Certificate in Small-Group Teaching
Expressions of Interest for Semester 1, 2024 will open shortly
About
The Certificate in Small-Group Teaching (CSGT) is a professional development program for those new to university teaching and those interested in solidifying their understanding of key principles and practices of effective teaching and learning. It is focused primarily on aspects of teaching and learning related to small-group contexts, such as tutorials, seminars, and demonstrations.
Participants can choose to complete the Certificate Program with assessment tasks or to attend individual online seminars.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of the Certificate Program, participants should be able to:
- demonstrate an understanding of key principles of effective teaching and learning in higher education;
- apply key concepts and principles to their own teaching context; and
- demonstrate a reflective approach to the facilitation of various teaching activities.
Suitable for
Both the Certificate Program and the individual seminars are open to current University of Melbourne staff and graduate researchers.
The program is most suitable for those new to university teaching or those without previous formal teacher training.
University of Melbourne academic staff looking for formal professional development in university teaching should refer to the Melbourne Teaching Certificate or the Graduate Certificate in University Teaching.
Program structure
The Certificate Program comprises two parts:
- Part A covers the fundamental principles of higher education learning and teaching
- Part B focuses on practical strategies for small-group learning contexts
In Semester 1, this program will be offered twice: as an in-person intensive and a weekly online program throughout the Semester.
Intensive: Two days in-person on the Parkville campus, plus 3 assignments asynchronously. This delivery is for those completing the assessed mode and attending all seminars. Drop-in attendance is not possible during this program.
Online: 8 seminars delivered over the semester (two blocks of four consecutive weeks), plus completion of 3 assignments asynchronously. The online stream can be completed in the assessed mode or non-assessed mode.
To complete the Certificate Program, participants must attend 7 of the 8 seminars (4 of which must be core sessions). Please note the seminars will not be recorded. Completion requirements are the same for in-person and online programs.
Alternatively, you may register for the online seminars without completing the Certificate Program. Registrations for individual seminars will open shortly.
Program Schedule
Participants may sign up to one of the two below programs for Semester 1.
Intensive (in-person) Program
| Part A: Seminars 1-4 | Dates TBC |
|---|---|
| Part B: Seminars 5-8 | Dates TBC |
Online Program
| Part A | |
|---|---|
| Seminar 1: Foundations of good teaching in higher education* | Dates TBC |
| Seminar 2: Strategies for facilitating active learning* | Dates TBC |
| Seminar 3: Principles of effective feedback* | Dates TBC |
| Seminar 4: Working with diversity | Dates TBC |
| Part B | |
| Seminar 5: Fostering student interaction | Dates TBC |
| Seminar 6: Facilitating in-class discussion | Dates TBC |
| Seminar 7: Using questions in the classroom | Dates TBC |
| Seminar 8: Lesson planning for small-group contexts* | Dates TBC |
*Core sessions for the certificate program
Expressions of Interest
Expressions of Interest for the certificate program 2024 will open shortly.
Please feel free to email nicole.hutchings@unimelb.edu.au if you have any queries.
More information
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What do I need to do in order to get a Certificate?
Satisfactory completion of the certificate program requires attending 7 of the 8 seminars, 4 of which must be the core seminars, and satisfactory completion of the three assignments. If you’d like to participate in the certificate program, and thus be allocated the assignments, please ensure that you have completed an EOI and enrolled in the certificate program.
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What are the assessment requirements for the Certificate Program?
There are three assessment tasks for the Certificate in Small-Group Teaching. All three are individual tasks. Assignment 1 is due after Part A and Assignments 2 and 3 are due after completion of Part B. Those who register for the Certificate Program will receive more detail about the assessment requirements.
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What are the ‘core seminars’?
There are four core seminars, which are denoted by an asterisk in the program information above and in the course outline. They comprise Seminars 1, 2, 3, and 8. These four seminars must be attended by anyone wishing to complete the assessed certificate program and must be attended before the respective Part A or Part B assignments can be allocated.
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Can I watch a recording instead of attending?
The seminars will not be recorded. Attendance at a minimum of 7 out of 8 sessions (including the 4 core seminars) is a requirement of the Certificate Program.
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What can I do if I miss a seminar?
Participants who would like to receive a Certificate may attend that seminar on a future program delivery date. The program is delivered multiple times throughout the year. Please note that seminars are not recorded, and there is no option to watch a recording or complete an asynchronous task in lieu of attending the seminar. Reviewing the seminar slides does not constitute a sufficient replacement for attending the seminar. In addition, missing a seminar might impact eligibility to complete the assignments until attendance requirements have been met. Please contact the program officer about attending during a future iteration. It is possible to attend some or all of the seminars without participating in the assessed program, in which case there is no consequence for missing a seminar.
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What if I am late to a seminar?
As this program is assessed on a complete/incomplete basis only, it is necessary to attend the full seminar in order for us to certify that it was attended. Specifically, we allow a 15-minute grace period for each seminar. Please note that seminars are not recorded, and there is no option to catch-up with a recording or complete an asynchronous task in lieu of attending the seminar.
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Can I attend a seminar on a different day/in a different stream?
Due to space restrictions, participants are expected to attend on the day(s) for their respective stream, but there is some flexibility for including additional participants in the online seminars (please email for details). Due to space restrictions, on-campus seminars may only be attended by those enrolled in that respective stream. If you’re enrolled in the online program, it’s not possible to attend one of the on-campus seminars instead. This also means that, for the Intensive cohorts, it’s not possible to attend an Intensive session for a different stream (e.g., it’s not possible to attend Mon/Tues one week and Thurs/Fri another week).
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Do I need to complete the full program within one semester?
No, you don’t. However, it is strongly recommended that each Part be completed within one semester. In addition, please note that completion of Part A is required before Assignment 2 and 3 may be submitted. Attendance requirements (including attending requisite core seminars) will need to be met before assignments can be completed.
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What if I have attended some of these workshops before?
Participants who have attended equivalent workshops within the last year would not need to repeat the respective seminar. Please contact Melbourne CSHE to verify previous workshop attendance and confirm your remaining attendance requirements.
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Can I still attend the seminars without doing the assessments tasks?
Yes, participants can choose to attend one or more of the online seminars without completing the assessed portion of the full program. However, they will not receive a certificate of completion or of attendance. To attend an individual online seminar, please contact nicole.hutchings@unimelb.edu.au. Please note that the on-campus seminars are limited to those enrolled in that stream of the Certificate Program.
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If I am not enrolled in the assessed program, can I register for an individual on-campus seminar?
No, the on-campus seminars are limited to those who are enrolled in that stream of the Certificate Program. In addition, space restrictions and contact tracing requirements make it necessary for us to limit the number of participants attending on campus. To register for an individual online seminar, please contact nicole.hutchings@unimelb.edu.au
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Are there any fees or charges?
The program is provided by Melbourne CSHE as a service to University of Melbourne staff and graduate researchers so there is no cost to individuals, departments or faculties.