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Introduction
The Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) will be delivered by The University of the West Indies Open Campus as a fully online programme, with a duration of one year. This diploma is an In-Service programme for secondary level teachers who possess a bachelor’s degree but have not been exposed to any professional training in teaching. The major emphasis of the programme is to assist teachers, through exposure to a range of relevant experiences and processes, function with a high degree of effectiveness in the classroom in the context of rapidly changing global, regional, and school environments. At the same time, equal emphasis will be placed on helping the teacher develop as an effective, discerning professional who recognises the importance of lifelong learning, self-assessment, and continuous professional development. Integration of theory and practice will be emphasised in this programme. Students will be exposed to the infusion of technology in their classrooms (including skills for teaching remotely). The initial offering will focus on two specialisations - English Language Education and Mathematics Education.
About the Programme
The Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) will provide participants with a solid theoretical foundation, while improving their teaching skills in specific content areas. Students will also be exposed to virtual learning strategies in the teaching of their content areas, in keeping with the current thrust towards virtual learning spaces.
This Postgraduate Diploma is a 25-credit programme. The duration of the programme is twelve months (across three teaching periods). The programme comprises five courses - three foundation courses, a course that will introduce the participants to teaching methodologies in their area of specialisation, along with a 9-credit practice in teaching course. The programme will enable participants to continue working in their current teaching posts while undertaking this online postgraduate diploma.
Entry Requirements
Applicants to the programme should possess an undergraduate degree (at least Lower Second Class Honours or its equivalent) from an approved institution with a 2.5 GPA in the approved specialisation.
The candidate MUST teach in the area of specialisation for the full duration of the programme.
English-Language Proficiency – Applicants for whom English is not the first language must submit proof of proficiency. The Office of Graduate Studies will accept the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test scores taken within the last three years. A TOEFL score of 500 or greater is preferred.
Who is this programme for?
The programme seeks to target persons who are qualified in specialised subject areas and are engaged in teaching and need to earn a qualification in teaching and learning.
Duration of Programme
The Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) will be offered over three teaching periods (2 semesters and one summer).
Programme Structure
All courses in the programme are assessed on the basis of 100% coursework. The programme includes the following courses:
3 Core courses:
- Foundations in Education (4 credits)
- Curriculum Theory & Practice (4 credits)
- Classroom Assessment in Today’s Schools (4 credits)
1 Methods course (4 credits)
- Methods in Teaching English OR
- Teaching Secondary Mathematics
The Practice in Teaching is a 9-credit course and runs for the entire programme.
Students will engage in teaching practice for approximately twenty (20) weeks during the programme. They will carry out their action research project while conducting their teaching practice. The teaching practice component of this course will account for 60% of the overall grade. In addition, students will be required to produce a teaching portfolio, which will account for the other 40% of the course grade.
Assessment
Assessment in this programme will be on a continuous basis and, as such, there will be no formal examination at the end of each course. All assignments/papers are expected to demonstrate students' understanding of the relationship between theory and practice.
Academic Preparation
All successful candidates must participate in an orientation programme that introduces them to online study and prepares them for the demands of a UWI graduate programme.
