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52 stories
Week 08: High-quality graduate courses
ACER’s graduate programs contribute to developing a learning profession that is highly skilled, knowledgeable and engaged in excellent practice.
The ACER Institute has developed and is delivering graduate programs in the teaching of reading and the assessment of student learning. The courses, designed for classroom teachers and literacy and assessment coaches, were launched in partnership with the Queensland Department of Education and Training in 2011. A new graduate program in the teaching of mathematics is in the pipeline.
For ACER Institute Director Kerry-Anne Hoad, the most exciting aspect of working on the graduate programs has been supporting the development of content. ‘The graduate programs have been developed through lengthy and vibrant discussions about the research and how this translates to classroom practice with leaders in their fields like John Munro, Hilary Hollingsworth and Wendy Bodey, with support from an ACER advisory body,’ says Kerry-Anne. ‘It’s been equally exciting to see the outcomes for participants,’ she adds.
‘All of them entered the program as good teachers or school leaders, but they left as exceptional and expert practitioners with great confidence in their skills, comfortable in the application of their knowledge and in their ability to lead and guide others. They create a collegial network that extends beyond the program.’
The research consensus is that the quality of teaching is closely linked to the quality of student outcomes. ‘Given the research, and the mandating of professional learning by state and territory teacher registration authorities as a requirement for registration,’ says Kerry-Anne , ‘the ACER Institute remains committed to designing and delivering short-term professional learning options that are relevant, high-quality and effective, but,’ she adds, ‘research from ACER and elsewhere points to the deeper effect on teaching practice of longer-term programs.
‘Professional learning that’s longer-term,’ Kerry-Anne explains, ‘has a deeper effect on teaching practice, not least because it’s possible to customise programs to ensure relevance. Partnership with employing bodies and professional associations delivers graduate programs that are accessible, relevant and embedded in the local context, and embedded in solid research. Partnership also means participants are recognised and validated by their employers and colleagues. It moves individual study into the realm of collegial endeavour.’
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Week 52: State of the art psychometric and statistical analysis
Week 51: Assessing civics and citizenship
Week 50: International research into teaching and learning
GOAL 1
Learners and their needs
every learner engaged in challenging learning opportunities appropriate to their readiness and needs
GOAL 2
The Learning Profession
every learning professional highly skilled, knowledgeable and engaged in excellent practice
GOAL 3
Places of learning
every learning community well resourced and passionately committed to improving outcomes for all learners
GOAL 4
A Learning Society
a society in which every learner experiences success and has an opportunity to achieve their potential
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Pursuing Quality and Equity through Evidence
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