Overview
It is well recognised that future generations require strong educational foundations in order to navigate our changing world. The renewed national focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in primary school education will ensure that young Australians become equipped with the necessary STEM skills and knowledge that they need to succeed in a changing world. STEM education refers collectively to the teaching of the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics and also to a cross-disciplinary approach to teaching that increases student interest in STEM related fields and improves students’ problem solving and critical analysis skills. In this unit, you will build on the knowledge acquired in previous science, technology and mathematics units. You will apply problem based learning theory and pedagogical principles that underpin inquiry approaches and collaboration to design, conduct and evaluate first hand investigations in the science, technology, engineering or mathematics areas applicable to primary school classrooms. You will consolidate your knowledge in STEM disciplines and develop your pedagogical skills to increase student engagement and participation in STEM drawing upon the relevant Australian curriculum.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisites: EDCU12038 Teaching for Mathematical Proficiency EDCU12039 Digital and Design Technologies EDCU12040 Biological and Earth and Space Sciences EDCU13020 Mathematics Curriculum EDCU13017 Chemical and Physical Sciences
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 1 - 2020
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 Unit evaluations
Moodle Navigation
Review of Moodle resources to ensure ease of navigation.
- Design and conduct first hand investigations in science, technology, engineering or mathematics drawing upon the relevant Australian curriculum
- Apply the principles of scientific inquiry to design STEM learning experiences
- Evaluate examples of STEM projects and identify real world situations
- Implement teaching strategies that are learner centered and can support learners including those with diverse educational needs.
Successful completion of this unit provides opportunities for students to engage with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Career Stage) focus area of:
1.2 Understand how students learn
1.5 Differentiate teaching to meet the specific needs of students across the full range of abilities
2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area
2.2 Content selection and organisation
2.6 Information and Communication Technology (ICTs)
3.1 Establish challenging learning goals
3.2 Plan, structure and sequence learning programs
3.3 Use teaching strategies
3.4 Select and use resources
4.4 Maintain student safety
4.5 Use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically
6.4 Apply professional learning and improve student learning
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||
| 2 - Practical and Written Assessment - 50% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 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 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Practical and Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
k.hewitt@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
STEM Literature
Chapter
Thomas, B., & Watters, J. J. (2015). Perspectives on Australian, Indian and Malaysian approaches to STEM education. International Journal of Educational Development, 45, 42-53.
Other readings as outlined on the Moodle weekly topic.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Inquiry approaches including PBL
Chapter
Thomas, B., & Watters, J. J. (2015). Perspectives on Australian, Indian and Malaysian approaches to STEM education. International Journal of Educational Development, 45, 42-53.
Further readings as outlined in the weekly topic on Moodle may also be required.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Research design and first-hand investigations
Chapter
Bubnick, L., Enneking, K., & Egbers, J. (2016). Designing Healthy Ice Pops. Science and Children, 54(1), 70.
Hudson, P., English, L., Dawes, L., King, D., & Baker, S. (2015). Exploring links between pedagogical knowledge practices and student outcomes in STEM education for primary schools. Australian Journal of Teacher Education (Online), 40(6), 134.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Science, technology and mathematics reviewed
Chapter
Coad, L. (2016). The M in STEM what is it really?. Australian Mathematics Teacher, The, 72(2), 3.
McColgan, M., Colesante, R., & Andrade, A. (2018). Pre-Service Teachers Learn to Teach with Serious Games. Journal of STEM Education, 19(2).
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Engineering principles
Chapter
Redman, C. (2017) Would increasing engineering literacies enable untapped opportunities for STEM education?, Theory Into Practice, 56(4), 318-326,
Further readings as outlined in the weekly topic on Moodle may also be required.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
STEM Lesson Design
Chapter
Hunter, J. (2017). Principal outlooks in STEM in some Australian primary schools: Views, concerns and possible solutions. Access, 31(2), 30.
Further readings as outlined in the weekly topic on Moodle may also be required.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Project design for engagement activities
Chapter
Readings as outlined in the weekly topic on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
STEM experts and collaboration
Chapter
Readings as outlined in the weekly topic on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Evaluation of STEM projects
Chapter
Blackley, S., Sheffield, R., Maynard, N., Koul, R., & Walker, R. (2017). Makerspace and reflective practice: Advancing pre-service teachers in STEM education. Australian Journal of Teacher Education (Online), 42(3), 22.
Hirshon, B., Summers, L., Moeller, B., & Martin, W. (2016). Special report -The KC empower Project & 58: Designing More Accessible STEM Learning Activities. K-12 STEM Education, 2(1), 1-49.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Differentiation and learner-centred approaches
Chapter
Caldwell, L., Garcia, R., & Cagle, N. (2018). K-12 Diversity Pathway Programs in the E-STEM Fields: A Review of Existing Programs and Summary of Unmet Needs. Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research, 19(4).
Ellis, J. (2016). From STEM to STEAM. Science Education News, 65(3), 14.
English, L. D. (2017). Advancing elementary and middle school STEM education. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 15(1), 5-24.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
STEM variations
Chapter
Bargerhuff, M. E. (2013). Meeting the needs of students with disabilities in a stem school. American Secondary Education, 41(3), 3.
Doyle, K. (2019). The languages and literacies of the STEAM content areas. Literacy Learning: The Middle Years, 27(1), 38.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Unit Review
Chapter
Holmlund, T. D., Lesseig, K., & Slavit, D. (2018). Making sense of “STEM education” in K-12 contexts. International Journal of STEM education, 5(1), 32.
Further readings as outlined in the weekly topic on Moodle may also be required.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
This assessment task requires you to plan and conduct a first-hand investigation in the science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics area. The investigation involves carrying out your own experiment to collect your own data. The investigation must follow an action research design and include background (literature review), methodology, data collection, data analysis and conclusion linking to real-world situations. Further information about the assessment including ideas for investigations is provided on the Moodle site.
Week 6 Thursday (23 Apr 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 9 Friday (15 May 2020)
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.
- Deep knowledge and understanding of chosen problem through the use of background research.
- Clear, logical and coherent methodology design.
- Appropriate data collection techniques explained and employed.
- Extensive data analysis presented.
- Comprehensive conclusion linking to real-world situations.
- Cohesive writing consistent with academic conventions.
- Extensive use of relevant and credible sources for explaining concepts.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers demonstrated:
1.2 Understand how students learn
2.6 Information and Communication Technology (ICTs)
3.1 Establish challenging learning goals
6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice
- Design and conduct first hand investigations in science, technology, engineering or mathematics drawing upon the relevant Australian curriculum
- Apply the principles of scientific inquiry to design STEM learning experiences
- Evaluate examples of STEM projects and identify real world situations
- Implement teaching strategies that are learner centered and can support learners including those with diverse educational needs.
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Ethical practice
2 Practical and Written Assessment
This assessment task requires the selection of content and pedagogies using explicit links to the Australian Curriculum (Science or Mathematics). You are required to develop a STEM event for learner engagement, utilising learner-centeredness and hands-on approaches. You must justify your selection of content and pedagogies using explicit links to the Australian Curriculum (Science or Mathematics).
As part of the process of designing your planned STEM event, you are required to select another real world STEM project and evaluate this project in terms of how it addresses both the content and pedagogies of the Australian Curriculum (Science or Mathematics).
Your planned STEM event will be designed for learners from diverse backgrounds for a one hour session. The learning experience that you design as part of your event must reflect real world application. The one hour time slot can be broken down into shorter 10 - 15 minute "stations" if you choose. Your STEM event, for example, could be a session conducted in your school hall or outdoor space during science week or Under Eights Week. For example, students might investigate buoyancy by designing, building and testing a boat made from aluminium foil.
Apply the principles of inquiry learning to design STEM learning experiences that support and enhance student-centred, authentic and problem-based learning. The planned STEM event details need to be presented as a portfolio in an online format such as a Weebly, Wix, Wiki or Webpage with links to the event activity details, teacher resources explaining the STEM content (explicitly linked to the Australian Curriculum: Science or Mathematics), expert contacts, real-world applications, a budget, sample student consent forms, detailed schedule and resources needed.
Examples of past STEM events and ideas are available on the Moodle site. This task can be individual or in pairs or groups of up to three. Students working in a pair or group will receive the same grade for the task.
Week 12 Friday (5 June 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
Feedback on the final assessment task will be provided following moderation and prior to the date of certification of grades for the term.
- Justify the selection of content and pedagogies using explicit links to the Australian Curriculum (Science or Mathematics)
- Design first hand STEM experiences drawing upon the relevant Australian curriculum (Science or Mathematics)
- Apply the principles of scientific inquiry to design STEM learning experiences for children from diverse backgrounds showing your design for differentiation
- Evaluate an example of a real world STEM project in terms of how it addresses the Australian Curriculum (Science or Mathematics)
- Articulate the real world application for your planned learning experience
- Plan for the implementation that uses teaching strategies that are learner centered and can support learners including those with diverse educational needs.
- Appropriate use of ICTs is evidenced in your online format consistent with academic conventions.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers demonstrated:
1.2 Understand how students learn
1.5 Differentiate teaching to meet the specific needs of students across the full range of abilities
1.6 Strategies to support full participation of students with disability
2.6 Information and Communication Technology (ICTs)
3.1 Establish challenging learning goals
3.6 Evaluate and improve teaching programs
4.1 Support student participation
6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice
6.3 Engage with colleagues and improve practice
- Design and conduct first hand investigations in science, technology, engineering or mathematics drawing upon the relevant Australian curriculum
- Apply the principles of scientific inquiry to design STEM learning experiences
- Evaluate examples of STEM projects and identify real world situations
- Implement teaching strategies that are learner centered and can support learners including those with diverse educational needs.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
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?
