Certificate in Learning and Teaching

The University Certificate in Learning and Teaching is the University’s practical teaching course for Murdoch staff.

Completion of the Certificate is internationally recognised and confers eligibility to join a worldwide community of Fellows of the Higher Education Academy of the UK.

This free course is designed to enable you, as a participant, to develop your practice in a supported environment. It is possible either to take the full Certificate (two units) or to obtain a part Certificate (one unit).

Who can enrol?Staff taking the Certificate range from early career academic and professional staff to those in senior positions. All bring disciplinary and scholarly expertise, some have significant experience in higher education teaching and others are relatively new. What the participants have in common is an interest in developing their own teaching, whether online, face-to-face or blended.

AccreditationThe full Certificate enables staff on track for academic probation to meet the teaching course requirement. The program is also accredited by the Higher Education Academy in the United Kingdom. The units and assessment are based upon the UK Professional Standards Framework for Teaching and Supporting Learning in Higher Education at Descriptor One or Descriptor Two, leading to the award of Associate Fellowship or Fellowship of the Academy. The program also brings recognition and certification opportunities.

Course requirementsParticipants are required to complete one-unit assessment for each unit. The assessments involve a process of planning adjustments to teaching, peer review and evaluation, accompanied by a reflective statement (Unit1) or a more detailed paper (Unit 2).

About the courseThe course is taught using a blended approach. This means that we combine face-to-face workshops with online teaching. For each of the two units, there are five modules to complete, each consisting of a two-hour workshop accompanied by an online module.

As a participant of this course, you will hear from facilitators with expertise in higher education learning and teaching. The materials for each module have been designed by a member of staff from the Centre for University Teaching and Learning (CUTL) with a specific interest in that field. Face-to-face workshops are facilitated by the unit co- ordinators, with contributions from guests who have recognised expertise in a particular area and/or award-winning practical experience in higher education. The ethos of the course is strongly collaborative, so you have the opportunity to learn from and work with each other.

Finally, the course focuses strongly upon continuing professional development. As a participant, you will complete an initial application containing a self-assessment.This will determine the route you take to complete either the part or full Certificate (see page 2). As part of arrangements for assessment and feedback within the Certificate, you will then have opportunities to consider your longer-term development as a practitioner in higher education.

“I have been inspired by the commitment of the participants in this program. We now have a community of scholars who focus on learning and teaching in their work. As a result, I have observed outstanding teaching in all disciplines across campus.”

Dr Lisa Cary, Learning and Teaching Certificate Co-ordinator

Course dates

Perth campus:

Unit 1 – Available in semester 1 only Unit 2 – Available in semester 2 only

Singapore campus:

Unit 1 – Available in semester 1 and 2 (Unit 2 is not available in Singapore)

Each unit takes 6 months to complete.

If completing the full Certificate, you will need to complete Unit 1 successfully before progressing to Unit 2.

Course structure

Part Certificate 6 months• Early career researcher• Teaching supporter• Demonstrator

Full Certificate 12 months Lecturer or senior administrator with significant teaching dutiesIndividual circumstances vary, so these roles are

indicative only.

The Course: Unit 2

Duration: 6 months

The order and precise content of the following workshops will be negotiated with you, in order to fit the delivery best to the focus of your Unit 2 planned teaching project and final paper.

2A. Learning and Teaching Practice in Lectures

In this introductory workshop, we use the lecture as an example to illustrate the impact of, and evidence behind, different styles of teaching. We discuss and practise alternatives to the traditional lecture approach.

2B. Collaborative Practice

This workshop covers a range of topics connected to group, collaborative and synchronous activities. These include group work, handling discussion, creating an effective learning environment and managing online discussion.

2C. Inclusive Learning and Teaching Practice

In this workshop, we consider different approaches to the teacher’s tasks of ensuring equal opportunity, promoting equality of outcome, and reducing discrimination and disadvantage.

2D. Feedback

In this workshop, we ask what research has to say about what constitutes effective feedback, introduce the idea of ‘sustainable assessment’, consider the importance of rubrics and practise designing alternative models of student feedback.

2E. Developing your Practice

In our final workshop and as preparation for your final assessment, we consider career development for staff in teaching roles.

The Course: Unit 1

Duration: 6 months

1A Introduction to Learning Design

In this workshop, we ask the question ‘what makes effective learning, and why is it important?’ We also consider how views of this vary between disciplines and between individuals.

1B Planning Learning Activities

In this workshop, we ask what to think about when structuring a lecture, tutorial or workshop, or developing an online unit and how to use discipline pedagogy and learning and teaching research to help you plan.

1C Designing Blended Learning Experiences

Here, we consider ways to extend learning beyond face-to-face settings and practise developing activities and resources that are designed to be used fully online, or in a ‘blended’ mode.

1D Assessment as part of Learning Design

This workshop introduces the concept of assessment for learning. We ask what to think about when planning assessment, introduce the concept and value of feedback, consider different types and uses of assessment in higher education and practise planning alternatives to the traditional style of exam assessment.

1E Becoming a Reflective Practitioner

This workshop considers the importance of self-awareness in teaching, the role of self and peer review, and how learning and teaching is evaluated.

Professor Romy Lawson, Deputy Vice Chancellor Education (Back row, 2nd from left) with Co-ordinator Dr. Lisa Cary (back row, 7th from left) with Murdoch staff who completed the Learning and Teaching Certificate in 2016.

The Learning and Teaching Certificate

The Learning and Teaching Certificate has two units, which have been mapped against the Professional Standards Framework for Teaching and Supporting Learning*. Completion of Unit 1 leads to a part Certificate.

Completion of both units leads to the full Certificate. There is also an introductory online module.

Each unit comprises five face-to-face workshops, supported by online modules, to enable you to complete the assessment.

For more information on the Professional Standards Framework for Teaching and Supporting Learning

visit https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ukpsf

Plan and carry out teaching adjustmentonline modules

Five face-to-face workshops

Reflective statement

Plan and carry out teaching adjustment

Learning and teaching paper

Five face-to-face workshops

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How to apply To apply, please go to the Murdoch Support portal at https://murdochuni.service-now.com/cutl

To find out more information, contact the Learning and Teaching Certificate Co-ordinator:

Dr Lisa Cary

HEA Coordinator

9360 2086 L.Cary@murdoch.edu.au

The co-ordinator and staff of the program acknowledge the Whadjuk people of the Noongar Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Murdoch University is located.

Contact CUTL Centre for University Teaching and Learning

We provide advice and help to Murdoch University students and staff on just about everything to do with learning and teaching.

our.murdoch.edu.au/CUTL/Academic-development/Learning-and-Teaching-Certificate/

Perth Library, North Wing Level 4 9360 2142

Mandurah Building 101, Room 1.022 9582 5501