Top of page
Global Site Navigation

Learning Intranet - Academic Development

Local Section Navigation
You are here: Main Content

PDC Learning & Teaching Program

Professional Development for Teaching Staff Procedures

ECU’s suite of Professional Development Courses (PDC) provides academic staff from a range of different roles with the basic knowledge and skills needed to get started at ECU, improve academic practice, and to grow professionally. The courses run throughout the year. Enrolment in any of the PDCs is via the Staff Development Calendar.

Enrolment - How it works

You enrol on a PDC course (on the date you wish to commence):

Example 1: You signed up for a self-paced online course that starts on July 3rd. There's no specific time for the course (00.00 to 00.00), so you can work on it at your own pace. On July 3rd,  you'll get a link via email to access to the course materials in the Canvas site. You can begin the course anytime from July 3rd, but you must finish it within the stated enrolment duration.

Example 2: You signed up for an online course that includes a workshop that will take place on July 16th from 9:30am to 12:00pm. The day before the course you will receive a link to join the live session conducted via MS Teams. On July 16th at 9:30am you should use that link to join the facilitated session.

Prescribed Courses

Teaching academics should be aware that they are required to complete the PDC programs as follows:

PDC111: Learning & Teaching at ECU - Click here to enrol

  • Prescribed for: ALL teaching academics must complete PDC111 regardless of prior teaching experience.
  • Delivery format: Self-directed, online via the Canvas LMS
  • Completion time: 3 hours
  • Enrolment duration: 3 months

Description:

PDC111 is essential for ALL new teaching academics at ECU and is offered fully online. It is a 3-hour course that incorporates self-paced activities and completion tasks. It is designed to quickly introduce you to some of the core responsibilities of teaching staff, ECU’s priorities in teaching and learning, and the key technology systems teaching staff need to be familiar with. PDC111 also provides the opportunity to become familiar with the professional learning options available to ECU staff.

NOTE: PDC111 requires that staff also complete the Academic Integrity Module (Staff) which is a separate course.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course participants should be able to:

  • Describe the responsibilities of their role as a teaching academic at ECU.
  • Align their academic practice to the key principles, policies and frameworks that guide teaching and learning at ECU.
  • Access key learning technology and curriculum administration and approval systems at ECU relevant to their role.
  • Develop a plan to support professional development.

Completion requirements:

  • Activity: My Teaching and Learning Address Book
  • PDC111 Quiz
  • Academic Integrity Module (Staff)
  • Activity: My Professional Learning Plan

PDC112: On-campus Learning & Teaching - Click here to enrol

  • Prescribed for: ALL teaching academics engaged in on-campus face-to-face teaching must complete PDC112
  • Delivery format: Self-directed, online via the Canvas LMS
  • Completion time: 4 – 6 hours
  • Enrolment duration: 6 months

(On expiration staff training records will show your completion status as ‘Withdrawn – Non-participation’ and staff member will also be removed from the Canvas site)

Description:

PDC112 is a self-directed online learning course. It is essential for all academics that teach on-campus classes of any size and introduces participants to ECU’s priorities in the areas of effective teaching and a high-quality educational experience for all learners. Participants learn about a framework for academic motivation which provides practical strategies for aligning their own teaching practice with ECU’s priorities. Participants are also introduced to the peer review process and the principles associated with becoming a reflective practitioner for continuous improvement of practice. Participants receive facilitator feedback on their submissions.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course participants should be able to:

  • Align their teaching practice with ECU’s teaching and learning priorities for a high-quality educational experience
  • Plan and implement strategies for monitoring learning and providing meaningful feedback
  • Adapt teaching approaches and materials used to promote inclusive and equitable learning experiences for all students
  • Reflect on and improve their teaching practice

Completion requirements:

  • Activity: Draft Approach to Teaching Statement notes
  • Activity: Strategy Matching
  • Activity: Feedback for Learning Self-Assessment
  • Activity: Inclusive Practice Self-Assessment
  • Peer Observation Exercise and Reflection

PDC113: Unit Coordination at ECU - Click here to enrol

  • Prescribed for: ALL unit coordinators must commence PDC113 within the first six months of their appointment to the role.
  • Delivery format: 3-hour face-to-face workshop plus 3 hours self-directed, online via the Canvas LMS
  • Completion time: 6 hours
  • Enrolment duration: 3 months

(On expiration staff training records will show your completion status as ‘Withdrawn – Non-participation’ and staff member will also be removed from the Canvas site)

Description:

PDC113 is an introduction to the unit coordinator role at ECU. It is, therefore, not overly focused on pedagogy and best practices in learning and teaching. Instead, it focuses on ensuring participants understand how to succeed as a unit coordinator. The face-to-face session and online content aim to show staff the key information, processes, policies, people, and skills ECU expects all unit coordinators to engage with over the course of a typical semester of teaching. PDC113 aligns all of its content with the unit coordinator role statement. If you are interested in undertaking more professional development in teaching practice or unit design, please enrol in one of our other professional development courses or consider undertaking some micro-credentials on the topics which interest you.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:

  • Appreciate the scope of the unit coordinator role
  • Identify the necessary supports and resources needed to fulfill the responsibilities of a unit coordinator

Completion requirements:

  • Unit Coordinator Action Plan

PDC114: Online Learning & Teaching (Design & Fac) - Click here to enrol

PDC114: Online Learning & Teaching (Facil. Only) - Click here to enrol

  • Prescribed for: ALL teaching academics engaged in online teaching must complete PDC114
  • Delivery format: Self-directed, online via the Canvas LMS
  • Completion time:
    • 4 hours Facilitation only
    • 6 hours Facilitation & Design
  • Enrolment duration: 3 months

(On expiration staff training records will show your completion status as ‘Withdrawn – Non-participation’ and staff member will also be removed from the Canvas site)

Description:

This course has two components: designing an online unit and facilitating an online unit. Both components are self-directed and require you to access a variety of resources and engage in online activities to help consolidate your learning. The additional Design component should be completed by unit coordinators responsible for making design decisions about their online units. You should only complete the stream you enrolled in: Facilitation or Facilitation & Design.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the Facilitation module, participants should be able to:

  • Align their teaching practice with ECU’s vision standards for TEL learning experiences
  • Plan and implement strategies for monitoring learning and  provide meaningful feedback to online learners
  • Plan for teaching approaches that provide and promote engaging, inclusive and meaningful learning experiences for all online students
  • Reflect on and improve their teaching practice

Upon completion of the Design module, participants should be able to:

  • Apply effective practices for engaging students in online learning
  • Design appropriate online learning activities
  • Evaluate the student experience in their online unit

PDC114 is essential for all academics teaching fully online units at ECU. You will learn how to facilitate an online learning experience that supports and motivates student learning. You will also learn about ECU’s vision and standards for providing quality online learning and develop strategies for meeting those standards within your own teaching practice. Those completing the Design module will also design an effective online assessment. PDC114 is delivered fully online via Canvas (4 hours Facilitation + 2 hours Design) and includes development of reflective evidence for your teaching portfolio.

Completion requirements:

Facilitation:

  • Activity: Feedback for Learning Self-assessment
  • Activity: Inclusive Practice Self-assessment
  • Teaching Strategies Plan

Facilitation & Design:

  • Online Assessment Task Design

PDC116: Course Coordination at ECU - Click here to enrol

  • Prescribed for: ALL Course Coordinators must commence PDC116 within the first six months of their appointment to the role
  • Delivery format: Self-directed, online via the Canvas LMS
  • Completion time: 4-hour face-to-face workshop plus 1 hour self-directed online via the Canvas LMS
  • Enrolment duration: 3 months

(On expiration staff training records will show your completion status as ‘Withdrawn – Non-participation’ and staff member will also be removed from the Canvas site)

Description:

The PDC116 course is essential for all Course Coordinators. You will acquire skills in course governance and design, moderation and assessment, continuous improvement, and ensuring student support. The course outcomes are aligned to the Course Coordinator Role statement. This course comprises a 4 hour highly practical face-to-face workshop plus a range of application tasks and interactive learning activities online via Canvas.

Upon completion of this program participants should be able to:

  • Situate the responsibilities of the course coordinator role within ECU policy and legislative structures
  • Apply quality assurance processes to assure learning through aligned assessment practices that scaffold learning from the first to the final year of a course.
  • Locate continuous improvement mechanisms grounded in evaluation and review protocols within ECU systems.

Completion requirements:

  • Course Coordinator Action Plan

PDC111: Refresher - Click here to enrol

  • Prescribed for: ALL teaching academics who completed PDC111 more than 5 years ago must complete PDC111 Refresher
  • Delivery format: Self-directed, online via the Canvas LMS
  • Completion time: 1 hour
  • Enrolment duration: 3 months

(On expiration staff training records will show your completion status as ‘Withdrawn – Non-participation’ and staff member will also be removed from the Canvas site)

PDC111 Refresher is a ‘lite’ version of what has been described above. It is a 1-hour fully online course that incorporates a series of self-paced activities and a completion task. The ‘What’s New?’ module provides updated information and covers expectations and compliance aspects of academic roles. Key elements of recent strategic initiatives are explained highlighting priorities within updated policies, procedures and guidelines that govern teaching practice at ECU.

Completion requirements:

  • Academic Integrity Module (Staff)
  • Activity: My Professional Learning Plan

PDC112: Refresher - Click here to enrol

  • Prescribed for: ALL teaching academics engaged in on-campus face-to-face teaching who completed PDC112 more than 5 years ago must complete PDC112 Refresher
  • Delivery format: Self-directed, online via the Canvas LMS
  • Completion time: 2 hours
  • Enrolment duration: 6 months

(On expiration staff training records will show your completion status as ‘Withdrawn – Non-participation’ and staff member will also be removed from the Canvas site)

PDC112 Refresher is a ‘lite’ version of the full PDC112. It is designed for staff who completed PDC112 more than 5 years ago. It is 3-hour online course that incorporates a series of self-paced activities. The ‘What’s New?’ module provides updated information and covers expectations and compliance aspects of academic roles. Key elements of recent strategic initiatives are explained highlighting priorities within updated policies, procedures and guidelines that govern teaching practice at ECU.

Completion requirements:

  • Activity: Refresher Checklist
  • Activity: Inclusive Practice Self-Assessment

PDC113: Refresher - Click here to enrol

  • Prescribed for: ALL unit coordinators. ALL unit coordinators who completed PDC113 more than 5 years ago must complete PDC113 Refresher
  • Delivery format: Self-directed, online via the Canvas LMS
  • Completion time: 1 hour
  • Enrolment duration: 3 months

(On expiration staff training records will show your completion status as ‘Withdrawn – Non-participation’ and staff member will also be removed from the Canvas site)

PDC112 Refresher is a ‘lite’ version of the full PDC112. It is designed for staff who completed PDC112 more than 5 years ago. It is 3-hour online course that incorporates a series of self-paced activities. The ‘What’s New?’ module provides updated information and covers expectations and compliance aspects of academic roles. Key elements of recent strategic initiatives are explained highlighting priorities within updated policies, procedures and guidelines that govern teaching practice at ECU.

Completion requirements:

  • Activity: Refresher Checklist
  • Activity: Inclusive Practice Self-Assessment

Completion

Marking is carried out at the end of each month in which a prescribed course is completed. On notification of successful completion, CLT issues a certificate to you and your School/Centre Admin officer.

Payment

Sessional academic staff must be paid to participate in mandatory professional development at the Other Required Academic Activity (A31) rate defined in the current Enterprise Bargain Agreement. It is the staff member’s responsibility to notify academic staff within their school of their completion of any prescribed courses in order to receive payment.

Contact

To find out more about the PDC Learning and Teaching Program, contact the Centre for Learning and Teaching at clt@ecu.edu.au or call on 6304 2554.

Skip to top of page