GEC4514

Science education

Dr G W Dettrick

8 points - First semester - Distance - Prerequisites: DipT or GradDipEd (with science method) or BTeach - Prohibitions: Students who have undertaken the previously existing subject GEC4460 (Advanced science education studies) would not be eligible to enrol in this subject

Objectives Upon successful completion of this subject, students should have developed research skills which may be applied in the classroom and which should result in improved teaching and learning in science education; investigated, summarised and reported the relevance of research findings (from a specific field of investigation) to increase their knowledge and understanding in an area of science education; gained familiarity with recent curriculum developments in science education; demonstrated a well-developed awareness of the value of the history of science to inform and aid the teaching of science; gained a critical awareness from theory and research based knowledge of how to aid pupils' thought processes, language, and conceptual development appropriate to natural phenomena; formed a critical appreciation for the extent of resources available and means of aiding concept and knowledge building which go well beyond stereotypical science text sources for teaching science; increased professional skills in the writing of reports on matters concerning science education.

Synopsis Students will complete one or two personal study contracts from topic areas such as: (1) comparative study of state science curricula within Australia including the student's home state with reference being made to the national curriculum in science; (2) review of research in a specific topic area of professional knowledge from articles in recent journals or conference publications; (3) study of a topic in the history of science accompanied by a discussion of the relevance of the history of the topic to classroom instruction in science; (4) complete a classroom research project in science education based upon a suitable model obtained from a study of relevant literature; (5) investigate, report critically and make recommendations about the manner in which suitable Internet resources may be used to support the requirements of the student's home state science curriculum; (6) selected one of fourteen important issues in science education to present, outline change occurring in the past ten years, and discuss the issue critically in terms of the most up-to-date perspective(s) available.

Assessment One or two reports (as contracted) with the assessment percentage for each report allocated in accordance with the proportion of the workload contracted.

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