New Zealand Certificate in Adult and Tertiary Teaching (Level 5)

Advance your career in adult and tertiary education with the New Zealand Certificate in Adult and Tertiary Teaching (Level 5). Gain the skills and capabilities to deliver high-quality, contemporary, and culturally appropriate teaching and learning across various educational or training settings.

This qualification serves as the standard baseline for professional adult and tertiary teaching practitioners.

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SIT Online
Campus
SIT Online
Qualification
Certificate
Level
5
Credits
60
Duration

18 weeks full time

Up to 5 years part-time

Intakes are 18 weeks long

Dates
TBC
Tuition Fees

Zero tuition fees

Direct Material Costs

$8.00 per credit (incl. GST)

International Fees

$100 per credit (incl. GST)

Course Outline

This qualification is intended for individuals aspiring to or engaged in a career in adult, tertiary or vocational teaching or training who have a qualification or equivalent experience in their trade, vocation or other primary discipline.  It represents the expected sector baseline qualification for a professional adult and tertiary teaching practitioner.

Graduates of this qualification have the skills and capabilities to provide high quality, contemporary and culturally appropriate teaching and learning in a range of teaching or training contexts.

By the end of the program, you'll be able to:

  • Design learning that is pedagogically and culturally appropriate to meet specified learning outcomes in diverse contexts.
  • Facilitate quality learner-centred teaching that represents the mana and diverse cultural backgrounds of adult learners, and the wider educational and societal context.
  • Use a range of facilitation and teaching strategies, including technology-enhanced teaching and learning.
  • Embed literacy and numeracy skills appropriate to the demands of the programme and needs of the learners.
  • Enhance learning through the application of a range of assessment, feedback, and moderation practices.
  • Evaluate own professional practice and develop and implement plans to improve it.

Note: This qualification moved to Version 2 in 2024. If you completed any unit standards towards this qualification prior to 2023 you may be able to have these credited towards completion of this version of the qualification. For further information about this, please contact the Programme Administrator at SIT Online Admin.

Course Content

To gain this qualification you will need to complete all of the following courses (60 credits). 

Throughout these courses you will also complete 60 hours of work-integrated learning in an adult or tertiary teaching setting. To meet this requirement, you must have access to a minimum of 6 adult learners (e.g. over the age of 18) over the duration of the programme of study in order to undertake learning and reflection in an authentic setting. Please read through the following information to understand the requirements for access to adult learners/classroom environment and other adult education stakeholders in each paper.

CVTT521 Learner centred practice (20 credits)

This course introduces you to the strategies which promote awareness of, and respect for, cultural diversity and literacy needs in adult education in Aotearoa New Zealand. You will learn to design and implement learner-centred activities and evaluate learning and teaching strategies to improve practice, enabling you to be an effective facilitator of learning in your teaching context.

Assessments: This paper has four assessments, including developing two lessons plans of no less than one hour each in duration. You need to deliver these lessons, and they also need to be observed by a suitably qualified or experienced person.  Other assessments cover evaluation of inclusive teaching and learning strategies, and factors that impact the implementation and outcomes of the lesson. 

Note: CVTT521 is also part of the NZ Certificate in Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education (Vocational/Workplace) (Level 5) qualification. You would need to complete one further (20 credit) course to gain this qualification.  

CVTT522 Teaching approaches for learner success (10 credits)

This course enables you to consider and incorporate a variety of teaching and learning approaches tailored to your specific Aotearoa New Zealand context, and how to assess the effectiveness of these approaches and strategies. Leveraging learning technologies and fostering inclusive feedback mechanisms, you will learn to design teaching that ensures optimal learning experiences for learners of varying abilities and promoting continuous growth and engagement within diverse adult educational settings.

Assessments: This paper has two assessments, including developing two lessons plans of no less than one hour each in duration for a group of learners. A group is considered to be at least 4 learners which allows you to fully consider learner diversity within your context. You will also need to discuss teaching and learning models and approaches appropriate for your teaching context and evaluate the delivery of these lessons (including the teaching and learning models and approaches, feedback, and learning technologies).

CVTT523 Assessment and moderation (15 credits)

This course will enable you to evaluate and improve assessment design and assessment practices within your Aotearoa New Zealand context, including moderation process, providing feedback, and consideration of assessment constructive alignment.  

Assessments: This paper has three assessments including designing assessments, discussion of moderation types and processes, and undertaking moderation of an assessment task. You will also need to evaluate methods for giving feedback to enhance learning, including examples of feedback you have given in your own teaching and learning context. 

CVTT524 Perspectives on teaching & learning (15 credits)

In this course you will learn to evaluate personal and professional influences that foster a professional identity rooted in reflective practice and continuous growth. You will also learn how to integrate diverse frameworks that embed essential literacy and numeracy skills across varied Aotearoa New Zealand contexts and embrace the principles of universal design for learning to tailor your teaching methods to accommodate diverse learners.

Assessments: This paper has three assessments that cover evaluating personal and professional influences on your teaching and learning practice (including keeping a reflective journal of your teaching practice and seeking feedback from different stakeholder groups) and designing learning activities that support ākonga with appropriate skills to complete industry related literacy and numeracy tasks. You will also need to facilitate a lesson where you use these tasks. 

Note: This qualification has now moved to Version 2. If you are an existing student and have any questions regarding transitioning from Version 1, please contact your programme manager.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of this qualification may work in roles such as:

  • community, vocational or workplace educator
  • academic staff, tutor or facilitator
  • training, education or learning advisor 
Application Criteria

Applicants for this programme of study must have access to adult learners (e.g. over the age of 18) over the duration of the programme of study in order to enable them to undertake learning and reflection in an authentic setting.

General Admission
Applicants should be a minimum of 16 years of age and must have attained either:

  • NCEA Level 2
  • A relevant qualification at NZQF Level 2 or above, or a recognised equivalent.

Any ākonga who do not meet the above criteria may be eligible for consideration for Discretionary Admission. In assessing whether to grant Discretionary Admission, the focus is on the applicant’s level of preparedness for their intended programme.

English Language Requirements

All applicants (international and domestic) for whom English is not a first language need to provide evidence that they have the necessary English language proficiency required for the programme.

International applicants are required to have an IELTS score of 5.5 (general or academic) with no individual band lower than 5 from one test taken in the preceding two years, or an equivalent described in NZQA Rules.

Ākonga who have achieved NCEA Level 3 University Entrance requirements are not required to provide evidence of English language skills.

International applicants should contact the SIT International team for advice.

Qualification Pathways

This qualification may lead to Level 5 and above qualifications in adult and tertiary teaching. This may include:

  • New Zealand Certificate in Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education (Vocational/Workplace) (Level 5)
  • New Zealand Diploma in Adult and Tertiary Teaching (Level 6)
  • New Zealand Certificate in Learning Design (Level 6)
  • New Zealand Certificate in Education Technology (Level 6) 
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