Collegial Professional Learning
Expert-led professional learning for whole-school improvement.
Collegial Professional Learning enables school teams to complete professional learning together, building shared understanding, consistent practice and collective responsibility for improvement. Through structured, collaborative delivery, collegial learning strengthens effective teaching, leadership capability and sustained school improvement by embedding learning into regular school routines rather than relying on one-off professional learning events.
Collegial delivery is one of two delivery types within the Mastery Teaching Pathway (MTP), along with individual delivery. In collegial delivery, school team members complete the same modules together so they can collaborate on learning and deepen their commitment to school-wide practice.
Pathway Delivery
Good to Great Schools Australia (GGSA) offers schools all professional learning through its Membership Platform. School team members access and participate in all professional learning courses and modules through the platform.
There are two types of delivery:
- Individual delivery, where school team members complete modules on their own through their Learning Plan.
- Collegial delivery, where team members complete modules together to collaborate on learning and strengthen school-wide practice.
Each module takes approximately 2 hours to complete and contains the same content, regardless of delivery type. Collegial delivery can be completed in one session or in two 60-minute sessions (commonly delivered as five lessons in each session). Schools may deliver multiple modules collegially in one day or across terms (or over multiple years).
Who Can Participate
Collegial professional learning is available to Partner Schools through the GGSA Membership Platform.
Participation supports schools and individuals to:
- build aligned teaching teams using shared language and practice
- accelerate progress through GGSA modules and courses
- increase confidence, consistency and implementation fidelity
- reduce dropout/attrition by embedding learning into weekly practice.
Collegial learning can be delivered to a range of group types, including:
- whole school teams
- teachers and teaching assistants (including across multiple schools in expert-led sessions)
- teachers only
- principals and school leadership teams
- instruction coaches (single school or multiple schools).
School Delivery Model
School leaders deliver modules collegially in their schools. The school leader assigns a facilitator – usually a deputy, department head or in-school expert – and sets sessions up through the My Learning page on the GGSA Membership Platform.
Collegial modules may be delivered to:
- School Teams – principals, instruction coaches, teachers and teaching assistants, facilitated by the school principal or instruction coach.
- Teaching Teams – teachers and teaching assistants, facilitated by the school principal or instruction coach.
- Leadership Teams – principals, instruction coaches and other leadership roles.
Participants may attend in three ways:
- In person.
- Online.
- Hybrid (some in-person, some online).
Delivery can occur on student-free days or throughout the school year. Course materials and delivery formats are structured so facilitators do not require extensive subject-matter expertise to deliver modules confidently.
GGSA Expert Delivery Model
GGSA’s School Partnerships team are effective instruction experts and former teachers, instruction coaches and principals. They offer a professional learning program of weekly module sessions delivered collegially (virtual delivery).
The number of sessions is determined by school need and team availability and may fluctuate throughout the year.
Expert Collegial Sessions are available to Partner Schools. These sessions help schools and individuals build confidence and move through modules more efficiently while strengthening instructional practice through expert facilitation and discussion.
Who can opt in:
- Individuals (Partner School members) can book into sessions listed in the schedule available through My Learning in the Membership Platform. Sessions may include participants from multiple schools and different roles (where the module is suitable for their role).
- One school team (15+ participants) can request an exclusive expert-led session for their school. Bookings must be made at least 1 week in advance. This is part of the support offered to Partner Schools.
How Collegial Delivery Works
Collegial delivery is managed through the GGSA Membership Platform and integrates directly with participants’ Learning Plans.
Before Delivery
School leadership nominates a facilitator for the module or modules. Facilitator sets up the session through School Learning Plan, selecting the module, participants, date and time. Delivery details can be adjusted as needed. Facilitators are provided with the resources required for leading the session (e.g., facilitator guides and Student Workbooks).
During Delivery
The facilitator delivers the module or delegates delivery within the school. Modules may be delivered in person, online or in a hybrid format.
After Delivery
The facilitator confirms attendance and removes any participants who did not attend the full delivery. Participants complete the module test and survey via their Learning Plan. On successful completion, certificates are automatically issued and stored in each participant’s Evidence Portfolio.
Collegial Packages
Good to Great Schools Australia offers a full schedule of collegial packages for schools that prefer a structured sequence of modules to support sustained improvement.
Packages are designed to:
- promote the concept of modules delivered collegially and increase engagement in GGSA modules and courses
- help teaching assistants and teachers progress through courses and reduce dropout rates
- keep schools focused on school and instructional improvement.
Packages can be delivered through School Collegial Sessions (school-led), and selected modules may also be supported through GGSA Expert Collegial Sessions, where scheduled.
Packages are grouped by participant role and purpose, allowing schools to select the structure that best fits their improvement priorities.
View Collegial Packages
Packages for Principals
Principal packages align with the Mastery Leadership Pathway and focus on instructional leadership and whole-school improvement.
Units include:
- Unit 1: Effective Teaching Leadership
- Unit 2: Lead Effective School Improvement
- Unit 3: Lead Positive High-Expectations School Practices
Packages for Instruction Coaches
Instruction Coach packages align with the Mastery Coaching Fellow pathway and build coaching expertise and instructional leadership.
Units include:
- Unit 1: Embed Effective Teaching Coaching
- Unit 2: Embed Cycles of School Practice Coaching
- Unit 3: Embed Continuous Improvement Coaching
- Unit 4: Embed Positive High-Expectations Coaching
Packages for Teachers and Teaching Assistants
These packages support classroom practice, course completion and role clarity for teachers and teaching assistants.
Unit 1: Effective Teaching
Includes the core modules used in collegial packages for teachers and teaching assistants, including:
- Learn Effective Teaching Essentials (LETE)
- Learn Cycles of School Practice (LCSP)
- Deliver Positive High-Expectations Classroom Practice (DPHECP)
- Deliver Effective Teaching Techniques (DETT)
- Deliver Cycles of School Practice in the Classroom (DCSPIC)
- Deliver Special Needs Support Classroom Practices
- Administer Direct Instruction Placement Tests (APT)
Unit 2: Differentiate Instruction
Includes:
- Teach Reading Mastery Signature Edition
- Teach Connecting Maths Concepts
- Deliver Special Education with Direct Instruction
Unit 3: Consolidate Effective Teaching
Includes:
- Embed Effective Teaching in the Classroom
- Embed Cycles of School Practice (ECSP)
- Embed Continuous Improvement in the Classroom (ECIIC)
- Influence Effective Teaching for Student Success (IETSS)
Packages for Whole School Teams
These packages are designed for entire school teams to undertake together, supporting shared understanding and consistent implementation.
Unit 1: Effective Teaching
Covers core effective teaching modules aligned to teaching, coaching and leadership pathways across the Mastery Teaching Pathway.
Modules include:
- Learn Effective Teaching Essentials (LETE)
- Learn Cycles of School Practice (LCSP)
- Embed Cycles of School Practice (ECSP)
- Influence Effective Teaching Practice for Student Success (IETSS)
Unit 2: Positive High-Expectations Classrooms
Covers behaviour and classroom practice modules aligned to teaching, coaching and leadership pathways across the Mastery Teaching Pathway.
Modules include:
- Set Up Classrooms for Positive Behaviour (SUCPB)
- Embed Positive High-Expectations Teaching into Everyday Practice
- Teach Rules and Routines
- Prevent Problem Behaviour
- Address Minor Inappropriate Behaviour
Unit 3: Coordinate a Behaviour Management Team
Covers school-wide behaviour leadership modules that support consistent systems and responses across the school.
Modules include:
- Participate on the Behaviour Management Team (BMT)
- Address Major Inappropriate Behaviour
- Acknowledge Expected Behaviours
Unit 4: Support Special Needs Education
Covers special education and student support modules that build school capability to respond to diverse learning and behavioural needs.
Modules include:
- Administer Direct Instruction Placement Tests (APT)
- Deliver Special Education with Direct Instruction (DSEDI)
- Identify Students’ Executive Function Challenges and Deliver Appropriate Intervention
- Learn to De-escalate Students
- Provide School Counselling and Support Student Special Needs
- Case Manage Students with Special Needs
Unit 5: Embed Professional Conversations
Covers structured professional conversation modules that strengthen collaboration, culture and instructional improvement across the school.
Modules include:
- Integrate Professional Conversations into Everyday Practice
- Embed Professional Conversations that Develop Positive High-Expectations into School Culture
- Embed Professional Conversations that Develop Social and Emotional Growth into School Culture
- Embed Professional Conversations that Develop Character Development into School Culture
Unit 6: Support Executive Function Growth School Improvement
Covers executive function, wellbeing and intervention modules that support student growth through classroom practice and targeted programs.
Modules include:
- Deliver Executive Function Development Activities (DEFDA)
- Deliver Life Mastery Class (DLMC)
- Embed Supporting Students with Low Executive Function (ESSLEF)
- Embed School Counselling Program (ESCP)
- Embed Wellness and Growth Hub Intervention (EWGHI)
