Free online micro-credentials redefine teacher professional development

Professional development is evolving. Teachers now have access to professional learning that is flexible and offers a range of online learning strategies – with the added benefit of being free! 

More than 7,000 Australian school educators have enrolled in the free, online Micro-credentials for Classroom Confidence since their launch in July 2024, with 96% of surveyed learners saying they would recommend the courses to their colleagues. 

Funded by the Australian Government Department of Education and delivered by the University of Adelaide, the 3 micro-credentials in this series have been designed by experts in direct response to teacher needs, offering strategies that can be applied immediately in the classroom. 

Each micro-credential is:

  • Free for Australian-based teachers, school leaders, classroom support staff, and pre-service teachers.
  • Recognised professional learning counting towards annual PD requirements. 
  • Co-designed with representatives from government and non-government education authorities and other relevant professional organisations, ensuring alignment with priorities and terminology across systems and jurisdictions.

The micro-credentials also offer a potential credit pathway to a Master of Education via the free online Classroom Confidence Assessment Credential. 

Available on the topics of Classroom Management, Explicit Teaching, and Teaching Phonics, the micro-credentials are flexible and self-paced in design, so educators can tailor their learning journey to fit into their lifestyle.

Find out below about the positive impact the micro-credentials are having on classrooms across the country from the educators themselves! 

1. Classroom Management Micro-credential
 


About the Classroom Management Micro-credential

Managing a classroom can be challenging, but there are strategies that work. In this micro-credential, you’ll discover how to improve your classroom culture using preventative and proactive management strategies that work best for your context. You will investigate strategies for creating safe, consistent and predictable learning environments that enable habit formation, build trust, foster a sense of community, and support more engaged and productive learning. You can also participate in online forums and connect with other educators across Australia.

This micro-credential was excellent in terms of the academic rigour that it gave. We are constantly looking to improve the practices of our school and our teachers, and this micro-credential really helps us to do that, given research-backed practices.

– Evan, Secondary School Leader

 


2. Explicit Teaching Micro-credential
 

 
About the Explicit Teaching Micro-credential

Explicit teaching is an evidence-based approach to effectively teach new content. In this course, you will explore evidence-based strategies you can use to plan, implement and assess explicit teaching sessions in a way that supports the needs of diverse cohorts of students. 

You’ll develop lesson plans grounded in explicit teaching methodologies, participate in online forums and connect with other educators across Australia.

It doesn’t matter whether you are teaching primary school or secondary school, it’s all relevant and it’s easily put into practice. Great resources! So why not do it?
 – Alison, Junior Primary Leader

 


3. Teaching Phonics Micro-credential
 

 
About the Teaching Phonics Micro-credential

Phonics is the cornerstone of early literacy, yet many teachers do not feel confident in teaching phonics in a systematic and explicit way. This course provides insights into the teaching of phonics for both primary and secondary teachers and identifies the critical evidence-based strategies and practices that support student learning, using the latest research. 

You’ll take a deep dive into the theories that underpin phonics and the contemporary instructional approaches that can support you to embed systematic synthetic phonics into your daily practice, including with diverse cohorts of students. Supported by an online community of peers, you will leave better prepared to help your students develop the phonics skills they need.

This course has given me invaluable insights into the structured nature of a whole-school approach to phonics and how carefully building on previous knowledge can gradually increase a student’s ability to decode and encode.
– Secondary Teacher

Get started today

Whether you’re an in-service educator refining your practice, a school leader supporting staff capability, or a pre-service teacher strengthening your foundations, the Micro-credentials for Classroom Confidence offer an accessible and effective way to build your confidence and impact.

Enrol today to upskill with purpose and teach with impact.