Master of Clinical Teaching

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.
• Utilise diverse pedagogical strategies to provide rich and creative learning environments that empower learners.
• Utilise inclusive teaching practices that demonstrate an awareness of cultural diversity and its implications for society and education.
• Demonstrate a readiness to reflect on their own teaching practice and to use this reflection as a means of continuous improvement;
• Demonstrate a capacity to engage in the scholarship of teaching in their own disciplinary/professional field of practice.

In the first two semesters students complete four compulsory subjects.

The final two semesters can be completed as either the Coursework or the Research Pathway option.

Students wishing to undertake the research pathway option must attain an average of H2A or above (i.e. 75% or above) in the first four compulsory subjects to be admitted to the research pathway option.

Compulsory Subjects

Coursework Option

The Coursework option comprises EDUC90758, EDUC90759, EDUC90829 and either EDUC90428 OR EDUC90831

Research Pathway Option

The Research Pathway option comprises EDUC90419 and EDUC90420

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:
• an undergraduate degree and a fourth-year level education qualification, or equivalent; or
• a four-year education degree
Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:
• prior academic performance.

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.

4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for postgraduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 7 is required.

Note. Previous graduates of the Melbourne Graduate School of Education’s Master of Teaching 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.

In courses requiring students to undertake practicum placements

4. The ability to undertake professional practice placements independently, including:
a. the ability based on personal maturity to establish a professional relationship with students and interact with them appropriately;
b. the ability to communicate to students the subject matter being taught with clarity and in a way that is age-sensitive;
c. the ability to model literacy and numeracy skills independently for students and in all their interactions meet community expectations of the literacy and numeracy skills teachers should have;
d. the ability to demonstrate skilfully and safely activities required in particular discipline areas being taught (e.g. physical education activities, science laboratory techniques);
e. the ability to create, monitor and maintain a safe physical environment, a stable and supportive psychological environment, and a productive learning environment in their classroom;
f. the ability to establish effective relationships with all members of the school community, including colleagues, students, and caregivers;
g. the ability based on mental and physical health to exercise sound judgment and respond promptly to the demands of classroom situations, and the personal resilience to cope and maintain their wellbeing under stress.

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 from this program are eligible to apply for entry to the Doctor of Education program or a PhD after completion of a 50-point Postgraduate Certificate in Educational Research, provided they meet the entry requirements and subject to achievement of an H2A GPA.

Those who complete the research pathway option in their final year are eligible to apply for entry to the Doctor of Education program or a PhD provided they meet the entry requirements and subject to achievement of an H2A GPA. Please note also that graduates of an undergraduate Honours degree may already be eligible for doctoral studies, subject to the same entry and achievement requirements.

The Master of Clinical Teaching will enable graduates to achieve the following University of Melbourne Graduate Attributes:

• Academically excellent: Graduates will develop an in-depth 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. Graduates will be critical and creative thinkers, with an aptitude for continued self-directed learning and will be adept at learning in a range of ways, including through information and communication technologies.
• 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 Master of Clinical Teaching 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 their workplaces, supported by their knowledge of research around educational effectiveness. They will mentor future generations of learners and teachers and be able to engage in meaningful public discourse around education.
• Attuned to cultural diversity: Graduates of the Master of Clinical Teaching 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 Master of Clinical Teaching will accept social and civic responsibilities and attempt to inculcate these values in those with whom they work. They will be advocates for improving the sustainability of the environment and have a broad global understanding, with a high regard for human rights, equity and ethics. 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 Master of Clinical Teaching, 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.