Curriculum Studies – Studies of Religion

This subject, prepares pre-service teachers to teach Studies of Religion I and II, Years 11-12 syllabi developed by NESA. It is designed to advance knowledge and understanding of key theoretical and pedagogical perspectives and issues in the teaching of Studies of Religion.

Awards offering Curriculum Studies – Studies of Religion

This unit is offered as a part of the following awards:

• Master of Teaching (Secondary)

Unit Content

Curriculum Objective

This subject, prepares pre-service teachers to teach Studies of Religion I and II, Years 11-12 syllabi developed by NESA. It is designed to advance knowledge and understanding of key theoretical and pedagogical perspectives and issues in the teaching of Studies of Religion. It examines current developments in the theory and practice of Studies of Religion education. Students will work independently, collaboratively and interdependently to develop their capabilities in planning and implementing appropriate curriculum and pedagogy in light of Christian and alternate worldview. The subject aims to develop students’ knowledge of theoretical and practical aspects; engage with a range of pedagogical approaches and provides opportunities for the pre-service teachers to design learning and teaching sequences and assessment tools informed by research.

Outcomes

1. Demonstrate advanced understanding of Australian and State educational policies and priorities and their effect on implementing ‘best practice’ teaching strategies and engaging resources fulfil the aims of the NSW Studies of Religion Syllabus (Stage 6);
2. Describe in detail the origins, principal beliefs, sacred texts and writings, ethical systems and personal devotion in the home from one of the five religious traditions - its organisation, 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 Year 11-12 NSW Studies of Religion Syllabus in both Christian and alternate school contexts;
3. Develop student-centred innovative and well-designed lesson sequences (links with other social science disciplines, skills development, and knowledge acquisition, 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’ wellbeing and safety- legally and educationally, in a range of school contexts;
4. Design and critically reflect upon, lesson sequences, and curriculum materials using threshold concepts and skills development, knowledge acquisition and signature pedagogies that incorporate ICT, Quality Teaching Framework, and Great Teaching Inspired Learning using Understanding by Design;
5. Prepare and critically reflect upon 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 in learning.
6. Develop examples which could be used to reliably report to parents/carers and professionals.
7. Prepare and assess the integrating of assessment strategies, unit evaluation, course evaluation, and HSC examination.  

Subject Content

• Detailed investigation of media arts platforms including television, film, video, newspapers, radio, video games, the internet and mobile media. History of interactive forms of media arts and mobile media arts;
• Advanced analysis of the language of media arts: text, image, sound. Genres, styles, confluence and contestation of mediums;
• Appraising social, cultural and environmental influences on media arts, past and present. Social networking, YouTube, smart phones, and future trajectories; web communications, weblogs, user generated content, wikis, online researching; ethical and safety issues;
• Media arts in Australia and its region extended e.g. Australian Indigenous, SBS, representations of land, people, and politics. The Black Book, the Dreaming, reconciliation, ritual;
• Manipulation, consumerism, and post-modernism through story telling. Meaning making and media. Exploring personal journeys and stories through media art;
• Audience interactivity and engagement through gaming. Gamification. Gaming platforms; opportunities and limitations; ethical and safety issues;
• Advanced training in technological tools of media arts. Visual and audio effects. Distribution/publishing contracts and copyright issues;
• Christianity through media arts in the 21st Century. Tyler Perry, Patricia Heaton, Denzel Washington, Martin Sheen, Ralph Winter, Angela Bassett, Kristin Chenoweth, and Mike Nawrocki;
• Principles and practices of assessment and reporting in media studies e.g. checklists, scoring rubrics, student log, student/group projects, multimedia recording and portfolios, school-based record keeping and stakeholder communication.

This course may be offered in the following formats

• Face-to-Face
• Intensive
• Distance/ Global Online

Please consult your course prospectus or enquire about how and when this course will be offered next at Alphacrucis University College.

Assessment Methods

1. Multimedia Resources (30%)
2. Lesson Plan Sequence (30%)
3. Assessing a Unit of Work (40%)

Prescribed Text

• References will include the most current curriculum requirements for schools.

Check with the instructor each semester before purchasing any prescribed texts or representative references