EDCURRIC 704 : Teaching for Scientific Literacy

Education and Social Work

2021 Semester One (1213) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

A detailed exploration, focusing on the merits and challenges, of the concept of scientific literacy. Topics will include the nature of science; the process of scientific inquiry; and the role of science education in improving public understanding of science.

Course Overview

This course aims to develop your understanding of scientific literacy; a concept that is the goal of science education internationally. You will examine various conceptualisations of scientific literacy, and based on your reading and reflection, develop your own understanding of this concept. You will also develop your understanding about the nature of science and the scientific enterprise, and then apply your understandings to the work of a practising scientist. In the final assessment task, you will draw on all of these understandings to design a science programme for use in your classroom and justify its design using appropriate literature. This course is suitable for students working in all education sectors.

Course Requirements

Restriction: EDPROFST 729

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Graduate Profile: Master of Education

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Critically examine the various perspectives of scientific literacy and identify the implications of these perspectives for teaching science in classrooms/centres. (Capability 1.1, 2.1 and 2.2)
  2. Critically examine various understandings of the nature of science processes of scientific inquiry and the components of scientific enterprise. (Capability 1.1 and 2.1)
  3. Critically examine pedagogies that promote scientific literacy. (Capability 1.2, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1 and 4.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Position paper 20% Individual Coursework
Literature review and analysis 40% Individual Coursework
Programme planning and justification 40% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3
Position paper
Literature review and analysis
Programme planning and justification

To pass this course students must submit all assessment tasks and get an overall course mark of at least 50%.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 30 point course and students are expected to spend 20 hours per week involved in each 30 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this 30-point course you should expect to commit to 36 hours to delivery of the course. You can also reasonably expect to commit approximately 200-240 hours to independent learning. This may include reading (and more reading) and thinking about content, note-taking, face-to-face and/or online discussion, writing, problem solving, reflecting on learning, accessing learning and study resources, and assignment completion.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings if the lecture takes place in a room with lecture recording facilities. Other learning activities  will not be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

No feedback is available at this point in time.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 01/12/2020 08:49 a.m.