Continuing Teacher Education in the Faculty of Education at Brock University has been providing Additional Qualification courses for K-12 teachers since 1978.
The AQ courses have been accredited by the Ontario College of Teachers and recognized by participants and school boards as excellent components of teacher professional development. More than 60 AQ and ABQ courses are now available in an online format with more online course offerings in the planning and development stage.
New & featured courses
- PQP Part 1 (Now online – recently reaccredited to align with new Ministry guidelines)
- PQP Part 2 (Now online – recently reaccredited to align with new Ministry guidelines)
- First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Studies, Part 1
- Health & Physical Education, Primary/Junior, Part 1
- Visual Arts, Part 1 (coming soon)
- Construction Technology, grades 9 & 10
- Hospitality & Tourism, grades 9 & 10
- Technological Design, grades 9 & 10
Additional Qualifications (AQ)
- Additional Qualifications are offered in a wide variety of subject and topic areas. These courses deepen practitioners’ knowledge and skills in design and delivery of specific programs. They also support professional practice by preparing teachers for specific roles.
- For Information about Additional Qualification courses at Brock University, visit the Office of the Registrar’s website.
Additional Basic Qualifications (ABQ)
- Teachers certified in Ontario are usually qualified to teach in two consecutive divisions: Primary/Junior, Junior/Intermediate or Intermediate/Senior.
- The underlying purpose of an additional basic qualification course is to extend the skills and knowledge of teachers in the design, delivery and assessment of a program within a particular division.
- For Information about Additional Basic Qualification courses in Brock University’s Faculty of Education, visit the Office of the Registrar’s website.
Honour Specialist
- Teachers who enroll in a Honour Specialist Additional Qualification course possess a strong knowledge base in a particular subject area(s).
- For Information about Honour Specialist courses, please visit the Office of the Registrar’s website.
Technological Education (AQ)
- For Technological Education Additional Qualification information please visit the Office of the Registrar’s website.
Principal’s Qualification Program (PQP)
The Ontario College of Teachers tells us:
- Members earn principal qualifications by taking the Principal’s Qualification Program (PQP), Parts I and II. The program is designed to educate future principals to lead and manage efficiently in contexts characterized by change and complexity.
- Part I is an introductory program that includes course work and the development of a practicum proposal. It is intended for any teacher interested in becoming a school principal and serves as an introduction to the fundamental aspects of leading and managing a school.
- Part II candidates explore, in more depth, the theoretical and operational aspects of the principal ship. Concepts and issues such as leadership and program planning are the focus of Part II.
- The Principal’s Qualification program has been designed specifically to provide world-class leadership learning opportunities derived from school board and school cases and situations from across the province.
The Principal’s Qualifications Program is open to teachers with five (5) years teaching experience AND qualifications in three divisions including intermediate and a master’s degree OR two specialists OR one specialist and half a master’s degree.
Upcoming PQP offerings:
- PQP Part 1 – January 15 to March 8, 2024, Registration deadline: January 10, 2024
- PQP Part 2 – January 15 to March 8, 2024, Registration deadline: January 10, 2024
Please contact Jody Boone, Administrative Coordinator Continuing Teacher Education, at jboone@brocku.ca for further online offerings, dates and application.
Frequently asked questions
Pre-tests/ Equivalencies
A: AQs/ABQs do not have transfer credits or equivalency credits. A student must take a course offered by Brock in order for it to appear on the Brock transcript.
Registration
A: With each Part 2, Specialist/Part 3 or Honour Specialist course, a “Certificate of Teaching Experiences” form must be submitted.
A: If you successfully completed the previous part with Brock, we are able to see that and can allow you to register for the next part.
If you took the previous part with another provider and are looking to register for the next part with Brock, we will require proof of completion prior registering.
If you took the previous part with Brock and are looking to take the next part with another provider, you can obtain a completion letter from the registrar’s office.
A: A Brock University teacher candidate can take AQs and ABQs during the spring intersession, before convocation, only if, the teacher candidate has completed all of their teacher education program components.
Completion of Course/ OCT recommendations
A: Brock does not provide certificates of completion however you can request a transcript or a completion letter by contacting the registrar’s office at central@brocku.ca
A: You can obtain a letter confirming enrollment by emailing the registrar’s office at central@brocku.ca.
A: The registrar’s office will notify the OCT of all successfully completed courses provided that tuition fees are paid in full and all required documents have been submitted.
Assessment and evaluation strategies in Continuing Teacher Education (CTE) courses are rooted in a commitment to equity and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. Recognizing the multifaceted nature of adult learners, our courses reflect the paradigms of K-12 evaluation methods while concurrently honouring the principles of andragogy, the science of understanding adult learning. Our underlying philosophy is to create an environment where all candidates have an opportunity to succeed. This is achieved by maintaining flexibility in our assessment methods and adapting to our candidates’ diverse learning needs and preferences. Our assessment toolbox includes but is not limited to self-assessments, a complete/not complete grading scale, group work evaluations, quizzes, hands-on skill demonstrations, 1-point criteria, rubrics, and observational feedback. Each method is chosen to ensure fairness, inclusivity, and adaptability, promoting a learner-centered approach that champions the success of every individual.
A: Attendance is comprised of online instruction, interaction with other students in your course and participation as well as assignments, readings, etc. for a total of 125 hours which is mandated by the OCT. Your online time must reflect what your attendance would have been in a face-to-face format. Online courses are designed to work around your schedule, however, you will need to dedicate 10-20 hours per week to your course, depending on the length of the course which varies between 5-10 weeks. Your online commitment should reflect what your attendance would be in a face-to-face offering. You determine when/how to accomplish this. Instructors will address this at the beginning of their courses. Time is often referred to as contact hours. Attendance is tracked and monitored by the instructor through the monitoring function within our online learning platform as well as the quality of communications and interactions.
Students who would like to “fast-track” and do all of the work at once and finish early, please note this is not permitted. Course assignment due dates are set within the course to allow for reflection and feedback from the instructor.
A: The required qualifications are as follows:
• A Bachelor of Education
• A certified member with the Ontario College of Teachers
• Appropriate professional qualifications in the subject matter
• Experience in the teaching field and/or division
• Experience with using Brightspace Learning Management System
Interested applicants can send their resume or CV along with a cover letter to aq@brocku.ca
We thank you for your interest in being an instructor in Continuing Teacher Education at Brock University, however, only successful applicants will be contacted.
Frequently Used Terms
- In Service — people who are already teachers and are taking an AQ/ABQ with Brock
- Pre-Service — undergraduate students in Brock’s teacher education program that are currently taking undergraduate courses at Brock
- AQ (Additional Qualification) — a one or three-part course designed to provide you with professional development in a specific subject
- ABQ (Additional Basic Qualification) — is a course designed to certify a teacher to teach in another division
For academic advising please contact:
Jody Boone
Administrative Coordinator
jboone@brocku.ca
Dr. Tony DiPetta
Director
tdipetta@brocku.ca
Zoe Branigan-Pipe
Accreditation Coordinator
zbraniganpipe@brocku.ca