Australian Capital Territory

ACT Teacher Quality Institute (Continuing Professional Learning and Development for Approved Teachers) Direction 2014 (No 1)
Notifiable Instrument NI2014 - 53
made under the
ACT Teacher Quality Institute Act 2010, section 38(2) (Conditions of registration and permit to teach)

1	Name of instrument
This instrument is the ACT Teacher Quality Institute (Continuing Professional Learning and Development for Approved Teachers) Direction 2014 (No 1).
2	Commencement 
This instrument commences on the day after notification.
3	Directions
The Institute gives the following directions for the recording of continuing professional learning and development by approved teachers and the minimum continuing professional learning and development required of approved teachers for renewal of registration or permit to teach.

4	Recording of continuing professional learning and development with the Institute
Teachers must 
a)	maintain a record of their continuing professional learning and development through the online facilities provided by the Institute for this purpose; and
b)	include their own reflections aligned to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers or Australian Professional Standard for Principals (as appropriate) on each program or activity in their record; and
c)	where their record relates to a professional learning and development program or activity accredited by the Institute, include their own evaluation of the program or activity in their record.

5	Minimum continuing professional learning and development for renewal of full or provisional registration
For the ACT Teacher Quality Institute Regulation 2010, section 18A the professional learning and development set out in schedule 1, Table A is required. Teachers must nominate from their total recorded professional learning and development the programs or activities which they submit to meet the requirements for renewal of full or provisional registration.

6	Minimum continuing professional learning and development for renewal of permit to teach
For the ACT Teacher Quality Institute Regulation 2010, section 18B the professional learning and development set out in schedule 1, Table B is required. Teachers must nominate from their total recorded professional learning and development the programs or activities which they submit to meet the requirements for renewal of their permit to teach.

7	Character of professional learning and development required
The professional learning and development that is required for renewal of approval under the Act is that which is demonstrably related to the inherent practice of the teaching profession. Professional learning and development activities submitted by a teacher to meet this requirement shall be 
a)	of significant intellectual or professional content and must deal primarily with matters related to the practice or content of teaching;
b)	conducted by persons who are qualified by practical experience or academic award in the subject covered; and 
c)	relevant to a teacher’s immediate or long term professional development needs.

8	Variations to the annual minimum continuing professional learning and development 
Teachers applying to renew full or provisional registration may record less or more than the 20 hours in any one year, provided that they have made arrangements with the Institute to ensure that they will have accumulated at least 100 hours over a period of five consecutive years in accordance with ACT Teacher Quality Institute Regulation 2010, section 18A.

Anne Ellis
Chief Executive Officer
ACT Teacher Quality Institute
29 January 2014

Schedule 1

Definitions

Institute accredited teacher professional learning programs
means
programs that are listed by the Institute on its Register of Accredited Programs, including programs which have been accredited by the Institute for this purpose 

Teacher Identified activities
means
professional reading, other activity or non-accredited program and reflection that has been undertaken by the teacher, verified by an approved delegate and recorded with the Institute in the manner specified from time to time by the Institute 

program
means 
any course of instruction, reading and participation not less than two hours in length.

formal academic study
means
any course conducted by a recognised tertiary institution in which the teacher is formally enrolled and for which the institution gives credit towards an academic award.

formal action research
means
any research, root cause analysis or problem solving in a school that is formally managed within a governance framework that includes formal oversight, project objectives, milestone plans, reporting and post-action evaluation.

relevant to the permit to teach
means
directly related in subject matter, method of teaching, or professional practice to any area of teaching that is specified in the permit to teach.

Table A - Required continuing professional learning and development for renewal of full or provisional registration
To satisfy the continuing professional learning and development requirements for renewal of their full or provisional registration an approved teacher shall have recorded with the Institute at least 20 hours of professional learning and development undertaken in the year preceding the application for renewal. The professional learning and development record shall include the teacher's reflection on each program aligned to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers or Australian Professional Standard for Principals (as appropriate). 

This table sets out the categories of professional learning and development that may comprise the 20 hours of professional learning and development required. The teacher must record a combination of professional learning from both category entries 1 and 2.

Entry 
No.	Category of 
professional learning 
and development	Mandatory minimum hours	Maximum 
hours 
recognised 	
1	Institute accredited teacher professional learning programs	5		
2	Teacher identified activities	5		
	2.1	Formal academic study or formal action research		10	
	2.2	Other teacher identified learning and development		5	

Table B - Required continuing professional learning and development for renewal of permit to teach
To satisfy the continuing professional learning and development requirements for renewal of their permit to teach an approved teacher shall have recorded with the Institute at least 20 hours of professional learning and development undertaken in the year preceding the application for renewal. The professional learning and development record shall include the teacher's reflection on each program aligned to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers Australian Professional Standard for Principals (as appropriate). 

This table sets out the categories of professional learning and development that may comprise the 20 hours of professional learning and development required. The teacher must record a combination of professional learning from both category entries 1 and 2. 

Entry 
No.	Category of 
professional learning 
and development	Mandatory minimum hours	Maximum 
hours 
recognised 	
1	Institute accredited teacher professional learning programs	5		
2	Teacher identified activities	5		
	2.1	Formal academic study or formal action research relevant to the permit to teach		10	
	2.2	Other teacher identified learning and development relevant to the permit to teach		5