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The VIT has compiled definitions for our most frequently used terms, government departments and regulatory bodies. If you are unable to find a specific term in this list, please contact us.

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Academic

Academic means non-education discipline studies, or educational studies other than initial teacher education studies undertaken at a recognised higher education or further education institution.

Academic transcript

An academic transcript from a higher education provider can also be referred to as an academic record, a diploma supplement, a statement of learning, a record of achievement or something else similar.

It should list all the modules or subjects you studied in each year, the marks or grades you achieved for each module, and the credit value and level of each module. It should be stamped or signed by the higher education provider and be on official letterhead paper.

Academic transcripts issued electronically via eQuals are acceptable.

Accreditation

The accreditation process involves a rigorous assessment of an initial teacher education (ITE) program against a set of nationally-agreed standards.

Accreditation standards and procedures are designed to ensure that all graduates of ITE meet the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at the graduate teacher level. This ensures the program is of high quality and prepares pre-service teachers for the teaching profession.

The process also includes an assessment of a provider’s quality assurance and continuous improvement mechanisms, as well as ensuring that the provider has a nationally-endorsed teaching performance assessment which all graduates must successfully complete.

Accreditation Committee & Professional Practice Committee

The Accreditation Committee assess and approve ITE programs for the purposes of teacher registration consistent with the National Standards and Procedures for accreditation of ITE programs in Australia. The Committee comprises teachers and principals from government and non-government schools, teacher educators as well as representatives of Victorian teacher employers.

Accreditation Expert Group (AEG)

The AEG is a group of all Victorian panellists who have been nationally trained in the initial teacher education Program Standards. The AEG is comprised of teacher educators, employers of teachers, members of the teaching profession and the broader education community. The groups meets to strengthen understanding of the Program Standards to ensure Victorian consistency.

Address history

An address history is used to run a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC), and must meet specific criteria.
The address history must

  • cover a five year period
  • have no gaps between dates (i.e. if one address ends 17 March 2021, the next must begin 17 March 2021)
  • have a start date for every address
  • have an end date for every address (except the current one).

Annual registration

All teachers are required to complete the annual registration process by 30 September each year in order to maintain their registration. The annual registration process applies to all registration categories.

The annual registration process must be completed via the teacher’s MyVIT account. The types of tasks required to complete the annual registration process differ depending on the type of registration they hold.

Annual registration fee

Annual payment to maintain registration as a teacher. In accordance with the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, the fees concerning teacher registration are fixed by the Minister for Education.

Audit (registration)

When a teacher applies to renew their registration, they will make legally binding self-declarations about their recency of practice, maintenance of their professional learning, and continuing suitability and fitness to teach.

To ensure consistency and compliance with legislation, VIT selects a number of teachers to verify their self-declarations each year.  When a teacher is randomly selected for an audit, they will receive an email from VIT containing instructions on how to provide audit evidence

Teachers will be asked to provide information to support their declarations, including information about

  • days teaching, equivalent practice or educational leadership
  • hours of professional learning activities that contribute to their knowledge about pedagogy content and/or practice, and reference the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST). 

Failure to comply with these requirements will result in the expiry of the teacher’s registration and removal of their name from the register of teachers. 

Audit (school audit)

There are two ‘school audit’ processes. The Independent schools census and the Department of Education and Catholic Education data exchanges.

The ISV Census and DET/CECV Data Exchange identifies the school(s) at which a registered teacher is employed and confirms that each teacher holds the correct registration.

Audit, Risk Management & Finance Committee

The Audit, Risk Management and Finance Committee oversees the financial, risk management, audit and general administrative functions of VIT. It makes recommendations to Council on the financial requirements of VIT’s governing legislation and other legislation regulating the financial and risk management and accountability of VIT.

The Committee maintains effective communication with external and internal auditors, and reviews their scope of work, independence and performance. It also receives, discusses and monitors significant findings and recommendations from reports by internal and external auditors.

On behalf of the Council, the Committee reviews and recommends the development and implementation of VIT’s strategic and business plan budgets. In addition, the Committee advises Council on the adequacy and effectiveness of VIT’s financial and accounting policies, related control systems and management information systems.

Australasian Teacher Regulatory Authorities (ATRA)

An association established by the teacher registration and accreditation authorities across Australia and New Zealand with the purpose of facilitating collaboration and cooperation across Australian and New Zealand regulatory authorities.

Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)

An independent national authority that works with the state and territory regulatory authorities to implement and administer the National quality Framework to raise quality and drive continuous improvement in Australian education and care services.

To be registered as an early childhood teacher, you are required to hold a qualification approved or recognised by ACECQA.

Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER)

ACER is responsible for administering the literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education (LANTITE). 

LANTITE is how initial teacher education (ITE) graduates demonstrate that they have the required personal literacy and numeracy levels to work as a teacher in Australia.

Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC)

The Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) is conducted by Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), who the VIT has a contractual arrangement with.

Undertaking an NCCHC occurs when a teacher first registers to teach in Victoria and every five (5) years thereafter as part of the annual registration process completed via their MyVIT account.

The information provided by teachers for the NCCHC is used by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) and police agencies in all Australian States and Territories to check actions and update records held about the applicant by these agencies.

Please note that VIT does not have access to any records held by ACIC or police agencies. Rather, a Police History Information (PHI) report is provided to VIT once these agencies have assessed the information provided from the NCCHC. The VIT is unable to provide teachers with an NCCHC certificate for external purposes. Those seeking a current NCCHC for non-registration related matters will be required to apply for a separate NCCHC.

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)

An independent statutory authority responsible for national curriculum from kindergarten to year 12 in specified learning areas, the national assessment program aligned to the national curriculum that measures students’ progress and national data collection and reporting on schools and broader national achievement.

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL)

National body that provides national leadership for the Australian, state and territory governments in promoting excellence in the profession of teaching and school leadership.

Australian Professional Standards for Teaching (APST)

The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) are designed to clarify the knowledge, practice and professional engagement required for teachers – they also provide a common language for teachers, teacher educators / organisations, professional associations and the public.

The standards are used by all teachers in Australia and, in Victoria, underpin the requirements for

  • accreditation of initial teacher education programs
  • teacher registration
  • annual renewal.

You will use and demonstrate the standards when you have full registration, and undertake an annual renewal process to maintain the standards at the Proficient Teacher level.

PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE

  • Know learners and how they learn
  • Know the content and how to teach it

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

  • Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning
  • Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments
  • Assess, provide feedback and report on learn

PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT

  • Engage in professional learning
  • Engage professionally with colleagues, parents / carers and community

Authorised third party

An authorised third party is a person who is currently licensed or registered to practice in Australia in an occupation as listed in the Oaths and Affirmations Act 2018 (Vic).

In addition to others, the following persons are authorised third parties

  • school principal
  • teacher employed on a permanent full-time basis at a school or tertiary education institution
  • police officer
  • pharmacist.