Clinical Model of Education
Our evidence-based clinical model of education explained
Teaching is much more than information transmission and behaviour management. Excellent teachers can focus on each and every student's learning growth; and support their individual needs as they evolve over time. They can do this because they continually question their own teaching, in order to learn themselves. They do this by:
- Critically monitoring the impact of their teaching on learning, and adapting to meet the needs of each and every student – rather than expecting students to keep up regardless of their circumstances
- Collating and using evidence about what each student knows and understands to inform planning, including the design of teaching interventions
- Constructing teaching and learning environments that consider every student, whatever their developmental stage and current ability
- Continuously evaluating the impact of their teaching, to inform next steps and optimise the chances of improving student learning.
Studying teaching with an evidence-based clinical approach
Our unique clinical model of education is integrated into our degrees for all stages of a teaching career:
- Master of Teaching: for graduates who want to become teachers. An essential part of the Clinical Model is the Clinical Praxis Exam, which links theory and practice to develop high level analytical skills in using data to identify and address the needs of learners.
- Master of Evidence Based Teaching: for practicing teachers.
- Master of Instructional Leadership: for educational leaders (and aspiring leaders).
Researching and refining a clinical approach to education
Research is constantly informing our unique Clinical Model. Some of our major research projects and publications include:
- The Assessment and Learning Partnerships in the Assessment Research Centre.
- Kameniar, B., McLean Davies, L,. Reid, C., Tyler, D., and Acquaro, D. (2017) Clinical praxis exams: linking academic study and professional practice knowledge. In Michael Peters, Bronwen Cowie and Ian Menter (Eds), A Companion to Research in Teacher Education, pp53-68, (Springer).
- Kriewaldt, J., McLean Davies, L., Rice, S., Rickards, F., Acquaro, D. (2017). Clinical practice in education: towards a conceptual framework. In Michael Peters, Bronwen Cowie and Ian Menter (Eds), A Companion to Research in Teacher Education, pp153-166, (Springer).
- McLean Davies, L., Angelico, T., Hadlow, B., riewaldt, J., Rickards, F., Thornton, J. and Wright, P. (2017). Supporting the development of the profession: the impact of a clinical approach to teacher education. Glenn Savage and Tom Bentley (Eds). Educating Australia: Challenges for the Next Decade. Melbourne University Press. 209-228.
- McLean Davies, L., Dickson, B., Rickards, F., Dinham, S., Conroy, J., & Davis, R. (2015). Teaching as a clinical profession: translational practices in initial teacher education – an international perspective. Journal of Education for Teaching (JET), 41(5), 514-528.