| CODE | EPE2026 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Science Education 2 | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Early Childhood and Primary Education | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit revisits the teaching of science to children. It starts with a review of documentation of children's ideas about science, and how these are often different to correct scientific ideas. It emphasizes the importance of building on children's existing ideas to initiate inquiry activities and promote learning in science. Examples of fair tests are provided. Content areas in the science learning outcomes (Earth, weather, materials, electricity) are visited and key concepts covered. The study-unit also looks at the implications of the emergent curriculum on the learning of science in years 1 and 2. The thematic approach to learning and the use of storytelling as contexts for science inquiries are presented. Study-unit Aims: The study-unit aims to: - review research on children's ideas about various science concepts, and how children's ideas can be elicited; - help students practice further how to formulate good inquiry questions which can be tackled through scientific inquiry; - tackle content aspects of primary science learning outcome in Earth, weather, materials, and electricity; - show how science can be implemented within the emergent curriculum at Years 1 and 2 of primary; - show how the thematic approach to learning and storytelling can be used as contexts for science inquiries. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - identify and describe children's alternative ideas about various science concepts tackled at primary level; - identify and state the characteristics of well formulated questions which can e answered through a scientific inquiry; - explain how scientific phenomena on Earth, weather, materials, and electricity included in the primary level learning outcomes framework work; - identify and describe scientific aspects included in children's stories as basis for inquiry activities; - list the characteristics of a fair test in a scientific inquiry; - describe and discuss he thematic approach and how it can be used to integrate different subject areas within the same learning activity. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - organize activities to elicit children's ideas about scientific concepts; - formulate productive questions which can be answered through a scientific inquiry; - design inquiry activities on the scientific phenomena of Earth, weather, materials, and electricity included in the primary level learning outcomes framework; - design and implement science inquiry activities within the emergent curriculum at Years 1 and 2 of primary eduction; - use the thematic approach to learning and storytelling as contexts to carry out and implement science inquiries with primary level students. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Sharp J., Peacock G. A., Johnsey R., Simon S., Smith R.J., Cross A. and Harris D. 2021 .Learning Matters; Eighth Edition (Revised and Updated Edition). London UK: Sage Publications Ltd. Learning Matters; Eighth Edition (Revised and Updated Edition). - McRory A. and Worthington K. 2018. Mastering Primary Science (Mastering Primary Teaching). London UK: Bloomsbury Academic - Harlen W. 2009. Teaching, Learning and Assessing Science 5-12. London UK: Sage Publications Ltd. - Sharp J., Peacock G. A., Simon S., Smith R.J., Cross A. and Harris D. 2017. Primary Science: Teaching Theory and Practice (Achieving QTS Series) Eighth Edition (Revised and Updated Edition). London UK: Sage Publications Ltd. Learning Matters; Eighth Edition (Revised and Updated Edition) - Bethan C. Stagg & Michael F. Verde. 2019. Story of a Seed: educational theatre improves students’ comprehension of plant reproduction and attitudes to plants in primary science education, Research in Science & Technological Education, 37:1, 15-35, DOI: 10.1080/02635143.2018.1455655. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Fieldwork and Independent Study | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Naomi Attard Borg Suzanne Gatt (Co-ord.) |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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