Creative Science Specialist (9867.2)
| Available teaching periods | Delivery mode | Location |
|---|---|---|
| View teaching periods | On-campus |
Bruce, Canberra |
| EFTSL | Credit points | Faculty |
| 0.125 | 3 | Faculty Of Education |
| Discipline | Study level | HECS Bands |
| School Of Teacher Education | Level 2 - Undergraduate Intermediate Unit | Band 1 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021) Band 1 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021) |
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:1. Demonstrate a developing understanding of the terminology and skills in the science strands as outlined in the Australian Science curriculum (Foundation to 6);
2. Demonstrate a developed understanding of scientific and creative process and values;
3. Demonstrate an appreciation for the commonalities and differences between science and arts learning and language;
4. Demonstrate a preliminary understanding of pedagogical methods used in Science as outlined in the Australian Science curriculum (Foundation to 6); and
5. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the terminology and skills in the five arts disciplines as outlined in the Australian Arts curriculum (Foundation to 6).
Graduate attributes
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - evaluate and adopt new technology
Prerequisites
Must have passed 24 credit points including either 9899 Scientific Principles or 12128 STEM Principles.Corequisites
Enrolment in 322JA Bachelor of Primary Education (STeM)Incompatible units
None.Equivalent units
None.Assumed knowledge
None.| Year | Location | Teaching period | Teaching start date | Delivery mode | Unit convener |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Bruce, Canberra | Semester 1 | 16 February 2026 | On-campus | Ms Mandy Crossman |
| 2027 | Bruce, Canberra | Semester 1 | 15 February 2027 | On-campus | Ms Mandy Crossman |
Required texts
There is no required textbook for the unit; however, below are the recommended texts that you can access from the library.
Recommended texts:
Skamp, K., & Preston C. (2021). Teaching Primary Science Constructively (7th Edition). Cengage Learning.
Fitzgerald, A (2013). Learning and Teaching Primary Science (Ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Dawson, V. & Venville, G. (2007). The Art of Teaching Primary Science. Allen & Unwin.
Additional readings and 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 are not allowed to use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in assessments for this unit.
When developing your lesson plans, it is encouraged that you are using your ingenuity and skill 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.
Special assessment requirements
An aggregate mark of 50% is required and all assessment items (including the ungraded pass presentation) must be submitted in order to pass the unit.
This unit is highly interactive and hands-on, focusing on coding and robotics activities designed to help you master the practical skills you'll need for your assignments. During our sessions, you'll have the opportunity to:
- Work with coding and robotics equipment that forms a critical part of your assessment tasks.
- Engage in collaborative activities and discussions that deepen your understanding of key concepts and equipment.
- Receive immediate feedback and guidance as you work through challenges.
Although you may review materials independently, replicating the depth of learning that occurs during our interactive workshops will be difficult. Your active participation will significantly enhance your ability to succeed in this unit.
Provision of valid documentation
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.
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
Workload hours for this unit:
Sessions (attendance/participation in class): 30 hours
Assignment work: 50 hours
Online engagement: 35 hours
Individual reading and study: 35 hours
Participation requirements
Successful completion of the workshop component is critical to success in the whole unit.
There is a strong correlation between participation and success in higher education. Your participation and engagement in the workshops 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.
Successful engagement with all learning activities in this accredited Initial Teacher Education course is necessary to demonstrate that you have met the Graduate career stage of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL, 2011).
Required IT skills
A sufficient level of IT literacy is required for this unit (e.g., navigating online platforms, utilising word processing software, utilising coding and robotic equipment).
Artificial intelligence services must not to be used for assessment or assessment preparation by students unless explicitly allowed in the assessment instructions. That is, an artificial intelligence service 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
None
Work placement, internships or practicums
None
Additional information
Theoretical foundation: This unit is based on current theories concerning Science education. Academics teaching in this unit are specialist Science educators and researchers.
Research led education: This unit involves research-led education. There are active researchers delivering this unit who are able to engage students in deep and active learning and transmit to students their passion for the research they are carrying out.
Provision of information to the group:
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 UC 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.
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