Professional Certificate in Teaching (Clinical)

The aim of the course is to build the knowledge and skills of educational practitioners so that they can develop, critique and utilise a range of data and draw on the latest educational research to devise interventions that improve student outcomes at the individual, group, team and school levels.

The course will explore the nature of clinical teaching and the development and use of data, supporting candidates to acquire the skills to generate, interpret and evaluate various forms of student data. It will introduce candidates to key theories around how students learn and recent research on how to identify accurately student learning needs and provide instruction that is targeted to those needs.

Course candidates will engage in a range of activities designed to draw upon and enable them to understand more fully their own particular experiences and roles in school and preschool education.

On the completion of this course graduates will have the knowledge, skills and understanding to:

• Use evidence to make sound clinical judgments about the nature and implementation of teaching interventions.
• Generate and analyse diverse sources of data that can effectively assess and inform student learning and development.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which theory and research inform practice.
• Evaluate the impact of their teaching on their students’ learning.
• Demonstrate a readiness to reflect on their own teaching practice and to use this reflection as a means of continuous improvement.

There are two compulsory subjects.

1. The Selection Committee will evaluate the applicant’s ability to pursue the course successfully using the following criteria –

• an undergraduate degree and a fourth-year level education qualification, or equivalent, or
• a four-year education degree, or equivalent.

2. The Selection Committee may conduct interviews and tests and may call for referee reports or employer references to elucidate any of the matters referred to above.

3. Previous graduates of the MGSE MTeach will not be eligible for entry to this course.

The core participation requirements for study in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education are:

In all courses

1. The ability to comprehend complex information related to education and the disciplines in which the student is teaching.
2. The ability to communicate clearly and independently in assessment tasks a knowledge of the content, principles and practices relating to education and other relevant disciplines.
3. Behavioural and social attributes that enable a student to participate in a complex learning environment. Students are required to take responsibility for their own participation and learning. They also contribute to the learning of other students in collaborative learning environments, demonstrating interpersonal skills and an understanding of the needs of other students. Assessment may include the outcomes of tasks completed in collaboration with other students.

Students who feel a disability will prevent them from meeting the above academic requirements are encouraged to contact Disability Liaison http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Graduates may progress to a range of other graduate coursework programs. The Professional Certificate is embedded within the Master of Clinical Teaching, and graduates may choose to progress to complete the Masters degree.

The Professional Certificate in Teaching (Clinical) will enable graduates to achieve the following University of Melbourne Graduate Attributes:

Academically excellent: Graduates will develop a research and evidence-based knowledge of learning, teaching, professional learning, and educational culture and climate. They will demonstrate a high level of achievement in writing, generic research activities, problem-solving and communication.

Knowledgeable across disciplines: Graduates will examine critically, synthesise and evaluate knowledge across a broad range of disciplines, particularly those with relevance to their education setting. They will expand their analytical and cognitive skills through learning experiences and have the capacity to participate fully in collaborative learning and to confront unfamiliar problems.
Leaders in communities: Graduates of the Professional Certificate in Teaching (Clinical) will develop specialist skills and knowledge that will enable them to provide leadership in educational and wider community contexts. They will be able to initiate and implement constructive change in the classroom, supported by their knowledge of research around educational effectiveness. They will mentor be able to engage in meaningful public discourse around education.

Attuned to cultural diversity: Graduates of the Professional Certificate in Teaching (Clinical) will be working within organisations characterised by cultural and other forms of diversity. This is reflected in such overarching documents as the Australian Charter for the Teaching Profession, the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young People and the various national professional teaching standards and curriculum documents. Graduates will value different cultures and be well-informed citizens able to contribute to their communities wherever they choose to live and work. They will have an understanding of the social and cultural diversity in our community and respect indigenous knowledge, cultures and values.

Active global citizens: Graduates of the Professional Certificate in Teaching (Clinical) will accept social and civic responsibilities and attempt to inculcate these values in those with whom they work. They will recognise that education is the best means we have of opening the doors of opportunity for people and of ameliorating the effects of inequity and disadvantage.

In addition to developing skills specific to the Professional Certificate in Teaching (Clinical), graduates will develop the following generic skills:

• Problem-solving skills, including identifying and researching strategies to solve unfamiliar problems.
• Analytical skills and the ability to construct and express logical arguments.
• Collaborative and teamwork skills through working with fellow students and with work-based colleagues.
• Skills to investigate critically, implement, adapt and modify new ideas and approaches.
• The capacity to plan effectively and to meet deadlines.
• Oral and written communication skills.
• Interpersonal skills including teamwork and staff mentoring.
• The capacity to use information and communication technology for a range of purposes.
• The ability to develop, critique and use appropriately a range of evidence and data.