Assessment 1: Mini academic essay 1

Assessment 1: Mini academic essay 1

Word/time limit:1000 words(+/- 10%)Weighting:25%Individual/Team:IndividualDue date:5:00 pmAEST Monday 22 August 2022 (Week 5)

If you have any questions aboutthis assessment, you can access theAssessment 1 Q&Adiscussion forum.

Assessment overview

This is the first of two mini-research essays for this course. Your assessment has been designed this way so that you can use the feedback from the first essay to support you in your second essay. This will help to develop your academic writing skills. The purpose of this assessment task is to develop your academic writing skills and ability to use relevant literature to research areas for personal development in literacy and numeracy. You will research either numeracy or a literacy concept and respond with an academic essay.

This assessment supportscourse learning outcomes K1, K2, S1 and A1.

Assessment details

Make your way through the following steps to complete this assessment task.

Step 1: Choose your topic

Choose one of the following topics to be the focus of your essay:

Oral language.

Number sense.

Step 2: Revise your chosen topic

Revise your chosen topic, including all of the learning materials and essential readings associated with your topic, and identify what other academic or professional resources could you use as evidence in your essay. See eitherModule 2: Oral languagefor the learning materials related to this topic, orModule 3: Number sensefor the learning materials related to this topic).

Step 3: Write your essay

In your essay, you will need to identify, describe and analyse the challenges faced when learning this aspect of literacy or numeracy (either Oral language or Number sense), the impact on skills in other areas and the key strategies which can be used in teaching. Select the following headings to read through an essay structure template, so you understand what you need to include for each section.

Introduction

Body

Conclusion

Step 4: Include your references

Ensure that you include a reference list of all the sources cited in your essay, in correctAPA 7th editionformatting. Please note: the reference list is not included in the word count.

Supporting resources

You can use the following resources to support your researching and academic writing:

The Federation Library resourceEvaluating informationwill help you find credible and relevant research.

Seek help with academic writing byMaking an appointment with a Learning Skills Adviser (LSA).

You can use the following resources to support your referencing and academic integrity:

The resourceHow to reference key online resources for Education (APA 7th)will help you to reference Education-specific sources.

Federation University Library has helpful information about referencing in APAon their HYPERLINK "https://federation.edu.au/library/student-resources/fedcite" t "_blank" FedCitepage.

The siteAcademic integrityon the Federation University Study Skills website will help you understand how to avoid plagiarism.

The Federation University Study Skills website also has a page onReferencing.

The following resources will help you develop your content knowledge:

Developing number sense(Victoria State Government Department of Education and Training, n.d.).

Literacy teaching toolkit(DET, 2019).

The videoFostering positive dispositions across literacy and numeracy in early childhood(NSW Department of Education, 2022).

The websiteThe Australian Curriculum: Numeracy(Australian Curriculum and Reporting Authority [ACARA], n.d.)

The websiteThe Australian Curriculum: Literacy(ACARA, n.d.)

The websiteNumeracy for all learners(DET, 2019).

Submission details overview

This assessment will be submitted through Turnitin as a .DOC or .DOCX file only. You will find the relevant submission point on theAssessmentsoverview page.

Please allow a 24-hour turnaround for an originality report to be generated.

Assessment criteria

Literacy/Numeracy topic discussion.

Evidence of research.

Academic writing structure.

Academic writing conventions.

Your work will be assessed using the following marking guide:

Assessment 1 marking guide

Criteria High Distinction80100% Distinction7079% Credit6069% Pass5059% No PassLess than 50%

Literacy/Numeracy topic discussionIdentify and explainchallenges in the teaching and learning of literacy. Discuss the implications of these for teaching and learning.

(40%) Challenges around teaching and learning in the literacy area chosen have been fully explored. Implications for teaching and learning have been discussed in detail and show a deep understanding of the relevant teaching strategies and applications. Challenges have been explored in depth. Implications for teaching and learning have been discussed and show a very good understanding of the relevant teaching strategies. Challenges have been explored to some extent. Some understanding of the implications for teaching and learning is demonstrated. Good level of understanding of teaching strategies. Challenges have not been explored fully. Minimal understanding of the implications for teaching and learning is demonstrated. Discussion of teaching strategies is limited. Did not meet the criterion.

Evidence ofresearchThe written discussion is supported by current, relevant, accurate, authoritative and purposeful literature

(30%) Outstanding research well beyond set or recommended readings. Thorough research beyond set or recommended readings. Relevant research from the set or recommended readings. Basic level of research conducted; has not gone beyond the recommended readings and/or the research selected and used is not always relevant. Did not meet the criterion.

Academicwriting structureCorrect essay structure used, guided by the Introduction, Body and Conclusion in Step 3: Write your essay

(15%) Organisation fully appropriate and effective for the topic (point of view, unity, paragraphing); very strong introduction & conclusion, thesis statement, topic sentences. Organisation controlled; generally appropriate to the topic; appropriate paragraphing; introduction & conclusion, thesis statement, topic sentences evident and appropriate. Organisation controlled but limited; some paragraphing problems; adequate introduction & conclusion; limited thesis statement & use of topic sentences. Some organisation is apparent, but poorly controlled; the introduction & conclusion, thesis statement, and topic sentences may be missing or incomplete. Did not meet the criterion.

Academicwriting conventionsAcademic conventions of communication, referencing and citing

(15%) High level of accuracy and control in the articulation of ideas: full range of simple, compound, and complex sentence patterns used; error-free sentence-level grammar. Correct form for academic writing: headings; correct APA citations; spelling, capitalisation, and punctuation error-free. Sustained evidence of correct citation and APA 7th referencing. High level of accuracy and control in the articulation of ideas: mastery of sentence patterns demonstrated; may have occasional grammatical errors on the sentence level. Minimal errors in spelling, capitalisation, and punctuation. A consistent approach to citation and APA 7th referencing. Ideas are clearly articulated: sentence patterns most often successfully used; several grammatical errors on the sentence level. Some errors in spelling, form, indentations, capitalisation, and punctuation. A consistent approach to citation and APA 7th referencing with few (if any) errors. Lack of clarity in places: simple and complex sentences attempted but often unsuccessful; grammatical errors distract from meaning. Minor spelling, capitalisation, punctuation and grammatical errors. Mostly consistent approach to citation and APA 7th referencing with few errors. Did not meet the criterion.

References

Australian Curriculum and Reporting Authority. (n.d)The Australian Curriculum: Numeracy. https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabilities/numeracy/

Australian Curriculum and Reporting Authority. (n.d).The Australian Curriculum: Literacy. https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabilities/literacy/

Federation University Library. (2022).Academic integrity.https://federation.edu.au/current-students/learning-and-study/online-help-with/plagiarism

Federation University Library. (2022).Evaluating information.https://federation.edu.au/library/student-resources/help-with-searching/evaluating-information

Federation University Library. (2022).FedCite referencing tool.https://federation.edu.au/library/student-resources/fedcite

Federation University. (2022).Making an appointment with a Learning Skills Adviser (LSA).https://federation.edu.au/current-students/learning-and-study/get-help-on-campus/learning-skills-advisors/making-an-appointment

Federation University Library. (2022).Referencing.http://studyskills.federation.edu.au/referencing/?_ga=2.75561877.1871278498.1619476566-512462527.1599712387

NSW Department of Education. (2022).Fostering positive dispositions across literacy and numeracy in early childhood.https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/early-learning/professional-learning/positive-dispositions

Victoria State Government Department of Education and Training. (n.d.).Developing number sense.https://numeracyguidedet.global2.vic.edu.au/numeracy-focus-areas-developing-number-sense/

Victoria State Government Department of Training. (2019).Literacy teachingtoolkit.https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/english/literacy/Pages/default.aspx#empty

Victoria State Government Department of Training. (2019).Numeracy for all learners.https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/maths/Pages/numeracy-for-all-learners.aspx

Assessment declaration and statement of authorship

By submitting my assessments I declare that:

This is an original piece of work and no part has been completed by any other person.

I have read and understood the guidelines on theStudent academic integrity policy, and no part of this work has been copied or paraphrased from any other source except where this has been clearly acknowledged in the body of the assessment and included in the reference list.

I have retained a copy of this assessment in the event of it becoming lost or damaged.

I agree and acknowledge that:

I have read and understood the declaration and statement of authorship.

I accept that use of my Federation University Online account to electronically submit this assessment constitutes my agreement to the Federation UniversityAssessment Declaration.

If I do not agree with the Federation University Assessment Declaration in this context, the outcome of my assessment may not be valid for assessment purposes and may not be included in my aggregate score for this course.

I am aware that it is not acceptable to resubmit the same piece of work (in part or as whole) for multiple assessments without permission from the Course Coordinator.

Prior to submitting your assessment, please refer to theAcademic Integrity Module (AIM)in theFederation University Library to ensure the integrity of your submission.

Further information relating to the penalties for plagiarism, which range from a formal caution to expulsion from the University, is contained on theStudent plagiarismpage.