Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching

Purpose

It offers entry-level initial professional preparation for undergraduate Degree or Diploma holders who wish to develop focused knowledge and skills as classroom teachers in a chosen phase(s) and/or subject(s). For this purpose, the qualification requires a specific depth and specialisation of knowledge, together with practical skills and workplace experience to enable successful learners to apply their learning as beginner teachers in schools in varying contexts.

Rationale

The Postgraduate Certificate in Education is a professional teaching qualification that vertically articulates from an undergraduate Degree. The Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) will develop qualified classroom teachers who will be able to demonstrate focused knowledge and skills in the teaching of particular subject specialisations to learners in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training phase. The PGCE requires a specific depth of, and specialisation in, knowledge together with practical skills and workplace experience, to enable successful learners to enter into teaching and apply learning as teachers in schools in varying contexts. They will be able to demonstrate initiative and responsibility in an academic and professional teaching environment. The PGCE also requires intellectual independence and the development of research competence at an introductory level in the field of education, specifically teaching and learning, in order to provide a basis for Postgraduate studies in the field of education as well as for further professional development as a teacher.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Teachers who transfer their studies from another Higher Education Institution offering initial teacher education to the School of Education will need to supply their transcript, course outlines and other relevant documentation (e.g. study guides) to the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) Programme Coordinator. Where there is convergence regarding content covered, and at similar levels of conceptual and cognitive demand, learners will be given advance standing against applicable modules in this curriculum.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entrance requirements is either

• A Bachelor's Degree with credits in a school teaching subject at General Education and Training (Senior Phase Grades 7-9) level and Further Education and Training Phase (Grades 10 - 12) level (FET).

Or

• A 360 Credits National Diploma with credits in a school teaching subject at General Education and Training (Senior Phase Grades 7-9) level (Senior Phase) and Further Education and Training Phase (Grades 10 - 12) level (FET).

This qualification consists of compulsory modules at Level 7 and elective modules at Levels 5 and 7, totalling 120 Credits.

Elective Modules, Level 5

• ICT literacy, 12 Credits.
• IsiZulu (Conversational Competence), 12 Credits.
• Sesotho (Conversational Competence), 12 Credits.
• South African Sign Language (Conversational Competence), 12 Credits.

Compulsory Module

• Theory of Education, 40 Credits.

Elective Modules Level 7

• Accounting, 24 Credits.
• Business Studies, 24 Credits.
• Dramatic Arts, 24 Credits.
• Economics, 24 Credits.
• English, 24 Credits.
• Geography, 24 Credits.
• History, 24 Credits.
• Life Sciences, 27 Credits.
• Life Orientation (FET), 24 Credits.
• Mathematics (FET), 24 Credits.
• Music, 24 Credits.
• Physical Sciences, 24 Credits.
• Visual Arts, 24 Credits.
• isiZulu24 Credits.
• Sesotho, 24 Credits.
• Arts and Culture, 24 Credits.
• Economics and Management Sciences, 24 Credits.
• Languages (English), 24 Credits.
• Life Orientation (Senior Phase), 24 Credits.
• Languages (South African Sign Language), 24 Credits.
• Languages (Sesotho), 24 Credits.
• Languages (isiZulu), 24 Credits.
• Social Sciences, 24 Credits.
• Natural Sciences, 24 Credits.
• Mathematics (Senior Phase), 24 Credits.
• Accounting - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Business Studies - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Dramatic Arts - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Economics - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• English Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• IsiZulu Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Sesotho Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Geography - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• History - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Life Sciences - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Life Orientation (FET) - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Mathematics (FET) - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Music - Teaching Experience (First Instrument), 16 Credits.
• Physical Sciences - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Visual Arts - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Arts and Culture - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Economic and Management Sciences- Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Languages (English) - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Life Orientation (Senior Phase) - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Social Sciences - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Mathematics (Senior Phase) - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Natural Sciences - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Languages (Sesotho) - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Languages (isiZulu) - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.
• Languages (South African Sign Language) - Teaching Experience, 16 Credits.

1. Demonstrate the ability to teach, select and determine the sequence and pace of content in accordance with both subject and learner needs.
2. Demonstrate the ability to understand how the learners learn and tailor teaching according to individual needs.
3. Communicate effectively in general, as well as in relation to the subject in order to mediate learning.
4. Develop literacy, numeracy and Information Technology skills.
5. Use available resources to plan and design suitable learning programmes.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of diversity in the South African context in order to teach in a manner that includes all learners.
7. Manage classrooms effectively across diverse contexts in order to ensure a conducive learning environment.
8. Assess learners in reliable and varied ways, as well as being able to use the results of assessment to improve teaching and learning.
9. Demonstrate an understanding of teacher professionalism and display appropriate professional values, attitudes and behaviours.
10. Reflect critically on one's own practice, in theoretically informed ways in order to constantly improve and adapt to evolving circumstances.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Provide a rationale for the design of the lessons, materials and assessment they teach.
• Articulate how the design considers both the learner diversity of the learners in the class (within different school contexts) and is at an appropriate level that shows an understanding of content.
• Demonstrate conversion of a learning process into coherent steps.
• Plan, deliver and assess extended units of lessons that are taught for assessment during the teaching practicum.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Explain theoretically the general patterns of how children learn and develop in terms of the ideas of key psychology theorists in the field.
• Use this theoretical knowledge to justify their approaches to teaching and learning used during their practicum sessions.
• Demonstrate how they tailor their teaching to the needs of individual learners by keeping a reflective journal during their practicum sessions.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Articulate ideas and arguments clearly in assignments, tests and examinations.
• Use clear, appropriate language in presenting lessons to children, showing awareness of both learners' existing language abilities and the imperative to introduce them to subject-specific discourse.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Engage with electronic resources, standard word processing submission requirements and use of on-line platforms for learning.
• Engage with literature, guided and independent study of key academic texts.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Use, develop and modify teaching and learning materials in both well-resourced and under-resourced schools appropriate to the school contexts.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Interact productively with learners with diverse learning needs, and who experience different barriers to learning.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Manage classes of various sizes, in differently resourced environments.
• Work with learners over a range of racial, cultural, religious, dis/ability diversities.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8

• Design appropriate formative and summative assessment tasks and well-conceptualised assessment rubrics in the phases/subjects of teaching.
• Motivate future planning of lessons through analysis of errors contained in learner class-work.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 9

• Abide by codes of professional ethics whilst undertaking the practicum sessions within school based contexts.
• Act with honesty and integrity with respect to academic practices during the submission of university-based coursework.
• Treat staff, peers, colleagues (at schools) and learners in their classes with respect.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 10

• Engage with issues of professional identity and demonstrate an understanding of school context and the design of learning processes.

Integrated Assessment

The assessment of teachers in this qualification takes place through assignments, tests, examinations and during the practicum sessions in work-integrated learning. Staff is committed to providing opportunities for learners to get formative feedback on their understanding of key concepts through classwork/tutorial tasks arly in courses. In general, staff provides written feedback to learners on improving the quality of their writing so that the development of writing competence is a shared responsibility across the Wits School of Education, although it is noted that some courses are more reading/writing intensive than others. To optimise the value of formative feedback, it is expected that staff provide feedback to learners prior to them taking summative assessments, like examinations.