Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies

It is essential that teacher education students are familiar with the function of schools and schooling and the responsibilities of classroom teachers. This unit provides a broad overview of the goals of schooling, including the promotion of equity and excellence and support of young Australians to become successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed citizens. The unit introduces the role of the teacher as a planner of teaching and learning, as a user of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), as a classroom manager and as a contributor to a teaching/learning community. The unit also considers some of the legal and moral responsibilities of the teacher.

Teacher education students (TES) require a sound understanding of significant cultural themes and issues in education and schooling in contemporary Australia. They also require a coherent understanding of global issues in society and culture that impinge on Australian educational experience and practice. The overarching aim of this unit is to assist TES to develop a critical awareness of the impact of intersecting cultural environments on schooling and education. Various social, historical, political, economic, philosophical and theological perspectives will be explored with particular emphasis on the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

Teacher education students (TES) require a sound understanding of the developmental stages through which students progress, and the implications of this developmental trajectory for teaching and learning. Using theoretical resources drawn from developmental psychology, this unit explores human physical, cognitive, social, emotional, moral and spiritual development with particular reference to middle- and late-childhood. Within the domain of educational psychology, theories of learning, behaviour, intelligence and motivation, and their implications for the classroom, are investigated critically.

This investigation encourages the development of a reflective approach to the integration of theory and teaching practice. Finally, various philosophical perspectives on unit content are provided in order to enable TES to more broadly situate and evaluate various theories of development and learning.

Teacher education students (TES) require a basic understanding of the current philosophies and practices relevant to including and serving school students with diverse abilities within the regular classroom. This unit will equip candidates with the skills, understandings, and attitudinal base to encourage effective learning for all school students – irrespective of their culture, character, ability or needs. TES will be provided with the opportunity to develop strategies that have high utility in the primary classroom, thus enabling all students to access the curriculum. National and State policies and practices supporting inclusion will be examined, as will the nature and place of support services within the class, school and community.