Professional learning ensures all teachers continually update their knowledge and practice and are classroom-ready at any time.

The Teachers Registration Board defines professional learning as any planned or unplanned learning opportunities, processes, or experiences in which a teacher engages either in their work time or own time.

Professional learning:

  • continually builds capacity as a professional to positively impact child and student growth
  • furthers professional growth based on the needs and relevance of individuals
  • supports the learning outcomes of children and students now and into the future
  • aligns to site and/or system priorities.

Registered teachers who have not completed a minimum 100 hours of professional learning within a 5-year period may not be permitted to renew their registration.

Teachers who have exceptional and/or extenuating circumstances are encourages to contact the office to discuss their options.

You can find out your learning term dates on the Teachers Portal.

You can also visit our Professional Learning Calendar for upcoming events and programs.

What are my Professional Learning requirements?

Professional learning for registration purposes is required to be:

  • a minimum of 100 hours per five-year term of registration, regardless of whether teaching full-time, part-time, as a temporary relief teacher, or taking extended leave, including parenting leave
  • over and above the normal roles and responsibilities of a teacher, such as preparing units of work, programming, assessing students’ work, and reporting
  • referenced against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST)
  • recorded regularly on the Teachers Portal with supporting evidence retained to verify that the learning has occurred.

What can I count as professional learning?

Teachers can choose from a broad range of professional learning opportunities with the Board anticipating that a variety of learning activities will be undertaken.

The following table lists acceptable professional learning activities in different categories of learning along with the type of evidence you could keep. This information should not be considered exhaustive.

Activity example

Evidence that might be  appropriate

  • conferences
  • workshops
  • guest speaker at a staff meeting
  • school/site professional development
  • training around a particular aspect (eg, Teams
  • attending a lecture/seminar)
  • certificate of attendance
  • diary/journal notes
  • written personal reflection
  • attendance record
  • resources gathered from session (ie. PowerPoint slides, handouts)   annotates with own notes

Activity example

Evidence that might be  appropriate

  • Postgraduate study (ie. Toward a qualification)
  • University degrees
  • TAFE certificate/diploma courses
  • Academic transcript
  • Certificate of completion
  • Course notes- annotated
  • Learning journal including reflection/notes

Activity example

Evidence that might be  appropriate

  • Professional reading – including books, articles, academic journals,   peer-reviewed literature, etc
  • Reading log with notes or reflections on the readings
  • Reports and articles written about the research

Activity example

Evidence that might be  appropriate

  • eLearning modules and online course
  • participating in a webinar or online conference
  • certificate
  • attendance record
  • learning journal – including name of course/activity, presenter if   applicable, date, and reflection/notes

Activity example

Evidence that might be  appropriate

  • being part of a professional learning team/community – of teachers striving   to push their collective knowledge and understanding around an area of   educational interest ie, more effective assessment tasks.
  • participating in a group project
  • learning journal – including personal reflection/notes
  • resources gathered from session (ie. PowerPoint slides, handouts)   annotated with own notes
  • certificate
  • verification from facilitator

What can’t I count towards my professional learning?

  • Reading a curriculum to write units, plans or programs of work
  • Finding or making resources, worksheets and assessment tasks/activities
  • Setting up a learning area, decorating the classroom, preparing an   activity
  • Attending open nights, parent-teacher interviews, or professional meetings
  • Report writing, marking, entering data on the student learning   management system, and submitting students’ work for moderation

  • SACE/IB examination marking or moderation of students/children’s work
  • NAPLAN marking
  • Writing examinations, assessment criteria or curricula
  • Competition grading eg. Australian Maths Competition, judging for   art/history prices, being on the audition panel for Adelaide Youth Orchestra

  • General staff meetings -including administrative aspects at the school/site
  • Writing the school/site newsletter or minutes
  • Membership of a Board or Governing Council and attending their meetings
  • Working in the role of a secretary for a committee

  • Working on-on-one with a child/student
  • Tuturing
  • Supervising preservice teachers
  • Coaching or managing sports teams (school or community)
  • Supervising a boarding house
  • Giving resources and feedback to other teachers or conducting a performance review

  • Facilitating staff training sessions
  • Presenting at conferences
  • Conducting workshops or information sessions

  • Participating on a panel
  • Training regarding strategies for employment applications
  • Writing job applications
  • Recording professional learning
  • Volunteering – in school/site or the community

  • Accompanying students on excursions and camps
  • Supervision of students’ extra-curricular activities
  • Attending school/site events and ceremonies
  • Participation in a performance or sport
  • Personal travel experiences