TCHR2002 CHILDREN, FAMILIES & COMMUNITIES
ASSESSMENT 2: Portfolio 2025 Term 3
Summary
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Title |
Assessment 2: Portfolio of short responses to unit content |
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Due Date |
Friday 15th August (WEEK 6) at 11:59 pm |
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Length |
1500 words excluding references |
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Weighting |
50% |
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Academic Integrity and GenAI – see below |
Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools, such as ChatGPT, is permitted for this preparation of Assessment Task, within university guidelines. If you use GenAI tools, you must use these ethically and acknowledge their use. To find out how to reference GenAI in your work consult the APA 7th referencing style for your unit via SCU Library referencing guides. |
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Submission |
1 word document saved as a PDF or Word document Submit to Turnitin in the assessment 1 folder on Blackboard No resubmissions of assignments are permitted in this unit Complete the unit cover sheet and add any copies of special consideration approval |
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Unit Learning Outcomes (ULO) |
You will demonstrate the following Unit Learning Outcomes (ULO) on the successful completion of this task: ULO3: Explain the diverse range of issues affecting children, families and communities including social, economic and educational policies and their impact upon service provision for children and families. ULO4: Critically analyse texts and images in terms of the construction of childhood, and families across diverse contexts. |
Assessment Rationale
Early childhood professionals experience a range of issues that affect children and families in contemporary society. They need to use critically reflection to work in partnership with families to resolve and work with some of these issues and this requires deep knowledge, effective communication to problem solve and understand how these issues effect policy and practice.
Assessment Description
The aim of this assessment is for pre-service teachers to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding regarding some of the diverse issues facing children and families in contemporary communities and consider links to policy and practice. This assessment aligns with the unit learning modules 4-6 and requires you to reflect upon key issues presented in the unit content and complete three (3) x 500-word responses to the following topics.
Topic 1: Critical text analysis
Find a relevant article from a newspaper, educational journal, social media or Internet focussing on an early childhood issue for children aged birth-to-six-years.
Please note we do not want you to write about digital technologies for this assessment so make sure you do not write about issues to do with technology or you will not pass the assessment.
Useful sites include:
• https://theeducationhub.org.nz/ece-resources/
• https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/parents-and-parenting
• https://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/our-publications/eca-webwatch/
• The education section of the Conversation https://theconversation.com/au/education
Pay attention to the ideas expressed in the article and how they might link to the unit content about family diversity, social justice and construction of childhood family and community explored in the unit. You do not need to cover all of these topics but you do need to align your discussion to the unit content.
• Write a summary, critical analysis and evaluation of why the topic in this article is important and relevant to families with young children.
• Analyse what works or does not work in the article
• Pay close attention to the article choice as you will continue to use the same topic ideas from the article in your topic 2 and topic discussions and you will lose marks if the article is not relevant to families of young children.
• Add a hyperlink to the article and include it in the reference list
• Your choice of topic does not need approval as this choice is part of your assessment
Topic 2: Family newsletter (500 words)
1. Write about the children’s issue/topic for a family newsletter outlining the ideas from the critical text analysis you explored in topic 1.
2. You can write this in a newsletter style and use images and communication strategies that we explore in module five, but you do not have to. If you use images and/or graphics reference these after you reference list and you are then permitted to save as a PDF so the images and text in the newsletter do not move around
3. Pay attention to how you communicate your topic to families in an ECE education setting. Even though the newsletter will be written in everyday language the article needs to show understandings of the unit content and readings. It should site evidence of research and other significant literature and critically analyse the ideas presented around the issue.
4. This isn’t about giving your opinion, but rather an overview of the chosen article to communicate these ideas with families.
Topic 3: Impact of educational policies and practices
Now use the issue and understandings you have developed from your chosen text and newsletter article to consider how they align with early childhood policy and practice in an education setting (500 words).
• How might some of the ideas be reflected in policy and practices in an early childhood education setting?
• What broader polices such as those outlined in module 6 might be relevant to your issue?
• Give examples of what this could look like in practice as highlighted in module six.
Assessment Instructions
Formatting and style
• APA 7 formatting is required for this task.
• Include a cover page that contains:
• The title of the task in bold
• Include the TCHR2002 Assessment 2 cover page that can be found in the Assessment 2 folder
• Acknowledge if and how you have used GenAI in the assessment
• Include clear headings for the topics you are responding to
• Indent the first line of each new paragraph.
• Use 12-point font.
• Use a 1.5 or double-line space for your writing and your reference list as this gives spaces for the markers to write feedback.
Referencing
APA 7 Referencing style is required to be used for this task. Please refer to the APA 7th Referencing Guide for this task – https://libguides.scu.edu.au/apa
Create a reference list on a new page at the end of task with a minimum of ten references, although you may use more
At a minimum, your sources for this task will include the unit required text, unit readings, EYLF (AGDE, 2022) and broader literature.
Broader literature may include textbooks, peer reviewed articles, and other authoritative sources.
Assessment Submission
• Submitted using the submission point in the Turnitin folder in the Assessments Tasks and Submission section on the Blackboard TCHR2002 site.
• Label your final submission with your surname and initials and the assessment task’s name, e.g. SmithJ_PortfolioTask1.doc
• You are strongly advised to undertake your own SIMILARITY CHECK via Turnitin, PRIOR to the due date, to identify and resolve any academic integrity issues prior to submitting – see SCU Academic Integrity and Turnitin. You can submit up to three times and receive the similarity match report immediately – after three attempts, you will need to wait 24 hours.
• It is your responsibility to ensure that you have submitted the correct file and the final version of your assessment for marking before the due date/time.
• Turnitin does not generate an automatic email receipt. If you have successfully uploaded your assessment, a green bar will appear at the top of the screen that says: Submission uploaded successfully: Download digital receipt. Use the hyperlink to download your digital receipt and store this with your assignment file.
• If you have any difficulty submitting your assignment, log a job with Technology Services by email so you have evidence of your attempted submission. To avoid any last-minute problems, make sure you submit well before 11:59pm on the due date.
Academic Integrity
Southern Cross University academic integrity means behaving with the values of honesty, fairness, trustworthiness, courage, responsibility, and respect in relation to academic work. The Southern Cross University Academic Integrity Framework aims to develop a holistic, systematic, and consistent approach to addressing academic integrity across the entire University. For more information see the information in Blackboard, the recorded assessment overview and refer to SCU Academic Integrity Framework.
Generative AI
For the assessments in this unit students are permitted to use Generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) to:
• clarify concepts, theories, ideas, etc., discussed in class
• generate preliminary ideas for writing
• edit a working draft of the assessment
• read and summarise research and supporting evidence for the assessment
Students are not permitted to use Generative AI to:
• generate definitions or writing used in their final submission.
• produce arguments or refine thinking on their final submission
Any of these actions will constitute and be treated as a breach of academic integrity.
Do not post confidential, private, personal, or otherwise sensitive information into these tools. If you use these tools, you must be aware of their limitations, biases, and propensity for fabrication. Your use of AI tools must adhere to the SCU Academic Integrity Framework, including upholding honesty, ethics, professionalism, and academic integrity
Special Consideration
Students wishing to request special consideration to extend the due date of an assessment must submit a Request for Special Consideration form via their My Enrolment page as early as possible and prior to the original due date for that assessment task, along with any accompanying documents, such as medical certificates. Please refer to the Special Consideration section of the SCU Policy https://policies.scu.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=140
Late Submissions & Penalties
Except when special consideration is awarded, late submission of assessment tasks incurs a late penalty in accordance with the SCU Late Submission & Penalties Policy https://policies.scu.edu.au/view.current.php?id=00255
Penalties will be incurred after the assessment submission due date/time.
A penalty of 5% of the available marks will be deducted from the actual mark
A further penalty of 5% of the available mark will be deducted from the actual mark on each subsequent calendar day until the mark reaches zero.
Grades & Feedback
Grades and feedback will be posted to the ‘Grades and Feedback’ section on the Blackboard unit site using the following rubric for the marking criteria and grading standards. Please allow 7 -10 days for grades to be posted.
Assessment Rubric
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Marking Criteria and & allocation |
High Distiction + 100%) |
High Distinction (85 – 99%) |
Distinction (75-84%) |
Credit (65-74%) |
Pass (50-64%) |
Marginal Fail (35-49%) |
Fail (0-49%) |
Absent fail (0%) |
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Criteria 1 Critical text analysis of an article from a newspaper, social media, journal or Internet focussing on an early childhood issue. (Not Digital technology) /15marks |
Achieves all the criteria for a high distinction to an exemplary standard. There are no errors in this submission. |
Comprehensive and detailed critical understandings and review of key issues contained in the article. Each viewpoint is supported by current academic literature with no referencing errors. |
Competent knowledge and critical understanding of key issues from the article, with a detailed analysis. Each viewpoint is supported by current academic literature and only minor referencing errors. |
Demonstrates a sound understanding of key issues contained in the article and provided an accurate review of the issues and some links to the unit learning content and readings. |
The chosen article explored with some knowledge of the issues and/or a minimal review of these issues. Minimal current academic literature is used to support each viewpoint. |
Provides a superficial critical analysis from an Inappropriate article. Minimal review of these issues. Minimal or no current academic literature is used to support each viewpoint. |
Inappropriate media article used. Has not identified a review of the key issues. Little to no current academic literature is used to support each viewpoint. |
Not attempted |
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Criteria 2 Newsletter article created outlining the ideas from the critical text analysis that is communicated for a wider parent and community audience and uses evidence from literature to substantiate claims. /15 |
Achieves all the criteria for a high distinction to an exemplary standard, with outstanding integration of the unit materials. |
Insightful and well-articulated article with relevant examples to support the discussion. Demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of the research literature with evidence of extensive reading. |
Newsletter article communicates effectively with family audience. Comprehensive understanding of and application of research literature and evidence of wide reading. |
Newsletter article reflects a clear understanding of the topic and there is some evidence of how this can be communicated to families. Some literature to substantiate claims. |
Newsletter article attempts to write about the issues in the article, but this could be clearer and make more use of the unit learning content and readings to substantiate claims. |
Newsletter article is not relevant for the ECE parents. Uses jargon or technical language and does not communicate ideas for family audience. Provides limited or no evidence to substantiate claims. |
Parts of the newsletter article are not communicated clearly, do not connect or provide an adequate explanation of the issue. |
Not attempted |
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Criteria 3 Explores the impact of educational policies and practices on chosen topic in an early childhood education setting. Uses effective examples surrounding the chosen issue and how to develop effective family partnerships. /15 |
Clear academic writing that achieves all the criteria for a high distinction to an exemplary standard, with outstanding integration of the unit materials and links to the issues, policy and practice. |
Demonstrates an in-depth understanding of relevant policy that aligns with the issue and examples of effective practice. Provides insightful suggestions for how the service can improve its partnership with families supported by academic literature. |
Explores examples of policy and practice. Provides clear suggestions for how the service could improve its partnership with families supported by academic literature. |
Some awareness of policy and practice. Provides suggestions for how the service could improve its partnership with families with some reference to academic literature. |
Could extend examples of policy and practice Provides suggestions for how the service could improve its partnership with families with satisfactory reference to academic literature. |
Provides limited examples of policy and practice Provides limited suggestions for how the service could improve its partnership with families with little or no reference to the unit content or readings. |
Little evidence of policy and practice. Minimal understanding of how to develop partnerships with families. |
Not attempted |
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Criteria 4 Academic Literacy including English expression, writing, APA 7 referencing, and reference to relevant readings and resources /15 |
Achieves all the criteria for a high distinction to an exemplary standard, without any errors. |
As per Distinction and: Insightful integration of readings and discussion with compelling writing that aligns all aspects of the task. Intext citations and short quotes have been used effectively. |
As per Credit and: In-depth discussion and critique that is clearly written with minimal referencing and grammatical errors. |
As per Pass and: Writing is clear with references made to relevant readings that link to required unit content. APA 7 Referencing is mostly correct. |
Limited reference to unit readings, content and resources. APA and/or writing referencing may need improvement punctuation, grammar, paragraph structure, APA 7th referencing |
Writing is not cohesive, and/or the unit learning materials have not been included in a reference list or in-text citations. |
Significant improvement needed in writing and presentation with consistent errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar, paragraph structure, and APA 7th referencing |
Not attempted |
Description of SCU Grades
High Distinction:
The student’s performance, in addition to satisfying all of the basic learning requirements, demonstrates distinctive insight and ability in researching, analysing and applying relevant skills and concepts, and shows exceptional ability to synthesise, integrate and evaluate knowledge. The student’s performance could be described as outstanding in relation to the learning requirements specified.
Distinction:
The student’s performance, in addition to satisfying all of the basic learning requirements, demonstrates distinctive insight and ability in researching, analysing and applying relevant skills and concepts, and shows a well-developed ability to synthesise, integrate and evaluate knowledge. The student’s performance could be described as distinguished in relation to the learning requirements specified.