EUB212 Science in Primary Education 2

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This unit introduces primary science planning, teaching, and assessment strategies. Theoretical frameworks and research-informed teaching strategies that support high-quality science learning, such as Constructivist and inquiry-based teaching and learning approaches, will be explored. You will learn how to adapt these approaches to inform teaching science in the primary years. Incorporating Digital Literacy in primary science education will be an additional focus in this unit.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Plan and demonstrate science teaching and assessment strategies drawing on a constructivist approach.
2. Justify teaching and learning approaches using academic literature.
3. Plan and demonstrate ways to build safe and inclusive science learning environments, including differentiated teaching practices and classroom management strategies.
4. Plan innovative strategies to support student development of digital literacy in primary science.
5. Critically reflect upon science teaching practice to identify areas of strength and improvement for professional learning.
6. Demonstrate a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to manage classrooms.

Content

Learning Approaches

In this unit, you will engage in learning through the following:

• Tutorials
• Online content and
• Independent study.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Assessment

Overview

You will complete two pieces of assessment:

1. Professional Plans - This will draw on what you have learnt about science and develop your skills working with science curriculum to plan and sequence approximately five hours of science learning according to a theoretical framework (e.g. inquiry-based learning).
2. Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation - This will enable you to connect all that you have learnt in the unit. Working in pairs, you will plan and demonstrate a primary science lesson. You will then individually critically analyse/evaluate your demonstration and that of others.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Professional Plans

You will develop a sequence of inquiry-based primary science lessons that draw on knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies. Your plan will include a focus on the General Capability of Digital Literacy and demonstrate ways ICTs can be used to expand learning opportunities. You will also write an overview that explains and justifies your planning decisions. 

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation

You will work with a partner to plan and teach a 30-minute primary science lesson and write a critical evaluation.

You will need to submit a detailed lesson plan for your lesson demonstration including strategies for differentiation. While teaching your lesson you will need to demonstrate verbal and non-verbal communication strategies for engaging learners and providing clear directions and leadership for organising classrooms.

Internal students will teach the lesson to your peers during tutorial time.

Online students will film yourselves teaching the lesson to friends / family and submit a video that shows the key teaching and learning.

All students will individually write a critical evaluation that evaluates the teaching presentations, both your own and two you observe. You are encouraged to collect feedback from your "learners" at the end of your lesson, and use it to inform your critical evaluation.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

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.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Other

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

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with this unit; however, you must be familiar with the procedures for the safe handling of science equipment and materials in the workshops that conducted in the science laboratories. To participate in these activities, you are required to follow the instructions of your lecturer/tutor and abide by the regulations set out in the Health and Safety Student Guide that will be provided to you during the Week 1 workshop. You are responsible for ensuring that you obtain a copy of the booklet and read the contents before beginning laboratory work. Enclosed footwear must be worn in the science laboratories.

Standards/Competencies

This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers

1 Professional Knowledge: Know students and how they learn

1. Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
   Relates to: Professional Plans, Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation
2. Understand how students learn
   Relates to: Professional Plans, Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation
3. Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
   Relates to: Professional Plans, Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation
4. Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities
   Relates to: Professional Plans, Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation

2 Professional Knowledge: Know the content and how to teach it

1. Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area
   Relates to: Professional Plans, Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation
2. Content selection and organisation
   Relates to: Professional Plans, Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation
3. Curriculum, assessment and reporting
   Relates to: Professional Plans, Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation
4. Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
   Relates to: Professional Plans

3 Professional Practice: Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning

1. Establish challenging learning goals
   Relates to: Professional Plans, Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation
2. Plan, structure and sequence learning programs
   Relates to: Professional Plans, Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation
3. Use teaching strategies
   Relates to: Professional Plans, Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation
4. Select and use resources
   Relates to: Professional Plans, Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation
5. Use effective classroom communication
   Relates to: Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation
6. Evaluate and improve teaching programs
   Relates to: Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation

4 Professional Practice: Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments

1. Support student participation
   Relates to: Professional Plans, Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation
2. Manage classroom activities
   Relates to: Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation
3. Manage challenging behaviour
   Relates to: Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation
4. Maintain student safety
   Relates to: Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation

5 Professional Practice: Assess, provide feedback and report on student learning

1. Assess student learning
   Relates to: Professional Plans

6 Professional Engagement: Engage in professional learning

1. Identify and plan professional learning needs
   Relates to: Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation
2. Engage with colleagues and improve practice
   Relates to: Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation

Course Learning Outcomes

ED49 Bachelor of Education (Primary)

1. Knowledgeable: Apply professional knowledge of learning areas, learners and learning.
   Relates to: ULO1, Professional Plans, Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation
2. Scholarly: Consider the ways in which educational theory and research inform and impact teaching practice.
   Relates to: ULO2, Professional Plans, Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation
3. Inclusive: Plan for culturally secure, supportive, caring, inclusive and positive learning environments.
   Relates to: ULO3, Professional Plans, Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation
4. Innovative: Create innovative future-focused learning.
   Relates to: ULO4, Professional Plans
5. Reflective: Reframe challenges into opportunities for capacity building and learning.
   Relates to: ULO5, Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation
6. Communicative: Engage and communicate effectively and professionally.
   Relates to: ULO6, Science lesson demonstration and critical evaluation