Module EDUS2511: Science for Primary Teaching 2

Department: Education (ITE)

EDUS2511: Science for Primary Teaching 2

Prerequisites

• None.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• to develop a framework for understanding Life Science
• to develop a framework for understanding the strand of Working Scientifically within the primary classroom.
• consider how to apply this understanding in the context of primary children's thinking, the primary science curriculum and classroom practice.
• to research an area of contemporary science pedagogy.

Content

• The Concept of Life Processes: a framework that includes a definition of systems, maintenance and negative feedback
• inter-relationships between different systems
• the consequences of changes to systems, substances required by systems
• Concept of Scientific Enquiry: the concepts of evidence underpinning procedural understanding to enable judgements of the validity and reliability of empirical data
• validity as shown to depend on the variable structure, sample selection, accuracy of instruments and range of the independent variable
• reliability as shown to depend on the instrument precision, resolution and readability, the inherent variation in an event and sample size
• Science Education and Application: scientific enquiry in the National Curriculum (working scientifically)
• planning for teaching and learning in primary science - organising and managing classroom science, resources, planning for differentiation, links to assessment.

Learning Outcomes

• key scientific ideas relating to the collection of valid and reliable evidence
• knowledge and understanding of systems at different level of organisation in biology
• application of the ideas of systems maintenance and systems change to biological systems
• knowledge of how aspects of educational theory relate to the learning of science by primary age children.

• reflect critically upon how the concepts of Life Processes and Biological Systems relate to the National Curriculum requirements in schools
• an awareness of the relationship between educational theory and classroom practice in relation to the teaching of primary science
• understand how ideas of systems maintenance and systems change in biological systems are applied to new situations
• an ability to collect, present and judge the quality of their own empirical scientific data
• understanding of how aspects of educational theory relate to the learning of science by primary age children
• application of subject knowledge to the planning of teaching science in the primary classroom.

• communicate ideas, principles and theories effectively in written form
• manage time and work to deadlines
• demonstrate an ability to construct a coherent argument
• evaluate and make use of information from a variety of primary and secondary sources.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• The course will be delivered through weekly lectures, taught workshops and fieldwork in primary classrooms.
• There will also be occasional seminar sessions where students will present their critical reflections on appropriate readings and research.
• Formative assessment of the understanding of the quality of data will be based on an investigation where students collect their own data.
• The examination will assess all the learning outcomes.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Formative assessment (equivalent to a total of about 1500 words) spread out over the module.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University