013180 Physics Teaching Methods 3
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade, no marks
Requisite(s): ( 120 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10404 Bachelor of Science Master of Teaching Secondary Education AND 013243 Science Teaching Methods 1 AND (013175 Biology Teaching Methods 2 OR 013177 Earth and Environmental Science Teaching Methods 2 OR 013179 Physics Teaching Methods 2 OR 013244 Chemistry Teaching Methods 2))
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This subject develops pre-service teacher knowledge and understanding of the nature of assessment and reporting, and the relationship to learning. In this subject, pre-service teacher students analyse and evaluate different purposes and approaches to assessment and underlying principles and develop an understanding of the key role of assessment in syllabus and performance standards to ensure quality learning experiences and achievement. They explore how teaching, learning, assessment, feedback and reporting can be aligned and integrated in practice, including summative and formative assessment; the nature and role of syllabus outcomes in the planning of integrated teaching; and learning and assessment programs. Teacher-education students develop a philosophy of teaching science, taking account of current syllabuses and policies, and demonstrate understanding of the professional insights and demands of the practising science teacher.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| a. | Identify and apply a range of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning |
|---|---|
| b. | Analyse and evaluate curriculum and resources for inclusion and differentiation |
| c. | Compare and contrast strategies for providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning |
| d. | Evaluate the efficacy of assessment moderation processes to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning |
| e. | Apply and assess strategies to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice |
| f. | Justify a range of strategies for reporting to students and parents/carers and the purpose of keeping accurate and reliable records of student achievement |
| g. | 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)
- Assess, provide feedback and report on student learning (1.4)
- Plan and carry out extended analysis, and undertake independent research, of issues related to content-specialisations and teaching theories and practices (2.1)
- Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the associated school communities (5.1)
- Communicate effectively using diverse modes and technologies in academic, professional and community contexts (6.1)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
There are five APST graduate descriptors addressed in this subject and demonstrated in relation to taught, practised and assessed.
5.1.1 Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
Standard 5.1.1 is taught and practised in Week 2, and assessed in Assessment task 1, criterion c.
5.2.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning.
Standard 5.2.1 is taught and practised in Week 6, and assessed in Assessment task 1, criterion d.
5.3.1 Demonstrate understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning.
Standard 5.3.1 is taught and practised in Week 8, and assessed in Assessment task 2, criterion b.
5.4.1 Demonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice.
Standard 5.4.1 is taught and practised in Week 9, and assessed in Assessment task 2, criterion c.
5.5.1 Demonstrate understanding of a range of strategies for reporting to students and parents/carers and the purpose of keeping accurate and reliable records of student achievement.
Standard 5.5.1 is taught and practised in Week 9, and assessed in Assessment task 2, criterion d.
Teaching and learning strategies
The teaching/learning strategies employed in this subject include lecturer input, structured discussion, workshop activities, individual research and an online environment. Teacher-education students undertake individual inquiry and engage in discussion to develop and clarify competing frameworks for science education. They also critically examine and apply current thinking and practices in science education. Teacher-education students undertake extended inquiry to investigate problems and issues in scenario-based and authentic settings. Deploying professional learning models designed for school settings, teacher-education students are supported to take on the role of teachers in a science faculty in a virtual school.
Formative feedback
Students receive ongoing formative feedback throughout the semester. Students receive written feedback on an informal task conducted in week 2 before submitting task 1 in week 5.
Content (topics)
In this subject, students synthesise their prior learning about each of the following aspects of teaching:
- The principles underpinning the NSW curriculum; the NSW Science syllabuses and their relationship to the Australian curriculum;
- Developing familiarity with, and knowledge of, the science syllabuses;
- Key terms in assessment;
- Investigate ways to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice; Assessment ‘for’, ‘of’ and ‘as’ learning;
- Standards referencing, norm referencing etc;
- The teaching and assessment cycle;
- Informal and formal assessments;
- Diagnostic, formative and summative assessments;
- How to assess syllabus outcomes;
- Assessment/adjustments for a range of students (eg. special needs; EAL/D);
- Reliability and validity in assessment;
- Meaningful and useful feedback to students;
- Using authentic work samples.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Developing Stage 6 Physics Assessment Tasks
| Objective(s): | a, b, c and g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 50% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 1500 words | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: Assessing student Stage 6 Physics writing samples
| Objective(s): | c, d, e, f and g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 50% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 1500 words | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Minimum requirements
Students must pass both assessment tasks to pass this subject. The two tasks 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 Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. 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
Adie, L. (2017). ‘Working in a system of standards-referenced assessment: Traversing the intersections’ In H. Fehring, Assessment into Practice. Understanding assessment practice to improve students’ literacy learning. PETAA.
Amos, S., & Boohan, R. (2013). Teaching Science in Secondary Schools. Routledge.
Brady, L. & Kennedy, K. (2012). ‘Contexts for Assessment and Reporting’. Assessment and Reporting. Celebrating Student Achievement. Pearson.
Bybee, R. (2002). Learning Science and the Science of Learning. NSTA Press.
Corrigan, D., Gunstone, R. & Jones, A. (Eds.) (2013). Valuing assessment in science education: Pedagogy, curriculum, policy. Springer.
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
Keely, P. (2008). Science formative assessment. Arlington: National Science Teachers Association.
Klenowski, V. & Wyatt-Smith, C. (2014). Assessment for Education: Standards, Judgement and Moderation. Sage.
Masters, G.N. (2017). ‘Is there another way to think about schooling?’ In H. Fehring (ed.), Assessment into Practice. Understanding assessment practice to improve students’ literacy learning, PETAA.
Mortimer, E. F., & El-Hani, C. N. (Eds.) (2014). Conceptual profiles: A theory of teaching and learning scientific concepts. Springer.
Ross, K, Lakin, L. & McKechnie. (2010). Teaching secondary science: Constructing meaning and developing understanding. Routledge.
Rossbridge, J. (2017). ‘Focusing on assessment and the teaching and learning cycle through whole school professional learning’ In Ed. Heather Fehring, Assessment into Practice. Understanding assessment practice to improve students’ literacy learning, PETAA.
Rosenblatt, L. (2011). Rethinking the Way We Teach Science: The Interplay of Content, Pedagogy and the nature of Science. Routledge.
Rowntree, D. (2015). Assessing Students: How Shall We Know Them? Routledge
Smith, K., & Lindsay, S. (2016). Building Future Directions for Teacher Learning in Science Education. Journal of the Australasian Science Education Research Association, 46(2), 243-261. DOI 10.1007/s11165-015-9510-x.
Taber, K. (2019). Master Class in Science Education: Transforming Teaching and Learning. Bloomsbury.
Wellington, J. & Ireson, G. (2008). Science Learning, Science Teaching. Routledge.
Westwood, P. (2016). What Teachers need to know about Differentiated Instruction. ACRE Press.