013409 Professional Learning
Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a
particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Postgraduate
Result type: Grade, no marksThere are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This is the first subject in the professional experience sequence. It provides a general overview of the teaching process, the teaching profession and teacher professional learning. There is also a 20 day practicum component for students in the combined degree MTeach course. The MTeach standalone students undertake their first placement in Professional Experience Teaching Practice 1. All students prepare for their placements by exploring the school environment, analysing the UTS lesson plan template and researching quality teaching and learning strategies. Pre-service teachers engage in preparatory activities for teaching in classrooms, with the specific purposes of learning how to plan for effective learning and teaching through modelling and demonstrating their understanding of the components of key teaching skills. They form links between theory and practice as they describe, analyse and reflect upon quality teaching and what makes a difference to student learning outcomes.
The workshops and online materials introduce various forms of professional teacher learning with emphasis on context, collaboration, evidence-based decision making and education research. Teacher-education students practise participating in forms of teacher learning and consider the utility of these for their ongoing development, as well as their implication for pupil learning. The benefits of parent/carer engagement in education are explored, along with strategies for teachers to work effectively, sensitively and confidently with parents/carers. Pre-service teachers are also introduced to the purpose and structure of the Digital Portfolio of Professional Practice that is created using the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Graduate as the framework.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| a. | Explain the rationale for continued professional learning and the implications for improved student learning (6.4.1) |
|---|---|
| b. | Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs. (6.1.1) |
| c. | Understand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers. (6.2.1) |
| d. | Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs (6.3.1) |
| e. | Describe a broad range of strategies for involving parents/carers in the educative process (3.7.1) |
| f. | Devise examples of strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers (7.3.1) |
| g. | Demonstrate an understanding of the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice (7.4.1) |
| h. | Communicate appropriately to a range of audiences |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
- Know the content and how to teach it, demonstrating an advanced knowledge of a teaching program in one or more disciplines to critically evaluate its delivery (1.2)
- Engage in professional learning for educators (1.5)
- Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the associated school communities (5.1)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
See the subject learning objectives and the course intended learning outcomes above.
Teaching and learning strategies
The subject requires attendance in synchronous workshops as well as asynchronous online activities between workshops, plus a 20-day placement in a school. In the workshops, teacher-education students learn about different forms of professional learning by practising them, reflecting on their experiences and evaluating their utility for future practice. Teacher-education students also participate in a simulated working group (with lecturer guidance) over several weeks to complete a series of tasks.
Independent reading and completion of learning activities between workshops complements, supports and consolidates learning experiences. All teacher-education students are expected to complete the asynchronous online activities (about 90 minutes each week) in addition to required readings for the subject. Teacher-education students receive ongoing formative feedback throughout the semester, in both synchronous and asynchronous activities and through questions posted in discussions and online forums.
An aim of this subject is to help you develop academic and professional language and communication skills in order to succeed at university and in the workplace. To determine your current academic language proficiency, you are required to complete an online language screening task, OPELA (information available at https://www.uts.edu.au/research-and-teaching/learning-and-teaching/enhancing/language-and-learning/about-opela-students) [or a written diagnostic task]. If you receive a Basic grade for OPELA [or the written diagnostic task], you must attend additional Language Development Tutorials (each week from week [3/4] to week [11/12] in order to pass the subject. These tutorials are designed to support you to develop your language and communication skills. Students who do not complete the OPELA and/or do not attend 80% of the Language Development Tutorials will receive a Fail X grade.
Content (topics)
The subject is organised around a number of interrelated units that are framed by the following questions:
- Why do teachers need to learn throughout the careers?
- How do teachers learn?
- How do teachers learn collectively?
- Why should schools/teachers engage with parents/carers/communities?
- What do teachers need to know about their school community before attempting to engage with them?
- What strategies are most appropriate for engaging with parents/carers/communities?
- What is a professional portfolio, and how can it support teacher learning?
- How are schools engaging with their parents/carers/communities, and what can we learn from them?
- What have I learned, and what does it mean?
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Portfolio Part A
| Objective(s): | b, c and f | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type: | Portfolio | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 50% | ||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 1,200 words or equivalent (not including the artefact or references). | ||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: Portfolio Part B
| Objective(s): | a and g | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type: | Portfolio | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 50% | ||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 900 words or equivalent (not including the artefact or references). | ||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Minimum requirements
Teacher education students from the Undergraduate Stacked courses must attend twenty days of observational school placement. A report indicating successful completion of the professional experience placement must be provided to the professional experience office. Students who do not meet the requirements associated with the eight-day observational school placement may be refused to have their final assessment marked (Rule 3.8).
Teacher education students must successfully complete their Child Protection and Anaphylactic Awareness certificates before being permitted to attend professional experience, which is a legal requirement. Additionally, you should complete an online child protection module before going on professional experience. Students who do not meet these requirements are not eligible to go on their practicum.
A pass on each assessment task is required to pass this subject in order to meet the NESA requirement that all subject learning objectives and APST graduate standards descriptors be achieved.
It is a requirement of this subject that all students complete OPELA [or a written diagnostic task]. Students who received a Basic grade in the OPELA [or the written diagnostic task] are required to attend 80% of the Language Development Tutorials in order to pass the subject. Students who do not complete the OPELA and/or do not attend 80% of the Language Development Tutorials will receive a Fail X grade.
Required texts
The Reading List links will direct students to the readings. This often means going via the UTS Library which requires a UTS student number and passcode. Further readings are also available on the Subject Reading List. Students should be guided by the Canvas Pages which will tell them exactly what is required reading each week.
Recommended texts
Churchill, R. (2018). Teaching: Making a difference, 4th edition. ProQuest Ebook Central https://ebookcentral.proquest.com
Whitton, D., Martin, D., Wood, D., Maadad, N., & Daniels-Mayes, S. (2022). Teaching: Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary (1st ed.). Cengage Learning Australia.
Whitton, D., Barker, K., & Nosworthy, M. (2016). Learning for Teaching, Teaching for Learning (3rd ed.). Cengage Learning Australia.
References
Barnes, Y, & Solomon, Y. (2014). Empowering teachers as learners: continuing professional learning programmes as sites for critical development in pedagogic practices. In C. Day & J. Sach (Eds.), Workplace learning in teacher education: international practice and policy (pp. 137-150). Dorhrecht: Springer.
Brookfield, S. D. (2017). Becoming a critically reflective teacher. San Franscico, USA. John Wiley & Sons
Campbell, E. (2003). The ethical teacher. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Clarke, M, & Pittaway, S. (2014). Teacher standards. In M. Clark & M. Pittaway (Eds.), Marsh's Becoming a teacher (pp. 400-416). Frenchs Forest: Pearson.
Hamilton, M. (2018). Bridging the gap from teacher to teacher educator: The role of a teaching portfolio. Studying Teacher Education, 14(1), 88-102. Doi: 10.1080/17425964.2017.14140
Hamlin, D., & Flessa, J. (2018). Parental involvement initiatives: An analysis. Educational Policy, 32(5), 697-727. DOI: https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.uts.edu.au/10.1177/0895904816673739
Kinnaird, P. (2013). Parental Involvement: Building a True Working Relationship. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. State University of New York Empire State College
McNiff, J. (2010). Action research for professional development: concise advice for new and experienced action researchers. Poole, Dorset: September Books. [Anchor]
Reich, A., Rooney, D., & Boud, D. (2015). Dilemmas in continuing professional learning: Learning inscribed in frameworks or elicited from practice’. Studies in Continuing Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/0158037X.2015.1022717
Schön, D. (1983). The reflective practitioner: how professionals think in action. USA: Basic Books Inc. [Anchor] [Anchor]
Torrance, D., & Forde, C. (2017). Redefining what it means to be a teacher through professional standards: implications for continuing teacher education. European Journal of Teacher Education, 40(1), 110-126 DOI: 10.1080/02619768.2016.124652
Other resources
Canvas will be a major source of learning resources for this subject (eg. videos, podcasts, YouTube clips, web-links, readings etc). New items will be added over the semester so be sure to log in on a regular basis.