Course Title: General Science Method A

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: General Science Method A

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

CUED1135

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

360H Education

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2010,
Sem 1 2017

CUED1187

Bundoora Campus

Postgraduate

360H Education

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2006,
Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2009,
Sem 1 2010

Course Coordinator: Professor Mandi Berry

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 7803

Course Coordinator Email: amanda.berry@rmit.edu.au


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

(a) Sub-major study in one of Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science (Geology), Environmental Science, Physics
together with a Part in another of these areas of study
(b) Sub-major in General Science


Course Description

This is a methods course that focuses on the teaching of Science in secondary schools. This course concentrates on both the theoretical and practical aspects of teaching/learning about the Sciences. Students will be introduced to a variety of ideas, techniques and skills that will enable them to evaluate the effectiveness of different teaching/learning strategies. They will be encouraged to build their understanding of Science teaching through collaborative engagement with a range of contexts and experiences. This course will focus on the planning of classroom and curriculum materials.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course is designed to assist students to:

  • Develop an appreciation for the teaching of Science in schools.
  • Plan and construct curriculum units and courses for use in the Science classroom.
  • Develop skills in engaging learners in the study of Science.
  • Become familiar with curriculum documents and support material and resources relating to the teaching of Science.
  • Use curriculum documents and relevant resources to design a course of study and plan classroom activities and materials in Science.


Upon completion of this course students will be able to:

  • Design meaningful classroom Science units appropriate for secondary Science.
  • Effectively communicate Science concepts.
  • Use a range of teaching strategies and assess the effectiveness of these strategies.
  • Be familiar with curriculum documents relating to teaching Science.

ICT Outcomes
At the conclusion of this course, students will have demonstrated and/or acquired the following ICT capabilities:

  • Understandings of the role of ICT in learning and implications for the classroom. 
  • Awareness of a range of contemporary ICT resources suitable for the classroom.
  • Skills in using ICT for communication, presentation, work preparation and implementation.

VIT Standards
This course is aligned with the following standards:

  • Teachers know how students learn and how to teach them effectively.
  • Teachers know the content they teach.
  • Teachers plan and assess for effective learning.
  • Teachers create and maintain safe and challenging learning environments.
  • Teachers use a range of teaching strategies and resources to engage students in effective learning.
  • Teachers reflect on, evaluate and improve their professional knowledge and practice.
  • Teachers are active members of their profession.


Overview of Learning Activities

Students’ learning in this course will involve a range of activities including lectures, tutorials, workshops, on-line discussions, curriculum design and readings in order to support the development of the learning outcomes of this course.


Overview of Learning Resources

See Part B


Overview of Assessment

Assessment tasks are directly linked to the stated objectives and outcomes. Assessment in the course will be both theoretical and practical in nature. A range of formative and summative assessment types will be incorporated into the course (for example, written, oral or performance based assessment).

Students should refer to Part B of the course guide for further information on assessment.