Outline

Overview

Practitioner Inquiry is a research process professionals utilise to collaboratively explore their own practice for ongoing improvement with a view to transformative change. In this unit, you will work with other developing educators across sectors to collaboratively explore your practice. The unit aims to introduce the practice of ongoing development as an adaptive educator. Through the unit you will engage in collaboration with peers across education sectors as you gather evidence from your own practice and analyse evidence from practice with evidence from research to inform further action, continuing this process to enable your professional learning for the development of your students.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Education
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points of 2000-level EDUF coded units
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Nikki Brunker, nicole.brunker@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 31 August 2026

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Case studies	Practitioner Inquiry please refer to the Task 2 Description Sheet on Canvas	70%	Multiple weeks Due date: 09 Oct 2026 at 23:59 Closing date: 09 Oct 2026	5000 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	Written Task please refer to the Task 1 Description Sheet on Canvas	30%	Week 02 Due date: 14 Aug 2026 at 23:59 Closing date: 14 Aug 2026	1000 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

Both tasks must be passed to complete the unit.

Task 1: Late submission (and extensions) are not possible for Task 1 which requires submission of the 'position paper' by 9am Monday September 1st (on the Canvas Task 1 submission page and on the relevant tutorial padlet) at which time the Canvas submission will close - this is to enable small group access to the documents prior to the in-seminar protocols. Absence from the week 5 tutorial will necessitate an additional task for Task 1.

Assessment criteria

All activities and assessments in this unit of study occur in conformity with the policies of the Sydney School of Education and Social Work in the Faculty of Arts and
Social Sciences as outlined in the Faculty and School canvas sites. Please refer to these sites for matters such as:
• Marking and Grading
• Questioning a Mark
• Submitting an Assignment
• Exams
• Seeking an Extension
• Penalties for Late Submission of Work
• Word Limit Penalties
• Plagiarism and Academic Integrity
• Use of Similarity Detection Software
• Seeking Special Consideration
• Seeking a Leave of Absence
• Student Appeals Process
All students enrolled in this Unit of Study are expected, without exception, to familiarise themselves with these policies. They are available at the following canvas site:
https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/13426
The University has adopted severe but fair procedures for dealing with plagiarism. It is imperative that students understand what constitutes plagiarism. The threat of
being accused of plagiarism is generally relieved by expert referencing of your assignments. If you are unsure on how to reference well, please refer to the following
Canvas site: https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/13426
Unless otherwise stated in the unit of study outline, word-limit penalties may be applied.
Unless otherwise advised by the course or unit of study coordinator/outline, the Sydney School of Education and Social Work requires the style guide of the American
Psychological Association (APA) to be used for citation and referencing purposes.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Task 2: In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date: Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date. After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction to Practitioner Inquiry	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 01	Introduction to Practitioner Inquiry	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 02	Research Evidence for Teaching	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 02	Planning to Teach	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 03	Practitioner Inquiry in Practice	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 03	Task 2: Teaching Small Groups	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 04	Analysis of Evidence from Practice and Students	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 04	Analysing evidence from existing research with evidence from practice, and evidence from students	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 05	Practitioner Inquiry in Action	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 05	Teaching Small Groups	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 06	Responsive Teaching	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 06	Evidence and Teacher Judgement	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 07	Practitioner Inquiry in Action	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 07	Small Group Teaching	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 08	Evaluating Practitioner Inquiry	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 08	Evaluating Practitioner Inquiry	Tutorial (2 hr)

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings are on canvas.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Demonstrate knowledge of various disciplinary perspectives in educational studies and apply these, using a practitioner inquiry framework, to educational practice
LO2. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiated teaching to meet the needs of diverse learners and cultures, including across the full range of abilities
LO3. Demonstrate an understanding of how differentiation supports inclusive participation and engagement in learning in diverse educational contexts
LO4. Demonstrate an understanding of the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening an educator’s knowledge and practice

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

We value student feedback and welcome ideas for ways to strengthen unit content, communication and assessments.

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

EDUF3050: Practitioner Inquiry

Semester 2, 2026 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links