Job Discussion Forums

[sainthood]

Hey gang.

I've been looking over a university site, and they offer these 2 courses for the same number of credit points, but with slightly different subject selection. Both are by distance (not that it'll say that on the award when I get it).

Now, IMHO, the MEd looks far better!

BUT, the contact I've been emailing says the PGDip is more 'teacher' oriented, and the MEd is more 'research' oriented.

Am I right in thinking the MEd is the better to strive for??? (at least on paper?? I'll be doing the CELTA in a couple of months, and start on the DELTA, and already have a dodgey TESOL "diploma", as well as MAppLing)

[naturegirl321]

Neither is "better" they serve different purposes. MAs are usually for people who want to get into higher ed and admin. Pcde or pgce are for those who want to teach K to 12.

What do you want to do?

By the way, what uni is offering a PGDE online? I thought observed classroom teaching was a part of that course.

If you already have an MA in Applied LInguistics, why get the MA in TESOL? the AL one is often seen as "more prestigiuos", so go for the PGDE:

[sainthood]

Hi Nature.

Firstly, I don't want to go near kids :p I'll stick with uni's, thank you very muchly...

Secondly - Uni of Woollongong (You're an Aussie, yes?)

As for why the 2nd Masters... cos it's in Education with a TESOL specialisation... and the MAppLing had very little to do with teaching!

The difference between the PGDip and the MEd was pretty minimal... just a few subjects, from what I could see.

[naturegirl321]

[sainthood]

[fladude]

If you are just trying to teach adults then I don't see how becoming a certified school teacher would help you. However, it could help you if you became certified and then taught for 2-3 years and then went to work at a college. Since some colleges would consider even high school teaching to be relevant experience, even if not college experience. I'm not sure how they would feel about experience teaching little kids though. But after you get your first college job and have it for a few years then I don't see any real value in it. I'd probably just get the MA.

[therock]

Will this PG Dip lead to teacher certification in Australia? If not, do the Masters. It looks better and it's a higher qualification.

[sainthood]

[quote=TheRock}It looks better and it's a higher qualification.[/quote]

My thoughts exactly!

To quote the email from the UoW contact:

"The Graduate Certificate and the Graduate Diploma are professional qualifications. The Master is a more research-focused program with different subject options; it does not include a professional placement and does not lead to professional accreditation, like the Grad Cert and Grad Dip.



Students can apply to transfer into the Master degree if they are in a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma but they will forfeit the original degree; additional studies will be required to take out the Master degree, as some of the subjects will not cross over. If you graduate from the Grad Cert or Grad Dip you can then re-apply to the Master but the maximum credit you will receive is 2 subjects. "


Perhaps when she said "professional qualification", she was only referring to Aus.... which is still a bit odd for a TESOL qualification!


Thanks for the quick replies! (wish I could get a good job that fast :p)

[sojourner]

Hi Sainthood !

How's Jiujiang these days ?

Re doing a post-grad teaching course, as someone else has already pointed out, some of the most important work can't be undertaken via distance ed/online modes - you have to be on-campus in order to observe other people teach, and for you to undertake your own practicum.Maybe, your uni could arange for you to do the practicum o'seas - but, I'd imagine, it'll be a big hassle ! But, if you have no intention to teach primary and high school kids then what's the point in doing a post-grad diploma programme - completion of such a programme might be necessary for registration as a teacher back in Oz; but, such registration is not necessary for EFL work , and uni SLA teaching in general.

You mentioned that you hold an M.Appl.Ling. degree. If you regard the work that you did for that degree as a "bit too theoretical", you might want to "top it up" with some more practical training, eg DELTA. With an M.Appl.Ling. a DELTA and a couple of years of teaching exp, you should have no trouble in landing a good uni job in China and elsewhere.I can't see the point of wanting to do both a DELTA and the sort of M.Ed that you mentioned !

If you are really keen to do another Master's degree , why not do something completely outside the area of TESL/Appl.Ling. eg, an MBA degree ? Such a degree would prove v.useful if you are ever asked to teach Business English, let alone Marketing and Management. Depending on what was covered in your first Master's degree, with an MBA you might also be able to combine your knowledge of linguistics (eg re discourse analysis) with an understanding of the business world, in teaching jobs that involve EAP, such as in preparing students who have majored in business subjects and are intending to undergo post-grad studies o'seas.

In your OP, you said something about doing a CELTA course in the v.near future, and then to start on a DELTA soon afterwards.I could be wrong here, but I believe that CELTA is no longer a prerequisite for doing a DELTA - provided that you have at least 2 years f/t EFL/ESL teaching exp under your belt. Re the distance ed. mode, I believe that you can now do some of the DELTA modules by correspondence/online;but, you'll still have to attend classes for the other modules.I'm not sure if any language school chain in China happens to offer DELTA training - however, I believe that the ILA schools, in Vietnam, provides both CELTA and DELTA training.

You also mentioned that eventually you want to teach in the M.E. Just be aware that many schools (even countries !) in that region don't have a v.high regard for degrees that were attained through distance ed/online studies - even those that were conferred by recognised unis ! So, in your research on the most appropriate post-grad programme to enrol in, you might want to bear bear that in mind.

Good luck !

Peter

[naturegirl321]

[sainthood]

Hey Peter!!! I sent you a PM ages back, but got no reply.....

Ok, my logic (such as it is :p).

M.Ed. (TESOL) http://www.uow.edu.au/educ/postgrad/UOW037381.html

vs my current: http://www.open.edu.au/public/courses-and-units/arts/course-mon_lin_mas-2011

Nothing in my current says anything about assessment, nor curriculum design, not IELTS etc preparation, nor... etc etc. So, pretty different!

My thoughts are - get some practical skills and advice through the CELTA in August, enrol into Module 3 of DELTA (distance, covers IELTS/TOEFL exam preparation), and go back to work in some country other than Oz. (Modules 1 &2 are face to face).

Then, start on the M.Ed. - cos it looks better on paper! (probably worth noting, the Australian tertiary education system means I pay nothing.. until I start making money back in Australia itself!!! Then, it comes out of my taxation payments, at a relatively small percentage! So, all I'm losing out on is time).

MBA... hmmmm - I'm not really a business type, though it is something I'd thought about briefly. I think I'll stick to TESOl (for now).

The ME not liking online... unless they specifically ask, they're not going to know!

[rafaella]

[quote]The ME not liking online... unless they specifically ask, they're not going to know![/quote]

Surely it will be obvious it was online if your CV states that you were teaching in Country A at the same time that you were studying for/received the MA in Country B.

I'm not getting at you at all as I don't see anything wrong with distance qualifications, but it's something to bear in mind if you want to land a job in the ME.

[sainthood]

[naturegirl321]

[rafaella]

I've never understood why the whole concept of distance learning is sneered at by some people. In fact I think I should be posting this on the Pet Peeves thread!