Science Education Internship (9898.3)

Please note these are the 2023 details for this unit
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Science Education Internship
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 4 - Undergraduate Advanced Unit Band 1 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 1 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
Students participating in the Science Education Internship will examine their own perceptions of science and broaden their understandings about how to lead, plan for and teach in this area, by utilising the Australian Science Curriculum (F-6). Students will explore different teaching, learning and communicative approaches to science education in the school context and by working with various external scientific institutions through an internship placement. Students will explore the contemporary issues in science education and how these impact on the teaching of science in primary school setting. Students will engage with technological and scientific learning from the perspective of science as a human endeavour via understanding the place of the environment, Indigeneity, gender, information management, and design systems.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Enhance their approach to teaching science and understand the implications of this approach for children's learning;
2. Increase their understanding of the required teaching processes for science plus the concepts identified in the Australian Science Curriculum (F-6);
3. Improve their understanding of the nature of science, its relationship to everyday life and its social contexts;
4. Recognise the aims, place and significance of science education within an inclusive whole school curriculum;
5. Develop an appreciation of the contemporary issues in science education;
6. Enrich their understanding of the role that scientific institutions play in the teaching and learning of science; and
7. Heighten their confidence and interest in teaching science to primary school students.


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 - 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
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development


Prerequisites

9899 Scientific Principles;
9867 Creative Science Specialist;
9889 The Practice (PCK) of Teaching Science AND
Must have completed 48 credit points.


Corequisites

Enrolment in the Bachelor of Primary Education (STEM), 322JA.

Incompatible units

None.

Equivalent units

None.

Assumed knowledge

None.
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
2024 Bruce, Canberra Semester 1 05 February 2024 On-Campus Mr Benjamin Mudie
Not available

Required texts

Required texts:

Skamp, K. & Preston, C. (2017). Teaching primary science constructively 6th Ed. Cengage Learning, South Melbourne.

Recommended texts:

Fitzgerald, A. (Ed.). (2013). Learning and Teaching Primary Science. Cambridge University Press.

Gregson, R. (Ed.). (2012). Connecting with Science Education. Oxford University Press.

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.

 

Special assessment requirements

A minimum aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the unit. In addition, students are also required to obtain an ungraded pass on their mentor's report to pass the 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

Face to Face tutorials: 12 hours

Internship with external organisation: 21 hours

Reading, contribution to online discussion forums (3), internship related homework, assessment-related activities: 111 hours

Activities relating to administration of internship: 6 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).

Successful completion of the professional experience placement is critical to success in the whole unit. Students must make themselves familiar with the processes and policies of professional experience. Students must also participate in three Discussion forums as requested.

Required IT skills

It is an expectation of this unit that students can present all submissions in a word processed format. Students should keep copies of all submitted work. Students should also become familiar with Microsoft/Apple applications such as: Excel, PowerPoint and Word or equivalent Mac applications.

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

Purchase of text/s is the principal cost associated with this Unit, as well as related resource costs for the internship sessions, including transport costs.

Work placement, internships or practicums

This unit involves work integrated learning: Internship. Students must adhere to University policy during WIL activities, including the current Student Conduct Rules, the WIL Policy and WIL Procedure, and the Assessment Policy and Assessment Procedure.

This unit involves an internship placement and hence requires strict adherence to professional practice and principles and ethics. School, student, and/or research participant confidentiality must always be maintained, including for assessment items such as reports or essays etc.

Due to the professional nature of this unit students are expected to wear appropriate clothing/shoes that meet the requirement of the organisation you are working in, for example you may be expected to wear fully enclosed shoes etc. If you are unsure please discuss this with your mentor or the unit convener. Students are also required to wear their UC name badge whilst on placement.  

As this is a professional experience/WIL unit and students may be required to undergo a Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) background check to undertake an internship for the unit. Students are responsible for arranging their own checks through the ACT Office of Regulatory Services and should nominate the Volunteer category so that there is no charge.

*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 a Police Check or a Working with Children Check is required.

*Note that this internship is aimed at broadening the student's understanding and is not a paid position.

Additional information

Provision of information to the group

Notifications through CANVAS 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  website (CANVAS messages are also emailed to student email addresses only).  Students should ensure they check their student email regularly.  Students should also participate in the CANVAS discussion forums which will be checked by staff regularly. NOTE: This is particularly important in this unit as students are off-site and must communicate progress on their internship regularly with the Unit Convener. 

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).

Support

If you experience difficulties (professional or personal) associated with your internship, please let your Unit Convenor know.

Research Led Education: This unit involves research-led education and work-integrated learning. 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.