Science and Technology in Practice (EDUC90860)

This subject will develop and consolidate Teacher Candidates’ understanding of major science concepts through an examination of children’s everyday experiences. This development in science conceptual understandings will occur through the dynamic exploration of phenomena such as weather, motion and food, and understandings of students’ motivations to learn science, and their curiosity about the natural world.

Teacher Candidates will develop knowledge of the primary science curriculum (F-7) and be introduced to key resources for science teaching in the form of activities, artefacts and digital and design technologies that will help them:

1. plan for teaching science and technology concepts effectively in the classroom and
2. respond to the learning needs, curiosity and interests of primary students and
3. design a sequence of learning experiences

Teacher Candidates will also be assisted to use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design and test, and then evaluate and refine a sequential, balanced teaching unit in a particular science topic area for primary students. Teacher Candidates will be assisted to become familiar with, and know how to utilise, the educational research that addresses science conceptual teaching challenges and appropriate pedagogical approaches that respond to the well - documented learning needs of primary aged students. Working with experts, and peers, the Teacher Candidates will collegiately design, ready for implementation, a large well-resourced unit.