Social Issues in Science Education (EDUC91039)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Not available in 2025
About this subject
Overview
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The Victorian Years 7 – 10 Physical Sciences Curriculum will be the content focus for this subject. Integrated with this focus, participants will also consider a range of social issues that influence science education, including gender and indigenous issues. Participants will be asked to examine participation and self-efficacy issues in science and consider ways of addressing discrepancies in the learning outcomes of these groups.
Conceptual approaches to science understanding, including using models to assist student understanding will be discussed. Addressing common student misconceptions will also be considered through the lens of physical science. Learning sequences that assist students in overcoming problematic misconceptions will be designed and critiqued.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- Identify, analyse, design, and critically evaluate pedagogies for teaching year 7 – 10 Physics
- Develop reasoned viewpoints about a range of social issues that influence science education
- Identify and critically examine how participation and self-efficacy can be addressed in the learning outcomes of socially disadvantaged students
- Understand how to identify and address student misconceptions in science
- Understand and apply a use of models to enhance student learning
Generic skills
- Clinical reasoning and thinking
- Problem solving
- Evidence based decision making
- Creativity and innovation
- Teamwork and professional collaboration
- Learning to learn and metacognition
- Responsiveness to a changing knowledge base
- Linking theory and practice
- Reflection for continuous improvement
- Inquiry and research
- Active and participatory citizenship.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Admission into the GC-SCIED10 Graduate Certificate in Science Education (Years 7-10)
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Poster: Social issues in science education
| Mid- teaching period | 50% |
Essay: Student misconceptions in Physics
| End of the teaching period | 50% |
| Hurdle requirement: Minimum of 80% attendance at all scheduled lectures, tutorials, seminars and workshops. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Dates & times
Not available in 2025
Time commitment details
170 hours
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Further information
- Texts
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Graduate Certificate in Science Education (Years 7-10) - Links to additional information
Faculty of Education: https://education.unimelb.edu.au/
Last updated: 4 March 2025