3210 - Postgraduate Diploma of Education

This course is designed to meet the needs of educators, educational administrators, managers, policy makers and others interested or involved in learning and education or working in the wider educational community, who wish to pursue studies at postgraduate level. Students choose from a broad range of units and also have the option of completing a designated specialisation pathway.

The program aims to stimulate students to:

• help participants focus on teaching and learning in ways that encourage the development of reflective practice and its relationship to ongoing professional learning and growth
• think about the relationship between theory and practice in teaching
• foster deeper understandings of classroom practice and its relationship to student learning
• foster a greater awareness of the nature of professional learning
• highlight the nature of professional knowledge of practice
• develop deeper understandings of a diversity of approaches to teaching and learning about practice.

Involvement in the program will aid participants in coming to a better understanding of the central role of professional learning in the ongoing development of professional knowledge of practice.

Option 1

Students complete:

(i.) any three 12-point units selected from the units offered* within the postgraduate coursework studies programs, and which may be chosen to form a designated specialisation (outlined below)

(ii.) an appropriate 12-point research unit selected from the faculty's suite of research methodology units, or EDF6010 Professional project A or EDF6020 Professional project B (8000 words).

Option 2

Students complete:

(i.) an appropriate 12-point research unit selected from the faculty's suite of research methodology units

(ii.) one 12-point unit selected from the units offered* within the postgraduate coursework studies programs

(iii.) EDF6031 Masters thesis part 1 and EDF6032 Masters thesis part 2 (16,000 words) (totalling 24 points)

* Units within the Postgraduate Diploma of Education are offered in various flexible learning modes. These may include units offered through on-campus (weekly or intensive block delivery classes) and off-campus modes. Some units may be offered on one or more campuses or in more than one mode.

Specialisation pathways

Students may choose to enrol in a series of units which make up a designated specialisation. The units making up each specialisation are shown below. Some additional elective units may also be required, depending on the specialisation chosen. Where students undertake a series of units that meet the requirements of an approved specialisation pathway, this specialisation will be shown on their testamur.

Specialisation units

Bilingual/immersion education (only available on a cohort basis)

• Research methodology unit, or EDF6010 Professional project A or EDF6020 Professional project B
• EDF6201 Theory and principles of bilingual/immersion education
• EDF6202 Establishing, maintaining and evaluating an immersion program
• EDF6228 Developing materials for content-based teaching in languages

Course/Pathway Adviser: Dr Margaret Gearon

Early childhood

• Research methodology unit, or EDF6010 Professional project A or EDF6020 Professional project B

Select two units from:

• EDF6641 The social and political contexts of early childhood
• EDF6642 Contexts for childhood
• EDF6643 Values in early childhood education

Plus any 12-point unit selected from the units offered within the education postgraduate coursework studies programs.

Course/Pathway Adviser: Dr Mindy Blaise

Gifted education

• Research methodology unit, or EDF6010 Professional project A or EDF6020 Professional project B

Select two units from:

• EDF6607 Gifted education; identification and programming
• EDF6610 The psychology of the gifted child
• EDF6613 Advanced studies in gifted education

Plus any 12-point units selected from the units offered within the education postgraduate coursework studies programs.

Course/Pathway Adviser: Dr Leonie Kronborg

Inclusive and special education

• Research methodology unit, or EDF6010 Professional project A or EDF6020 Professional project B
• EDF6601 Studies in special education/ inclusion
• EDF6602 Evidence-informed inclusive and special education practice 1
• EDF6614 Inclusive and special education practice 2*

* Not compulsory for non-teachers in which case another elective may be chosen.

Course/Pathway Adviser: Dr Joanne Deppeler

Information and communication technology in education

• Research methodology unit, or EDF6010 Professional project A or EDF6020 Professional project B
• EDF6441 Issues in educational multimedia

Select two units from:

• EDF6442 The impact of computer technology on education and society
• EDF6444 Evaluation and development of educational software
• EDF6447 Explorations in flexible learning and instructional design

Course/Pathway Adviser: Dr Bernard Holkner

International education

• Research methodology unit, or EDF6010 Professional project A or EDF6020 Professional project B
• EDF6701 Globalisation and education
• EDF6702 Internationalising the curriculum
• EDF6703 International education markets

Course/Pathway Adviser: Dr Cynthia Joseph

Leadership, policy and change

• Research methodology unit, or EDF6010 Professional project A or EDF6020 Professional project B

Select three units from:

• EDF6821 Power, authority and decision-making
• EDF6822 Leadership and organisation
• EDF6823 Management and change
• EDF6828 Resource management

Course/Pathway Adviser: Dr Nicholas Allix

Literacy studies

• Research methodology unit, or EDF6010 Professional project A or EDF6020 Professional project B
• EDF6301 New literacy studies

Select one of:

• EDF6308 School and community literacy practices
• EDF6115 Communication practices and the use of new media

Plus one of:

• EDF6236 Language, society and cultural difference, or any 12-point unit selected from the units offered within the education postgraduate coursework studies programs.

Course/Pathway Adviser: Dr Graham Parr

Mathematics and science education

• Research methodology unit, or EDF6010 Professional project A or EDF6020 Professional project B
• EDF6401 Research on teaching and learning science and mathematics
• EDF6402 Research on science and mathematics curriculum
• Plus any 12-point unit selected from the units offered within the education postgraduate coursework studies programs.

Course/Pathway Adviser: Associate Professor Debbie Corrigan

Music education

• Research methodology, or EDF6010 Professional project A or EDF6020 Professional project B
• EDF6322 Teaching music: Policy and practice
• EDF6323 Learning music: Current research issues
• EDF6324 European perspectives on music education

Course/Pathway Adviser: Dr Jane Southcott

Teaching Languages other than English (LOTE)*

• Research methodology unit, or EDF6010 Professional project A or EDF6020 Professional project B
• EDF6223 LOTE methodology
• EDF6224 Advanced practicum in language teaching: LOTE**
• EDF6234 Curriculum design and evaluation in languages education

* Available on a cohort basis only.

** EDF6224 is mandatory for those teachers wishing to be fully qualified for employment with the Department of Education and Training who have not already qualified to teach LOTE. Qualified LOTE teachers only may choose another masters unit relevant to their course as approved by the course adviser.

Course/Pathway Adviser: Dr Jenny Miller and Dr Jill Brown

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages/ (TESOL)

• Research methodology unit, or EDF6010 Professional project A, or EDF6020 Professional project B, or EDF6234 Curriculum design and evaluation in languages education
• EDF6236 Language, society and cultural difference
• EDF6233 Theory and practice of TESOL
• EDF6238 Advanced Practicum in language teaching: TESOL

Course/Pathway Adviser: Dr Jenny Miller and Dr Jill Brown

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) - International

• Research methodology unit, or EDF6010 Professional project A or EDF6020 Professional project B
• EDF6236 Language, society and cultural difference
• EDF6233 Theory and practice of TESOL

Select one of:

• EDF6232 Professional practice for teachers of English as a foreign language*
• EDF6234 Curriculum design and evaluation in languages education
• EDF6201 Theory and principles of bilingual/ immersion education
• EDF6210 Language testing and assessment

* Students with less than 3 years of approved relevant teaching experience must complete this unit.

Course/Pathway Adviser: Dr Jenny Miller and Dr Jill Brown

Work and learning studies

• Research methodology unit, or EDF6010 Professional project A or EDF6020 Professional project B
• EDF6801 Learning at work in the knowledge economy
• EDF6802 Adult education and training: Theories and practices
• EDF6810 Navigating education and work: Global perspectives, local practices

Course/Pathway Adviser: Mr Damon Anderson

Students who wish to keep open the option of articulating into the Master of Education degree and complete a research project must complete one research core unit as one of their four units of study.

Postgraduate Diploma of Education

Postgraduate Diploma of Education specialising in Bilingual / Immersion Education

Postgraduate Diploma of Education specialising in Early Childhood Education

Postgraduate Diploma of Education specialising in Gifted Education

Postgraduate Diploma of Education specialising in Inclusive and Special Education

Postgraduate Diploma of Education specialising in ICT in Education

Postgraduate Diploma of Education specialising in International Education

Postgraduate Diploma of Education specialising in Leadership, Policy and Change

Postgraduate Diploma of Education specialising in Literacy Studies

Postgraduate Diploma of Education specialising in Mathematics and Science Education

Postgraduate Diploma of Education specialising in Music Education

Postgraduate Diploma of Education specialising in TESOL

Postgraduate Diploma of Education specialising in TESOL - International

Postgraduate Diploma of Education specialising in LOTE

Postgraduate Diploma of Education specialising in Work and Learning Studies

* Where more than one award is listed, or in the case of double degrees, where more than one award is listed for one or both components of the double degree, the actual award/s conferred may depend on units/majors/streams/specialisations studied, the level of academic merit achieved (eg in the case of 'with honours' programs), or other factors relevant to the individual student's program of study.