EUB324 Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment 2: Science

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This unit develops your understanding of the theory and practice of curriculum and assessment design in senior science (Years 11 and 12). It focuses on the knowledge and skills required to design contextualised lesson sequences and assessment instruments, which comply with new QCAA syllabus specifications while catering for ‘real world’ school and learner characteristics. You will learn how to build upon the syllabus structure and topic outlines by incorporating contexts, resources and examples of pedagogical content knowledge appropriate to authentic school scenarios. The unit builds on content taught in EUB107 concerning the fundamentals of curriculum and assessment, as well as the knowledge developed in EUB224 regarding the syllabus documents specific to your chosen senior science subject (i.e., Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, Physics, etc.).

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of syllabi specifications and assessment requirements (including feedback, reporting and moderation) for senior science. (Relates to CLO 1; APST 2.1, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.5)
2. Justify senior science curriculum and assessment design decisions with respect to theory and practice. (Relates to CLO 2; APST 2.1)
3. Create lesson sequences and assessment tasks responsive to the full range of students including those with a disability and those who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, including those with disabilities, including general capabilities such as literacy and numeracy. (Relates to CLO 1, 3, 4; APST 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4.5)
4. Select and integrate innovative digital resources into curriculum and assessment plans. (Relates to CLO 1, 5; APST 2.6, 3.4)
5. Collaborate with peers in the team-based design and development of lesson sequences. (Relates to CLO 6; APST 6.3)
6. Communicate effectively in both written and spoken language. (Relates to CLO 9; APST 6.3)

Content

Learning Approaches

The unit is structured around modules which address the content areas listed above. Each module includes essential and supplementary readings, suggested activities, presentations and resources. The modules are sequential and linked explicitly to elements of the assessments. The mode of internal delivery is through preparatory reading and one three-hour ‘learning intensive’ per week which will involve a combination of lecture style presentations, discussions and a range of collaborative activities. External students should undertake the same modules and similar activities within their own study timetables. Active engagement with each module will be critical to your learning and achievement in this unit. Information communication technologies are used frequently to access information and in the design of curriculum and assessment materials during class activities. The activities, instruction and assessment items for the unit are aligned to the learning outcomes.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Feedback on your learning in this unit will be provided in a variety of ways:

• Regular opportunities to clarify assessment tasks and expectations;
• Opportunities to discuss learning and assessment progress throughout the unit;
• Formative, constructive feedback on your planning of the learning sequences;
• Feedback on your assignments with reference to the criteria on a detailed marking rubric, including individualised comments; and
• Summative grades for each assessment task.

Assessment

Overview

Summative assessment in this unit comprises two design-based assignments: the development of a school-specific sequence of detailed lesson plans based on a senior syllabus topic outline, and the design of an assessment task and grading rubric based on a research investigation.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Professional Plans

This assessment involves designing a school-specific lesson sequence.

The senior syllabuses provide topic guides from which science teachers are expected to develop a sequence of detailed lesson plans to suit their particular school situation. This assignment requires you to:

1. Carry out a school situational analysis (Group).
2. Choose a syllabus topic and develop relevant contexts for teaching that cater for school and student characteristics, including students with a disability, identified in the situational analysis (Group).
3. Design a sequence of three detailed lessons within this topic which address the learning needs and relevant contexts identified in the situational analysis (Individual).
4. Justify the choice of contexts, learning approaches and resources used in your lesson sequence, with reference to the literature and syllabus specifications (Individual).

This task will assess your:

1. Knowledge of the syllabus in your subject area.
2. Skills in carrying out a school situational analysis.
3. Skills in designing lessons based on the syllabus including 21st century skills such as literacy, numeracy and ICTs.
4. Understanding of the importance of learning taxonomies, PCK and context-based design principles in curriculum planning.
5. Written professional communication.

Constructive feedback about how students can improve their teaching practices will be provided.

Relates to learning outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
CLOs  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Assessment Task

This assessment task involves designing a senior science assessment task.

You are required to design a high-quality assessment task relevant to your Assessment 1 topic area. The task should meet QCAA specifications for research investigation type assessments.

You will provide a written justification for the design of the assessment task drawing on the literature, curriculum specifications and student/school characteristics that have informed your decisions. This will include an account of the challenge in the task (e.g., higher order thinking skills), how the task addresses literacy and numeracy skills, how it incorporates ICT, and how a teacher would prepare students to perform the task. You will also describe what evidence you would collect to evaluate the effectiveness of the assessment task, including providing timely feedback to students via moderation.

This task will assess your:

1. Knowledge about the senior syllabus.
2. Skill in interpreting QCAA assessment requirements including instrument specific marking guides (ISMGs).
3. Knowledge about assessment theory and practices.
4. Skills in designing a relevant and detailed research investigation task.
5. Knowledge about how to evaluate the effectiveness of assessment and teaching.
6. Written professional communication.

Relates to learning outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
CLOs  1, 2, 5, 9

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

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

Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA)
QUT Readings as advised.

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 use will apply.

Disclaimer - offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in this unit outline is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

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. Understand how students learn
   Relates to: Professional Plans
2. Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
   Relates to: Professional Plans
3. Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities
   Relates to: Professional Plans
4. Strategies to support full participation of students with disability
   Relates to: Professional Plans

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

1. Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area
   Relates to: Professional Plans, Assessment Task
2. Content selection and organisation
   Relates to: Professional Plans
3. Curriculum, assessment and reporting
   Relates to: Professional Plans
4. Literacy and numeracy strategies
   Relates to: Professional Plans, Assessment Task
5. Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
   Relates to: Professional Plans, Assessment Task

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

1. Establish challenging learning goals
   Relates to: Professional Plans
2. Plan, structure and sequence learning programs
   Relates to: Professional Plans
3. Use teaching strategies
   Relates to: Professional Plans
4. Select and use resources
   Relates to: Professional Plans, Assessment Task

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

1. Use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically
   Relates to: Professional Plans

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

1. Assess student learning
   Relates to: Assessment Task
2. Provide feedback to students on their learning
   Relates to: Assessment Task
3. Make consistent and comparable judgements
   Relates to: Assessment Task
4. Report on student achievement
   Relates to: Assessment Task

6 Professional Engagement: Engage in professional learning

1. Engage with colleagues and improve practice
   Relates to: Professional Plans