Professional Learning Capstone (Sec Acc) (EDUC91301)

This Professional Learning Capstone experience is a half-year subject for Teacher Candidates undertaking the Secondary Accelerated mode that serves as a culminating synthesis of the learning, teaching and research occurring across the Master of Teaching (Secondary). In the Capstone, Teacher Candidates work in a process of critical inquiry to define and resolve complex problems in depth, making all critical decisions about the nature of the work that is undertaken and outcomes that might unfold as a self-study of teaching practice. The Capstone provides Teacher Candidates with the opportunity to take charge of their learning, as they develop resilience and agency through critical reflection and the curation of a digital portfolio. The subject provides enhanced opportunities for critical reflection and growth through identification, exploration and presentation of a self-study learning pathway as they conduct research on the subject, maintain a portfolio of findings or results, and present their learning acquisition or conclusions. Teacher Candidates explore issues and strategies around ethical and safe ICT use.

Teacher Candidates explore their projects through experiential work-integrated-learning that supports the authentic integration of theory and practice as teacher researcher in a site that offers an extended exploration of inquiry. Teacher Candidates engage with colleagues as critical friends for professional learning to improve teaching practice. As a high impact capstone, the assessment of the project is a conference presentation and paper designed to disseminate and celebrate the significance of the teaching practice research. The conference is designed as a celebration of achievement and allows for an opportunity to share the quality of the capstone projects and demonstrate an understanding of the rationale for continued professional learning and the implications for improved teaching practice and student learning.