Overview
In Chemical and Physical Sciences, students apply theoretical concepts and current research related to teaching and learning in Science to engage in authentic evaluation and pedagogical design practices. Chemical and Physical Sciences examines both theoretical perspectives and the content and pedagogy required to teach Science in Primary and Early Childhood classrooms. Students develop understanding of the content and structure of these two strands in the Australian Curriculum and build on the knowledge and skills they developed in the Biological and Earth and Space Science unit to further examine views around best practice in Science pedagogy linked to current research. Chemical and Physical Sciences includes an emphasis on assessment practices in Science which can be applied to other strands of this learning area. Planning to teach and assess students’ understanding of Science is addressed with an emphasis on how best to engage students in this learning area and scaffold understanding to enhance the ability to provide scientific explanations for phenomena.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2018
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student Feedback
Moodle Site
Continue to develop the Moodle site to support student engagement with the unit materials.
Feedback from Student Feedback
Assessment Task
Provide explicit support for students around assessment tasks.
- Evaluate examples of teaching and assessment practice in Science to identify how connections are made to students’ prior knowledge or experience to promote learning.
- Access and apply professional literature on contemporary Science education to critically evaluate or justify planning and assessment practices.
- Plan lesson sequences that use appropriate research-based teaching strategies and ICTs to structure content and address students’ possible misconceptions in Science.
- Develop diagnostic , formative and summative assessment tools that identify students’ understanding of scientific phenomena.
- Select assessment strategies that engage students in active learning, promote higher order thinking and scaffold students’ understanding of core concepts in the areas of Chemical and Physical sciences.
Successful completion of the unit Chemical and Physical Sciences provides opportunities for students to demonstrate the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers focus areas of 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.6, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.6, 4.1, 5.1, 5.4 and 5.5. Assessment tasks for this unit may be included in a portfolio and used as evidence of progress towards meeting the standards at Graduate career stage and as the focus for identifying professional learning needs. Some aspects of the tasks may also demonstrate the ICT elaborations of these standards.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Practical Assessment - 50% | |||||
| 2 - Practical and Written Assessment - 50% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Practical Assessment - 50% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Practical and Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Connecting with science education
2nd edition AU (2018)
Authors: Gregson, R & Doidge, N
Oxford University Press
Melbourne Melbourne , VIC , Australia
ISBN: 9780190309343
Binding: Paperback
Teaching primary science: promoting enjoyment and developing understanding
Edition: 3rd edn (2017)
Authors: Peter Loxley, Lyn Dawes, Linda Nicholls, Babs Dore
Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group)
New York New York , NY , USA
ISBN: 9781138651838
Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
Note that both texts were used for EDCU12040 Biological and Earth and Space Sciences in Term 1. However, Connecting Science with Education is now in a new edition. Both the paper book and ebook will be available at the CQUni Bookshop website.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Chemical Maze Downloadable App
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
g.busch@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Pedagogical Frameworks in Science
Chapter
Gregson Chap 1, 2, 3; Loxley Chap 1, 2, 3
Events and Submissions/Topic
Download Chemical Maze Telephone Application: Cost $7.99
Register for Teacher Account with Science by Doing (online)
Module/Topic
Scientific Investigation processes
Chapter
Gregson Chap 4, 7; Loxley Chap 4, 6
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chemical Science Strand overview
Chapter
ACARA Documents
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Physical Sciences Strand overview
Chapter
ACARA
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Assessment in Science
Chapter
Gregson Chap 8; Loxley Chap 7
Events and Submissions/Topic
Submission Assessment Task 1 - Science Misconceptions (2,500 words).
Scientific Concepts Misconceptions Due: Week 5 Thursday (9 Aug 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chemical Sciences content
Chapter
Loxley Chap 16, 17
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chemical Sciences assessment
Chapter
Loxley Chap 16, 17
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Physical Sciences content
Chapter
Loxley Chap 18 - 21
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Physical Sciences assessment
Chapter
Loxley Chap 18 - 21
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Engagement Strategies
Chapter
Gregson Chap 5, 6; Loxley Chap 8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Science Resources
Chapter
On-line Repository
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment Task 2: Evaluation of 2 Science Units (3,500 words)
Weighting 50%
Evaluation of Two Science Units Due: Week 11 Thursday (27 Sept 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Course Plenary: Chemicals in You and I
Chapter
Loxley et al: Chapter 15
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Practical Assessment
People have many preconceptions and misconceptions about the scientific world.
People think about what they do and see, all the time constructing shared explanations of how objects and events work. The building of these ideas can often result in misconceptions about how the world works.
Part A Case Study: Through research, select a scientific concept taught in either the Chemical Sciences strand or the Physical Sciences strand of the Australian Curriculum Science that is commonly misunderstood or poorly understood. Misconceptions can often be found in the media, in popular culture or during conversations with children.
Identify a learner context that you choose to work within: either Prep to Year 3 learners or Year 4 to Year 6 learners.
Design a diagnostic tool that uses questioning to critically analyse the understanding that these learners have about your selected concept.
Include examples and a comparison of the language used by the different learners to explain this science concept.
Part B Correcting Misconception: Develop a learning sequence that works to correct the misconception identified during your questioning in Part A.
The pedagogy used in your learning sequence must be linked to current research on effective teaching and learning practice and take account of the cognitive and language characteristics of the learners in the chosen age group.
The learning sequence should use ICTs where appropriate.
You need to include a range of teaching strategies.
Outline how you would report your findings to students and parents/carers.Week 5 Thursday (9 Aug 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Please upload assignments via MOODLE
Week 7 Thursday (30 Aug 2018)
Feedback on this assessment response will be provided in sufficient time to allow for academic support and advice as necessary to inform students' responses to the next task.
Sophisticated explanation of the misconception that includes a well justified basis of this misconception.
Explicit connection between misconception and correct scientific concept.
Deep knowledge and understanding about the scientific concept is demonstrated through the use of a variety of strategies relevant to appropriate age group.
Comprehensive knowledge of posing questions to assess student learning.
Detailed comparison of language used by different learners.
Extensive learning sequence based on contemporary research on effective learning and teaching practice.
Appropriate use of a range of resources, including ICTs, that engage students in their learning.
Highly developed range of teaching strategies included in the learning sequence.
Clear and concise report of findings presented.
Demonstrates clear and accurate understanding of scientific concepts
Cohesive writing consistent with academic conventions.
Extensive use of relevant and credible sources for explanation of scientific concepts.
The full rubric for this assessment task can be downloaded from the Moodle site for this unit.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Career Stage)
demonstrated:
1.1 Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students.
1.2 Understand how learners learn.
2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
2.2 Content selection and organisation.
2.6 Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
3.2 Plan, structure and sequence learning programs.
3.3 Use teaching strategies.
3.4 Select and use resources.
5.1 Assess student learning.
5.4 Interpret student data.5.5 Reporting on Student Achievement
- Evaluate examples of teaching and assessment practice in Science to identify how connections are made to students’ prior knowledge or experience to promote learning.
- Access and apply professional literature on contemporary Science education to critically evaluate or justify planning and assessment practices.
- Plan lesson sequences that use appropriate research-based teaching strategies and ICTs to structure content and address students’ possible misconceptions in Science.
- Develop diagnostic , formative and summative assessment tools that identify students’ understanding of scientific phenomena.
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
2 Practical and Written Assessment
Examine two consecutive units of science work - one from the Physical Sciences sub-strand and one from the Chemical Sciences sub-strand - taught in a primary school for a particular year level.
In light of current research around effective practice in assessment in Science, evaluate formative and summative assessment used in these units of work.
Identify the types of assessment used, how they demonstrate student understanding and motivate or engage students in learning.
Make at least two recommendations for improvement in the assessment used in each of these units of work using the knowledge you have gained throughout the unit. This unit has examined assessment for, of and as learning.
These recommendations must be justified by links to current research and should include redesign or development of appropriate tools and techniques for promoting engagement and making reliable consistent and comparable judgements on students' learning as input for teaching and reporting purposes.Word Limit - 3,500 words
Week 11 Thursday (27 Sept 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Review/Exam Week Friday (12 Oct 2018)
Feedback on this assessment response will be provided in sufficient time to allow for academic support and advice as necessary to inform students' responses to the next task.
Sophisticated explanation of the formative and summative assessment used in each of the two units of work.
Explicit identification of the types of assessment used in each of the units of work.
Comprehensive explanation of how the types of assessment used in the units of work demonstrate student understanding and motivate or engage students in the learning.
Two appropriate recommendations are identified for improvement in the assessment items of each unit and justified by links to current research.
Recommendations of assessment for, of and as learning are identified.
Recommendations are justified by links to current research.
Clear and concise report of findings presented.
Demonstrates clear and accurate understanding of scientific concepts
Cohesive writing consistent with academic conventions. Extensive use of relevant and credible sources for explanation of scientific concepts.
The full rubric for this assessment task can be downloaded from the Moodle site for this unit.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Career Stage)
demonstrated:
2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
2.3 Curriculum, assessment and reporting.
3.6 Evaluate and improve teaching programs.
4.1 Support student participation.
5.1 Assess student learning.
- Evaluate examples of teaching and assessment practice in Science to identify how connections are made to students’ prior knowledge or experience to promote learning.
- Access and apply professional literature on contemporary Science education to critically evaluate or justify planning and assessment practices.
- Develop diagnostic , formative and summative assessment tools that identify students’ understanding of scientific phenomena.
- Select assessment strategies that engage students in active learning, promote higher order thinking and scaffold students’ understanding of core concepts in the areas of Chemical and Physical sciences.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
