What is going on when students are trying to understand texts or diagrams, or when they are trying to solve problems? What does being an active learner mean? Can you help students change their motivational states? Is discussion really valuable as a form of learning?

These are some of the questions that are addressed in the cognitive psychology and educational practice specialisation within the Graduate Certificate in Education and the Master of Education degrees at Flinders University.

In this specialisation you will develop an understanding of the cognitive psychology of learning and investigate how this can be applied to problems that arise in learning and teaching.

This specialisation may interest classroom teachers, special education teachers, lecturers or tutors in further or higher education, private tutors or trainers and those wanting to understand their own learning processes. These courses do not lead to teacher registration in South Australia.

The courses are designed to meet the increasing demand for professional development of current teachers and other professionals. The programs are not designed to be an initial preparation for teaching and do not lead to teacher registration.

Potential occupations include:

• teachers in school classrooms
• school coordinators and principals
• curriculum and policy advisers in departments of education
• advisors to government departments and other policy makers.