013177 Earth and Environmental Science Teaching Methods 2
Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a
particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade, no marks
Requisite(s): 96 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10404 Bachelor of Science Master of Teaching Secondary Education AND 013243 Science Teaching Methods 1
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
Teacher-education students gain skills and knowledge required to be an effective secondary science teacher and create an engaging program for learning. The subject informs supervised teaching placements in the professional experience subjects. There is an emphasis on professional commitment, current developments in science teaching and learning, and reflection on teaching practice. Topics include teaching to mixed-achievement classes; selecting digital resources and tools to enhance student learning; organising and evaluating methods and materials for learning; discipline-specific assessment and reporting; and theoretical teaching frameworks. Teacher-education students acquire in-depth knowledge of the national curriculum in selected NSW science syllabuses.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| a. | Identify and interpret the objectives, outcomes, content and assessment requirements of the science syllabuses |
|---|---|
| b. | Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies |
| c. | Create learning sequences based on educational research for a diverse range of students, using a wide range of resources, including digital technology |
| d. | Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design teaching and learning sequences and lesson plans |
| e. | Critique and evaluate teaching/learning programs to improve student learning |
| f. | Compose scholarly written and oral responses, based on sound academic conventions, including accurate referencing |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
- Know secondary school students and how they learn, with an advanced ability to critically evaluate the physical, social and emotional dimensions of learners (1.1)
- Know the content and how to teach it, demonstrating an advanced knowledge of a teaching program in one or more disciplines to critically evaluate its delivery (1.2)
- Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning with an advanced knowledge of educational practice, pedagogy, policy, curriculum and systems (1.3)
- Plan and carry out extended analysis, and undertake independent research, of issues related to content-specialisations and teaching theories and practices (2.1)
- Create and maintain inclusive, supportive, well-managed, diverse and safe learning environments (3.1)
- Communicate effectively using diverse modes and technologies in academic, professional and community contexts (6.1)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
There are four APST graduate descriptors addressed in this subject and demonstrated in relation to taught, practised and assessed.
2.2.1 Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
Standard 2.2.1 is taught and practised in Week 2, and assessed in Assessment task 3, criterion a.
2.3.1 Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
Standard 2.3.1 is taught and practised in Week 3, and assessed in Assessment task 3, criterion b.
3.2.1 Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
Standard 3.2.1 is taught and practised in Week 5, and assessed in Assessment task 3, criterion c.
3.6.1 Demonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.
Standard 3.6.1 is taught and practised in Week 9, and assessed in Assessment task 3, criterion d.
Teaching and learning strategies
Teacher-education students critically examine and apply current thinking and practices in science education. They work in teams and individually to analyse curriculum and syllabuses to plan and teach lessons. The teaching and learning strategies employed in this subject include lecture input, structured discussions, collaborative small group work and workshops, individual research and activities in an online environment. Teacher-education students undertake individual inquiry to understand the framework and elements of selected senior curriculums. Teacher-education students trial, select and design a variety of teaching and learning activities exemplifying student-centred and inquiry teaching approaches. They develop knowledge and skills to write effective learning sequences for units of work. As part of a learning continuum, teacher-education students acquire knowledge through presentations, multi-modal representations, questioning and assessments. Learning sequences are evaluated to improve school-student learning. In this subject, teacher-education students also engage with lesson planning, organising content into an effective teaching and learning sequence and implementing strategies to evaluate learning sequences to improve school-student learning.
Formative feedback
Students receive ongoing formative feedback throughout the session. They receive written feedback on an informal task conducted in Week 2 before submitting Task 1 in Week 5.
Content (topics)
In this subject, students focus on:
- Roles and responsibilities of the Science teacher; Quality Teaching Framework;
- AITSL Standards;
- NSW Science K-10 and Stage 6 Syllabuses: aims, objectives, stage statements, outcomes, content, requirements, assessment emphases, courses;
- Australian Curriculum in Science: emphases, relationship to the NSW curriculum; Identifying, selecting and using a range of resources in the secondary classroom;
- Focus on the learners; strategies for differentiating teaching and meeting diverse learner needs; and assessment principles and strategies;
- Developing effective questions for the Science classroom; Critical literacy and numeracy in the Science classroom;
- Teaching oral skills in the secondary classroom: key elements and considerations.
- Key programming documents: scope and sequence, lesson plans, key aspects of a unit of work; Investigating strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning; Investigating the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning; Exploring ways to organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Evaluation of a Stage 6 Earth and Environmental Science lesson
| Objective(s): | b, c and f | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 20% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 600 words | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: Stage 6 Earth and Environmental Science Lesson planning and presentation
| Objective(s): | a, b, c and f | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 30% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | Group Presentation (duration 20 minutes) Written lesson plan (500 words) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 3: Designing a Stage 6 Earth and Environmental Science learning sequence (teaching program)
| Objective(s): | a, b, c, d, e and f | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 50% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 1500 words for learning sequence | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Minimum requirements
Students must pass all three assessment tasks to pass this subject. The three tasks collectively assess the Subject Learning Objectives and Graduate Attributes (both APST graduate descriptors and CILOs) covered in this subject. External accrediting bodies (NESA and AITSL) require all tasks to be satisfactorily completed in order to demonstrate achievement against NSW Graduate Teacher Standards. Students who do not pass all assessment tasks will be awarded an X Fail grade.
Required texts
NSW Education Standards Authority Guides
- https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-areas/science/science- 7-10- 2018
- https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6- science/biology-2017
- https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6- science/chemistry-2017
- https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6-science/earth-and-environmental-science-2017
- https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6-science/investigating-science-2017
- https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6-science/physics-2017
- https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6-science/science-extension-syllabus
References
Amos, S., & Boohan, R. (2013). Teaching Science in Secondary Schools. Routledge.
Aubusson, P., Panizzon, D., & Corrigan, D. (2016). Science Education Futures: “Great Potential. Could Do Better. Needs to Try Harder”. Journal of the Australasian Science Education Research Association, 46(2), 203-221. DOI 10.1007/s11165-016-9521-2.
Burden, K., & Kearney, M. (2016). Future Scenarios for Mobile Science Learning. Journal of the Australasian Science Education Research Association, 46(2), 287-308. DOI 10.1007/s11165- 016- 9514-1.
Bybee, R. (2002). Learning Science and the Science of Learning. NSTA Press.
Dawson, V., Venville, G. & Donovan, J. (2019). The Art of Teaching Science: A comprehensive guide to the teaching of secondary school science. Allen & Unwin.
Fitzgerald, A. & Corrigan, D. (2018). Science Education for Australian Students: Teaching Science from Foundation to Year 12. Allen & Unwin
Fraser, B. J., Tobin, K. & McRobbie, C. (Eds.). (2011). Second international handbook of science education. Springer.
Goodrum, D. & Rennie, L. (2007). Australian school science education: National action plan 2008– 2012, Volume 1. DETYA: Canberra.
McMahon, M. (2007). Assessment in science: practical experiences and education research. NSTA Press.
Mortimer, E. F., & El-Hani, C. N. (Eds.) (2014). Conceptual profiles: A theory of teaching and learning scientific concepts. Springer.
Rosenblatt, L. (2011). Rethinking the Way We Teach Science: The Interplay of Content, Pedagogy and the nature of Science. Routledge.
Ross, K, Lakin, L. & Mckechnie. (2010). Teaching secondary science. Constructing meaning and developing understanding. Routledge.
Taber, K. (2019). Master Class in Science Education: Transforming Teaching and Learning. Bloomsbury.
Tytler, R. (2007). Re-imagining Science Education: Engaging students in science for Australia’s future. Australian Education Review No. 51. Melbourne: Australian Council for Education Research Press.
Wellington, J. & Ireson, G. (2008). Science Learning, Science Teaching. Routledge.