Postgraduate - UnitEDF5022 - Science, technology and sustainability in early years

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2015 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.

Level	Postgraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Education
Offered	Not offered in 2015

Synopsis

This unit focusses on the research and practices of science, technology and sustainability and the ways young children make meaning in these areas. Students consider how young children develop understandings of science, technology and sustainability in a variety of cultural contexts, including schools and their everyday environments at home and in the community. The teaching of science, technology and sustainability is examined from a range of theoretical perspectives, situated within Australian and international curriculum. Students co-construct pedagogical understanding about how children transition from everyday concepts to scientific concepts. They develop skills in promoting young children's learning of science, technology and sustainability.

Outcomes

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

understand how young children learn scientific and technological concepts in everyday contexts with a focus on sustainability
engage with current research about teaching and learning in science, technology and sustainability
recognise the cultural nature of knowledge and a range of world views about science, technology and the environment in programs conducted during the period from birth to eight years of age
evaluate a range of pedagogical approaches that support children's learning in science, technology and sustainability
demonstrate high-level observational and analytical skills in examining children's learning of science and technology in everyday environments.

Assessment

Curriculum investigation: observational portfolio of everyday and scientific concepts (equivalent to 1500 words, 40%)
Science, technology and environmental evaluation project (equivalent to 2500 words, 60%)

Workload requirements

Minimum total expected workload equals 144 hours per semester comprising:

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

equivalent to 24 hours engagement in online, face-to-face or blended platforms

(b.) Additional requirements (all students)

independent study to make up the minimum required hours per semester

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Early years education