The Practice (PCK) of Teaching Science (9889.2)

Please note these are the 2021 details for this unit
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The Practice (PCK) of Teaching Science
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
Academic Program Area - Education Level 3 - Undergraduate Advanced Unit Band 1 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 1 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
Students will build on their existing science knowledge and develop a broader range of skills in the teaching of science to young children. Students will: explore a range of science concepts; recognise the importance of science specific pedagogy; and, identify opportunities for creative integration of science learning activities when programming. A range of innovative science teaching approaches will be actioned and reflection on these experiences will allow development of personal pedagogic frameworks.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Review the theoretical underpinnings of effective science teaching;
2. Identify the value of careful planning with respect to science teaching;
3. Recognise that design of science learning activities as part of an integrated program of teaching adds an exciting and fruitful dimension to the teaching of young children;
4. Use a wide range of resources, including ICT resources, they have available to them for the teaching of science; and
5. Demonstrate great confidence in the level of content knowledge they carry into future science teaching.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. 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

Students must have passed 24 credit points.

This unit is only available to students enrolled in an undergraduate Initial Teacher Education (ITE) course.

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

None.

Equivalent units

None.

Assumed knowledge

11765 Foundations of Pedagogy (for students of the following courses):
- 321JA Bachelor of Primary Education
- 322JA Bachelor of Primary Education (STeM)
- 323JA Bachelor of Primary Education (Creative Arts)
- 324JA Bachelor of Primary Education (H&PE)
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
2024 Bruce, Canberra Semester 1 05 February 2024 On-Campus Mrs Nicola Kovacs
Not available

Required texts

Required Text:

Skamp, K., & Preston C. (2021) Teaching Primary Science Constructively (7th Edition). Cengage Learning.

(Discount code provided on Canvas Site-Cengage Learning)

Recommended Texts:

Fleer, M. (2015). Science for Children. Cambridge University Press.

Gregson, R. and Doidge, N. (Eds.) (2018). Connecting with Science Education 2nd Ed. Victoria, Australia: Oxford University Press. 9780190309343. 

Murdoch, K. (2015) The Power of Inquiry. Seastar Education. (From http://www.kathmurdoch.com.au/shop/).

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

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, a standard late penalty of 5% of the total marks possible for the task may be applied per day until the assignment is made accessible.

It is important to note that no part of an assignment submission has been submitted for assessment in any other unit in this or another Faculty, except where authorised by the lecturer/s concerned.

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Special assessment requirements

An aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the unit. All assessment items MUST be submitted. In addition to this, the required Professional Experience must be passed to receive a pass in this unit.

Academic integrity

Students have a responsibility to uphold University standards on ethical scholarship. Good scholarship involves building on the work of others and use of others' work must be acknowledged with proper attribution made. Cheating, plagiarism, and falsification of data are dishonest practices that contravene academic values. Refer to the University's Student Charter for more information.

To enhance understanding of academic integrity, all students are expected to complete the Academic Integrity Module (AIM) at least once during their course of study. You can access this module within UCLearn (Canvas) through the 'Academic Integrity and Avoiding Plagiarism' link in the Study Help site.

Use of Text-Matching Software

The University of Canberra uses text-matching software to help students and staff reduce plagiarism and improve understanding of academic integrity. The software matches submitted text in student assignments against material from various sources: the internet, published books and journals, and previously submitted student texts.

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.

Learner engagement

A proposed breakdown of the workload for this 3 credit point unit is as follows:

Reading and private study: 50 hours

Workshop and online participation: 50 hours

Assessment tasks: 50 hours

Participation requirements

Attendance at all scheduled sessions in this unit is compulsory and absences could result in a fail. All absences need to be supported by appropriate documentation (e.g., medical certificate).

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).

It is recognised that sometimes absence is unavoidable. If you are absent for more than two sessions, however, your engagement with the unit could be considered unsatisfactory.

Note: This unit commences with week 1 on campus (see the timetable for rooms), and weeks 2 to 8 will be school-based to meet accreditation requirements of 3.5 days (Primary)  professional experience.

Required IT skills

Use of Canvas and basic Word Processing software (eg. Microsoft Word) is required.

In-unit costs

Purchase of text/s is the principal cost associated with this Unit, as well as related resource costs for the teaching clinic sessions. A discount code has been provided by Cengage Learning for the prescribed text. This will be made available on the Canvas site for this unit. 

Work placement, internships or practicums

This unit involves work integrated learning: Placement. Students must adhere to University policy during WIL activities, 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 (refer to 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 in all learning activities (lectures, workshops, tutorials, 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 rescheduling this unit.

As this is a professional experience/WIL unit students are required to undergo a Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) background check (Working With Children Check in NSW) to undertake a placement for the unit. Students are responsible for arranging their own checks through the ACT Office of Regulatory Services or Service NSW and should register as a volunteer. There is no cost for the application when doing so.

This unit has pre-placement requirements (e.g. Working with Vulnerable People registration, immunisation/s). You must complete Pre-Place: Preparation for Work Integrated Learning prior to commencement of your Placement or Internship. You can self-enrol in this module through the UC Learn site here.

You are also required to complete details in InPlace, refer to inplace.canberra.edu.au. If you have any queries related to InPlace please contact placement@canberra.edu.au.

Contact your unit convener if you have any concerns with meeting the requirements of this unit.

Additional information

This unit involves a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) placement to encourage students' practical development of key pedagogical and attitudinal skills essential for teaching within the 21st-century classroom. By working with young students and alongside practicing teachers within a school setting, this unit supports students to develop key pedagogical knowledge, content knowledge, and knowledge of students and how they learn. Furthermore, by engaging in collaborative teaching and planning each week, students will practice and develop important relationship skills to prepare them for future work within school-based teaching teams. Additionally, this unit will explore essential learning theories specific to the teaching of the Australian Curriculum: Science. These theories will underpin students' developing pedagogical approaches to instructing Science and Scientific literacy.