Learning Outcomes of the Master of Teaching: Biology

1. The Master is able to independently situate and evaluate a scientific problem and to formulate the hypothesis. The Master has the knowledge and skill required to test the hypothesis within the context of the contemporary scientific understanding and the (international) literature.

2. Moreover their scientific training allows the Master to set up a problem-solving strategy of experiments and observations. The Master has the skills required to carry out these activities, as an individual or in team.

3. Through data analysis, using appropriate advanced techniques, the Master can provide a relevant answer to a question and propose solutions, in both an academic and applied context.

4. With the acquired skills the Master can summarize, communicate and interpret their findings at different levels: to peers, to a broad public or to policy makers, both orally and in writing.

5. The Master is aware of the relativity of things, of the border between objectivity and subjectivity, of the possibilities and limitations set by technology and knowledge. The Master acts as a thinking and reflecting scientist in all their activities.

6. The Master can independently recognize and describe problems in relation to life and society. The Master is able to track and interpret relevant data with the appropriate methods. Of the greatest importance is the ability to value paradigms and theories and in particular to define the limits of their reliability.

7. The Master has a thorough insight in living matter and in the relationship between biotic and abiotic matter. The Master has the attitude to continuously follow up the state of knowledge and the (international) developments in the subfield they have made their own and the Master learns to think, plan, experiment and conclude using state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies.

8. The Master has the required social, management and communication skills to be able to work in a team, both within their discipline and in an interdisciplinary environment, to lead and execute experiments as well as to process and present data.

9. The Master demonstrates professional responsibility. The Master will aim to communicate the fruits of their creativity at a high level in order to broaden the general knowledge.

10. The Master can not only undertake actions in their mother tongue, but at least also in English, the international communication tool.

11. The Master has a sense of social responsibility. The Master has a solid critical training. With the acquired communication skills he/she is able to relate their field (biology) to society, and give a two-way account in this relation. To optimally fulfill their role in society, the Master specializes in one of the majors 'evolution and behaviour biology' or 'biodiversity: conservation and restoration'. Within the first the Master can also acquire skills in one of three possible profesional profiles: research, education or entrepreneurship.

12. The Master of Teaching masters specialized theoretical and practical knowledge, skills and attitudes that support the basic competences of teachers as formulated in the "Decision of the Flemish Government of 8 June 2018 concerning the basic competences of teachers", pedagogically as well as with regards to the teaching methodology.

13. The Master of Teaching has profound knowledge in the subject matter of the discipline as made explicit in the learning outcomes of the discipline-specific component.

14. The Master of Teaching can independently extend, update, broaden and deepen the educational, didactical and domain-specific knowledge and connect it with current social topics and developments. The Master of Teaching can independently apply and integrate this knowledge and use it to create challenging learning environments for learners. Based on the acquired competences, the Master of Teaching can develop new ideas for the educational practice and check these against reality.

15. The Master of Teaching can map the initial situation and the specific educational needs of a learning group and of individual learners. The Master of Teaching can create a learning environment that connects in all its didactical components (learning objectives, content, learning material, work and grouping methods, evaluation and feedback) with the initial situation and that is inclusive and responsive with regards to the diversity in the learning group.

16. The Master of Teaching has class management skills to create a positive learning and living environment. The Master of Teaching can support the broad personal, intellectual and social development of students through targeted activities and formal and informal interactions.

17. The Master of Teaching can cope with diversity and with the context of a metropolitan environment.

18. The Master of Teaching can make a short or long term plan for the organisation of teaching and learning activities with a view to creating a structured, efficient, safe and stimulating learning environment, based on scientific evidence.

19. The Master of Teaching can communicate with parents or carers with different backgrounds in various language situations with a view to exchanging information, to stimulating the involvement and participation and to developing constructive solutions together to support and stimulate the learning of the learners.

20. The Master of Teaching can collaborate constructively with external partners with a view to enriching the education and training offer and to facilitating the flow between education levels and the job market.

21. The Master of Teaching can independently access available (inter)national scientific research in the domain of the teaching profession in general or in their discipline in particular, approach it in a critical-reflective way and apply the insights in their own class and school context.

22. The Master of Teaching knows the possibilities and the limits of different theoretical paragdigms in educational, didactical and discipline-specific research.

23. The Master of Teaching treats information, education practices, methodologies and learning tools critically and reflectively, based on scientific evidence. The Master of Teaching is aware of gaps in the empirical evidence to fill the teaching role appropriately.

24. The Master of Teaching can complete a research cycle on a topic relevant to education whereby they can make a contribution to the developments in education based on theoretical and practice-oriented insights.

25. The Master of Teaching can contribute to school policy and school development based on an active and inquisitive attitude to professional innovation.

26. The Master of Teaching can adjust their functioning as a teacher through inquisitive learning and critical self-evaluation and thus give direction and innovation to their professional practice and development.

27. The Master of Teaching has insight in the organisational principles of schools and of good school policy.

28. The Master of Teaching can collaborate constructively with colleagues in a school team. The Master of Teaching can initiate, participate in and lead disciplinary and interdisciplinary team meetings and activities beyond the classroom.

29. The Master of Teaching can communicate with colleagues and other stakeholders in education about educational topics, the teaching profession and solutions they have has developed for the educational practice and can participate as professional in the social debate.