Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
Prerequisites
NilIncompatible
EDSS610
Unit rationale, description and aim
At a time of rapid ongoing change as a result of globalisation, internationalisation and developing information communication technologies, the role of a career development practitioner is ever more important. Career development counsellors enable people across the lifespan to develop the skills they need to make career decisions and transitions and adapt to change. In this unit, which lies within the Career Development specialisation, students will develop specialised knowledge, understanding and skills to support individuals make successful transitions to further education, training and work. Students will consider a range of strategies that can assist individuals to develop specific competencies. Special consideration will be given to the role of government and community agencies as well as strategies for collaborative action with schools and organisations. In order to complete the assessment tasks in this unit, students will need to invite an individual to engage with them in a career advisory session.
The aim of this unit is to build the required knowledge, understanding and skills that they will need to function as effective career development counsellors across a range of settings including schools, colleges and universities, corporations and government agencies, and private practice.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description | Relevant Graduate Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| LO1 | Identify a range of career teaching/learning strategies for a wide range of students and adults (APST 1.2H, 1.3H, 1.5L, 1.6H, 2.2L, 3.3L, 3.4L, 3.5H, 3.6H, 3.7L, 4.1L, 4.2H, 6.2H, 6.4H, 7.1H) | GC1, GC2, GC7, GC9 |
| LO2 | Summarise the career development lifelong process (APST 1.2H, 1.3H, 1.5L, 1.6H, 2.2L, 3.3L, 3.4L, 3.5H, 3.6H, 3.7L, 4.1L, 6.2H, 6.4H, 7.1H) | GC1, GC2, GC7, GC9, GC11 |
| LO3 | Differentiate strategies to assist students and adults to make individual career plans (APST 1.2H, 1.3H, 1.5L, 1.6H, 2.2L, 3.3L, 3.4L, 3.5H, 3.6H, 3.7L, 4.1L, 6.2H, 6.4H, 7.1H) | GC1, GC2, GC4, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11, GC12 |
| LO4 | Plan for lifelong learning and the role of change, chance and uncertainty in career development (APST 1.2H, 1.3H, 1.5L, 1.6H, 2.2L, 3.3L, 3.4L, 3.5H, 3.6H, 3.7L, 4.1L, 6.2H, 6.4H, 7.1H) | GC1, GC2, GC7, GC8, GC9 |
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS
On successful completion of this unit, students should have gained evidence towards the following standards:
1.2 Understand how students learn (Highly Accomplished) |
1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds (Highly Accomplished |
1.5 Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities (Lead) |
1.6 Strategies to support full participation of students with disability (Highly Accomplished) |
2.2 Content selection and organisation (Lead) |
3.3 Use teaching strategies (Lead) |
3.4 Select and use resources (Lead) |
3.5 Use effective classroom communication (Highly Accomplished) |
3.6 Evaluate and improve teaching programs (Highly Accomplished) |
3.7 Engage parents/carers in the educative process (Lead) |
4.1 Support student participation (Lead) |
4.2 Manage classroom activities (Highly Accomplished) |
6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice (Highly Accomplished) |
6.4 Apply professional learning and improve student learning (Highly Accomplished) |
7.1 Meet professional ethics and responsibilities (Highly Accomplished) |
Content
Topics addressed in this unit include:
- the importance of career development throughout the lifespan, including a critical appraisal of the evidence for career-related thinking, learning and behaviour at different life stages
- implications for career development, theory, practice, policy, learning and development
- career decision-making and planning within the context of a complex continually changing and therefore unpredictable world and practical strategies to address these contingencies
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit is offered in offered in multimode and uses an active learning approach to support students in the development of knowledge and skills related to life-long career development. Students have the opportunity to attend synchronous online webinars to participate in the construction and synthesis of this knowledge. Such an approach allows flexibility for students are largely engaged in full-time work.
Where required by cohorts, part or all of the unit could be delivered face-to-face with students engaging in lectures and workshops as well as students accessing digital resources and activities available through the Canvas site.
This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the semester. To achieve a passing standard in this unit, students will find it helpful to engage in the full range of learning activities and assessments utilised in this unit, as described in the learning and teaching strategy and the assessment strategy. The learning and teaching and assessment strategies include a range of approaches to support your learning such as reading, reflection, discussion, webinars, podcasts, video, workshops, and assignments etc.
Assessment strategy and rationale
In order to successfully complete this unit, postgraduate students need to complete and submit two graded assessment tasks. The assessment strategy used allows students to demonstrate their knowledge related to life-long career development in a creative and practical manner.
The first task (40%) focuses on practical skills and techniques required for career development education and the second task (60%) focuses on how theory is applied to practice in the area of career development.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Assessment Task 1 Written task related to practical technique | 40% | LO1, LO3 |
Assessment Task 2: Extended writing task in which you critically discuss your learning and how you have or will apply it in your practice | 60% | LO2, LO4 |
Representative texts and references
Arthur, N., & McMahon, M. (Eds.). (2018). Contemporary theories of career development: International perspectives. London: Routledge.
Australian Government, Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations. (2010). Australian blueprint for career development. Retrieved from https://www.education.gov.au/australian-blueprint-career-development
Kobus, M., & Di Fabio, A.M. (Eds). (2015). Exploring new horizons in career counselling: Converting challenges into opportunities. Rotterdam: Sense.
Lyseng, A., Bernes, K., Gunn, T., & Ross, S. (2016). A research review of career education and engagement with K-12 students. Canadian School Counselling Review, 1(1), 4-10.
McMahon, M. (Ed.). (2017). Career counselling: Constructivist approaches (2nd ed.). Abingdon, UK: Routledge.