Frequently Asked Questions
Will the course cost me anything?
The courses are free to teachers, parents and carers in all Australian states and territories and across all sectors.
Where is the course held?
The courses are available online, and can be completed at your own pace. There is no time limit to complete the courses.
How much time will I need to invest?
Aspirations: Supporting Student Futures There are six units in the course. Unit 1 provides a brief introduction to the course and should take around 10 minutes to complete. Units 2-6 will each take approximately 2 hours to complete. There is no need to complete all components of the course in a single sitting – your work will automatically be saved so you can simply pick up from where you left off as you work through each unit.
When I Grow Up: Supporting Students' Aspirations There are four units in the course. Each unit will take approximately 1-2 hours. There is no need to complete all components of the course in a single sitting – your work will automatically be saved so you can simply pick up from where you left off as you work through each unit.
Is this course accredited?
Aspirations: Supporting Student Futures is accredited with TQI (ACT) for 10 hours of teacher professional development. The course can be used towards requirements for elective professional learning in all other states and territories.
How will my accreditation hours be processed?
For teachers in the ACT, the Learning Management Team will ensure that you receive 10 hours of accredited learning with TQI upon completion of the course. Please ensure you have provided the relevant details in the Google form embedded at the end of the course (Unit 6). Teachers in other states and territories are required to maintain a record of their learning activities – please follow the guidelines set by your jurisdiction. All participants will receive a personalised Certificate of Completion upon satisfaction of all course requirements.
I have completed the course, why can't I see the hours accredited on TQI?
As this is an online course, there is a systematic review each week to ensure we accredit each participant who has completed the 10 hours of professional learning. If within two weeks of completing the course you still are not accredited please contact us at aspirations@newcastle.edu.au.
I'm only a provisional level teacher, can I complete this professional development?
Yes of course! Just keep the certificate that you receive at the end of the course as evidence of your completion. This can be used as evidence towards your accreditation.
Are there any assessable tasks?
There are no formal assessment tasks for these courses. Completion of each unit with be logged in the Learning Management System (called ‘Canvas’) as you work your way through your course. The innovative nature of the e-learning software means that you must fully engage with the content of each unit to receive your record of completion in Canvas. We have also created a learning journal to complement the online portion of each course.
What is the Aspirations Professional Learning Community?
The Aspirations Professional Learning Community (PLC) is an online space for teachers and parents/carers to engage in discussion about the course content. The PLC is organised into separate forums for each unit.
How do I access the Aspirations Professional Learning Community?
The Aspirations PLC can be accessed from the menu down the left hand side of your screen in Canvas.
If I close/leave or log-out of Canvas will my progress be saved?
The innovative nature of the e-learning software means that your progress is tracked and saved. If you close your browser, leave the course and/or log-out of Canvas, you will be able to continue the course from the point where you left off. A live progress bar is shown for each unit at the top of the page as you move through the course.
When and how do I receive my certificate of completion?
You will be able to download a personalised Certificate of Completion after you have successfully completed all six units of Aspirations: Supporting Student Futures or all four units of When I Grow Up: Supporting Students' Aspirations in Canvas.
How do I give feedback on the course?
There is a short evaluation to complete at the end of each unit.
If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at aspirations@newcastle.edu.au