Professional Certificate in Educational Neuroscience

This course will explore the emerging fields of Educational Neuroscience and The Science of Learning.

Particular focus will be on how an understanding of the mechanisms of learning can inform and improve pedagogical practice and learning outcomes.

The course will provide students with a broad understanding of the scientific method, the application of that method to the design, delivery and evaluation of learning interventions, along with the neural and cognitive mechanisms which underpin learning.Specifically, students will learn how neuroscience and psychology can, and can not be, successfully translated into classroom practice.

More generally, students will also learn key scientific principles, and so be equipped with the skills to evaluate the validity of educational, psychological and neuroscientific research.

These skills will allow students to become informed consumers of commercial educational products and methods, and enable them to critically reflect on their own teaching philosophies and practices.

Course structure

The course comprises two compulsory subjects which must be taken in the following order:

1. EDUC90872 Foundations of the Science of Learning
2. EDUC90873 Brain, Mind and Education

This course is only available part time.

Entry requirements

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:

• an undergraduate degree in any discipline.

Meeting this requirement does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:

• prior academic performance
• professional experience/s

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.

4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for postgraduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 7 is required.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

The Melbourne Graduate School of Education welcomes applications from students with disabilities. It is University and Graduate School policy to take reasonable steps to enable the participation of students with disabilities, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student’s participation in the Graduate School’s programs. The core participation requirements for study in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education are: In all courses 1. The ability to comprehend complex information related to education and the disciplines in which the student is teaching. 2. The ability to communicate clearly and independently in assessment tasks knowledge of the content, principles and practices relating to education and other relevant disciplines. 3. Behavioural and social attributes that enable a student to participate in a complex learning environment. Students are required to take responsibility for their own participation and learning. They also contribute to the learning of other students in collaborative learning environments, demonstrating interpersonal skills and an understanding of the needs of other students. Assessment may include the outcomes of tasks completed in collaboration with other students. Students who feel a disability will prevent them from meeting the above academic requirements are encouraged to contact the Disability Liaison Unit.

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Understand and effectively evaluate education, psychological, and neuroscientific literature relevant to learning;
• Develop a working knowledge of current research in evidence-based learning and teaching strategies;
• Understand essential concepts in neuroscience, including brain structure and function, neural correlates of learning, and cognitive development.
• Comprehend and apply the scientific method to their own professional practice in order to design, deliver, and empirically evaluate learning interventions;
• Understand and apply educational, psychological, and neuroscientific research, particularly in the social, emotional, and interpersonal domains as it applies to student wellbeing, social competence, emotional competence, student safety, and inclusion;
• Understand the theoretical and philosophical implications of the science of learning, particularly with regards to the brain/mind issue and teaching philosophies.