Advanced Certificate in Senior Phase Social Sciences Teaching
Education, Training and Development - Schooling
Purpose and Rationale
Purpose:
The purpose of the qualification is to improve the subject specialisation of practising teachers with a qualification in Social Sciences Teaching at a lower level, or to retrain teachers for the teaching of Social Sciences in the Senior Phase. The aim is to enable teachers to develop disciplinary, pedagogical, practical, and situational learning reflexive competences in teaching and learning in the particular subject/phase in schools. This will be achieved through specialised learning and the application of knowledge and skills to teaching and learning in the classroom, deepening teachers' subject matter knowledge, general principles, and methodology in Social Sciences teaching, specifically in the Senior Phase. The qualification also aims to foster self-reflexivity, self-understanding, and the development of competences to organise learning among a diverse range of learners in diverse contexts.
Rationale:
The institution is addressing the need for the upgrading of teacher qualifications and/or the qualification of unqualified and under-qualified teachers. The Advanced Certificate in Senior Phase Social Sciences Teaching [AdvCert (SP Social Sciences Teaching)] is aimed at providing a teaching and learning pathway for teachers to advance their careers, as required by the DHET. The qualification focuses on improving teachers' knowledge and competencies in a new subject or enhancing their current subject specialisation. Extensive consultations with education departments on a national level and a national needs analysis highlighted a shortage of adequately qualified teachers for SP Social Sciences classrooms and a lack of professional capacity among many current SP Social Sciences teachers in the Free State Province and elsewhere. The AdvCert (SP Social Sciences Teaching) was developed to address these gaps by upgrading the qualification of teachers currently employed in SP Social Sciences without adequate training and by providing specialist education to improve the knowledge base of those teaching SP Social Sciences. Additionally, the qualification aims to offer retraining to teachers wanting to teach a different subject, thereby increasing the pool of teachers able to teach Social Sciences. The curriculum of the AdvCert (SP Social Sciences Teaching) is designed to meet the subject-specific needs of Social Sciences teachers in the Senior Phase, incorporating additional credits to deepen content knowledge, given the lack of specific content knowledge among many South African teachers. It is anticipated that education departments will appreciate the delivery of the AdvCert (SP Social Sciences Teaching).
Outcomes
- Demonstrate practical understanding and applied competence in Senior Phase Social Sciences Teaching.
- Demonstrate understanding of education systems and context, including application of technology.
- Demonstrate conceptual understanding of principles within Senior Phase Social Sciences Teaching.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
- Identify areas where learning is required.
- Construct the most suitable situation/environment for learning.
- Facilitate learning within diverse education contexts.
- Demonstrate working with colleagues and the broader community in an independent way.
- Act and contribute to change in the broader education context and society.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
- Apply concepts, principles, and procedures relevant to Senior Phase Social Sciences Teaching.
- Apply theories of learning.
- Deal with inclusivity and barriers to learning.
- Apply principles and practices of effective teaching and learning.
- Apply teaching strategies and assessment approaches.
- Apply ICT skills to Senior Phase Social Sciences Teaching.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
- Transform subject competences into conceptual learning experiences.
- Reflect on professional practice based on an integrated knowledge base.
- Maintain highest level professional work ethics with acts of integrity.
Integrated Assessment:
- Demonstrate applied competence through formative assessment methods.
- Examinations will serve as summative assessment.
- Align assessment activities with programme and module outcomes and teaching and learning activities.
- Conduct assessments in line with the University's Assessment Policy.
- Provide holistic, integrated assessment opportunities.
- Assess teachers' competence through assignments, tests, and examinations.
- Utilize continuous assessment activities including tests, assignments, projects, lesson presentations, posters, presentations, critique of lessons, group assignments, portfolios, and practical work.
- Integrate Work Integrated Learning (WIL) in teaching modules for learning from and in practice.
- Include practical assessment activities, assignments, and a reflective journal in all modules to develop students' sense of agency as teachers.
Qualification Details
- Type
- Advanced Certificate
- NQF Level
- 06
- Min. Credits
- 120
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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This page includes information from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) . Builtneat Pty Ltd trading as Study Start, has modified all or some of this information. SAQA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.