The BEd program recognizes that teaching is one of the most important and challenging professions in society; therefore, a teacher should be knowledgeable, thoughtful, and deeply caring about the responsibilities associated with education.
Teaching and learning are complex acts that are, undertaken in diverse and uncertain environments. Therefore, teachers need to develop pedagogical skills and subject-areas knowledge, along with the cultivation of practical wisdom. This complex set of qualities is developed in the BEd program by providing students with experiences based on five dimensions of engaged inquiry:
- engaged in learning about learning,
- engaged with/in specializations,
- engaged with contemporary contexts,
- engaged with/in teaching and learning communities, and
- engaged in ethical action.
The BEd program focuses on teachers as experts of learning in specializations for the elementary and secondary routes, field experiences linked to partner research schools, and integration across program components (courses).
The program consists of the following four theme-based semesters:
Semester 1: Introduction to learning and teaching
Semester 2: Principles of individual learning and development
Semester 3: Principles of social and cultural engagement
Semester 4: Extending teaching and curriculum expertise
The program is delivered through plenaries, seminars, and field experiences.
The Faculty of Education offers two undergraduate degree options:
- a two-year consecutive (after-degree) program for holders of approved degrees, and
- a five-year concurrent (direct-entry) program.
All students must choose a route - elementary route (kindergarten through grade 6) or secondary route (grades 7 through 12) and a specialization.