Science and Technology Education

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

170 hours

Admission to the Master of Teaching (Primary)

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 Overview, Learning Outcomes 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 Disability Liaison website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject will develop and consolidate teacher candidates’ understanding of major science concepts through an examination of children’s everyday experiences. This development in science conceptual understandings will occur through the dynamic exploration of phenomena such as weather, motion and food, and understandings of students’ motivations to learn science, and their curiosity about the natural world.

Teacher candidates will be introduced to key resources for science teaching in the form of activities, artefacts and technologies that will help them;

1. plan for teaching science and technology concepts effectively in the classroom and
2. respond to the learning needs, curiosity and interests of primary students.

Teacher candidates will also be assisted to design and test, and then evaluate and refine a sequential, balanced teaching unit in a particular science topic area for primary students. Teacher candidates will be assisted to become familiar with, and know how to utilise, the educational research that addresses science conceptual teaching challenges and appropriate pedagogical approaches that respond to the well - documented learning needs of primary aged students.

At the conclusion of this subject teacher candidates will be able to:

• Explain key scientific concepts
• Understand conceptual challenges in science
• Develop appropriate curriculum approaches and materials that respond to student learning needs and interests
• Appreciate the nature of science and its reliance on evidence
• Plan and conduct effective science teaching in primary classrooms
• Use Information and Communication Technologies that support science learning/teaching.

There are 2 assessment items:

• Unit of work (2000 words) due mid semester (50%)
• A 2000 word written assignment, end of semester (50%)

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.

• Skamp, K. R. (Ed.) (2004). Teaching primary science constructively (2nd ed.). Melbourne: Thomson Learning

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 changes;
• 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.