Professional Learning Requirements
The continuing professional learning of all ACT teachers is recognised through its inclusion as a requirement of teacher registration and TQI’s accreditation of courses and programs. These processes connect a teacher’s professional learning to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers or Standard for Principals.
During each school year, you will need to record and reflect on a minimum of 20 hours of PL. These 20 hours are made up of a combination of accredited programs and TIPL.
PL encourages and recognises a range of learning that is relevant to the content and practice of teaching.
What counts as Teacher Identified Professional Learning (TIPL) Activities
- Professional Collaboration
- Podcasts + Audio Books
- Coaching Mentoring
- Professional Reading
- Online Learning
- Professional Association Meetings
- Formal Academic Study/Action Research
- PLC / PLT Communities of Practice
- Supervising a Pre-Service Teacher
- Switching to Remote Learning
- Engaging with Educational Pages on Social Media
- Any Non-Accredited Programs
TIPL activities encompass a wide range of PL that has not been TQI accredited. TIPL activities should focus on improving professional knowledge and practice. Most activities can claim up to five hours for registration purposes. Formal academic study and formal action research can claim up to ten hours. Think about the things you read or do to prepare your lessons. Going to museums and listening to TED talks can also be counted as TIPL. Ask yourself - is what I’m doing new learning and is it enhancing my professional practice? Does it align with the Standards? If yes - then it can be counted as TIPL.
If you are having difficulty in meeting the PL requirements, talk to your school leader or contact TQI and request a PL variation plan.
ARTIPL recognises valuable professional learning that occurs through your everyday professional practice.
Eligible activities are automatically counted towards your professional learning requirements, reducing
unnecessary paperwork while ensuring your reflective practices and contributions are acknowledged.
| TIPL Activity | Description | Maximum Hours Offered | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formal Academic Study | Formal academic study specifically related to education at a recognised higher education institution. Includes micro-credentials. | 10 hours per instance | An instance equates to a unit of study (up to four per year) |
| Formal Action Research | Teachers involved in formal action research systematically investigate their own teaching practices to assess and improve their impact on student learning. Conducted within their own teaching environment, this type of research aims to enhance educational outcomes and refine teaching strategies | 10 hours per instance | An instance equates to a project (up to two per year) |
| Early Career Teachers (ECT) in their first three years of teaching | Recognition of practice for ECT who constantly reflects on their practice and new learning. | 5 hours | Once per year |
| Supervision of a Pre-Service Teacher (PST) | Recognition of practice for supervising teacher who constantly reflects on their practice and reciprocal new learning from the PST. | 5 hours | An instance relates to a professional experience placement for a pre-service teacher. Up to four per year. |
| Completion of Disability Standards e-learning Module | Disability Standards for Education (DSE) eLearning module help staff uphold their legal obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 (the Standards) which focus on providing fair access to education for students witha disability. | 5 hours | One module every two years |
| Developer and facilitator of PL within workplace | Recognition of teacher’s being tasked with developing and presenting a TQI accredited program or suite of staff meetings specifically related to the workplace’s strategic plan. | 5 hours | Up to four per year |
| Coaching / Mentoring | Experienced educator who provides guidance, support, and feedback to other teachers to help them improve their skills, knowledge, and professional practice. | 5 hours | Once per year |
| Leading a professional committee | Teacher leading workplace committee directly related to strategic plan. ie: literacy, numeracy, curriculum, PBL, Data, assessment and reporting, cultural integrity related to work. Teachers who nominate to be an assessor for the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assessment can automatically be recognised for 10 hours per year. | 5 hours | Up to two per year |
| Specific student case management | Teacher with a student with specific needs who has had to undergo targeted professional learning and make specific adjustments to meet student needs and a documented student support/learning plan has been developed. | 5 hours | Once per year |
| Curriculum Development/ Writing | Teacher who has been involved in specific curriculum development that is directly related to workplace strategic plan. | 5 hours | Once per year |
Professional Learning Requirements for Maintaining your Annual Registration
of Accredited Programs and Teacher Identified Activities.
Who
- All registered teachers including on leave, casual, not working in the ACT.
- PL is a registration requirement regardless of your employment status or when you began teaching.
When
- Record and reflect on your PL throughout the year.
- TQI evaluations must be submitted once the program has been populated into your PL profile by the Provider.
- All PL must be recorded and submitted by the end of the school year.
How
- Minimum 5 hours from Accredited Programs
- Minimum 5 hours from Teacher Identified Activities
- The remaining 10 hours may be any combination of Accredited Programs and Teacher Identified Activities.
Teacher Identified PL (TIPL)
is entered individually by you via the portal (My PL Profile).
- Only non-accredited programs can be recorded as TIPL.
TQI Accredited PL (APL)
is populated into your PL profile once the provider has confirmed your completion of the program.
- The provider has up to 10 working days to complete this administrative activity.
- You must complete the TQI evaluation of all APL in your PL profile
Annual Verification of your PL records
At the end of a school year you should have your PL records verified by a nominated TQI delegate from your school.
- If your current employment status on the portal lists a specific school, then that school will automatically be your delegate.
- If you are ‘casual’, ‘not currently working in the ACT or have an ‘other employer’ you must select a verification delegate via the TQI portal.
- All casuals must select a school they have a rapport with to verify their PL. This is an agreement between employers and unions.
Understanding Teacher Identified Categories
Teacher Identified (TI) Activities that count for Registration
Count up to 10 Hours per year
Formal Academic Study
You can count up to 10 hours of Formal Academic Study for each unit in a relevant post-graduate course. Short outcomes-based awards, sometimes referred to as microcredentials, are also recognised under this category.
Formal academic study will typically be:
- undertaken in a recognised tertiary or vocational institution.
- where you are formally enrolled as a student, and
- where the study can be credited towards a formal academic award or microcredential.
Count up to 10 Hours per year
Formal Action Research
Each year you can count up to 10 hours of formal action research.
The term ‘action research’ can include research, root cause analysis or problem solving.
It counts as ‘formal action research’ if:
- the research is agreed and overseen by your school or a recognised research institution.
- it has an agreed project plan with objectives, methodology and milestones.
- you have a plan for post-action evaluation and for sharing there search outcomes
with other educational professionals. Count up to 10 Hours per year
Count up to 5 Hours per year
Other PL Activities
Each year you can count up to 5 hours for any one activity that has:
- significant intellectual or professional content,
- is directly related to the content and practice of teaching
- is relevant to your immediate or long-term professional development needs.
Teachers should review the EVENTS page on the TQI portal to find up an coming TQI Accredited programs and On-Demand programs.
A list of all TQI Accredited programs can be found on the online register .
Programs and courses accredited in other states and territories may be recorded as Teacher Identified activities even if they are not accredited in the ACT.
You can get more information about the professional learning requirements in the Resources section of the TQI Teacher Portal.
Have a question and can't find the answer on our website or need further assistance using the teacher portal? Please email us at tqi@act.gov.au or call us on 6207 5005 to arrange support with our team.
If you are having difficulty in meeting the PL requirements, talk to your school leader or contact TQI and request a PL variation plan.
PL hours required in your first year of registration according to the date your registration commenced:
- 1 Jan= 20 hours At least 5 hours from each category
- 1 July = 10 hours No minimum of either
- 10 Oct = 5 hours No minimum of either