Science learning in relation to science content
Dr I Mitchell, Mr C Penna and Professor R F Gunstone
8 points
* 2 hours per week
* Second semester
* Clayton
Objectives Upon successful completion of this subject, students should have developed an improved understanding of how effective learning occurs in science and technology; have improved and broadened their understandings of both the CFS science content and the nature of scientific knowledge; be able to draw inferences about pupils' constructed meanings in science, from pupils' responses and questions; be able to plan and construct science units in ways that are informed by considerations of both science learning and science content.
Synopsis This subject has three interdependent foci: science content, science learning and science teaching. It is designed for teachers with a limited science background who wish to develop concurrently their knowledge and understanding of both science content and effective science teaching. The science content will avoid topics that only have relevance to the senior secondary level and will use the Curriculum and Standards Framework series as a guide to select content that is often taught at primary or junior secondary levels as well as content that can be linked with technology studies at these levels. The science will be approached from the perspective of real world contexts rather than from the theoretical frameworks of scientific disciplines. Both the selection of content and the teaching approaches will be informed by a constructivist perspective on learning and will be based on research findings about student learning in science. The teaching approaches will be non-didactic and will include a wide variety of procedures designed to foster learning which is informed, purposeful, intellectually active and collaborative.
Assessment Assignment: 30%
* Class presentation: 30%
*
Development of a teaching unit: 40%
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