EDCU 520 Assignment 1

Eric Yeap
Student No. S00185428
In designing a learning sequence for students in an alternative program I will first
provide a Case Study of an example of a student who would enter such a program.
Alex is a 16 year old boy entering Year 10
He has always excelled at sport. He has natural ability in any sport he undertakes
finds success in the sporting field very easy to come by. He is recognised and
admired for his sporting ability universally and in this endeavour he has very few
failures. He is taller and physically stronger than most of his peers. Despite (or
given) his sporting talent he puts in minimal effort into his sport, yet is able to still
achieve great results. He has been in many state and representative squads for
football and basketball.
Academically, however, he has had fairly poor results. He rarely hands in
assignments on time, he can be disruptive in class and shows minimal enthusiasm
and motivation.
He has been involved in some bullying incidents. This largely stems from a lack of
self-esteem. He is accustomed to success in a sporting sense and has little
experience of failure. However, because he finds academia difficult and is not
accustomed to working hard or failing at subjects, he does not know how to
respond in these situations. This manifests in disruptive behavior in class and has
led to bullying incidents.
His numeracy level is of grade 5 standard and has basic literacy levels.
He has little idea about career paths but thinks it will be something to do with
sport. He is on the roster of the Oakleigh Chargers under 18 squad and thinks he
will one day play AFL football.
He has never had a part-time job or a position of any responsibility.
School Setting
Alexs school is a co-educational Catholic school in the Eastern suburbs.
There are approximately 1000 students.
The vast majority complete VCE and go on to tertiary study.

Background / Need for an alternative pathways program.

As students approach the senior years of secondary school there is a distinct focus
on preparing them for the next stage of their lives. In the majority of cases this will
be tertiary education. The traditional and mainstream design of school caters for
these students. Students undertake VCE subjects with the aim of achieving an ATAR
score to gain entry into university or TAFE.
However, this model does not fit for all students. Some students do not wish to
proceed to university. It may not be their chosen career/vocation path, they may
have trouble conforming to certain academic aspects of schooling, and they may
have little idea of their desired vocation, however, they will need to keep their
options open.

For these students an alternative pathway needs to be developed to enable them to

create appropriate goals, opportunities and cater for their specific needs, whether
this be employment or further study.
It is crucial that this pathway is seen as having legitimate aims, goals and purpose
and that it is simply not a dumping ground for unwanted or disruptive students or
a retention strategy for this cohort of students (Clarke and Volkhoff, 2012).
At no other time in history has there been such importance in having an education.
In developed countries such as Australia, the number blue collar jobs, such as
manufacturing, production and process work are rapidly diminishing either through
automation and technological changes or the realities of globalization and
outsourcing to cheaper labour markets overseas. Various studies conducted by
global organisations such as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD) and more specifically to Australia, a recent
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report A smart move: Future-proofing Australias
workforce by growing skills in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM),
2015, as well as important curriculum shaping documents such as The Melbourne
Declaration on Educational Goals for young Australians (MCEETYA, 2008) identifies
the need to develop students who are successful learners, literate in science and
technology and resourceful problem solvers. Todays youth are entering a time
where job skills are constantly changing and developing, largely driven through
technology and globalisation. In order for students to succeed and find employment,
it is critical that they have these skillsets and it is up to schools to provide them.
Many of these students may not have a clear idea of what path they wish to take
post-compulsory schooling and the program will need to remain flexible enough to
cater for a wide range of needs. There will be an emphasis on problem-solving,
learning practical skills whilst maintaining a high level of academic achievement,
developing a growth mindset, and personal development - including building
resilience, good relationships and preventing bullying and anti-social behavior in
order to prepare the student for the remainder of their lives.

The Program Beyond 10 Program

Aims and Goals
To provide a structured pathway to prepare students into the senior years of
schooling and beyond.
To help students make informed choices regarding their options for education
and work.
To provide relevant skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT.
To provide education and skills in health, well-being and learning to empower
students to be active and informed citizens in contemporary society and
make rational and informed decisions about their own lives.
To assist students in reaching their full potential in their chosen pathway by
ensuring their individual needs are addressed and they remain engaged and
motivated by their schooling.

Overview of the pathway into the Senior Years of school and beyond.

Comparing the programs (fortnightly timetable)

Mainstream Program
Homeroom
English
Mathematics
Science
Elective 1
Elective 2
Religious Education
PE
Pastoral Care / Student
Wellbeing

No. of
Lessons
8 x 13
mins
7 x 60
mins
7
8
8
8
5
5
4

Beyond 10 Program
Homeroom
English / Literacy
Mathematics / Numeracy
Science and Technology
Elective 1
Small group
study/Vocational education
Religious Education
PE
Pastoral Care / Student
Wellbeing
Canteen Duty

No. of
Lessons
8 x 13
mins
7 x 60
mins
7
8
8
8
5
5
4
2

Components of the Program

Homeroom (All school students)
8 days out of 10 (in the fortnight schedule) commences with a 13 min class with the
students homeroom class. The classes are arranged vertically to promote
mentoring, social interaction and peer teaching across the year levels.
English/Literacy

Students will still need to meet the requirements of the Year 10 curriculum.
However, the content will be geared towards the specific needs and interests of the
students. Tasks will also have relevance to vocational training, such as job
application and resume writing, reading and understanding contracts, loan/credit
documents for example.
There will also be an emphasis on restoring confidence to the students, particularly
if they have had poor results through learning difficulties or behavioural issues.
Significantly, students individual learning needs will be addressed and catered for.
Mathematics/Numeracy
Once again students will need to meet the requirements of the year 10 curriculum.
There will be a focus on relevant and functional numeracy skills. Some examples will
be basic business and budgeting skills, learning about using credit, interest rates,
loans and mortgages and highlighting the negative consequences. A major goal of
the program is to ensure students have understood and can utilise basic maths
skills. Individual learning needs will be addressed.
Science and Technology
In todays work environment, science and technology have become a major focus.
Numerous studies, as mentioned earlier, have identified a need in increasing
literacy in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects. The
PwC report predicts the loss of more than 600,000 jobs over the next 20 years due
to automation and computerisation. The report identifies occupations related to
STEM are going to be the fastest growing in the near future and that teaching of
these STEM subjects is a method of ensuring Australias economic future.
These students will need to be re-engaged into scientific thinking and literacy. The
science will need to be relevant, with a lot of hands-on investigations, inquiry based
content and applications to real world issues (Tytler 2007). If, for example we were
tailoring a subject for Alex, our case study student, we could explore the
biomechanics of the human body in sport or diet and nutrition relating to exercise.
Literacy in technology will also be crucial in helping the students adapt to an everchanging world. Once again there will be an emphasis on making content relevant,
particularly towards vocation. Skills could include spreadsheets, use of EFTPOS
machines linked to computerised cash registers and how to gain access/knowledge
to new technologies. In this subject there will also be information on using
technology correctly and addressing issues such as cyber-bullying and inappropriate
posts for example.
Elective 1
Students select an elective completely of their choice and in line with the
mainstream program.
Small Group Study/Vocational Education
In the small study groups, students will have additional opportunity to work closely
with teachers and peers to address any particular aspects regarding their schooling.
It may be additional assistance with a particular subject, working on projects, social
or behavioural aspects, vocational assistance or advice.

Vocational education will initially focus on teaching skills specific to gaining

employment. For example interview technique and skills, phone manner,
expectations and requirements of employers, such as dress standards, punctuality,
behaviour and conflict resolution.
Students will then be required to perform some form of practical experience one
afternoon per week. It may be work experience in a field they have an interest, TAFE
tasters course, pre-apprenticeship training. Many studies as cited by Clarke and
Volkhoff (2012) have indicated that structured workplace learning is beneficial in
building student self-confidence, motivation for school completion and progression
to further study, it broadens awareness of options post school and provides
opportunities for networks and future employment.
Religious Education
Students participate in the mainstream program without alteration.
PE
Students participate in the mainstream program without alteration
Pastoral Care/Student Wellbeing
Students participate in line with the mainstream program.
There will be particular education in resilience, mindfulness and building and
maintaining relationships through running a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
program. SEL programs set out to explicitly teach coping and problem solving skills
with the aim of developing critical thinking and make responsible decisions (CASEL,
2015).
In particular, anti-bullying issues will be explored. For the students in the program
who may be disengaged from mainstream schooling, one of the outcomes is often
bullying. One of the key goals of the Beyond 10 program is to provide students such
as Alex, in the case study, with the skills to problem solve, make responsible
decisions and give him the confidence to achieve through addressing failure.
Canteen Duty
Each student will be required to perform duty in the School canteen at least once a
week.
Students will be initially trained in customer service, managing financial
transactions, safe food handling practices.
An official record of their attendance, compliance and performance will be given.
Particular emphasis will be placed on punctuality, positive interaction with canteen
staff and customers. At the end of the year students will be given a written
reference, which can be used to assist in gaining future employment.
Students will have practical experience of the expectations of a workplace and what
skills are required when working with a team and interacting with customers.
Delivery of the Program
Implementation of the program will need to be structured and properly coordinated.
A key goal of the program is to ensure students are engaged by their schooling and
remain motivated to remain at school and continue their learning. School
connectedness has been shown to be one of the strongest indicators for building

student confidence and positive well-being (Cahill et.al., 2012). Related to this is
positive teacher-student relationships. Cahill et al, 2012 cites studies which show
that students are more likely to seek help from teachers they trust, who they find
friendly and are non-judgemental. Teacher behaviours that students associate with
confidence are when they take an interest in what I do, talk to me, treat me with
respect, let me make mistakes, show that they are proud of me to name a few.
Consequently, it is important that particular teachers with these attributes are
chosen for this program. Also appropriate support and professional development for
the teachers will need to be provided. A successful SEL program has a number of
components and strategies, and teachers will need appropriate time and training to
implement them in the program effectively. Some of the strategies particular to
successful SEL programs are collaborative teaching, use active forms of learning,
focus on skills development and have explicit learning goals.
Family involvement will also be an important component of the program. It is
important that parents are also well educated in relation to the program and have
an understanding of their roles and responsibilities. An information session will be
given to the parents and there will be regular contact through the year.
Assessment
As mentioned earlier, each student will need to satisfy the minimum requirements
of the Year 10 Curriculum. One of the goals of the program is to provide flexibility
and opportunity for the students and enabling them to enter VCE will remain one of
their options.
As part of the goal setting and review process, students and parents will engage in
3 way partnership meetings twice a semester. The start of the semester will outline
goals, expectations and discuss individual needs of each student, whilst feedback
and review will be conducted at the end of the semester.
Assessments will consist mainly of rubrics with an emphasis on personal
development and charting of improvement rather than a raw score.
There will still need to be some specific standards met in numeracy and literacy.
Punctuality, attendance and reliability will be seen as an important goal. A report
and written reference will be provided at the end of the year by the Canteen
manager and at the completion of their work experience/placement.
Conclusion
In this sample of an alternative Year 10 learning sequence I have endevoured to
create a program which meets the needs of a particular cohort of students who are
not engaged in the mainstream program. I have tried to make strong links with
vocational training and education and making the education as relevant as possible.
There is also a strong emphasis on building self-confidence, resilience and
emotional development through effective Social and Emotional Learning programs.

References
Cahill, H., Beadle, S., Farrelly, A., Forster, R. & Smith, K. (2014). Building resilience in
children and young people - A literature review for the Departmet of
Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD). Melbourne: Melbourne
Graduate School of Education.
Clarke, K. & Volkhoff, V. (2012). Entry to Vocations: current policy trends, barriers
and facilitaors of quality in VET in schools. Adelaide: National Vocational
Education and Training Research Program.
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). (2015,
October). Retrieved from http://www.casel.org/guide
Minsiterial Council on Education, Employment and Youth Affairs. (2008). Melbourne
Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians. Retrieved from
http://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/national_declaration_on_the_e
ducational_goals_for_young_australians.pdf.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2013).
Education at a Glance 2013. Retrieved from http://www.google.com.au/url?
sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&sqi=2&ved=0CBwQFjAAahUKE
wjuo5aC48rIAhUJJpQKHflqC54&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oecd.org%2Fedu
%2Feag2013%2520(eng)--FINAL%252020%2520June
%25202013.pdf&usg=AFQjCNEgtl4jretBs-M0oDYnVASV2eophg&sig2=YG
PricewaterhouseCoopers. (2015, April). A smart move: Future-proofing Australias
workforce by growing skills in science, technology, engineering and maths
(STEM). Retrieved from https://pwc.docalytics.com/v/a-smart-move-pwc-stemreport-april-2015
Tytler, R. (2007). Re-imagining Science Education. Engaging students in science for
Australia's future. Camberwell: ACER press.