EDF5850 · Early childhood and primary science

Overview

This unit introduces you to the concepts, curriculum and pedagogical approaches associated with the teaching of science to children in early childhood and primary school settings. You will analyse critically, evaluate and transform information from a range of curricula, including the Australian Early Years Learning Framework and the Victorian curriculum. Specifically, you will recognise that knowledges are culturally constructed and they research a range of world views about science. Important conceptual scientific ideas and different pedagogical approaches will be critiqued. The planning and teaching of science programs will be undertaken in the context of studying teaching strategies for 21st century learners that are developmentally age appropriate across cultural and curricula contexts, for different science concepts and across year levels in early childhood settings, primary school, homes and communities. You will be engaged in hands-on learning tasks aimed at developing your skills and confidence towards teaching science as a continuum of learning from early childhood to primary school settings. Different technologies will be examined and how these can be used to support and extend learning using strategies that support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in teaching and learning.

Offerings

The Handbook publishes no offerings for this unit.

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. understand and apply content knowledge and concepts related to early childhood and primary science
2. appreciate science as a way of thinking and acting that generates knowledge and which represents cultures and societies, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander science knowledge
3. develop theoretical and age appropriate pedagogical understandings of how children learn scientific concepts in everyday contexts
4. demonstrate knowledge and understanding of planning and assessing for conceptual understanding and/or the intentional teaching of science (critical and creative thinking, strategies for learning, assessment, age appropriateness)
5. demonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice
6. utilise technology in developing and extending children's learning of science, including understanding the issues and developing strategies to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT
7. understand inquiry-based learning processes as a pedagogy to foster children’s scientific inquiry skills.

Workload

The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per teaching period comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Usually, you can expect to engage with: • 24 hours* of scheduled learning delivered on campus via weekly/regular directed learning activities; and • the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study Scheduled learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement. *Subject to variation due to professional experience requirements

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.