Society and Environment learning journey

Introduction This is an experimental learning initiative designed to support, enhance and document the learning journey of BEd students studying a second year unit of Society and Environment (Introduction). [This site is unofficial. There will be an official wiki housed within the university's online learning platform.]

Fieldwork planning and evaluation
Task description: For this assignment you evaluate fieldwork planning for society and environment curriculum that you will have developed collaboratively as part of the learning sequence for this unit. It is expected that the planning will relate to key disciplines such as history and geography as well as the interdisciplinary areas of civics and citizenship education. Thus, Assignment 2 consists of:

1. A copy of an artefact selected by your team to illustrate some aspect of the fieldsite selected as the basis of the assignment. fieldwork plans for children’s learning as developed during the semester;

2. An individual written evaluation of your team’s fieldwork plans and planning documents (1200 words in length)

3. References

4. Appendix (consisting of selected copies of your team’s shared fieldwork plans for children’s learning as developed during the semester along with feedback received in the online forum. Paste each of the sections indicated above into your assignment template. Evaluate your fieldwork planning and communication of it, in relation to the literature for the unit as well as any comment received on relevant sections of MyLO. You may draw upon insights from Assignment 1 also.

During the semester on campus and online students will be designated to teams for the purpose ESH260 Unit Outline Version: 04-11 14 of fieldwork planning. Each team will develop fieldwork plans and artefact/s to upload to in a designated section of MyLO. Planning artefacts developed by each team may be uploaded for comment as they evolve through the unit. This information has the potential to be valuable for everyone working in this unit.Each member of the team is responsible for keeping their own records of any artefact developed and posted to MyLO as well as any comments posted to this site as feedback from peers. Further guidance will be offered at web conferences and other discussion sessions such as face to face and discussion board feedback.

Assessment Criteria
1. Synthesis of ideas from wide-ranging and appropriate inquiry;

2. Justification of fieldwork planning and pedagogical and curricular decision making;

3. Evaluation of society and environment pedagogies and curricula;

4. Communication: academic, English writing conventions, terminology and referencing (APA guidelines).

Tutorial 8
Wiki space


 * Learning how to use your group wiki space.


 * Commencing the collaboration that will form the basis of your individual assignments.


 * Looking at other groups' wiki spaces to see different ways of using the space.

Assessment task


 * Analyse the assessment task and the grading criteria. Brainstorm it. Create series of thematic headings.

Fieldwork Planning


 * K/W/L brainstorm (What do we Know already/Want to know/need to Learn)


 * A look at planning templates


 * UBD


 * Reynolds p.39
 * Marsh P 229


 * What is the place of "policies and procedures" in AT2?

Curriculum links
http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/Australian_Curriculum_-_History.pdf http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/downloads/early_middle/qcar_el_sose_yr5.pdf
 * Shape of the Australian Curriculum: History, May 2009, National Curriculum Board
 * Queensland Essential Learnings - History Yr 5

Learning strategies

 * Understanding learning aims
 * Sharing criteria
 * Feedback
 * Self assessment
 * Questioning

Why develop a wiki?
Constructivist learning theories suggest that students actively construct their own knowledge. And in assessing the answers to these questions we would query the: clarity; accuracy; precision; relevance; depth; breadth; logic; fairness.
 * In considering the merit of developing a wiki page within the subject we could apply Elder and Paul's critical thinking process - in which case we would critically assess:
 * 1) goals and purpose of the wiki page in the unit
 * 2) questions that lead to the proposal
 * 3) information, data and experience gleaned
 * 4) inferences and conclusions made
 * 5) concepts and ideas evoked
 * 6) assumptions
 * 7) implications and consequences
 * 8) viewpoints and perspectives.

Other subsections to create

 * My mind map on Society and Environment
 * A tutor's journey
 * Suggested tutorial format
 * 1) Overview of learning objectives for the tutorial
 * 2) Unpack the lecture - students discuss their understandings
 * 3) What are our big questions?
 * 4) Technical concepts
 * 5) Self and peer assessment of work to date
 * 6) Self assessment of confidence and uncertainty with the lecture/tutorial content
 * 7) End of tutorial students' review