Module EDUS3351: SCIENCE FOR PRIMARY TEACHING 4: SCIENCE FOR SPECIALISTS

Department: Education (ITE)

EDUS3351: SCIENCE FOR PRIMARY TEACHING 4: SCIENCE FOR SPECIALISTS

Prerequisites

• Science for Primary Teaching 2 (EDUS2511).

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To develop an understanding of the role of the Curriculum Leader for science in the primary school.
• To develop an understanding of the challenges of leadership and how to work with colleagues effectively to support them in the teaching of Science in the primary school.
• To explore research of relevance to primary science teaching and learning

Content

• Science Education: introduction to recent and relevant research.
• Science Education and Application: national requirements for the Curriculum Leadership qualification: role, subject knowledge and assessment issue, audits, INSET and OFSTED, working with colleagues.
• Extend understanding of theories of learning, subject specific pedagogy and the challenges of connecting these in the primary classroom.

Learning Outcomes

• an understanding of the rationale for key scientific ideas underpinning the teaching and learning of science (in biology, chemistry, physics, and scientific evidence) in the primary school.
• An understanding of the role of the science subject leader in schools;
• Explore relevant research and theory on effective leadership and challenges of leadership.

• reflect critically upon the nature of the government requirements in schools and progression through the curriculum from National Curriculum pre-Key Stage 1 (Foundation Stage) to post Key Stage 2 (working towards Key Stage 3);
• use developing knowledge and understanding of how aspects of educational theory relate to learning of science by primary age children in the context of effective planning for teaching and learning in the classroom across the full primary age range;
• relate educational practice to theory in relation to the above ideas;

• communicate ideas, principles and theories effectively in written form;
• manage time and work to deadlines;
• construct and sustain a reasoned 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 block lectures, taught workshops and fieldwork
• There will also be occasional seminar sessions where students will present their critical reflections on appropriate readings and research.
• All learning outcomes can be assessed by a written assignment

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Students will be invited to submit a plan of their academic poster for formative feedback which will provide guidance on relevant further reading and the effectiveness of the presented argument. Students will be given feedback at least two weeks before the submission deadline. For the reflective essay students will be invited to submit a percentage of the essay (25%) for feedback which will focus on the development of arguments, critical thinking and originality. Students will be given formative feedback at least 2 weeks before the submission deadline.

■ 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