Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
Prerequisites
EDSI100 Science in Our World
Incompatible
EDST444 Science Curriculum and Teaching 2
Unit rationale, description and aim
Research from the 1970s has revealed the prevalence of alternative conceptions in science that do not align with current scientific understanding. Pre–service teachers need to have a solid understanding of these alternative conceptions, held by both children and adults, in order to be able to teach science constructively ie from students’ prior knowledge base. Reconstructing scientific knowledge to better align with common scientific understandings will support children in making informed decisions about local, national and global issues.This unit contributes to the recognition of your responsibility to the common good, the environment and society. Pre–service teachers will develop knowledge and understanding about primary students’ alternative conceptions, why these belief systems are in place, and how to address them in primary school classrooms. Assessment in all of its forms will be used to identify and monitor changing patterns of thinking including personal reflective practice and other relevant strategies to advance pre–service teachers own correct scientific understandings.
The aim of the unit is to allow pre–service teachers to demonstrate the values, knowledge, skills and attitudes of a competent and confident teacher of science, as prescribed by the Australian Curriculum: Science, to primary school children.
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 | Explain the development of alternative science conceptions in children (APST 1.1) | GC1, GC2, GC7, GC9 |
| LO2 | Illustrate the teacher’s role in eliciting children’s alternative conceptions prior to undertaking a contructivist learning sequence (APST 1.1, 1.5) | GC1, GC2, GC7, GC8 |
| LO3 | Analyse research findings which demonstrate students’ alternative science conceptions (APST 1.2) | GC1, GC2, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11 |
| LO4 | Evaluate teaching and learning approaches with primary school students to advance their understandings and learning in science where alternative conceptions have been identified (APST 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 5.1, 5.2, 5.4) | GC1, GC2, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11 |
| LO5 | Design a teaching and learning sequence which works with an identified common alternative science conception within the Australian Curriculum: Science, (APST 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.6, 5.1, 5.2, 5.4) | GC1, GC2, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11 |
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to:
1.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning. |
1.2 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching. |
1.5 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities. |
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. |
3.1 Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics. |
3.2 Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies. |
3.3 Include a range of teaching strategies. |
3.6 Demonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning. |
5.1 Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning. |
5.2 Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning. |
5.4 Demonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice. |
Content
Topics will include:
- The origins of alternative science conceptions as understood through theories of child development
- Alternative science conceptions drawn from research
- Alternative science conceptions aligned to content in the Australian Curriculum
- Current theories in science pedagogies of addressing alternative conceptions
- Theories of learning which are appropriate to the primary science classroom for addressing alternative science conceptions
- Practical workshops which model activities and learning sequences appropriate to the primary science classroom for addressing alternative science conceptions
- Techniques for eliciting alternative science conceptions
- Assessment techniques to monitor the developing of alternative science conceptions
- Evaluation and design of learning sequences for addressing selected alternative science conceptions in primary school settings
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
The learning and teaching strategy for this unit is based on a Constructivist approach that recognises that learning builds on pre-existing understandings and is shaped by a learner’s sociocultural context. In line with the chosen learning and teaching strategy, this unit includes content delivery designed to encourage active learning and engagement, and teaching methods designed to consolidate the learning of content, apply knowledge to problem-solving tasks and develop analytical and evaluating skills. The learning and teaching strategy is achieved through a range of learning activities such as reading, reflection, discussion, and engagement with webinars, podcasts and video resources.
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.
The unit is hosted on a Learning Management System (LMS) site with resources and online links, announcements, and a discussion board to post questions and reflections that promote connection between content and educational experiences.
Mode of delivery: This unit may be offered in different modes to cater to the learning needs and preferences of a range of participants.
On Campus
Most learning activities or classes are delivered at a scheduled time, on campus, to enable in-person interactions. Activities will appear in a student’s timetable.
Multi-mode
Learning activities are delivered through a planned mix of online and in-person classes, which may include full-day sessions and/or placements, to enable interaction. Activities that require attendance will appear in a student’s timetable.
Online unscheduled
Learning activities are accessible anytime, anywhere. These units are normally delivered fully online and will not appear in a student’s timetable.
Online scheduled
All learning activities are held online, at scheduled times, and will require some attendance to enable online interaction. Activities will appear in a student’s timetable.
ACU Online
In ACU Online mode, this unit is delivered asynchronously, fully online using an active, guided learning approach. Pre-service teachers are encouraged to contribute to asynchronous weekly discussions and receive regular and timely feedback on their learning. They will have an opportunity to attend facilitated synchronous online sessions with peers.
Assessment strategy and rationale
Minimum Achievement Standards
In order to pass this unit, pre-service teachers are required to submit all assessment tasks and achieve a pass grade in each task
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Assessment Task 1: Bibliography An annotated bibliography of
| 20%
| LO3 |
Assessment Task 2: Evaluation of Teaching Resources Choose a teaching resource in primary school eg Primary Connections, which explicitly works from students’ alternative conceptions. Evaluate the resource in terms of its
| 30%
| LO1, LO2, LO4 |
Assessment Task 3: Learning Sequence Prepare three short learning sequences aimed at moving students from their alternative conceptions to more common scientific understandings in different substrands of Science Understanding in the Australian Curriculum: Science F-6. Profile elicitation techniques and assessment strategies in each sequence | 50%
| LO5 |
Representative texts and references
Required text(s)
ACARA Australian Curriculum, Science: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/science/
Skamp, K., & Preston, C. (Eds.). (2018). Teaching primary science constructively (6th ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Cengage Learning Australia.
Recommended references
Allen, M. (2014). Misconceptions in primary science. Retrieved from http://site.ebrary.com/id/10880278
Devereux, J., & Open University. (2007). Science for primary and early years: developing subject knowledge (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications
Fleer, M. (2015). Science for children. Cambridge University Press.
Harlen, W. (2015). Working with big ideas of science education. Science Education Programme of IAP. Accessed www.interacademies.net/publications/26703.apx
Harlen, W. (2018). The teaching of science in primary schools. London: David Fulton Publishers, https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315398907
Loxley, P., Dawes, L., Nicholls, L., & Dore, B. (2014). Teaching primary science: Promoting enjoyment and developing understanding (2nd ed.). Routledge; Taylor and Francis.