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Course & Unit Catalogues


ED30005: Science education in practice

[Page last updated: 23 October 2023]

Academic Year: 2023/24
Owning Department/School: Department of Education
Credits: 6 [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 120
Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Period:
Semester 1
Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework (CW 100%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites: You may need to pay for an enhanced DBS check and for travel to local secondary schools as part of this module IF school visits become possible.
Learning Outcomes: By the end of this unit students should be able to:
a) identify and describe key aspects of a teacher's practice in the science classroom/laboratory;
b) explain the structure and purposes of the National Curriculum for science;
c) explain the role of investigative work in the learning of science;
d) show how learning in science depends significantly on the knowledge and understanding of science children bring with them to the classroom;
e) distinguish between the different modes of assessment (i.e. formative, summative, ipsative) and their role in learning science;
f) relate theoretical aspects of teaching and learning science to the practice of science teachers observed in the school.


Aims: This unit provides students with an introduction to the teaching and learning of science at secondary level. It aims to:
a) provide an opportunity for students to engage in observational practice;
b) become familiar with the content of the national curriculum;
c) develop an understanding of the nature of science teaching and the difficulties encountered by children in the learning of science;
d) appreciate the role of assessment in the learning and teaching of science.

Skills: Written communication (A), Oral communication (F), Presentation (F/A), Self-directed learning (F), Problem analysis, Research and reflection (F/A).

Content: This unit considers teaching and theories of teaching within the context of science education. It includes a range of practical activities within a teaching context which are designed to illustrate the underlying theories. The unit considers issues such as curriculum and how it is interpreted, children's learning in science, the role of assessment, the purposes of practical/investigative work and the role of the teacher. The unit includes four Wednesday mornings spent in a local school science department. During these periods, students review the relationship between teaching and learning; consider issues related to designing a curriculum for science; explore the purposes of teaching science; find out how children learn science; observe the elements of science teaching; examine the conceptual nature of science learning; evaluate their experiences. Through the school experience ideas introduced during the seminars can be observed in operation. This unit is intended particularly for science, engineering and mathematics students who may be interested in a career in teaching.

Course availability:

ED30005 is a Generally Available Unit which is available to all students of the University (subject to the usual constraints) to take either as a Director of Studies approved option within their programme of study or as an 'extra' unit which does not count towards a final award.

ED30005 is Optional on the following courses:

Department of Chemistry
  • USCH-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Chemistry (Year 3)
  • USCH-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Chemistry with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USCH-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Chemistry with Industrial Placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Environmental Science stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Environmental Science stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Environmental Science stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Environmental Science stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Environmental Science stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Environmental Science stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Physics stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Physics stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Physics stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Environmental Science stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Environmental Science stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Environmental Science stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biochemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biochemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biochemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Physics stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Physics stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Physics stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biochemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biochemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biochemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Biology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Biology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Environmental Science stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Environmental Science stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Environmental Science stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
Department of Physics
  • USPH-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Physics (Year 3)
  • USPH-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Physics with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USPH-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Physics with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USPH-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Physics with Astrophysics (Year 3)
  • USPH-AAB10 : BSc(Hons) Physics with Astrophysics with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USPH-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Physics with Astrophysics with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USPH-AFM02 : MPhys(Hons) Physics (Year 3)
  • USPH-AFM04 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Research placement (Year 3)
  • USPH-AAM12 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USPH-AKM03 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • USPH-AKM04 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Professional and Research Placements (Year 4)
  • USPH-AFM10 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Astrophysics (Year 3)
  • USPH-AFM11 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Astrophysics with Research placement (Year 3)
  • USPH-AAM14 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Astrophysics with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USPH-AKM10 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Astrophysics with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • USPH-AKM11 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Astrophysics with Professional and Research Placements (Year 4)
  • USPH-AAM15 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Astrophysics with Study year abroad and Research Placement (Year 4)
  • USPH-AAM13 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Study year abroad and Research Placement (Year 4)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2023/24 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2024/25 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2023/24.
  • Courses and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.