Details for CRS222 Curriculum Studies – Geography: Part A

Geography is the study of people, places and environments and the complex interactions between them over space and time with an underpinning Christian Worldview.  It is a key discipline through which students develop a holistic understanding of the Earth and its peoples and a deep knowledge of the relationships between them. Students are then equipped with the key skills, tools and perspectives to enable them to engage with the World in more meaningful and responsible ways. This subject aims to prepare Teacher Education Students (TES) to teach Geography and interdisciplinary areas such as Civics and Citizenship offered in the Geography K–10 Syllabus as developed by NESA and ACARA, in a confident manner. The subject aims to develop students’ knowledge of theoretical and practical aspects; engage with a range of pedagogical approaches and provides opportunities for the TES to design learning and teaching sequences and assessment tools informed by relevant literature, syllabus documents and established pedagogical approaches. 

Quick Stats

• Currently offered by Alphacrucis: Yes
• Course code: CRS222
• Credit points: 10

Subject Coordinator

Prerequisite

The following courses are prerequisites:

• EDU103 Foundations of Christian Education
• EDU116 Introduction to Learning Theory  
• At least one major/minor subject in Geography

Unit Content

Outcomes

1. Demonstrate understanding of Australian and State educational policies and priorities and their effect on implementing ‘best practice’ teaching strategies Including the creation of engaging resources that fulfil the aims of the ACARA Geography curriculum 7-10 and NSW Geography syllabi (Stages 4 to 5).
2. Describe in detail the subject’s organisation in understanding the teacher’s role involving support, mentoring, professional development goals, curriculum administration, WHS, and engaging with parents/carers, professional and external community organisations in the teaching of 7-10 Geography in Christian and alternate school environments.
3. Develop student-centred innovative and well-designed lesson sequences including Christian Worldview and rational, historical content, tools, and skills; language, literacy and numeracy demands of the content including the general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities, and differentiates for the full range of student abilities, and diverse backgrounds (multilingual and sociocultural), providing explicit strategies to support students’ well-being and safety – legally and educationally within a range of contexts.
4. Design and  reflect upon units of work, lesson sequences, and curriculum materials using threshold concepts and skills development, knowledge acquisition and signature pedagogies that incorporate ICT.
5. Design a variety of assessment instruments using ‘best practice’ that demonstrate understanding of statistical information, assessment moderation and its application to judge student achievement through assessment of learning, for learning and as learning, and reliably report to parents/carers.

Subject Content

1. Australian Curriculum Framework, State Geography Syllabus 
2. Themes & Alignments 
3. Values and human issues; Community Participation; Teacher professional associations
4. Fieldwork
5. Skills Review and Lesson Planning 
6. Teacher Program Building  
7. Universal Design for Learning and Blooms Taxonomy 
8. The Learning Journey 
9. Models supporting Assessment 
10. Assessment For Learning 
11. GIS in the Classroom  

This course may be offered in the following formats

• Face to face on site (intensive) 
• E-learning (online/asynchronous)
• E-learning (online/synchronous)

Please check the timetable to see when this subject will next be offered at Alphacrucis University College.

Assessment Methods

1. Digital Video Presentation (25%)
2. Sequential Lesson Planning  (35%)
3. Assessing a Unit of Work  (40%)

Prescribed Text

No prescribed texts applicable.