EDF5174 - Physics education in the secondary years B - 2019

This unit builds on EDF5173 (Physics education in secondary years A). It prepares pre-service teachers to teach physics in secondary schools and colleges both as a specialist unit in senior years (Years 11 and 12) and within the junior science curriculum (Years 7 to 10). A central focus of the unit is to continue to assist pre-service teachers to develop their capacity and confidence to effectively communicate their advanced physics knowledge using a diverse range of appropriate teaching strategies and laboratory work, while encouraging purposeful and critical thinking in their students. The unit also builds the pre-service teacher's confidence to design a variety of authentic assessment and monitoring procedures aimed at evaluating the ability of their students to achieve the intended learning objectives as outlined in the relevant physics curricula. An important component of this unit is an increased focus on the need for pre-service physics teachers to think critically about planning the development of their own professional practice and the extent to which this addresses the diverse social, cultural and economic needs of their students. Pre-service teachers also undertake research into the design of a comprehensive unit of work suitable for teaching senior physics content, and critically reflect on their own professional practice and its importance for effecting and motivating continuous improvement. The unit highlights the importance of setting personal and professional goals and identifies physics professional associations and learning communities that contribute to enriching and supporting physics teachers in improving student learning in physics.

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

1. interpret, critique and implement the language, content and assessment methods in the senior physics curriculum documents useful in contemporary physics teaching in secondary schools and colleges
2. demonstrate confidence and skill in generating solutions to complex problems in relation to teaching and learning
3. link the everyday world of the learner with physics in ways that are meaningful, relevant and engaging
4. engage in critical reflection as a professional teacher and understand contemporary trends in practice and research at the national and international level
5. use and creatively integrate information and communication technologies to enhance student engagement and conceptual understanding
6. undertake research and design a comprehensive unit of work suitable for teaching content from a senior physics curriculum
7. critically reflect on their own professional practice and its importance for effecting continuous improvement
8. access and employ a variety of authentic assessment and monitoring procedures aimed at evaluating the success of students to meet the intended learning outcomes of the physics curriculum framework.

Written assignment including reflective journal and discussion of problems (2000 words, 50%)

Research and design of a physics curriculum task (2000 words, 50%)

Minimum total expected workload equals 144 hours per semester comprising:

1. Contact hours for on-campus students:
   • 2-3 contact hours per week
2. Additional requirements
   • independent study to make up the minimum required hours per week

See also Unit timetable information

For D3001:

Primary and secondary education

Primary and secondary inclusive education

Secondary education

Secondary health and physical education

For D6001:

Primary and secondary education

Secondary education