Undergraduate - UnitEDF1127 - Understanding science

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2014 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.

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6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered, or view unit timetables.

Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Education
Offered	Gippsland First semester 2014 (Day)
Coordinator(s)	Dr Hongming Ma

Synopsis

This unit will introduce students to a wide range of fundamental science concepts, not only relevant for themselves but also for the teaching of primary school children. Important conceptual ideas and processes, including the scientific method, developing scientific literacy and the ability to communicate scientific understandings are fundamental to the unit. Students will explore theoretical concepts and contemporary issues from the disciplines of chemistry, biology and physics in ways which provide a lens to critically examine the natural environment.

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this units students should be able to:

understand fundamental concepts of general science
appreciate that many current issues have a scientific basis
have the tools to search for scientific information and the capacity to evaluate this information.

Assessment

Five on-line quizzes (MCQ or short answer) and five graded activities (2000 words equivalent, 50%)
Major assignment (2000 words, 50%)

Chief examiner(s)

Associate Professor Shane Phillipson

Workload requirements

Minimum total expected workload equals 12 hours per week comprising:

(a.) Contact hours for on-campus students:

1 hour seminar
1 hour lecture
2 hour workshop

(b.) Additional requirements:

independent study to make up the minimum required hours per week

Prohibitions

EDF1121