Unit Outline

This unit builds on the knowledge and skills developed in the previous unit, EMT530, but focuses more deeply on science education in complex and authentic contexts, including the demands of the senior science syllabi (years 11 & 12). Further development of confidence and competence in science pedagogy at the lower secondary level (Years 7 to 10) is also addressed. Greater recognition is paid to the nexus of learning outcomes, assessment and unit design with the aim of developing professional teacher judgment through the analysis of student learning; the role of assessment in student learning and its importance in the design of curriculum is examined through literature, reflective practice and critique of student work.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1.	develop senior science lessons that are consistent with senior syllabus requirements and the principles of sound educational theory and good practice.
2.	design assessment instruments that facilitate the learning of science and inform teacher judgments on student achievement.
3.	demonstrate knowledge, confidence and experience with science content and pedagogy appropriate for the secondary classroom.
4.	demonstrate familiarity with Australian National Curriculum: Science and other supportive resources appropriate for Years 7-12.
5.	engage with science education literature, professional organisations and their websites that provide resources and support for teachers of science.

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Pre-requisite	EMT530

Alterations as a result of student feedback

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Senior Syllabus Learning Outcome Teaching Plan	Week 4	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Assessment Task 2:	STEM Experiences Module	Week 8	20 %	LO2, LO3, LO5
Assessment Task 3:	Inquiry Lesson Sequence	Week 14	50 %	LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Senior Syllabus Learning Outcome Teaching Plan

Task Description:

In this assignment, you will submit 3 plans for lessons that you designed to scaffold your students’ learning and demonstrate their ability to achieve a syllabus learning outcome (one outcome only). To accomplish this in an authentic context, you are to select and identify an accredited pre-tertiary senior science syllabus either Tasmanian or from another Australian state’s syllabus as your source of a potential outcome. Within the lesson plans, you will need to indicate the pedagogic strategies employed. Your planning should include a formative assessment task that will enable you to make a judgment on how you will determine whether the learning outcome was achieved, based on evidence obtained from your students’ performance on the set task(s).

As always when submitting an assignment, you must provide an ‘introduction’ to this submission. This introduction should identify the year level, syllabus used, and the learning outcome chosen.

Additional information on this assignment will be presented within this unit.

This task is due in Week 4.

Completion of this Assessment Task relates to Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Task Length:

1200 words

Due Date:

Week 4

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Design lessons that align and scaffold the teaching and learning of the chosen learning outcome (40%)	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
2	Demonstrate an understanding of how the assessment task design allows for authentic attainment of the purpose and outcome of the learning experiences and lesson tasks (20%)	LO2
3	Provide for the collection of evidence (e.g., student scripts, observations) of student achievement for the attainment of the outcome (30%)	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
4	Present an assignment that is well-organised, formatted appropriately, text with correct spelling, punctuation, grammar and referencing (10%)	LO5

Assessment Task 2: STEM Experiences Module

Task Description:

1. You will design a STEM Experience that is classroom ready.
2. You are to post this experience in a new thread in a MyLO discussion section (entitled STEM experiences). If you choose, you could present this assignment as a short video rather than a written one.
3. You are to review 2 STEM Experiences from the set of STEM Experiences posted by your peers by replying to their threads. Use the Transformative Education Theory to guide your review. It should be fun as well to view the variety of experiences offered.

If you post 1 STEM Experience and 2 reasonable reviews of your peers posted experiences by the due date, then you will be automatically awarded the full 20% of the grade.

This task is due in Week 8.

Completion of this Assessment Task relates to Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) 1, 2, 3, 4

Task Length:

800 words

Due Date:

Week 8

Weight:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Recognise the science background inherent your submitted STEM Experience	LO2, LO3, LO5
2	Submit 2 reviews as well as one STEM Experience	LO3, LO5

Assessment Task 3: Inquiry Lesson Sequence

Task Description:

You are to submit a unit plan/ lesson sequence that displays alignment of a lower secondary inquiry-based topic that is consistent with the Australian Curriculum: Science document. An assessment task must be included that can be used as evidence of student achievement. As well, a literacy and a numeracy activity must be included in at least one lesson. The sequence should represent at least two weeks of classwork and be no longer than four weeks of lessons. Further details of the lesson sequence design will be discussed in lecture material.

This task is due in Week 14.

Completion of this Assessment Task relates to Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Task Length:

2000 word equivalence

Due Date:

Week 14

Weight:

50 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Plan an inquiry lesson sequence that relates to the Australian Curriculum: Science document (70%)	LO2, LO3, LO4
2	Cite at least one professional learning resource used in designing the inquiry sequence (10%)	LO5
3	Demonstrate an understanding of alignment of the intended outcome with scaffolded learning experiences and assessment tasks, through application of correct curriculum terminology in the plan’s introduction (10%)	LO2, LO3
4	Explicitly integrate literacy and numeracy activities into the lessons (10%)	LO3, LO4
5	Present an assignment that is well-organised, formatted appropriately, text with correct spelling, punctuation, grammar and appropriate referencing	LO5

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.

Required Resources

Required reading materials

Pugh, Kevin (2020). Transformative Science Education: Change how your students experience the world. New York, N.Y.: Teachers’ College Press.
Perrin, R. (2015). Pocket guide to APA style (5th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning*.
*Please note there is no requirement to purchase the Perrin text if you already have the previously required Faigley text.