ED604 Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary)

• Before you enrol
• Observation skills
• Communication skills
• Motor skills
• Behavioural and social skills
• Intellectual - conceptual, integrative and quantitative abilities
• Sustained performance

Committed to equity and diversity

At UniSC, we are committed to facilitating the integration of all students into the University Community.

Reasonable adjustments in teaching and/or assessment methods can be made for students provided those adjustments do not compromise the inherent requirements of the program.

The inherent academic requirements of the Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) are the fundamental skills and abilities that the student must be able to achieve in order to demonstrate the essential learning outcomes of the Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary).

This Statement provides realistic information about the inherent academic requirements that you must meet in order to complete your course and graduate. Make sure you read and understand the requirements for the Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) so you can make an informed judgement about your ability to fulfil them.

Externally accredited

UniSC offers Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) which meets external Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) accreditation and provides graduates with the necessary qualification to be admitted as a teacher in Australia.

• Key teaching practice skills are embedded and assessed throughout the Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary).

Skills you need

The Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) has inherent academic requirements in six categories:

• Observational skills
• Communication skills
• Motor skills
• Intellectual, such as conceptual, integrative and quantitative abilities
• Behavioural and social skills
• Sustainable Performance 

Before you enrol

If you intend to enrol in a Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) degree at the UniSC, look carefully at the inherent academic requirements listed in this statement and think about whether you might experience challenges in meeting them.

• If you think you might experience challenges related to your disability, health condition or for any other reason, you should discuss your concerns with a University Ability Adviser or School staff.

Reasonable adjustments

Students with disabilities or other special circumstances may be provided with reasonable adjustment to enable them to meet the inherent academic requirements of the Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) if the adjustment is:

• Logistically reasonable.
• Likely to result in the student being able to perform the skills adequately and in a timely manner.

Support and further information is available from UniSC

• AccessAbility Advisers
• Career advisers
• Relevant academic contacts

Observational skills 

The capacity to demonstrate visual and aural observation skills 

These skills facilitate safe and effective supervision of children and young people in a range of educational and community settings is established utilising visual, aural and other skills, with reasonable adjustments as required and as indicated below. Safe and effective supervision of children and young people is the major focus.

Students must demonstrate:

• Sufficient visual and aural acuity to perform the required range of skills.
• Sufficient visual and aural acuity to monitor children and young people's behaviour and safety.

Justification 

These observational skills are inherent requirements of the Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) because:

• They are necessary to demonstrate the required range of skills, tasks and assessments.
• Monitoring and assessment through visual observation and aural perception are fundamental to safe and effective teaching practice.

Adjustments

Reasonable adjustments to address the effects of a hearing impairment must be effective, consistent and not compromise effective and timely reception of, and response to, auditory inputs.

Reasonable adjustments to address the effects of vision impairment must be effective, consistent and not compromise care or safety.

Exemplars

As a student you must:

• Monitor children and young people’s safety and well-being in indoor and outdoor settings and engage in activities requiring monitoring and evaluation at both near and far distances.
• Negotiate unfamiliar settings effectively.
• Manipulate a range of resources.
• Monitor children's behaviour, safety, health and wellbeing.

Communication skills 

The capacity to demonstrate effective communication in English is an essential requirement.

This includes the following communication categories:

• Verbal
• Aural
• Written
• Non verbal

Verbal communication 

Students must demonstrate the following verbal skills with or without reasonable adjustments (as indicated below):

• Effective verbal communication at formal and informal levels in tutorials, with peers and lecturers/tutors in small and large groups.
• The ability to provide clear instructions and presentation of ideas to individuals and large groups relevant to the learning context.
• The capacity to use verbal language to give directions in a range of different social situations with children and adults during professional and field experience.
• The ability to communicate effectively with diverse linguistic and cultural groups and individuals across a range of social contexts.
• The capacity to use a range of Information and communication technologies (ICT) that support verbal communication with individuals and small groups for learning and assessment purposes and during professional and field experience.

Justification

These are inherent academic requirements of the Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) because:

• Verbal communication is the primary medium of communication in an educational setting.
• Timely, accurate, clear and effective delivery of information provides clear instruction and initiation of learning, and ensures safe learning environments.
• Interactivity of communication is fundamental to the educational process.
• Adequate verbal communication is essential in developing and maintaining effective relationships with all educational stakeholders.
• Graduates of accredited courses must meet the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) at Graduate stage.

Adjustments

Reasonable adjustments must enable verbal communication with clarity and accuracy that facilitates effective communication and safety.

Exemplars

As a student you must:

• Communicate in English effectively and appropriately in tutorials, lectures and on professional and field experience.
• Demonstrate knowledge and use of ICT such as data projectors, computers and DVDs to support oral communication for tutorial presentations and small group presentation on professional and field experience.

Aural communication 

Competent aural communication is required to effectively access course content and to be responsive to the demands of professional and field experience.

Students must demonstrate the following aural skills with or without reasonable adjustments (as indicated below):

• Sufficient aural function to perform and comprehend the required range of tasks; including making adjustments to learning in a timely fashion; feedback; and assess safety of the environment.
• Active listening in tutorials and lectures with tutors, lecturers and peers and during professional and field experience with families and children.
• Appropriate use of ICT that support aural communication with individuals and small groups for learning and assessment purposes and during professional and field experience, such as audio-visual equipment and mobile phones and technologies.

Justification

These are inherent academic requirements the Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) because the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) require that students are able to:

• Use effective aural communication formally and informally in a range of different social situations with children and adults.
• Be active and empathetic listeners in diverse social and linguistic contexts.
• Use ICT to support aural communication in professional contexts.
• Demonstrate sufficient aural ability to gather information and accurately feedback and monitor students consistently and accurately whilst on professional and field experience.

Adjustments

Reasonable adjustments must meet necessary standards of clarity, accuracy and accessibility to facilitate effective planning, delivery, reporting, evaluating and synthesising of information in both academic and educational settings.

Exemplars

As a student you must:

• Demonstrate knowledge and use of ICT that rely on effective aural communication for tutorial presentations and small group presentation on professional and field experience.
• Respond effectively to children and adults demonstrating empathy towards them and active listening to what is being communicated.

Written communication 

Effective written communication in English is required to effectively access course content and participate in professional and field experience.

Students must demonstrate the following writing skills with or without reasonable adjustments (as indicated below):

• The capacity to construct and model coherent written communication appropriate to the circumstance.

Justification

These are inherent academic requirements the Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) because the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) require that students are able to:

• Construct a range of written assignments to ethical and academic standards in order to convey knowledge, understanding and skills of relevant content and pedagogy, curriculum materials and professional and field practice.
• Produce accurate, responsive and diligent reports, student profiles, record keeping, lesson material, curriculum plans, assessment and evaluations necessary for the provision of an effective learning environment.
• Effectively and appropriately use a range of texts, which include those that are written, screen-based, image-based, sign/symbol-based, that are necessary to communicate meaning, directions and imagination.
• Demonstrate sufficient aural ability to gather information and accurately feedback and monitor students consistently and accurately whilst on professional and field experience.

Adjustments

Reasonable adjustments must meet necessary standards of clarity, accuracy and accessibility to facilitate effective planning, delivery, reporting, evaluating and synthesising of information in both academic and educational settings.

Exemplars

As a student you must:

• Construct written assignments that comply with academic standards.
• Convey information in a written form effectively to families or other staff in the educational setting.

Non-verbal communication 

Effective non-verbal communication is fundamental to education and needs to be respectful, clear, attentive, empathetic, honest and non-judgmental.

Students must demonstrate the following non-verbal skills with or without reasonable adjustments (as indicated below):

• The capacity to recognise, interpret and respond appropriately to behavioural cues and gestures.
• Consistent and appropriate awareness of own behaviour.
• Sensitivity to individual differences.

Justification

These are inherent academic requirements the Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) because:

• The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues assists with building rapport in academic and professional relationships.
• Displaying consistent and appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, being mindful of space, time boundaries and body movements and gestures promotes the trust and respect necessary to develop effective professional relationships.
• Safe and effective initial teaching education requires the capacity to observe, interpret and respond appropriately to non-verbal communication, particularly in situations where their students may not be able to verbalise distress, discomfort or fear.
• For children who do not talk or use verbal language their gestures and cues are their main communication tool.

Adjustments

Reasonable adjustments must enable the recognition, initiation of, or appropriate response to, effective non-verbal communication in a timely and appropriate manner.

Exemplars

As a student you must:

• Recognise non-verbal cues and respond appropriately in tutorials and seminars.
• Recognise non-verbal cues and respond appropriately in professional and field experience settings.
• Display appropriate non-verbal gestures in classroom situations and professional and field experience settings.

Motor Skills 

The capacity to demonstrate performance, coordination and prioritisation of care is required using:

• Gross motor skills
• Fine motor skills 

Gross motor skills

Tasks that involve gross motor skills include sitting, lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, standing, twisting and bending. Students must be able to demonstrate and perform these tasks consistently and safely, with or without reasonable adjustments as indicated below, in order to reduce the risk of harm to themselves and others.

Justification

These are inherent academic requirements of the program in the Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) because participation in physical activities and movement is required to function effectively in community and educational settings. Students must demonstrate the ability to move and perform gross motor function within the scope of practice.

Adjustments

Reasonable adjustments must facilitate functional effectiveness, safety of self and others and a capacity to provide appropriate education and care.

Exemplars

As a student you must:

• Set up safe learning environments with resources and equipment.
• Safely retrieve, move and use large pieces of equipment.

Fine motor skills

Sufficient fine motor skills are necessary to perform, coordinate and prioritise education and care. Tasks that involve fine motor skills include being able to grasp, press, push, turn, squeeze and manipulate various objects.

Justification

These are inherent academic requirements of the program in the Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) because students must be able to demonstrate and perform these tasks consistently and safely, with or without reasonable adjustments, to reduce the risk of harm to themselves and others. Teaching is a profession that requires manual dexterity and fine motor skills.

Adjustments

Reasonable adjustments must facilitate functional effectiveness, safety of self and others and a capacity to provide appropriate education and care.

Exemplars

As a student you must:

• Record, observe, document, and clearly model the use of equipment such as scissors, pencils.
• Manipulate resources during learning activities.
• Use ICT equipment for teaching and learning.

Behavioural and social skills 

The capacity to demonstrate:

• Ethical behaviour
• Interpersonal engagement
• Behavioural stability 

Ethical behaviour

Students need to comply with, and are governed by, quality and professional standards, where they are both accountable and responsible for ensuring professional ethical behaviour in all contexts.

Justification

This is an inherent academic requirements of the Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) because:

• Compliance with the codes, guidelines and policies facilitates safe, competent interactions and relationships for students and/or the people with whom they engage. This ensures that the physical, psychological, emotional or spiritual wellbeing of the individual is not placed at risk.
• Understanding and applying key ethical and conduct principles are requirements of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) and for students in school settings. Students in school settings must meet graduate teaching standards in order to graduate and to be eligible to apply for registration as a teacher.

Adjustments

Reasonable adjustments must comply with standards and maintain ethical behaviour.

Exemplars

As a student you must:

• Demonstrate respect for the diversity of family and community values and practices within academic, professional and field experience settings.
• Comply with privacy and confidentiality requirements in academic, professional and field experience settings.
• Demonstrate honesty and integrity in academic, professional and field experience settings.

Interpersonal engagement

Interpersonal engagement is essential to work effectively and sensitively and to build relationships in community and educational settings.

Students must demonstrate, with or without reasonable adjustments as shown below:

• The ability to work effectively, sensitively and confidentially with children, young people, parents/carers and community members.
• The ability to create rapport with peers, academic and professional staff conducive to effective working relationships.
• Inter-cultural competence, sensitivity and willingness to work with individual children, young people, colleagues and the wider education community in a complex and diverse Australian society.

Justification

This is an inherent academic requirement of the Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) because:

• The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) require effective, sensitive and confidential engagement with students, parents and work colleagues and the ability to engage with people from diverse backgrounds and ability in various context.
• Graduates of accredited courses must meet the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) requirements. Inclusion is mandated in the Australian educational context.

Adjustments

Reasonable adjustments must enable appropriate levels of interpersonal engagement and behaviour.

Exemplars

As a student you must:

• Participate in a respectful and culturally competent manner in tutorial discussion.
• Collaborate, modify and reflect on your teaching during professional and field experience in response to student needs and supervisor feedback.
• Interact with mutual respect, equity and dignity towards others.

Behavioural stability

Behavioural stability is required to function and adapt effectively and sensitively in educational settings.

Students must demonstrate, with or without reasonable adjustments as shown below:

• Behavioural stability to work constructively in diverse and challenging academic and educational environments.
• Consistency in responding appropriately to children, young people and families’ needs in stressful and challenging situations.

Justification

This is an inherent academic requirements of the Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) because:

• Behavioural stability is required to work individually and in teams in changing and unpredictable environments. Students will be exposed to complex, stressful situations and will be required to have behavioural stability to manage these events objectively and professionally.
• Graduates of accredited courses must meet the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST).

Adjustments

Reasonable adjustments must enable the recognition, initiation of, or appropriate response to, effective non-verbal communication in a timely and appropriate manner.

Exemplars

As a student you must:

• Respond appropriately to constructive feedback.
• Cope with own emotions and behaviour effectively when dealing with individuals in community and educational settings.

Intellectual – conceptual, integrative and quantitative abilities 

The capacity to demonstrate:

• Knowledge and cognitive skills
• Literacy (language)
• Numeracy
• Information and communication technology skills
• Legal knowledge 

Knowledge and cognitive skills

Consistent and effective knowledge and cognitive skills are required to provide safe, professional and competent teaching practice.

Students must demonstrate with or without reasonable adjustments as shown below:

• The capacity to locate appropriate and relevant information.
• The ability to process information relevant to practice.
• The ability to integrate, reflect on and implement theoretical knowledge in tutorials, professional and field experience settings.

Justification

These are inherent academic requirements of the Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) because:

• Delivery of quality teaching relies on the understanding and application of theory in practice.
• Graduates of accredited courses must meet the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST).

Adjustments

Reasonable adjustments must support the student’s ability to acquire, analyse and apply knowledge.

Exemplars

As a student you must:

• Conceptualise and use appropriate knowledge in response to academic assessment items.
• Identify and apply knowledge of policy and procedures during professional and field experience settings.

Literacy (language)

Competent English language and literacy skills are essential for professional and effective delivery of teaching content.

Students must demonstrate with or without reasonable adjustment as shown below:

• The ability to accurately acquire information and convey appropriate messages.
• Ability to read and comprehend a range of texts for teaching and learning purposes.
• The capacity to understand and implement academic conventions to construct written text in a scholarly manner.

Justification

This is an inherent academic requirement of the Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) because:

• The ability to acquire information and to accurately convey information is fundamental to teaching and learning.
• The ability to read, decode, interpret and comprehend multiple sources of information is fundamental for effective preparation and teaching practice.
• Graduates of accredited courses must meet the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST).

Adjustments

Reasonable adjustments must demonstrate a capacity to effectively acquire, comprehend, apply and communicate accurate information.

Exemplars

As a student you must:

• Convey a spoken message using appropriate vocabulary and conventions of speech.
• Competently construct and share a range of texts including digital, written, and visual texts in a range of social contexts.

Numeracy

Competent and accurate numeracy skills are essential for effective delivery of teaching content.

Students must interpret and correctly apply data, measurements and numerical criteria in a range of contexts, with or without reasonable adjustments as shown below.

Justification

This is an inherent academic requirement of the Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) because:

• Competent application of numeracy skills is fundamental for effective delivery of teaching content.
• Graduates of accredited courses must meet the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) requirements to be competent in the application of numeracy skills.

Adjustments

Reasonable adjustments must enable the demonstration of effective numeracy skills.

Exemplars

As a student you must:

• Demonstrate competency in applying basic mathematics knowledge and skills in everyday life and in academic tasks.
• Demonstrate effective use of numeracy skills in matters related to student learning.
• Apply numeracy skills to interpret and solve problems in a range of educational and academic contexts.

Information and communication technologies (ICT) 

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are processes and tools that are fundamental to accessing course content, current teaching practice, and pedagogical practice.

Students must demonstrate knowledge of, and confidence in, the use of ICT in academic, professional and curriculum contexts, with or without reasonable adjustments as shown below.

Justification

This is an inherent academic requirement of the Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) because:

• Use of ICT is necessary to provide an effective teaching and learning environment consistent with current pedagogy.
• Meeting these requirements is necessary for course accreditation and graduate eligibility for registration.

Adjustments

Reasonable adjustments must enable the student to demonstrate a capacity to comprehend, interpret and apply ICT.

Exemplars

As a student you must:

• Utilise appropriate ICT to communicate with peers and lecturer and to gather information in accomplishing academic tasks.
• Use ICT for accurate, responsive and diligent reports, student profiles, record keeping, lesson presentation material, curriculum plans, assessment and evaluations.
• Use written texts including SMS and email professionally at university and during professional experience with students, children, staff, parents and the community.

Legal Knowledge 

Initial teacher education programs are mandated by specific legislation and regulations to comply with professional accreditation, registration and professional and field experience requirements.

Students must demonstrate knowledge and compliance with Australian law, professional regulation requirements and standards relevant to persons working with children, young people and their families, and those which dictate the scope of teaching, with or without reasonable adjustments as shown below.

Justification

This is an inherent academic requirement of the Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) because:

• Knowledge, understanding, and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements are necessary pre-requisites to professional and field experience in order to reduce the risk of harm to self and others.
• Compliance with these professional regulations and the Australian Law ensures that students are both responsible and accountable for their practice.
• Graduates of accredited courses must meet the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST).

Adjustments

Reasonable adjustments must be consistent with legislative and regulatory requirements.

Exemplars

As a student you must:

• Comply with relevant child protection and safety legislation.
• Comply with relevant Work Health and Safety legislation.
• Adhering to requirements of informed consent, privacy and confidentiality with organisational, family and child information in academic and education settings.

Sustained performance

The capacity to demonstrate the required physical and mental performance at a consistent and sustained level over appropriate time frames to meet the course and program outcomes.

Students must demonstrate the following with or without reasonable adjustments as shown below:

• Consistent and sustained level of physical energy to complete a specific task in a timely manner.
• The ability to perform all required activities with a level of concentration that ensures a capacity to focus on the activity until it is completed appropriately.
• The capacity to maintain consistency and quality of performance throughout the designated period of academic, field, or professional experience.

Justification

These are inherent academic requirements of the Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) because:

• Sufficient physical and mental endurance is an essential requirement needed to perform multiple tasks in varying periods of time to provide safe and effective participation in all teaching, field, and professional experience activities.
• Graduates of accredited courses must meet the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST).

Adjustments

Reasonable adjustments must enable sustained and consistent performance over a given period.

Exemplars

As a student you must:

• Prepare for and participate in tutorials, lectures and professional experience.
• Provide consistent supervision, education/instruction and care to children/young people over a negotiated time frame.
• Perform multiple tasks simultaneously whilst supervising the safety and care of children.