Graduate Certificate in Education (Higher Education)

 
Introduction

If you are a university lecturer or tutor, expert knowledge in your discipline is an essential requirement. You also need expertise in the teaching of your discipline. Would you like to further develop this expertise and increase your familiarity with contemporary understandings of the ways students learn concepts and skills and develop attributes in your field?

The Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (GCHE) offers academics the opportunity to develop such expertise and understanding. The program is scholarly yet practical and promotes the development of the University's Graduate Attributes in the context of your university teaching and research. The conceptual framework for the GCHE is the Graduate Attribute Continuum.

The GCHE program is presented within the CLPD, with the award to be conferred by the University's School of Education in the Faculty of the Professions. The program is valued by the University, as its successful completion indicates a commitment to excellence in teaching.

The program is the equivalent of one semester of full-time study (12 units), and participants will progress at the rate of one 3-unit course per semester. The four courses which make up the program are:

• University Teaching for Effective Student Learning
• Curriculum Design, Assessment and Evaluation
• Reflective Practice in Learning and Teaching
• Research Based Learning and Teaching

The course University Teaching for Effective Student Learning must be completed before undertaking the other courses.

2007 Review of Program

External Review of the Graduate Certificate in Education (Higher Education), August 2007.

An external review of the outcomes of the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education was completed in August 2007 by Dr Peggy Nightingale. In the 1980's, Dr Nightingale developed the first Graduate Certificate in Higher Education as Director of the Learning and Teaching Unit at the University of New South Wales. She is familiar with higher education systems around the globe, conducting numerous international consultancies. She brought to the review a great depth of experience in teaching and learning scholarship, and a genuine interest to assist the University of Adelaide program to build on its strengths and to indentify areas in need on improvement.

Program Syllabus

University Teaching for Effective Student Learning

3 units  |  Semester 1 and 2
24 hours contact and an estimated 120 hours non-contact
Prerequisite: none
Assessment: two 15 minute oral presentations, a project report, a teaching portfolio and peer review. Non-graded pass.

Using your current experiences in learning and teaching in higher education, this course will provide you with the opportunity to develop your understanding of student learning and its relationship with good teaching.

The concept of the scholarship of teaching will be explored and practical aspects of such teaching will be presented. Participants will undertake a limited project within their area of interest in teaching. Capabilities in large and small group teaching, and in the use of information and communication technology in teaching will be developed.

Curriculum Design, Assessment and Evaluation

3 units  |  Semester 1
24 hours contact and an estimated 120 hours non-contact
Prerequisite: University Teaching for Effective Student Learning
Assessment: 1000 word literature-based rationale, one ICT-based 2000+ word report, and one 2000+ word curriculum design assignment. Non-graded pass.

This course will provide opportunities for participants to further develop their skills in curriculum design, including the use of aims and objectives in conjunction with appropriate student learning activities to improve assessment outcomes. The course also assists participants to develop a deeper understanding of the impact assessment has on student learning, how information and communication technologies can be used to improve student learning and how to effectively use peer and student evaluations to analyse the learning and teaching environment. The course will provide opportunities for group interactions that assist participants to translate theoretical principles into practical outcomes.

Reflective Practice in Learning and Teaching

3 units  |  Semester 2
24 hours contact and an estimated 120 hours non-contact
Prerequisite: University Teaching for Effective Student Learning
Assessment: Wiki-based small-group inquiry and 20 minute oral presentation, and 2000 word reflective critique including colleague-reviewed teaching sessions. Non-graded pass.

This course allows participants to develop a deeper insight into their own teaching practice from a student learning perspective. It develops strategies that they may use to initiate quality improvement in their teaching and in student learning. Group based interactions with other participants will be an important component of the course, as will the ability to use peer feedback to initiate change. Participants will develop skills in undertaking peer reviews themselves and providing critical feedback to others on their teaching.

Research Based Learning and Teaching

3 units  |  Semester 1 and 2
12 hours contact and an estimated 132 hours non-contact
Prerequisite: University Teaching for Effective Student Learning
Corequisite: Curriculum Design, Assessment and Evaluation; or Reflective Practice in Learning and Teaching
Assessment: two 20 minute oral presentations, and one 3000+ word project report. Non-graded pass.

This unit will develop the concept of learning and teaching in a research-intensive university. The research basis for reflective practice in learning and teaching will be utilised, and the concepts associated with the scholarship of teaching will be extended from the earlier courses. An extensive project within the participants' area of interest in teaching will be undertaken, which will demonstrate an impact on colleagues, and more broadly.

Fees

In 2012, up to fifteen University of Adelaide teaching staff will be offered fee-waived course places. These places are only available to staff on continuing appointments and, if there are places available, to staff on fixed term contracts. Enrolment for these fifteen fee-waived course places will be conditional on approval by the Head of School, Executive Dean and Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic). Please note, the allocation of fee-waived course places is subject to continuing contractual employment with the University of Adelaide.

If a Faculty approves more than three applications, and if the total quota of fifteen participants is exceeded, the Executive Dean will be asked to rank the applications in order of merit and/or suitability for selection for the program. Some Faculties may, in addition, fund further course places.

Current postgraduate course fees apply for all participants who are not eligible for a fee-waived course place. The cost for the Graduate Certificate in Education (Higher Ed.) will be $6500 (GST free), or $1625 (GST free) for each of the four courses, in 2012.

Prior Recognition
Staff who completed the requirements of the current Teaching at University course during the years 2000-2011 may apply for credit towards the certificate, provided that they submit negotiated assignment tasks and meet the assessment criteria of the University Teaching for Effective Student Learning course.

Course dates 2012

Semester 1

University Teaching for Effective Student Learning (two full-day and one half-day sessions)
Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 April, 9.00 am - 5.00 pm,
and Tuesday 29 May, 9.00 am - 1.00 pm.

Curriculum Design, Assessment and Evaluation (8 half-day sessions)
Tuesday 9.30 am - 12.30 pm
March 6, 13, 20, 27; April 17, 24; May 1,8.

Research Based Learning and Teaching (6 half-day sessions)
Thursday 2.00 pm - 4.00 pm
March 8, 15, 29; April 26; May 10, 31.

Semester 2

University Teaching for Effective Student Learning (two full-day and one half-day sessions)
Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 September, 9.00 am - 5.00 pm,
and Tuesday 30 October, 9.00 am - 1.00 pm.

Reflective Practice in Learning and Teaching (8 half-day sessions)
Tuesday 2.00 pm - 5.00 pm
July 24, 31; August 7, 14, 21, 28; September 4,11.

Venue
All classes for the GCHE will be held in the CLPD Seminar Room 2, Level 2, Schulz Building West.

To Apply

Application forms may be downloaded below or obtained in hard copy from:
CLPD, Level 2, Schulz Building West, North Terrace Campus
TEL +61 8 8313 5771
EMAIL clpd@adelaide.edu.au

Deadline for Applications
The closing date for applications for enrolment in Semester 1, 2012 is Tuesday 1 November 2011.
Late applications may be considered.

Please address applications to:

Brochure

Brochure

Application Form

Application Form

For further information contact