Schools and other providers help teachers and school leaders in the ACT engage in high-quality professional learning and meet their annual requirements for professional registration by:
- developing and delivering quality accredited professional learning programs
- confirming participant attendance so teachers can include those hours when renewing their registration.
As part of the requirements for renewal of registration, teachers must submit and reflect on a minimum of 20 hours of PL each year. The registration requirements are designed to ensure that a teacher’s PL experience is professionally relevant, rigorous and diverse.
The 20-hour package of PL that a teacher may put forward for registration renewal each year must include a minimum of five hours of TQI Accredited PL programs, and a minimum of five hours of Teacher Identified PL. The remaining 10 hours can be a combination from either category. The mixture and type of PL is flexible, so that teachers can better respond to the learning needs of their students, meet their own PL goals, and support school and system priorities.
For the purposes of professional registration, a TQI Accredited professional learning program must be:
- accredited by TQI as meeting required Standards and criteria
- designed and delivered by a Recognised Provider
- a minimum of two hours in duration.
Quality professional learning programs:
- are of significant intellectual or professional content and must deal primarily with matters related to the practice and content of teaching
- address a teacher’s identified professional development and career stage requirements
- address individual, team, school, system or employer priorities
- assist teachers to respond to student learning needs.
The professional learning required for registration renewal does not include administrative and procedural training (e.g. first aid, IT, mandatory reporting, workplace health and safety training).
How can I become a Recognised Provider?
To become a Recognised Provider, all Applicants are required to:
- provide organisational and administrative information so TQI can determine your educational and management capacity
- answer required questions
- use the TQI portal to nominate delegates to manage the program and meet administrative requirements (including verifying the names of participants).
Potential providers, other than ACT schools or teacher employers, will also need to provide information in relation to insurance cover, policies for statutory obligations relevant to PL and an overview of their teacher PL functions and programs.
To apply to become a Recognised Provider click here. Please note, before you can access the Recognised Provider form you will be asked to download and read the TQI Program Accreditation Handbook. Once you have clicked the “Download PDF” button, the “Apply Now” button will become available to you.
When your application is confirmed, you will receive an email from TQI, which will include a six-digit TQI number and a password.
How do I apply for Accreditation of my PL Program?
Once you have become a Recognised Provider, you can use your TQI number and password to log on to the TQI portal portal.tqi.act.edu.au. Click on Professional Learning and Manage Programs and then Apply for Program Accreditation. Follow the online prompts to provide the requested information.
Applications for program accreditation can be made at any time. You must allow at least 20 working days between submission of a proposed Accredited PL program and the date when you expect to deliver it, as processing time will take up to 20 working days (or more in peak periods).
Programs will be accredited by TQI for a period of one year with the possibility of a one-year renewal
dependent on program evaluations and the educational and management capacity of the Recognised Provider.
Note:
- Program accreditation expires on the 31 December each year.
- There is no guarantee that all programs submitted by a Recognised Provider will be accredited.
- The TQI portal is closed for program application submission between 14 December to 14 January.
- Application for re-accreditation is available from October to 31 December.
What information is required?
You will need to address five steps:
- Administrative information.
- How the PL links to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (or the Australian Professional Standard for Principals).
- Program delivery – rationale, research based, collaboration, adult learning principles.
- Expected outcomes.
- Supporting documents and declarations.
A table of the questions and required information for each of these headings is provided at the front of this Guide.
TQI Accredited Programs for Professional Learning
- Applications can be made at any time
Program providers must allow 15 working days between submitting a proposed accredited Professional Learning (PL) program and the expected delivery date. - The capacity of the provider will be assessed
Providers are expected to confirm attendance within ten working days of program delivery, and make changes to the program based on the evaluation feedback. - Programs are accredited for the calendar year
Accredited programs support teachers in meeting their annual PL requirements within a calendar year. Programs may be re-accredited for one year, dependent on evaluations. - Teachers attend a program once
Programs submitted for re-accreditation are for new participants only. If significant changes are needed (due to responding to the evaluation feedback, or it is the next phase/stage of the program), a new application is required and teachers can attend the program a second time. - Accredited programs can be advertised
Once a program has been accredited, providers can use the official annual TQI program accreditation badge for advertising purposes. Providers receive a copy of the badge on approval of each application.
An accredited teacher education PL program must meet the required Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and specific criteria, be designed and delivered by a recognised provider, and be a minimum of two hours in duration. Visit the TQI Website and search for 'provider' for more information.
All accredited programs can be found on the online register of accredited programs (updated weekly). Visit the TQI Website and click on the Professional Learning tab. Please note: Only non-accredited programs can be recorded as Teacher Identified PL.
What are the criteria for Accreditation?
From your answers to Parts 2, 3 and 4 of the online application form, TQI will assess how well the proposed PL meets these four criteria:
- Standards Based
Will it develop professional knowledge, practice and engagement as outlined in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers or the Australian Professional Standard for Principals?
- Relevant
How is the PL relevant to student learning? To the learning needs and priorities of individual teachers, schools and employers? To teacher engagement, learning and wellbeing?
How does the PL draw on or align with current research or the Australian curriculum frameworks?
How well does the PL demonstrate the six principles of adult learning?
- Collaborative
How would the PL improve teacher and leader quality and agency? Would it support professional collaboration, collective inquiry, reflection with peers and experts, or effective PL communities?
- Future Focussed
How does the PL promote teacher and leader innovation and feedback for future practice? How would it prompt research, innovation and skill development and broaden their repertoire of response to current and emerging challenges?
Program focus Categories and Subcategories
Australian Curriculum
English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, The Arts, Technologies, Health and Physical Education, Languages, Work studies, STEM / STEAM, Early Childhood.
Cross Curriculum Priorities
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures, Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia, Sustainability, Innovation/Entrepreneurship.
General Capabilities
Literacy, Numeracy, Information and Communication Technology, Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability, Ethical understanding, Intercultural understanding, Religious Education.
Individual / School Development
School Culture and Improvement, Early Years Learning Framework, Personal Development, Mentoring, Classroom Observations, Staff Wellbeing, Action Research, Schools as Professional Learning Communities, Leading Change and Innovation, Implementing School Initiatives, Leadership Development
Inclusive Education
Students with a Disability, Gifted and Talented Students, English as Additional Language or Dialect, Student Wellbeing, Managing Behaviour, Complex Needs, Social and Emotional Learning, Differentiation