Classroom Management

Create a quality learning environment with our research-grounded micro-credential.

Estimated time commitment: 48 hours of learning
Duration: Self-paced
Delivery mode: Online
Start date: 29 July 2024 onwards

Cost: Free

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  • Program overview

    Managing a classroom can be challenging. The good news? There are strategies that work. In this micro-credential, you’ll discover how to improve your classroom culture using preventative and proactive management strategies that work best for your context. We have engaged with the research and identified a multitude of practices that can help create a safe, predictable, productive and orderly classroom. Throughout the course, you’ll add a range of invaluable practices and other resources to your teaching toolkit.

    With our flexible, self-paced design, you can tailor your learning journey to fit your unique schedule and needs. This micro-credential also provides a supportive space to explore evidence-based approaches to classroom management, where you can participate in online forums, connect with other educators across Australia and leave ready to lead classrooms with high learning expectations.

  • Key learnings

    Our Classroom Management course is aligned to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at the highly accomplished level, with a focus on evidence-based strategies tailored for today's dynamic classrooms. You will investigate strategies for creating safe, predictable, productive and orderly learning environments that foster routines, build trust, cultivate a sense of community and support more engaged and productive learning. You’ll also:

    • explore ways to anticipate and reduce unproductive behaviours and manage more challenging behaviours
    • critically reflect on the application of different strategies in your context
    • examine and refine your own practice through an optional Action Research project
    • connect with an active online community for discussion and reflection
    • engage with, share and contribute to a repository of relevant teaching resources 
    • work toward a potential credit pathway for post-graduate study at the University of Adelaide.
  • Is this course for me?

    The micro-credentials are designed for Australian-based school teachers (early years, primary and secondary), school leaders, other education professionals within the school setting and pre-service teachers.

  • How will I benefit?

    This micro-credential aims to enhance the overall quality and impact of your instruction. By bolstering your capacity to create quality learning environments, you are likely to increase your focused time for teaching and learning, foster mutual respect in your classrooms and improve student engagement. The strategies in this course will support you to establish positive relationships with your students, create opportunities for them to learn, grow and thrive and collectively enjoy a greater sense of wellbeing. You will feel prepared and assured to support learning with access to a well-structured repository of resources and a framework for creating quality learning environments. Completing this micro-credential can also count towards the annual 20-hour requirement for maintaining your teacher registration.

  • How will my students benefit?

    A safe, well-managed learning environment helps students feel secure, understood and supported. This fosters strong relationships, self-confidence, a sense of engagement and belonging and a more positive attitude toward learning. In turn, students engage more deeply in their learning, which leads to better learning and wellbeing outcomes.

  • How will my organisation benefit?

    While Australian schools often have comprehensive behaviour plans in place, their true success depends on consistent and effective implementation by teachers and school leaders. This means educators must be equipped with practical tools and skills to engage with students, understand their behaviour and respond appropriately—precisely what this micro-credential supports. School leaders can use the micro-credential to support implementation of a whole-school approach to classroom management by encouraging their teachers to undertake the micro-credential together. The readings, tasks and strategies can form the basis for ongoing critical conversations of professional learning teams to share practice. 

  • Background

    In 2022, the Quality Initial Teacher Education Review suggested that short courses could help teachers to upskill, particularly in areas where they feel underprepared, such as managing classrooms, using explicit teaching strategies, and teaching phonics. In response, the Australian Government has selected the University of Adelaide to develop evidence-based micro-credentials so that teachers in all stages of their careers can upskill in these areas of need with minimum disruption to their work capacity.

This program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education.