EUB154 Foundations of Science

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This unit aims to develop foundational discipline-specific knowledge across the sciences of biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences, or geography relevant to teachers of junior secondary schooling. Discipline knowledge will be presented across the domains of content knowledge, science as a human endeavour and inquiry whilst demonstrating pedagogical and assessment techniques consistent with teaching and learning in schools. Learners will also develop heutagogical capabilities to support life-long disciplinary learning as professional teachers.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge and skills of biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences or geography by accessing a bank of resources to outline a learning portfolio utilising inquiry, analogical reasoning, modelling, multi-modal representations of knowledge, demonstrations, and/or cognitive-affective strategies for learning.
2. Critically reflect on the knowledge base for biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences and geography and the different ways science knowledge may be presented to promote discipline-specific cognitive-affective learning experiences.
3. Collaborate and connect with peers to explore a breadth of science knowledge and science learning experiences.
4. Ethically engage with science knowledge and educational technologies by developing heutagogical capabilities for self-determined learning.
5. Communicate complex discipline-specific scientific knowledge in written and/or oral forms.

Content

Learning Approaches

This unit will be framed with heutagogical principles to promote learner capabilities for self-determined and self-directed learning, relevant for becoming a science teacher. Self-determined learning will be promoted with a learning heuristic to promote reflection, classroom discussion and feedback from the tutor. In this unit you will learn by engaging with discipline-specific knowledge in three discipline areas selected from biology, chemistry, physics and earth sciences. Learning will be evident by applying knowledge through science inquiry, analogical reasoning and scientific modelling. You will also work with peers to develop your conceptual knowledge and illustrate this knowledge through peer-reviewed workshop presentations.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You will receive tutor feedback during workshop discussion, and tutor-peer feedback following your workshop presentation. You will also learn science knowledge by observing peer presentations and providing peer feedback. Assignment 1 will include an opportunity to submit a draft for feedback at week 6. Assignment 2 will include student-led workshop presentations. Both assignments adopt an assessment-for-learning strategy so that weekly workshops support assessment.

Assessment

Overview

Assessment for this unit comprises three authentic assessments relevant to preservice science teachers developing knowledge, resources and life-long learning capabilities to support their future careers. Across three assessment items you will develop a Learning Portfolio Part A outlining your knowledge of key concepts in science, a Learning Portfolio Part B outlining your critical evaluation of how key science concepts are learned, and a Critical Learner Reflection. All assessments are individual work but are related to tutorial activities and experiences involving group and class-wide learning experiences. Learning Portfolio Part A requires you to develop and demonstrate discipline-specific conceptual knowledge. Learning Portfolio Part B requires you to demonstrate an appropriate discipline-specific learning strategy aligned with your science knowledge. The Critical Learner Reflection requires you to critically reflect on how learning strategies may complement conceptual knowledge and support learning for yourself and others. The Critical Learner Reflection will be based on a group tutorial presentation that you will prepare as a vehicle for your learning. In the Critical Learner Reflection you will: (1) analyse your application of heutagogical capabilities in the development of your knowledge; (2) critically analyse the depth, breadth and limitations of your conceptual understanding for your selected discipline; (3) and explore the affordances and constraints of your chosen presentation technique.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Learning Portfolio Part A

You will develop a portfolio of three learning activities demonstrating your knowledge of key concepts from each of three discipline areas selected from the Australian Curriculum v9.0, for biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences or geography. The learning portfolio will be presented in a Powerpoint format using text, figures, tables and/or embedded video with annotated commentary that illustrates your knowledge and application to learning experiences.

The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Learning Portfolio Part B

Aligned with your knowledge of key concepts from Assessment 1, for each discipline you will create a learning portfolio with different learning strategies such as: one project using inquiry, one project using analogical reasoning, or one project using scientific modelling. The learning portfolio will be presented in a Powerpoint format using text, figures, tables and/or embedded video with annotated commentary that illustrates your knowledge and application to learning experiences.

The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Critical Learner Reflection

You will write a reflection on your experiences of presenting your science knowledge during a small-group workshop presentation of 20 minutes with 10 minutes class discussion. This presentation will focus on discipline-specific knowledge and will apply one of three techniques from multi-modal representations of knowledge, demonstrations, or cognitive-affective strategies for learning. Using this presentation experience as stimuli, you will (1) analyse your application of heutagogical capabilities in the development of your knowledge; (2) critically analyse the depth, breadth and limitations of your conceptual understanding for your selected discipline; (3) and explore the affordances and constraints of your chosen presentation technique.

The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no out-of-the ordinary risks associated with the general conduct of this unit. Workplace health
and safety protocols in relation to computer and/or laboratory use will apply.