EDF5466

Method and Practice of Teaching Physics A ( 6 points, SCA Band 0, 0.125 EFTSL)

Leader: Mr G Lancaster (Clayton) + TBA (Gippsland)

Offered:
Clayton First semester 2005 (Day)
Clayton First semester 2005 (OCL)

Synopsis: This unit is designed to prepare students to teach physics in secondary schools and colleges both as a specialist unit at Year 11 and 12 (VCE Physics) and within the junior to middle science curriculum (Years 7 to 10). Attention will be given to the importance of physics in the Curriculum Standards Framework document (CSF2000) and the current VCE Physics study design in use in Victorian schools and colleges. The unit concentrates on introducing beginning teachers to a wide variety of teaching strategies, skills and techniques to use in the secondary classroom to aid student conceptual development and understanding. Students studying off-campus will participate in a camp in March.

Objectives: This unit has been designed to familiarise students with the language, methods and major ideas useful in contemporary physics teaching in post primary schools; introduce a diverse range of effective teaching strategies and appropriate contexts useful in physics and general science education suitable for the social and cultural backgrounds of their clientele; explore a variety of classroom procedures aimed at improving the participation rate of students and particularly the outcomes for girls studying physics in post primary schools; introduce and evaluate a variety of educational resources, learning technologies and teaching aids useful in improving learning outcomes for students; explore a variety of Predict/ Observe/ Explain activities, trial new ones and evaluate their effectiveness in the classroom; introduce students to a constructivist approach to teaching and learning in physics and its implications for designing activities for student engagement during laboratory work; develop the capacity and confidence of students to communicate their knowledge of Physics effectively in the classroom and encourage critical reflection; introduce a variety of suitable assessment and monitoring procedures aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of students to meet the intended learning outcomes of the physics study design; assist students to confidently approach the research and design of a unit of work suitable for teaching a topic or topics from the senior Physics study design.

Assessment: Class participation and Practicum tasks: 40%, Satisfactory completion of assignment tasks: 60% + Student participation in the unit is vital and an 80% attendance requirement is required so students can fully participate in the workshops via attendance or on-line chat forum.

Contact Hours: 3 hours per week

Prerequisites: Physics minor, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Applied Science or Bachelor of Engineering with a minor sequence in physics.