Introduction

The two-year MEd programme aims at developing graduates as critical reflective practitioners, classroom researchers and life-long learners with capacity to work with their fellow teachers in their own institutions for improving their performance. The graduates of the programme will have a broader understanding of significant issues in education and in-depth knowledge in their specialised areas and will be able to exercise leadership using a variety of approaches to initiate and support improvement initiatives in classroom teaching, student learning, assessment and research.

The intended learning outcomes of the programme are expressed in terms of graduates' knowledge and how will they be able to:

• Continue their own lifelong learning;
• Reflect on their own practice and act to improve it;
• Support teachers in a caring and purposeful manner;
• Encourage and facilitate CPs and teachers to learn;
• Plan, conduct and evaluate professional development programmes;
• Understand and undertake research, and make use of research findings in reports and articles;
• Communicate effectively in written and spoken English;
• Use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills to enhance their work productivity;
• Improve their understanding of educational management and leadership; and
• Work effectively on school improvement projects.

In their 'specialisation' studies, the graduates will receive in-depth content knowledge and pedagogical skills in specific areas. Those CPs, who intend to do specialisation in educational leadership and management areas, are expected to employ leadership and management skills to lead and manage school development programmes. Similarly, for teacher education, CPs are expected to develop, critique and enrich existing curriculum and classroom practices in specific areas and plan and implement professional development programmes for teachers at school level. Furthermore, elective studies will help broaden CPs' vision as reflective practitioners.

Essential Characteristics

The characteristics of the programme are:

• In the two years, the CPs will have opportunities to work with students and teachers in and out of classrooms in a variety of schools;
• There is a strong emphasis on collaborative processes for teaching and learning;
• In order to prepare the CPs as reflective practitioners, there is focus on research and inquiry, maintaining reflective journals and encouraging a critically questioning stance towards their own practice and to all knowledge; and
• There is also a focus on school improvement. It is expected that the graduates will be able to work as 'change agents' in their schools and/or school systems.