Assessment 1 - Inquiry video

Weighting: 50%

Due: Friday 5th April 2024 at 11:45 PM (AEST)

Task description: Your job is to create a short series of small videos guiding your future students through the steps of an authentic scientific inquiry of your choosing. These lessons need to align to either the Biological or Earth and space science curriculum. In this lesson/s, you will teach at least one aspect of scientific inquiry (e.g. questioning, making predictions, etc.). In Part B, you will then provide a justification of your lessons and the pedagogical approach you have used in your lesson/s, showing an understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of this approach in a practical sense.

Your lesson/s must also include content that recognises the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in the science classroom and could draw from a range of pedagogical approaches that could be used are given in the list below. 

Pedagogical approaches (You can use one, or a combination of the below as appropriate):

• Play-based science learning. A range of pedagogical approaches discussed in the Early Years Learning Framework (V.2.0) uses an emergent curriculum and the environment as another teacher. Drawing from your lessons, present a researched argument to support the claim that play-based learning is beneficial to developing deeper, authentic science understandings in today’s early childhood science classrooms. You are encouraged to use drawings, sketches, or photos of centers as part of your presentation to help elaborate on the kinds of learning experiences that the students will encounter.

• The world is complex and ever-changing – each day what counts as knowledge is challenged by new knowledge and process considerations. Using your selected mini unit outline, present a researched argument to support the claim that authentic guided inquiry-based learning is the keystone to developing deeper science understandings in today’s science classrooms.
• Drawing from your lessons, discuss and justify how you can teach science authentically by applying STEM or STEAM-integrated lessons. In your discussion, you should show why STEM or STEAM education is becoming increasingly important in Schools.
• Communicating science using narrative techniques can be valuable and enhance children’s engagement. Drawing from your teaching mini units explain and justify how narrative and storytelling can be used to add richness to children’s learning in the mini units you have selected. Be sure that you make links to research to justify your position.

You required to submit your script/s (doesn't have to match word for word) for your clearly labeled presentations as a word, PowerPoint or PDF document (which will have a cover page with your name, student number, ECHO360 link, and also a reference list at the bottom) along with an accessible link to your video and the PowerPoint presentation. 

Quality of content for a chosen science education pedagogical approach (from the research topics list) using authoritative sources such as journal articles.

Ability to practically incorporate findings from research topic and make clear connections with your teaching as discussed in your lessons. 

Demonstrated practical knowledge and understanding of the Australian Curriculum (Science).

Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures general capability as given in the Australian Curriculum and its relevance to the research topic and mini unit.

Assessment 2 - Interactive e-book / booklet

Weighting: 50%
Due:  Friday 24th May 2024 at 11:55 PM (AEST) 

Word limit:  3000 words 

Task Description:

Your task is to create a science e-book or booklet to share with other educators who are learning the new version 9.0 of the curriculum and who might be using pedagogies that do not align with an inquiry-based, constructivist approach to learning. This booklet will include a range of biological or Earth and space science experiences with digital or printable task cards that the teacher can use to help them deliver science in small groups. At least one lesson/task must engage the students in learning outside. As part of the booklet, you will then draw from the unit's readings, the Australian Curriculum, Science (V.9.0), and your own research to critically assess your lessons and this learning in science. The result will be a booklet or digital e-book/booklet (your choice) that you can give a teacher to help them teach a specific biological or Earth and space sciences descriptor to a year level of your choosing.

There are three components to this task is given below by way of a scaffold.

Part A: Introduction, overview, lessons and task cards

In your introduction, you will provide a context for using the task cards, lessons and pedagogical approaches used. Your task cards should be clear and easy to follow and use language appropriate to the grade level you will be teaching. These task cards act as a scaffold to help guide student thinking and work. If you are teaching in an Early Childhood setting, you are also encouraged to draw from the Early Years Learning Framework V.2.0.

Design lesson plans (At least three) describing how you will engage with the groups as the teacher in helping the students understand the scientific phenomena they are engaging with. Your lessons should be in point form and be clearly linked to the pedagogical approaches you have discussed in Part B. You will need to incorporate digital tools to help support learning and enhance learner engagement. 

An example of the task cards activities could be as follows:

• Create a small drama showing the interactions between animals and plants in a natural environment.
• Create an animation of the life of a plant or animal.
• Using a magnifying glass, your iPad or the digital microscope, complete a labelled digital poster outlining the parts of a leaf, plant or insect.
• Create your own ecosystem in a jar or box, allowing an insect to survive.
• Record the changes to an ecosystem over time and predict how these changes will impact the life of the plant or animal living in that ecosystem.
• Design and build a herb garden that you can use at home, using recycled materials and potting mix, which your teacher will provide.
• Create an illustrated storyboard on the life of a plant or animal.

Part B: Critical self/peer assessment of your lessons and of your pedagogical approaches 

1. Draw from the literature to assess your lessons and the pedagogical approaches to teaching this subject outdoors. You are required to draw from the course readings, the Australian Curriculum and other high-quality literature in this section.
2. Ask a peer or another teacher to provide feedback on your lessons, ways you might improve them, and what you have done well.
3. Provide a discussion on how you have responded to your peer's feedback. 

You can work collaboratively to make your lessons, and your partner can provide feedback as you create your lessons. However, you need to note their suggestions here and how you responded to them. Your entire assignment should be in your own words. Any feedback received should be inserted as a quote. e.g. You might have decided to go outside to investigate how animals adapt and survive in their ecosystem. Your partner/peer may then provide a suggestion to use Merge Cubes as well to help your students understand these animals better. You would then insert their suggestion as quotes and write how you incorporated their advice or otherwise into your lessons. 

• Selection and appropriate use of teaching strategies and resources that support the processes of working scientifically.
• Design and technical functionality of the task cards that will assist and guide student learning.
• Ability to access, understand and apply high quality research and the Australian Curriculum to future teaching. 
• Utilised digital tools to help support learning and enhance learner engagement.