Impact of Department of Education staff completing the Graduate Certificate of Inclusive Education

The Department of Education Tasmania (DoE) in collaboration with the University of Tasmania (UTAS) provided support to DoE staff to gain additional qualifications as part of the Teacher Development Initiative (TDI). The Graduate Certificate of Inclusive Education (GCIE) is one of these qualifications and consists of four units in: inclusive education practices; re-engaging disengaged students; educating students with dyslexia and learning difficulties; and educating students with multiple disabilities. The initiative ran initially from 2017-2020 and has been extended into 2021, with up to 30 permanent staff sponsored each year to complete the GCIE. Between 2017-2020 83 staff completed the GCIE. In this way, DoE aims to develop a network of teachers and departmental staff with deep knowledge and skills and to embed inclusive education practices across the state.

DoE commissioned the Peter Underwood Centre to undertake an independent evaluation to assess the impact of the GCIE in improving inclusive teaching practices in Tasmania. The research team worked collaboratively with colleagues from the Department of Education and the University of Tasmania Faculty of Education. The data collection involved a survey of 2017 and 2018 GCIE graduates and interviews with 2017 and 2018 GCIE graduates as well as supervisors of some of those graduates.