four units must be teaching subjects, two of these must be selected from Table A, Faculty of Arts units) (36 credit points).
Year II
- Three senior level units of study in Education (18 credit points); and
- Teaching and Learning units of study (6 credit points);and
- Four Senior (200-level) units of study chosen from those offered by the Faculty of Arts (continuation of teaching subjects) (24 credit points).
Year III
- One 300 level Education unit of study (6 credit points); and
- Teaching and Learning unit of study (4 credit points); and
- Professional Experience unit of study (2 credit points); and
- Curriculum units of study (24 credit points); and
- Two Senior one-semester units of study from those offered by Table A, Faculty of Arts towards major area of study (12 credit points).
Year IV
- Two units of study in Education: one compulsory, Reading and Designing Research (6 credit points) and one elective (6 credit points); or
- If eligible to enrol in honours, students enrol in Research Honours A (6 credit points) and Research Honours B (6 credit points) and complete a dissertation of 10,000 words or its equivalent.
- Curriculum units of study (12 credit points); and
- Teaching and Learning units of study (10 credit points); and
- Professional Experience unit of study (2 credit points); and
- Two Senior one-semester units of study from those offered by Table A, Faculty of Arts towards major area of study (12 credit points).
Year V
- Curriculum and Professional Studies in Education (24 credit points); and
- Four Senior units of study from the Faculty of Arts to complete requirements for the Bachelor of Arts, (24 credit points).
* Students may major in these subjects but must have a Table A Arts major also in order to graduate with a BA.
The degree is awarded at pass or honours level.
Bachelor of Education (Secondary: Science) and Bachelor of Science
Course Coordinator
Dr Tim Allender
Phone: +61 2 9351 6334
Fax: +61 2 9351 4580
Email:
Science Curriculum Coordinator
Mr Tony Sperring
Phone: +61 2 9351 2608
Email:
This degree prepares students to teach in the following areas in secondary school:
- Science
- Science/Mathematics
- Science/Geography
Students must complete a major in one teaching science area – i.e. Biology, Chemistry, Geology or Physics (or a corresponding major such as Biochemistry, Geophysics, Marine Science, Microbiology, Pharmacology or Physiology) and at least one year of study in a second science (from the four broad science areas). At least one year (12 credit points) of either Chemistry or Physics must be included in the science studies.
Science can be taken as either a double or a single teaching method. As a single teaching method it can be coupled with Geography or Mathematics. In Years 1 and 2 students engage in a broad tertiary education, which includes subjects in the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Education and Social Work.
In the third year of the degree students begin the full professional program in teaching and curriculum. The professional program involves the study of teaching and learning as well as methods of teaching the school curriculum.
The two degrees are completed in five years.
The program is strongly supported by laboratory work, the use of ICT and school-based experiences, designed to produce highly qualified and sought after graduates.
The schedule of studies for the five years of the degree is as follows:
Year I
- Two 100-level one-semester units of study in Education (12 credit points); and
- Junior science discipline areas of mathematics and statistics (12 credit points); and
- Junior units of study in science subject areas (from the disciplines of biology, chemistry, geosciences and physics) including at least 12 junior credit points from each of two science subject areas, other than mathematics or statistics (24 credit points).
Year II
- Three senior level units of study in Education (18 credit points); and
- Teaching and learning units of study (6 credit points); and
- Four 200-level one-semester units of study from science teaching subject areas (24 credit points) (continuation of teaching subjects).
Year III
- One 300 level Education unit of study (6 credit points); and
- Teaching and Learning unit of study (4 credit points); and
- Professional Experiences unit of study (2 credit points); and
- Curriculum units of study (24 credit points); and
- Two 300-level one-semester units of study from those offered by the Faculty of Science towards major teaching area of study (12 credit points)
Year IV
- Two units of study in Education: one compulsory, Reading and Designing Research (6 credit points) and one elective (6 credit points); or
- If eligible to enrol in honours, students enrol in Research Honours A (6 credit points) and Research Honours B (6 credit points) and complete a dissertation of 10,000 words or its equivalent.
- Curriculum units of study (12 credit points); and
Professional Experiences unit of study (2 credit points); and - Teaching and Learning units of study (10 credit points); and
- Two 300-level one-semester units of study from those offered by the Faculty of Science towards major area of study (12 credit points).
Year V
- Curriculum and Professional Studies in Education (24 credit points); and
- 200-level or 300-level units of study to complete requirements for a Science major and for the Bachelor of Science (24 credit points).
The degree is awarded at pass or honours level.
Bachelor of Education (Secondary: Mathematics) and Bachelor of Science
Course Coordinator
Dr Tim Allender
Phone: +61 2 9351 6334
Fax: +61 2 9351 4580
Email:
Mathematics Curriculum Coordinator
Dr Judy Anderson
Phone: +61 2 9351 6264
Fax: +61 2 9351 2606
Email:
This degree prepares students to teach in the following areas in secondary schools:
- Mathematics
- Mathematics/Science
Students must take mathematics as a major subject. However, students can choose to take mathematics as a double or single teaching subject. As a single teaching subject it can be coupled with a wide range of Science subject areas (to include at least two full years in one teaching science and a full year in a second teaching science).
In the first two years students take Education as a compulsory subject, together with Mathematics. Students may choose to take Statistics with the Mathematics units. The professional program involves the study of teaching and learning as well as methods of teaching the school curriculum.
The two degrees are completed in five years.
The program is strongly supported by the use of technology specifically to support the teaching of mathematics (and any other method selected). Students will be fully equipped to use computer technology and graphics calculators in the classroom. Extensive use is made of the Internet and close collaboration with schools, both in Australia and overseas.
The schedule of studies for the five years of the degree is as follows:
Year I
- Two 100-level one-semester units of study in Education (12 credit points);
Two 100-level one-semester units of mathematics (12 credit points); and - Four 100-level units of study chosen from those offered by the Faculty of Science (24 credit points).
Year II
- Three Senior-level units of study in Education (18 credit points); and
- Teaching and Learning unit of study (6 credit points); and
- Two 200-level one-semester units of mathematics or statistics (12 credit points); and
- Two 200-level units of study chosen from those offered by the Faculty of Science (12 credit points) in the second teaching subject area.
Year III
- One 300 level Education unit of study (6 credit points); and
- Teaching and Learning unit of study (4 credit points); and
- Professional Experiences unit of study (2 credit points); and
- Curriculum units of study (24 credit points); and
- Two 300-level one-semester units of study from those offered by the Faculty of Science towards major teaching area of study (12 credit points)
Year IV
- Two units of study in Education: one compulsory, Reading and Designing Research (6 credit points) and one elective (6 credit points); or
- If eligible to enrol in honours, students enrol in Research Honours A (6 credit points) and Research Honours B (6 credit points) and complete a dissertation of 10,000 words or its equivalent.
- Curriculum units of study (12 credit points); and
- Professional Experiences unit of study (2 credit points); and
- Teaching and Learning units of study (10 credit points); and
- Two 300-level one-semester units of mathematics or statistics offered by the Faculty of Science towards major teaching ares (12 credit points)
Year V
- Curriculum and Professional Studies in Education (24 credit points); and
- 200-level or 300-level units of study to complete requirements for a mathematics major and for the Bachelor of Science (24 credit points).
The degree is awarded at pass or honours level.
Bachelor of Education (Secondary: Aboriginal Studies)
For further information about this Block Mode program please contact:
Academic Coordinator
Ms Lyn Riley
The Koori Centre
Phone: +61 2 9351 6995
Fax: +61 2 9351 6924
Email:
The Faculty of Education and Social Work may admit an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person to candidature for the Bachelor of Education (Secondary: Aboriginal Studies) degree who (a) is qualified for the award of the Diploma in Education (Aboriginal) of the University of Sydney; or (b) has completed other qualifications deemed by the Faculty to be equivalent.
The Bachelor of Education (Secondary: Aboriginal Studies) is a block-mode (away-from-base) program. This program is designed specifically for Indigenous Australian people. Units of study are delivered in one-week blocks on the Camperdown campus in Sydney six times a year.
Bachelor of Education (Honours)
An Education Honours degree is available in the following programs:
- BEd(Early Childhood)(Birth – Five Years)
- BEd(Primary)
- BEd(HMHE)
- BEd/BA
- BEd(Maths)/BSc
- BEd(Science)/BSc
Entry to an Education Honours degree requires a weighted average mark of at least 75, averaged across 48 credit points of undergraduate units of study excluding Junior units of study and Professional Experience units.
Students completing Honours will be required to successfully complete EDUF4005 Research Honours A and EDUF4006 Research Honours B and complete a 10,000 word dissertation or its equivalent.
Further details about honours are located in the Resolutions of the Faculty in the section "Degree Regulations and Policies" of this handbook.
Rationale for the inclusion of Education I, II, III and IV in the Bachelor of Education
The Bachelor of Education has as its organising principle the professional education of teachers. As part of that education Education I, II, III and IV contribute a range of studies which link professional practice to broader theoretical and contextual understandings of educational activity. These include studies of childhood and youth, learning and teaching, psychology and human development; as well as studies of the philosophy, history, politics and sociology of education in a rapidly changing world. The increasingly globalised world students of the twenty first century enter, makes international perspectives crucial. The University of Sydney acknowledges the need to place all units of study offered in Education I through to Education IV within a global context.
Consequently the Education stream has an important relationship to the social sciences and humanities. Units of study in Education I, II, III and IV are therefore organised around multi-disciplinary topics and problem-solving frameworks. The overall aim of these units is for students to engage with substantial bodies of thought in making sense of a broad range of teaching and learning experiences; developing skills and knowledge so that they may participate actively in the processes of education and educational reform.
To this end units of study in Education I, II, III and IV encourage depth of understanding, flexibility, and critical and constructive thinking on diverse approaches to educational issues. In addition, organised research training aims to develop skills in systematic enquiry and reflective practices. These skills and knowledge are essential for learning and teaching related professions.
Units of study across Education I, II, III and IV develop from general understandings in first year to more specialised understandings in second, third and fourth years. These units of study contribute to the general skills and knowledge expected of graduates of the University of Sydney who are preparing for active participation in society as informed citizens and life long learners. Not all students of Education I, II and III will become teachers. Education I, II, III and IV is designed for the students who intend to become teachers, as well as students who have a more general desire to understand education as a field of academic inquiry.
Education I, II, III and IV contribute to the attributes of University of Sydney graduates in these five areas:
Knowledge
Graduates who have passed through Education I, II, III and IV should:
- have a body of knowledge in the field of education, drawn from disciplines and multi-disciplinary studies including: human development (child and adolescent in particular), educational psychology (with an emphasis on how young people learn), schooling as a social activity (which study will include philosophical, historical, sociological and multi-disciplinary perspectives), and curriculum, professional and teaching studies;
- be able to apply theory and research findings to practise in familiar and unfamiliar situations;
- have an appreciation of the importance and usefulness of scholarship and research as they organise their professional careers;
- have a working knowledge of the processes of policy development and implementation in education, with specific knowledge about certain mandated policies such as Child Protection.
Thinking skills
Graduates who have passed through Education I, II, III and IV should be able to:
- interpret educational research and theory critically
- exercise critical judgement
- think rigorously and independently
- account for their decisions
- evaluate their own performance realistically
- adopt a problem-solving approach
- think creatively and imaginatively.
Personal skills
Graduates who have passed through Education I, II, III and IV should have the:
- formal research skills to investigate their professional practice and its context
- capacity and desire to continue to learn
- ability to plan and achieve goals in both the personal and professional sphere
- ability to work with others, including those from diverse backgrounds.
Personal attributes
Graduates who have passed through Education I, II, III and IV should:
- strive for tolerance and integrity
- acknowledge their personal responsibility for their own value judgements and ethical behaviour towards others.
Practical skills
Graduates who have passed through the Education I, II, III and IV should:
- collect, analyse and report observations
- present reasoned argument based on research to peers in the field of education
- analyse educational activity and phenomena from a theoretically informed knowledge-base
- use computing and recent information technologies to assist in their learning, analysis, presentation and solving of educational issues and problems.
Units of study in Education I, II, III and IV link these attributes to their evaluative and assessment practices. Evidence of the following criteria will be used to evaluate students' work:
- Knowledge of concepts, theories, methods and content associated with a unit of study
- Apply these concepts, theories and methods within the unit of study
- Communicate ideas in written and oral form
- Use a range of resources, including ICTs, to analyse and synthesise the key elements of an educational question
- Gather evidence to solve educational problems.