Tash Byrne is a teacher at Queensland TAFE and a graduate of the Professional Honours course at the University of Tasmania.
“I’d been working at TAFE for 12 months when I learnt of the course. I thought it was the perfect opportunity to upgrade from my Certificate IV and gain a greater depth of understanding as a teacher. I currently teach 125 adult students and they bring such a diverse range of prior experience and understanding to the classroom,” Tash said.
"For me, one of the most valuable things to learn was how to work better with the individual student experience, and how to provide that individual sensitivity in developing a curriculum."
The degree is taken entirely online, with flexible study options designed to be compatible with full-time work commitments. Tash continued to work full-time in Queensland while studying her degree remotely, part-time.
"Studying online while working was a good balance because I could do the study in a timeframe that suited me instead of having to attend classes in-person," Tash said.
“My lecturer, John, was fabulous and very supportive. With
his guidance, it made the learning experience more like real ‘learning’ and not
just a feeling of having to pass subjects.
I think it definitely adds value to who you are as a teacher and what you bring to the classroom.
The Bachelor of Education with Professional Honours offers several areas of specialisation, so the degree can be tailored to fit the needs of teachers in a variety of different fields. Students can graduate the honours course, comprised of two core units and five elective units, in as little time as one year.
Sally Jones has 27 years of experience working in paramedicine, with duties as an educator, manager, and student mentor, and she now also works as a psychotherapist based in Launceston. Sally studied the honours course to consolidate her teaching experience with a formal qualification.
“The lecturers I had were friendly, available, and willing to help. Nothing was a bother. I still stay in touch with some of them even though I have finished my degree. Even though I was an online student, they were still very happy to catch up in-person whenever I was able to," Sally said.
Sally
is now planning to study for a PhD, building on her previous experience with
education, teaching, and working in the health industry.
This is a challenge I may not have taken on if it wasn’t for the support and encouragement that I received from the lecturers in my degree.
“I hope to be able to develop some educational training programs as an outcome of my research. I like to support people to move towards a place of growth and change in both professional and personal areas of their life.
“It certainly is a valuable degree to have, particularly for educating adults, because they really are the expert in their own learning: as teachers, we’re there to facilitate that learning. By having a degree that shows you how to best support that, and how to design programs that suit the adult learner, I believe you get better outcomes.”
The Bachelor of Education with Professional Honours is also a qualifying pathway for further study in a graduate certificate or master's coursework in teaching. Learn more.
Interested in Education? Apply now to study a Bachelor of Education with Professional Honours
https://www.utas.edu.au/courses/cale/courses/e4d-bachelor-of-education-with-professional-honours
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