University of Technology Sydney

013171 Society and Culture Teaching Methods 2

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Education: Initial Teacher Education
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade, no marks

Requisite(s): 96 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10405 Bachelor of Communication (Writing and Publishing) Master of Teaching Secondary Education AND 013235 Human Society and its Environment Teaching Methods 1
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

This subject explores and critiques the skills and understandings required to be an effective secondary social science teacher of Society and Culture and create an engaging program for learning. The subject informs supervised teaching placements in the professional experience subjects. Teacher-education students learn professional commitment, current developments in social science teaching and learning, and reflection on teaching practice. Topics include teaching to differentiated classes; selecting digital resources and tools to enhance school-student learning; organising and evaluating methods and materials for learning; discipline-specific assessment and reporting; and theoretical teaching frameworks. Teacher-education students acquire in-depth knowledge within selected areas of education relevant to the NSW Society and Culture syllabus.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

a. Apply knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive, through differentiation, to the learning strengths and needs of students learning in Society and Culture (GTS 1.3.1, 1.5.1)
b. Organise knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area (GTS 2.1.1)
c. Explain HSIE syllabi ideas accurately, including the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of Indigenous Australian (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) to understanding social sciences and curriculum (GTS 1.4.1)
d. Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies. (GTS 3.2.1)
e. Integrate critical understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning.(GTS 5.2.1)
f. Compose scholarly written and oral responses, based on sound academic conventions, including accurate referencing

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

  • Know secondary school students and how they learn, with an advanced ability to critically evaluate the physical, social and emotional dimensions of learners (1.1)
  • Know the content and how to teach it, demonstrating an advanced knowledge of a teaching program in one or more disciplines to critically evaluate its delivery (1.2)
  • Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning with an advanced knowledge of educational practice, pedagogy, policy, curriculum and systems (1.3)
  • Plan and carry out extended analysis, and undertake independent research, of issues related to content-specialisations and teaching theories and practices (2.1)
  • Communicate effectively using diverse modes and technologies in academic, professional and community contexts (6.1)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

There are three APST graduate descriptors addressed in this subject and demonstrated in relation to taught, practised and assessed.

1.5.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.

Standard 1.5.1 is taught and practised in Weeks 3 and 4, and assessed in Assessment task 1, criterion 3.

2.1.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.

Standard 2.1.1 is taught and practised in Week 6, and assessed in Assessment task 3, criterion 1.

5.2.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning.

Standard 5.2.1 is taught and practised in Week 8, and assessed in Assessment task 2, criterion 3.

Teaching and learning strategies

The teaching and learning strategies employed in this subject include lecture input, structured discussions, collaborative small group work and workshops, hands-on tasks and practice classroom teaching, individual research and engagement with online simulated classroom teaching and learning pedagogies and practices. Weekly workshops scaffold learning through a series of activities within a sequence to build deep knowledge of the Society and Culture curriculum and teaching and learning pedagogy relevant to each stage and content strand. Teacher-education students critically examine and apply current thinking and practices in social science education and trial, select and design a variety of teaching strategies and a range of resources, including those involving the use of ICTs, that engage school-students in their learning. During the learning continuum, teacher-education students demonstrate acquired knowledge through presentations, multi-modal representations, questioning, reflection and assessments.

Formative feedback

Students receive ongoing formative feedback throughout the semester.

Content (topics)

In this subject, students focus on:

  • Roles and responsibilities of Stage 6 teachers of Society and Culture;
  • Quality Teaching Framework and the AITSL Graduate Standards for Teachers;
  • NSW Stage 6 Society and Culture Syllabus: aims, objectives, stage statements, outcomes, content, requirements, assessment emphases, courses;
  • Identifying, selecting and using a range of resources in the secondary classroom;
  • Focus on the learners; strategies for differentiating teaching and meeting diverse learner needs; and assessment principles and strategies;
  • Developing effective questions for the Society and Culture classroom;
  • Critical literacy and numeracy in the Society and Culture classroom;
  • Teaching oral skills in the secondary classroom: key elements and considerations.
  • Key programming documents: scope and sequence, lesson plans, key aspects of a unit of work;
  • Investigating strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning;
  • Investigating the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning;
  • Exploring ways to organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Planning for differentiation in the Society and Culture Class

Objective(s):

a, c, d and f

Weight: 20%
Length:

750 words + detailed lesson plan

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Identification and justification of relevant approaches to differentiation used to enhance teaching and learning 25 a 1.1
Logic of the content and structure of the lesson to facilitate teaching of the lesson 25 c 1.3
Scholarly knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching. 25 d 2.1
Clarity and professionalism of written expression 25 f 6.1
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Formal assessment task, marking guides and feedback

Objective(s):

a, b, e and f

Weight: 40%
Length:

1000 words

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Appropriateness of task, placement in teaching/learning cycle for achievement of stated purpose 20 b 1.3
Clarity and relevance of rubric, marking guidelines and detail suggested answers 30 a 1.2
Clarity and detail of how the task will be marked to make the feedback relevant, timely and meaningful 30 e 1.3
Clarity and professionalism of written expression 20 f 6.1
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 3: Designing a learning sequence

Objective(s):

a, b and f

Weight: 40%
Length:

1200 words (lesson plans and supplementary resources in the appendices)

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Coherence of the learning sequence and lesson plans (concepts, strategies, resources) 30 a 1.2
Logic and clarity of justification of key components of the learning sequence. 30 b 1.3
Logic and relevance of the selected strategies and resources, including evaluation of the program, using relevant scholarly literature 30 b 2.1
Clarity and professionalism of written expression 10 f 6.1
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

Students MUST attend a minimum of 8 out 9 sessions.

Students must pass all three assessment tasks to pass this subject. The three tasks collectively assess the Subject Learning Objectives and Graduate Attributes (both APST graduate descriptors and CILOs) covered in this subject. External accrediting bodies (NESA and AITSL) require all tasks to be satisfactorily completed in order to demonstrate achievement against NSW Graduate Teacher Standards. Students who do not pass all assessment tasks will be awarded an X Fail grade.

Required texts

NSW Educational Standards Authority Stage 6 HSIE syllabuses

https://www.educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning- areas/hsie

NSW Educational Standards Authority Stage 6 Society and Culture syllabuses

https://www.educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning- areas/hsie/society-culture

References

Black, P., & William, D. (1998). Inside the black box. Raising standards through classroom assessment. London, UK: London University Press.

Dhall, M. (2019). The Business of Teaching. Sydney, Australia: M2K Education and Advisory. Excerpts will be distributed as required.

NSW Department of Education and Training (2003). Quality teaching in NSW public schools. Discussion Paper. Sydney, Australia: NSWDET.

Evans, R. W. (Ed.). (2021). Handbook on teaching social issues. Washington DC: National Council for the Social Studies,

Marcus, A. S., Metzger, S. A., Paxton, R. J., & Stoddard, J. D. (2018). Teaching history with film: Strategies for secondary social studies. Routledge.

Nowell, S. D. (2017). “It's About the Why”: Social studies teachers’ perceptions and pedagogy of common core literacy integration. The Journal of Social Studies Research, 41(1), 63-73.

NSW Educational Standards Authority (2019) Assessment and Reporting in Society and Culture: https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning- areas/hsie/society-culture/assessment-and-reporting