Learning Area Biology 2

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

Parkville, On Campus

125 hours. Attendance at all classes (tutorial/seminars/practical classes/lectures/labs) is obligatory. Failure to attend 80% of classes will normally result in failure in the subject.

You must have successfully completed the following subject/s prior to enrolling in this subject

None

None

None

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the HDisability Liaison Unit websiteH: Hhttp://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/H

This subject explores the rationale, resources, methodology and specific techniques appropriate to teaching, learning and assessing Biology, drawing from the current VCAA Biology Study Design (particularly Units 2 and 4) and ACARA. In Unit 2 the emphasis is on organisms and their environment- adaptations and ecosystems. In Unit 4 the emphasis is on molecular genetics and gene technologies and changes to populations over time leading to the evolution of species. These areas will be addressed with particular emphasis on the use of ICT to aid understanding of concepts and to model change.

In combined science, shared with other science methods, teacher candidates will explore pedagogical strategies to engage science learners in the middle years of secondary schooling.

Contemporary ICT practice will be incorporated where appropriate in the development of knowledge, skills and abilities to use ICT to support student learning and professional practice.

On completion of this subject, teacher candidates will be able to:
• Show theoretical frameworks and practical ability to produce effective learning for a wide range of school students, including in junior science;
• Display a solid knowledge of the biological sciences, and educational contexts and how they interact in effective pedagogy;
• Understand the links between effective planning teaching and evaluation in biology;
• Use a variety of technologies in the classroom to assist learning in biology classes;
• Apply biological understandings to familiar and new contexts;
• Analyse issues and implications relating to scientific and technological developments and analyse and evaluate the reliability of information and opinions presented in the public domain.
• Demonstrate the knowledge, skills and abilities to use ICT to support student learning and professional practice

There are 3 assessment tasks for this subject.

• Write a blog reflecting the development of your professional voice in Biology Education (equivalent 1300 words), due early semester, 33%
• Collaborative production of a resource for the Biology curriculum using digital technologies (equivalent 1300 words), due mid semester, 34%
• Either a project with an inquiry focus (equivalent 1300 words), due mid-semester, 33% OR a critical analysis of assessment strategies in science teaching (equivalent 1300 words), due the end of semester, 33%

NOTE: Teacher candidates doing one LA science subject will submit the inquiry project while those doing 2 LA science subjects will submit both assessment tasks listed in dot point 3, completing one for each of their LA science subjects.

• VCAA( 2006) VCE Biology Study Design (also available online)
• Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) website
• A collection of readings

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject, teacher candidates will have the knowledge, skills and understanding to enable them to:

• Be skilled communicators who can effectively articulate and justify their practices as knowledgeable agents of change
• Be flexible and able to adapt to change through knowing how to learn.
• Understand the significance of developing their practice on the basis of research evidence.
• Work in teams with skills in cooperation, communication and negotiation.
• Be independent of mind, responsible, resilient, self-regulating
• Have a conscious personal and social values base.