Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
Objectives Upon successful completion of this subject, students should have developed research skills which may be applied in the classroom and which should result in improved teaching and learning in science education; investigated, summarised and reported the relevance of research findings (from a specific field of investigation) to increase their knowledge and understanding in an area of science education; gained familiarity with recent curriculum developments in science education; demonstrated a well-developed awareness of the value of history and/or philosophy of science to inform and aid the teaching of science; demonstrated skill in the investigation of an activity relating to an aspect of operation of the physical world and the ability to develop the activity into a teaching program within a science curriculum context.
Synopsis Students will complete two or three optional study modules from twelve topic areas, including the following: (i) investigation of an approved topic in science and the development of the topic into a teaching program within a science curriculum context; (2) comparative study of State science curricula within Australia (including the student's home State) with reference being made to the National Curriculum in Science; (3)review of research in a specific topic area of professional knowledge of reported articles in recent science education journals; (4) study of a topic in the history of science accompanied by a discussion of the relevance of the topic to classroom instruction in science; (5) classroom research project in science education based upon a suitable model obtained from a study of relevant literature; (6) study of an aspect of philosophy of science accompanied by a discussion of the value in applying the ideas in classroom science teaching and students will use this activity to demonstrate a well-developed awareness of the value of philosophy of science to inform and aid the teaching of science; (7) study of the application of technology to the teaching of science.
Assessment Contracted assessment criteria and assessment percentage according to modules studies