Course Title: Method 4: Professional learning and leadership

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Method 4: Professional learning and leadership

Credit Points: 12.00

Course Coordinator: Ange Fitzgerald

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 6073

Course Coordinator Email: Angela.fitzgerald@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Bundoora

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None

Course Description

This course is the final in a series of four method courses designed to develop your knowledge and skills to teach in your chosen specialist discipline area(s) in secondary school settings. 

Becoming a teacher requires an understanding of what it means to be a professional. As a member of a profession, this includes understanding the basis of your employment; behaving in a professional manner with parents/carers, other teachers, other professionals and community members more broadly; and operating within a legislative, administrative and organisational policy and procedures regime designed to meet community expectations of what it means to be a teacher. In this course, you will learn, practice and then be assessed on your capacity to work with peers to respond to an ethical teaching dilemma using professional standards, resources and ethical frameworks to reach a resolution and present a strategy. You will also develop a professional learning plan that includes a rationale for your continued professional development in your chosen specialisation area(s) and the implications for your practice, including strategies for enhancing your skills as a leader.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Program Learning Outcomes 

In course you will develop the following program learning outcomes:  

PLO4 Apply professional knowledge, self-awareness, judgment and research skills to develop agile education solutions and make evidence-based decisions for application in specific teaching environments. 

PLO5 Establish meaningful networks with professional, peer, government, industry, and/or community groups collaborating with diverse, interdisciplinary and cross-functional teams to resolve complex issues. 

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

		Graduate APST
1.	Evaluate and apply the Australian Professional Standards for Teaching and relevant policies in developing a professional learning plan	6.1, 7.2
2.	Collaborate with peers to draw on the relevant ethical frameworks and resources for teachers’ professional learning to respond to a case study.	6.2, 6.3, 7.1
3.	Analyse an ethical issue demonstrating understanding of sensitive engagement with parents/ carers and colleagues.	7.3
4.	Argue a coherent, personal and professional rationale for continued professional learning and engagement with professional organisations and communities	6.4, 7.4
5.	Critically evaluate your own teaching strengths and weaknesses, identifying areas and strategies for professional growth	6.2, 6.3, 6.4

Overview of Learning Activities

You will be actively engaged in a range of learning activities such as workshops, tutorials, seminars, project work, class discussion, individual and group activities. Teaching and learning may be face to face, online, or a combination of both.

Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems.  

There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the myRMIT student portal.

Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes (CLO) and on your development against the program learning outcomes. The assessment is also mapped against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST).  

Assessment Tasks

	Title	Weighting	CLOs	APSTs
AT 1	Ethical case study and presentation (group task)	50%	2, 3	6.2, 6.3, 7.1, 7.3
AT 2	Professional learning plan	50%	1, 4, 5	6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.2, 7.4

 

Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks. 

If you have a long-term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more. 

Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions.