EDF5779 · Developing and evaluating positive behaviour support school programs and practices

Overview

Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is a contemporary practice which acknowledges the potential of every child to succeed. This strengths-based approach is being established in many schools in Australia and abroad. Consequently, school practitioners, who are implementing associated strategies require evidence-based strategies to support their initiatives. This unit offers you an opportunity to evaluate and critique school initiatives regarding positive behaviour support. The unit builds on existing understanding and knowledge relating to PBS practices at schools, extending this understanding through independent judgement supported by academic scholarship. Intended for practitioners and school leaders who would like to extend their skill and knowledge in this field, the unit will allow close exploration of contemporary practice. Such exploration considers individual school visions around PBS programs, specific programs of intervention within the multi-tiered systems of support and the impact on staff and students. Additionally, it will reflect on details within the school’s behaviour plan, and protocols that govern its implementation. There will be opportunities to consider functional behaviour assessments in context, reflect on interventions and prevention plans, and critique the design and formulation of PBS programs at schools.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

Learning outcomes

1. demonstrate an advanced understanding of PBS practice, and critically reflect on its implementation in contemporary classrooms
2. interact with the significant theoretical underpinnings and contemporary debates in within the positive education initiatives, and independently reflect on its relevance to modern classrooms
3. evaluate current literature and research around PBS, through the construction of a project plan for a school that is empirically supported
4. communicate your understanding of PBS through a presentation, which reveals your awareness and skill in devising PBS programs and supports for schools
5. critique a current school’s behaviour management programs and offer appropriate advice on how to improve the overall implementation
6. utilise contemporary ideas and foundational theories to evaluate, appraise and critique a school’s PBS initiatives, drawing on local state initiatives.

Workload

The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 288 hours per teaching period comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Usually, you can expect to engage with: • 12 hours of scheduled learning delivered on campus via weekly/regular directed learning activities, 24 hours of scheduled learning delivered online via a combination of synchronous and asynchronous directed learning activities and the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study OR • 36 hours of scheduled learning delivered online via a combination of synchronous and asynchronous directed learning activities and the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study^ ^ International students studying in Australia are not permitted to undertake this scheduled learning delivery mode Scheduled learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.