Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
Prerequisites
EDSI100 Science in Our World AND EDSI290 Science Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment (B-12)
Unit rationale, description and aim
To teach science successfully in a primary classroom context, it is vital to understand science as more than just a body of knowledge: it is also a uniquely human endeavour.
This unit introduces pre-service teachers to the two substrands of the Science as a Human Endeavour strand of the Australian Curriculum: Science. In the first substrand: The Nature and Development of Science, pre-service teachers will be immersed in a critical appreciation of how the actions of many people, over time, develop current scientific knowledge. In the second substrand: The Use and Influence of Science, pre-service teachers will also develop an appreciation of how science and technology affect peoples’ lives, and how science and technology are influenced by society. Pre-service teachers will learn the role of science in contemporary decision-making and problem-solving; the intercultural work done by scientists across the globe, and how decisions based in science are also impacted by ethical and social implications. In doing this they will recognise their role in a responsibility to the common good, the environment and society.
The aim of this unit is to develop a deep knowledge base about Science as a Human Endeavour to augment science content knowledge in the Australian Curriculum: Science.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description | Relevant Graduate Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| LO1 | Describe the structure of the Australian Curriculum: Science F-6 strand “Science as a Human Endeavour” (APST 1.2, 2.1) | GC1, GC5, GC6, GC7, GC9 |
| LO2 | Compare and contrast the knowledges held in the two substrands of the Australian Curriculum: Science strand “Science as a Human Endeavour” (APST 2.1) | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC5, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC10, GC11, GC12 |
| LO3 | Evaluate teaching resources which claim to target knowledge behind the two substrands of the Australian Curriculum: Science strand “Science as a Human Endeavour” in terms of their relevance and appropriateness to those substrands and other aspects of the Australian Curriculum: Science (APST 1.2, 2.1, 2.3, 3.3, 3.4) | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC10, GC11 |
| LO4 | Create a teaching resource which targets the Australian Curriculum: Science F-6 strand “Science as a Human Endeavour” (APST 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.2, 3.3, 5.1, 7.4) | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC5, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC10, GC11, GC12 |
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to:
1.2 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching. |
2.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area. |
2.2 Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence. |
2.3 Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans. |
2.4 Demonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of, and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages. |
3.2 Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies. |
3.3 Include a range of teaching strategies. |
3.4 Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning. |
5.1 Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning. |
7.4 Understand the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice. |
Content
Topics will include:
- The purpose of the Australian Curriculum: Science F-6 strand “Science as a Human Endeavour” and its relationship to the perception of science
- The purpose of the Australian Curriculum: Science F-6 strand “Science as a Human Endeavour” and its relationship to theories of learning in science
- The structure of the strand and its two substrands
- The inclusion of The Nature and Development of Science substrand in Descriptors across the Australian Curriculum: Science F-6
- An understanding of technology as an applied science
- The role of science and technology in the substrand The Use and Influence of Science in the Australian Curriculum: Science F-6
- The inclusion of The Use and Influence of Science substrand in Descriptors across the Australian Curriculum: Science F-6
- Evaluation of teaching resources available to support inclusion of this strand in primary schools with a view to filling any gaps that are identified
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the semester.
In line with social constructivist principles, this unit is premised on the understanding that teaching and learning activities should build on prior knowledge, connect with the learner’s needs and interests, and encourage active participation.
Teaching and learning activities will initially be based on prior knowledge of the Australian Curriculum: Science from EDSI200 and then work to build additional knowledge required to meet the requirements of understanding and teaching this strand of the Australian Curriculum: Science. Much of this knowledge acquisition will occur via lectures and supporting resources made available to pre-service teachers.
The needs and interests of pre-service teachers have been taken as competence and confidence in classroom practice and, in this Unit, those needs and interests are focused on classroom practices associated with the Science as a Human Endeavour strand of the Australian Curriculum: Science. Teaching and learning activities will emphasise active, collaborative and experiential activities which require interaction with peers, practicing scientists and practicing teachers.
These first-hand experiences will ensure that pre-service teachers are able to transfer their knowledge and skills associated with Science as a Human Endeavour effectively to primary classroom contexts.
Assessment strategy and rationale
In line with the principles of constructive alignment , assessment tasks allow students to show that they have achieved the Learning Outcomes. These assessment tasks have been designed to align with the LO so that, in achieving the minimal standard of these tasks, pre-service teachers will have met the required learning outcomes of the Unit.
In line with andragogical principles, assessment tasks should be authentic, real world tasks. The first task is authentic: it requires pre-service teachers to identify and contact a practicing scientist, they are then to assess the presence and impacts of concepts behind Science as a Human Endeavour with that scientist. The second task is a real-world task: it provides the pre-service teacher with valuable resources for their future work. The final task is authentic in that pre-service teachers work collaboratively to create a resource for this strand which will be evaluated by a practicing teacher. That evaluation then provides a base from which the pre-service teacher can reflect on current practices in teaching the Science as a Human Endeavour strand of the Australian Curriculum: Science.
Minimum Achievement Standards
The assessment tasks for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. In order to pass this unit, you are required to demonstrate achievement of learning outcomes by submitting all assessment tasks and obtaining a combined score of at least 50%. Learning Outcome 4 (Create a teaching resource which targets the Australian Curriculum: Science F-6 strand “Science as a Human Endeavour”) is only assessed in Assessment Task 3. A pass in this component of the assessment is an additional requirement for passing the unit overall.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Assessment Task 1: Interview a Scientist Interview a scientist working in pure or applied science. Evaluate the knowledge/understandings that the scientist displayed in the interview against the way in which Science as a Human Endeavour is presented in the Australian Curriculum: Science. The construction of the interview questions and interview may be undertaken as a group. | 20%
| LO1, LO2 |
Assessment Task 2: Annotated Bibliography Choose 5 recent teaching resources which give teachers relevant background knowledge for the Science as a Human Endeavour Strand. Write an annotated bibliography of each, evaluating its relevance and appropriateness to the Science as a Human Endeavour subtrand(s) and other aspects of the Australian Curriculum: Science. | 30%
| LO3 |
Assessment Task 3: Resource Development Group Task Preparation of a Science as a Human Endeavour resource which provides teachers with specific background knowledge and links to other resources relating to a particular Year Group aligned to one or more strands of the Australian Curriculum: Science. Include a set of questions evaluation of the resource by a practicing teacher or peers. Reflection and adjustment of the resource based on evaluation results in terms of current practices in inclusion of the Science as a Human Endeavour strand in classrooms should be undertaken. | 50%
| LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Representative texts and references
Required text(s)
Skamp, K., & Preston, C. (Eds.). (2018). Teaching primary science constructively (6th ed.). Cengage Learning Australia.
ACARA Australian Curriculum, Science: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/science/
Australian Academy of Science. (2017). Science as a Human Endeavour. A stimulus for professional discussion. https://www.science.org.au/
Recommended references
Bryson, Bill. (2004). A short history of nearly everything. New York : Broadway Books.