units

EDF3214

Faculty of Education

18 September 2017 20 April 2024
Monash University

Undergraduate - Unit

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2013 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

print version

6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

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LevelUndergraduate
FacultyFaculty of Education
OfferedBerwick Second semester 2013 (Day)

Synopsis

This unit explores science within four broad frames:

  1. science as a way of thinking and acting
  2. learning about learning science
  3. teaching as the transformation of knowing science and the engagement of learners
  4. communicating science.

The unit takes a constructivist approach, using strategies such as using prior knowledge, questioning and inquiry learning including hands-on approaches, scientific investigations and student owned/student-centred investigations. The relationship between science, technology and society, different science curriculum and the nature of science as a discipline is also considered. Students build understanding of science learning and teaching through collaborative participation in a range of contexts and critically reflect on these.

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit students should be able to -

Science as a way of knowing:

  • Appreciate science as a way of thinking and the collection of values that underpin such thinking. This includes an appreciation for different collections of values that represent science in other cultures (eg Indigenous science, Eastern philosophy).
  • Understand how this way of thinking generates knowledge that can be used to describe and respond to our environment.
  • Appreciate science as a human creation, within cultural and societal dimensions that have ethical boundaries.
  • Appreciate science's relationship with other disciplines and its particular relationship to technology.

Learning about learning science:

  • Develop an understanding of a constructivist perspective on learning and its implications for teaching.
  • Become sensitised to the 'real world' of learners and appreciate the need to provide learning experiences in science that will be meaningful to them.
  • Critically reflect on their experiences as learners of science and identify implications for their professional identities.

Teaching as the transformation of knowing science and engagement of learners:

  • Develop the ability to establish, monitor and develop student understanding of science as a way of knowing, and the importance of reasoning and critical thinking skills and to identify, develop and deliver appropriate strategies to achieve this.
  • Develop and appreciation for pedagogical content knowledge through a focus on developing understanding of the relationships between context, content and pedagogy.
  • Interpret and implement the intentions of curriculum documents relating to science.
  • Develop competence in the planning and implementing science learning experiences using a variety of technologies and approaches.

Communicating science:

  • Develop an appreciation and understanding of science as a specialised form of language and the symbols and conventions it employs.
  • Communicate science understanding in multiple ways and to multiple audiences.

Assessment

Assessment Task 1: Investigating science learners' science ideas (2000 words, 50%); and Assessment Task 2: Reflective critique on science teaching (2000 words, 50%)

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Geoff White

Contact hours

12 hrs per week with 2 hours face-to-face contact