Inherent requirements – Bachelor of Education Studies

This relates to the understanding and ability to comply with Australian and Victorian law and professional accreditation regulations. Examples include:

• Child protection and safety legislation (including the ability to pass a Working with Children Check)
• Criminal history/police checks
• Occupational health and safety
• Anti-discrimination legislation

Rationale

Knowledge, understanding, and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements are necessary in order to reduce the risk of harm to self and others in school and related settings; compliance with these professional regulations and the Australian Law ensures students/clients are both responsible and accountable for their practice.

Examples

• The ability to obtain a Working with Children Check before commencing placement
• Comply with relevant legislation including child protection and safety, work health and safety, and anti-discrimination legislation. For example, Victorian Teaching Profession’s Code of Conduct and Ethics, Australian Federal legislations.

This relates to the student's ability to understand and adhere to standards, codes, guidelines and policies that facilitates safe, competent interactions and relationships for students and the people they engage with. 

Examples include:

• complying with academic and non-academic conduct codes and policies, including academic integrity policies
• understanding and complying with professional standards, codes of practice and guidelines.

Rationale

Compliance with standards, codes, guidelines and policies that facilitates safe, competent interactions and relationships for students/clients and the people they engage with in the many environments of practice is required for the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of all. This includes upholding a clear duty of care to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all learners and members of the school and/or community. These standards also apply to community-based placement settings.

Examples

Willingness and ability to comply with: 

• VU conduct codes and policies
• Academic Integrity Policy
• Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
• Codes of Conduct and Ethics for Teachers

Identify and enact relevant applications of these codes and standards, including those relating to plagiarism, informed consent, privacy, confidentiality, and equitable and respectful behaviour in university and school settings.
.

Where relevant, this relates to considerations of current scope of practice, workplace health and safety, and any other matter related to safety. 

Examples include the ability to:

• understand and comply with all relevant workplace health and safety policies and practices
• identify and respond to alarm systems.
• understand and demonstrate compliance with current scope of practice.
• manage one's own health in a manner that promotes the ability to fulfil the requirements of study, placements and the role/s for which the study typically equips the graduate.

Rationale

Compliance with current scope of practice, workplace health and safety and mandatory reporting are required to provide safe environments for staff, students/clients, families and relevant stakeholders. This applies to school and community-based educational settings. Teaching and learning is demanding on mind, body and spirit. Self-management of health, mental health and quality of life is essential. 

Examples

Ability to:

• Follow all health and safety regulations
• Manage one's own health and wellbeing in challenging environments
• Continually self-manage to better understand one's own self- regulation needs
• Communicate safety standards to others
• Identify instances of need for help or support.
   

This relates to the student's capacity for knowledge acquisition, utilisation and retention. It also includes metacognitive capacity such as awareness of one's own thinking, and the ability to reflect, evaluate, adapt and implement new cognitive strategies. 

Examples include:

• Focus, memory, attention to detail, theoretical deliberation, and practical functioning sufficient to meet the course objectives
• Ability to reflect and take personal responsibility
• Ability to apply knowledge in practical and theoretical assessment settings.

Knowledge & cognitive

Knowledge acquisition, utilisation and retention spanning and drawing together all coursework subjects. Cognitive skills for focus, memory, attention to detail, theoretical deliberation, and practical functioning.

Rationale

Demonstrate the capacity for knowledge acquisition, utilisation, and retention that spans and integrates all coursework subjects, drawing on cognitive skills such as focus, memory, attention to detail, theoretical reasoning, and practical application. The ability to understand, retain, and effectively process coursework information is essential to ensure appropriate, safe, and effective delivery of care and professional practice.

Examples

Ability to: 

• Problem solve, concentrate, remember, focus and function
• Apply knowledge and experience in unfamiliar settings
• Make safe and appropriate duty of care decisions from retained knowledge
• Apply theory in practice.

Metacognition

Awareness of own thinking, and skills to reflect, evaluate, adapt and implement new cognitive strategies for improved learning.

Rationale

Demonstrate awareness of their own thinking and the capacity to reflect, evaluate, and adapt their cognitive strategies to enhance learning. This includes an understanding of the importance of ongoing self-reflection and professional learning as essential to being a safe and effective educator.

Examples

• Critically reflect, evaluate and think logically
• Engage in self-evaluation to improve practice
• Reflect on own actions, behaviour and practice
• Respond to constructive feedback positively and respectfully.

This includes both writing and reading, and is also linked to English language proficiency (literacy requirements are always established in terms of English). 

Please note: For VE, literacy requirements are based on the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF).  

Examples include:

• capacity to comprehend, summarise and reference a range of literature in accordance with appropriate academic conventions in written assignments.
• producing clear, accurate documentation relating to practical tasks.

Rationale

Information relating to the education of and support for students is delivered in different modes and competent literacy skills are essential to provide appropriate, safe and effective practice. 

Examples

Ability to:

• Comprehend, summarise and reference a range of sources in accordance with appropriate academic conventions in assessment tasks and while on placement
• Interpret written and spoken language to enact directions
• Produce accurate, concise and clear documentation for a range of stakeholders that meets legal requirements
• Model and explicitly teach literacy skills appropriate to students’/clients’ developmental levels and curriculum expectations.
   

This includes any form of numeracy required to complete the course successfully. For many courses, this will be basic functional numeracy. 

Please note: For VE, numeracy requirements are based on the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF). 

Examples include:

• competent reasoning and reliable accuracy with numerical concepts
• ability to perform basic mathematical tasks.

Rationale

Competent reasoning and accuracy with numerical concepts are essential for safe, effective and informed practice to meet regulatory requirements in the work place. This includes placement in community-based settings.

Examples

Ability to:

• Calculate, interpret and apply numerical data to inform teaching and assessment practices
• Apply numerical concepts as they relate to student/client safety in a range of settings such as placement
• Apply numerical concepts in subject-specific contexts
• Manage educational resources and time allocations effectively.
   

This includes verbal, non-verbal and written communication. 

Examples include:

• Verbal communication in English to a standard that allows fluid, clear and comprehensible two-way discussions.
• Ability to recognise, interpret and respond to non-verbal cues, to communicate with congruent and respectful non-verbal behaviour, and to be sensitive to individual and/or cultural variations in non-verbal communication.
• Ability to produce English text to the expected standard (Please note: This is a skill that may be developed throughout a course and should be identified as such in any inherent requirements statement).

Communication - Verbal

Verbal communication in English to a standard that allows fluid, clear, and comprehensible two-way discussions, tailored to the local English-speaking audiences.

Rationale

Effective verbal communication with students/clients, staff/mentors, families, and the University is required for effective learning and to provide safe practice. Effective verbal communication also applies on placement in community-based settings.

Examples

Ability to:

• Engage in purposeful dialogue with students/clients to support learning, provide feedback, and foster a safe, inclusive, and engaging learning environment
• Present information clearly and confidently to groups, including classroom instruction, staff meetings, and professional or school-community presentations
• Communicate effectively with parents, carers, and other stakeholders to support student learning and wellbeing
• Participate constructively in professional discussions and collaborative planning with teaching teams, mentors, and university staff.

Communication - Non-verbal

Non-verbal communication skills that enable respectful communication with others.

Rationale

Demonstrate a range of non-verbal communication strategies to support student/client engagement and respectful communications. 

Examples

• Recognise and interpret students'/clients’ non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, body language, engagement levels, and behaviour to inform responsive teaching and student engagement
• Demonstrate non-verbal behaviours (e.g., eye contact, facial expression, body posture, tone, and gesture) that convey approachability, respect, and authority appropriate to the learning contex
• Provide calm, supportive, and professional non-verbal responses to students exhibiting distress, confusion, or disengagement
• Use non-verbal communication intentionally to maintain a positive, inclusive learning environment
• Show willingness to develop sensitivity to diverse cultural interpretations of non-verbal communication and adjust practices accordingly.

Communication - Written

Ability to produce English text to a standard that provides clear and professional-level communication, with language usage and style tailored to the targeted recipients.

Rationale

Effective written communication is required to demonstrate applied skills in academic writing, organised academic argument, and to provide safe and effective practice.

Examples

• Ability to present knowledge and understanding logically in an academic writing style
• Willingness to learn and adhere to academic requirements
• Produce written documentation in school/community settings for a range of audiences, and to meet legal requirements.
   

This includes visual, auditory and tactile capacity. 

Please note: Care must be taken to not prescribe any sensory ability as an inherent requirement if the student might be able to achieve the desired result with the use of one or more adjustments. 

Examples include the ability to:

• interact with visual inputs sufficiently to manage learning environments
• interact with auditory inputs sufficiently to manage learning environments
• respond to tactile input and provide appropriate tactile interaction.

Sensory ability - Visual

Ability to interact with visual inputs sufficiently to manage learning environments.

Rationale

Ability to interact with visual inputs sufficiently to manage learning environments. Elements in the working and learning environment are delivered by visual means, and the ability to learn from or respond to these inputs is required to provide safe and effective practice.

Examples

The visual requirements of a placement are determined by the specific context and responsibilities of the setting. Where a placement involves the supervision of children or minors in schools or community-based settings, sufficient access to visual information may be required to support learner safety, wellbeing, and participation. 

Sensory ability - Auditory

Ability to interact with auditory inputs sufficiently to manage learning environments.

Rationale

Elements in the learning and working environments are delivered by auditory means, and the ability to learn from and be comfortable to respond to these inputs is required to provide safe and effective practice.

Examples

• Function and self-regulate in loud environments
• Respond to verbal information from colleagues, students/clients and families
• Listen attentively and responsively to the needs of students/clients, families and colleagues for informed teaching practice.

Sensory ability - Tactile

Ability to respond to tactile input and provide tactile interaction.

Rationale

Elements in the learning and working environment are dependent on tactile input, and the ability to respond to these inputs is required to provide safe and effective practice.

Example

Ability to:

• Safely and appropriately handle learning materials, equipment, and resources
• Respond to cues in the learning environment to ensure safety and effective student/client engagement
• Demonstrate awareness of appropriate physical boundaries and professional conduct when tactile interaction is required for instructional or safety purposes.

This includes both gross and fine motor ability. 

Please note: Care must be taken to not prescribe any motor ability as an inherent requirement if the student might be able to achieve the desired result with the use of one or more adjustments. 

Examples include:

• strength, range of motion, coordination and mobility sufficient to meet the requirements of the study, including placements included in the course
• manual dexterity and fine motor skills sufficient to meet the requirements of the study, including placements included in the course.

Motor ability - Gross 

Strength, range of motion, coordination and mobility.

Rationale

A wide range of physical movements and actions are required in dynamic classroom and learning environments to support school student/client learning, engagement, safety, and to enable effective teaching practice.

Examples

The ability to move safely around classroom and learning environments, including between learning spaces, outdoor areas, and varying surfaces, to support student/client supervision, engagement, and learning within appropriate timeframes.

Motor ability - Fine

Manual dexterity and fine motor skills.

Rationale

A range of fine-motor tasks are required in classroom and learning environments to support teaching, assessment, and the safe and effective facilitation of learning activities. These requirements will vary in community-based settings.

Examples

Ability to:

• Write legibly and efficiently for relevant purposes;
• Use digital technologies and teaching tools requiring hand–eye coordination;
• Manipulate learning materials and resources safely and effectively;
• Complete marking, documentation, and student/client record-keeping accurately within expected timeframes.
   

This includes a person's ability to sustain their performance in a given activity or series of activities over time. Care must be taken to not prescribe sustained performance in a way that allows no room for temporary changes to performance levels due to illness or other factors. Examples include:

Ability to sustain a working posture, associated manual tasks, cognitive engagement, performance level and emotional control for the full duration of any task required as part of the course or any placement.

Rationale

Complex, multi-component teaching and learning tasks are carried out over extended periods in busy and dynamic learning environments, and/or community-based settings. This includes maintaining focus and professional conduct during full days and adhering to scheduled break times and duties. 

Examples

Ability to:

• Sustain study practices and time management to engage effectively with the academic and professional workload for the duration of the course
• Maintain cognitive engagement, performance levels, and emotional regulation throughout the full duration of placements with scheduled breaks
• Be physically and mentally capable of engaging with students/clients, colleagues, families, and other relevant stakeholders while on placement for up to 8 hours per day, across consecutive days during placement.

This includes the personal flexibility and resilience required to adapt behaviour to different situations, even when they are stressful or difficult. 

Please note: Care must be taken to allow room in the inherent requirements for the individual to demonstrate behavioural adaptability through withdrawing from activities for a time to undertake medical interventions and self-care measures. 

Examples include:

• ability to adjust ways of working to work within teams of varied personal and professional backgrounds
• being receptive and responding appropriately to constructive feedback
• maintaining respectful communication practices in times of increased stressors or workloads
• adjusting to changing circumstances in a way that allows self-care.

Rationale

Behavioural adaptability is required to manage personal and professional responses within dynamic, unpredictable, and often high-demand learning environments and/or community settings. 

Examples

• Adjust ways of working within diverse teaching teams, school and other communities, and learning contexts to support effective collaboration and student/client learning
• Regulate emotional responses and behaviour when managing student/client interactions, classroom dynamics, or shifting school expectations
• Receive, reflect on, and respond appropriately to constructive feedback from mentors and other stakeholders
• Maintain respectful and professional communication and behaviour under increased workload, time pressure, or unexpected demands;
• Adapt to changing circumstances while maintaining professionalism and a focus on student/client wellbeing.