Teaching Secondary Science PG (11373.2)

Required texts

Recommended Reading:

Woolcott, G. and Whannell, R. (2018), Teaching Secondary Science: Theory and Practice. Cambridge University Press.

Additional resources will be made available on the unit Canvas site.

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

Approval of extenuating circumstances will be dependent upon the production of supporting documentation and at the discretion of the unit convener.

All assessment items required to be submitted online must be submitted via the appropriate Canvas drop box. It is the student's responsibility to upload the correct and corresponding draft or assessment item to the right submission section. Assignments must be submitted in a format accessible to the assessor(s), as stated on the relevant canvas site. . If the unit convener and/or tutor are unable to access a submission, or if no submission has been made by the due date and time, a standard late penalty of 10% of the total marks possible for the task may be applied per day, for three days, after which the submission will receive a score of ‘0' in keeping with UC's Assessment Policy.

Artificial Intelligence

Students may use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) as indicated in the assessment instructions for this unit.

Additional text:

GenAI may only be used in authorised ways when completing assessments at UC. This means that GenAI can only be used for an assessment when:

1. The Unit Convener has authorised its use for that assessment;
2. The student uses it in the way that the assessment instructions allow for;
3. The student fully acknowledges its use, with appropriate citations and references. Each referencing guide provided by the Library provides advice on how to appropriately reference the use of GenAI in-text.

Where the assessment instructions do not specifically state that GenAI may be used and how, then its use is not allowed for that assessment. If students are unsure, they should seek advice from the Unit Convener.

Students should be aware that the University of Canberra utilises GenAI detection software. Suspected instances of unauthorised GenAI use may lead to a Learning Validation Conversation' designed to provide assurance that a student is able to demonstrate relevant knowledge and skills to meet required learning outcomes. Students who are suspected of having misused GenAI in assessment may be required to attend a summary inquiry for suspected misconduct.

It is strongly recommended that students keep records of the development process for all works submitted for assessment, or drafts of work submitted for a work-in-progress review, in a learning portfolio or equivalent. Failure to provide evidence of the development process for assessment may influence a suspicion of GenAI misuse or other forms of academic misconduct. 

 The GenAI for Students Library Guide provides further information, including how to reference GenAI.

Core Content Alignment:   

This unit's activities and scheduled sessions have been designed so that the following elements of Core Content are taught and practiced:   

2.3.1     How to pitch an introductory lesson at an appropriate level, before starting a new unit of work, by identifying where a student is in their learning through assessing what they know, or think they know.

2.3.2     How to use formative assessment practices to gather and interpret information about student learning as learning is taking place – for example, use of simple, low-key assessments such as exit slips, quick quizzes or targeted oral questioning to prompt students to articulate their reasoning and identify common student misconceptions.

2.3.3     How to design summative assessment to assess students against a standard or benchmark to gain an understanding of the level of mastery attained (Taught only)

2.3.5     How to provide feedback as learning is taking place that is specific, honest, constructive, and clear, and uses explicit teaching strategies to re-teach concepts, scaffold, or correct misconceptions as necessary. 

3.1.4     Specific examples of rules and routines that are shown by the research to be effective and how to use them in a lesson. This could include what can be used at the beginning and end of lessons (e.g. ‘do-nows', lesson reflections), for different types of learning activities (e.g. protocols for small group or class discussions such as ‘pair shares', ‘jigsaws' or ‘I do, we do, you do') and for transitions (e.g., protocols for moving quickly from one activity to the next) (Practiced only).

3.3.3     How to plan and implement practices that create a predictable and safe environment for students by reducing variance in classroom environment – for example, classroom arrangement, consistent location of prompts, consistent use of space, visible rules, and routines (Practiced only).

3.4.2     How to effectively model desired behaviour (such as respectful interactions, being organised, and being on time) and how to explicitly point to this modelling to prompt positive behaviour by setting and reinforcing expectations (Practiced only).

3.4.3     How to pre-plan and rehearse responses including the use of early intervention techniques such as simple prompts, pre-corrections and verbal feedback, which reinforce high expectations in the classroom and which focus on expected behaviour. Opportunities should also be provided to practise in a practicum setting (Practiced only).

Special assessment requirements

An aggregate mark of 50% and successful completion of Professional Experience is required to pass the unit.

1. Provision of valid documentation. 2. Lesson Plans

1. Please note that the University takes student conduct very seriously. All documentation provided to University staff must be valid and the provision of fraudulent documentation carries with it potentially serious consequences, including suspension and/or exclusion from the University. Note that all allegations of student misconduct will be referred to the Associate Dean for Education (ADE) as a prescribed authority for investigation.

2. When developing your lesson plans, it is encouraged that you are using your skills in lesson planning and design to create engaging and rich lesson resources. Using materials from commercial sites such as TPT, Twinkl, Sparkle Box etc. is not desirable in this unit. If you adapt resources from commercial sites and sources, please note this in your lesson planning and resource development.

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Learner engagement

Readings, online activities and workshops: ~ 90 hours

Collaborative lesson preparation and clinics participation:  ~ 40 hours

Assessment tasks: ~ 170 hours

Participation requirements

Professional Experience

Successful completion of the professional experience component is critical to success in the whole unit.  Refer to assessment (5a) on the Canvas site for further details. Students must make themselves familiar with the processes and policies of professional experience.

School based clinics

Participation in ‘school based' tutorial classes is a compulsory condition of this unit, and attendance will be recorded. You must participate in 100% of the ‘school based' tutorial classes to pass this unit. In the event that you cannot attend your assigned session due to illness or extreme circumstances, you must provide appropriate documentation to the Unit Convener as soon as possible. In the case of sessions missed due to illness or extreme circumstances, both the academic content and the professional experience component are required to be made up. More than two documented absences may lead to failure of the unit due to non-completion.

*Note: This unit commences with week 1 on campus (see timetable for rooms) and Weeks 2-7 (Secondary) will be school-based to meet accreditation requirements of 3 days (Secondary) professional experience

Unit Engagement

There is a strong correlation between participation and success in higher education. Your participation and engagement with all unit activities will enhance your understanding of this unit's content and therefore the quality of your assessment responses. Lack of participation may result in your inability to satisfactorily pass assessment items. 

Required IT skills

Artificial intelligence services must not to be used for assessment or assessment preparation by students unless explicitly allowed in the assessment instructions for an assessment task published with the assessment task and/or in the unit outline. That is, an artificial intelligence services may only be used if:

• its use is authorised by the unit convener as part of a specified
  assessment task, and
• it is used in the way allowed in the assessment instructions and/or unit outline, and
• its use is appropriately referenced, meaning that students must reference the use of AI in their assessment in the same way as they reference other source material.

In-unit costs

N/A

Work placement, internships or practicums

 A successful professional placement is requisite for to pass this unit. Placements require strict adherence to professional practice principles and ethics.  Students must adhere to University policy during their placement, including the Student Conduct Rules 2018, the WIL policy and WIL procedure, and the Assessment policy, and Assessment procedure. School student and staff confidentiality must always be maintained (please see the ACT ED Teachers' Code of Professional Practice and Student Conduct Rules), including for assessment items such as reports or essays. The professional nature of this unit also requires 100% participation at all learning activities (tutorials and placements) for the successful completion of this unit (also see section 6c). If attendance requirements cannot be satisfied (e.g., timetable clash), it is recommended that you contact the Academic Programs Team to discuss re-scheduling this unit.

Students are required to have a current Working with Vulnerable People card in order to participate in this unit. Note that the Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act only applies to the ACT. For students undertaking placements in other states or territories, it may be that an alternate Police Check or a Working with Children Check is required. Please refer to the professional experience section on the All Teacher Education Students (ATES) CANVAS site for full information on the Professional Experience requirements. Students need to ensure they have their WWVP, or similar Working with Children check, and evidence of PSTR uploaded to InPlace.

Students who are in placement units or in school based units are also required to complete an Acceptable use of ICT resources form in order to access ICT resources in their placement school. A hardcopy of the form will be distributed and collected by your tutor early in each semester.

This unit involves a clinical placement and a professional practicum. Therefore, additional student responsibilities are required in addition to those described in section 6. Workplace learning requires strict adherence to professional practice principles and ethics. School student and staff confidentiality must always be maintained (refer policies on ATES - Professional Experience Handbook, ACT ED Teachers' Code of Professional Practice (or equivalent) and Student Conduct Rules), including for assessment items such as reports or essays. This applies to staff and patrons of any outside agency where an internship or other WIL activity is taking place. The professional nature of this unit also requires 100% participation at all learning activities (lectures, workshops, tutorial, practicals etc. as scheduled – see section 3) for the successful completion of this unit (also see section 6c). If attendance requirements cannot be satisfied (e.g., timetable clash), it is recommended that you contact the Academic Programs Team to discuss re-scheduling this unit.

Additional information

Notifications through the UCLearn (Canvas) Announcements Forum or the UCLearn (Canvas) Discussion Forums are deemed to be made to the whole class.  It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they check for announcements on the Unit's UCLearn (Canvas) website (UCLearn (Canvas) forum messages are also emailed to student email addresses only).  Students should ensure they check their student email regularly.  The UCLearn (Canvas) discussion forums will be checked by staff regularly.

Use of student email account

The University Email policy states that "students wishing to contact the University via email regarding administrative or academic matters need to send the email from the University account for identity verification purposes".  Therefore all unit enquiries should be emailed using a student university email account. Students should contact servicedesk@canberra.edu.au if they have any issues accessing their university email account.

In all cases of absence, sickness or personal problems it is the student's responsibility to ensure that the unit Convener is informed. The minimum participation requirement must be met in order to pass the unit (regardless of supporting documentation).

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