Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Content

Topics will include: 

• The role and purpose of science education  
• Introduction to structure, strands and outcomes of science curriculum, national and/or state-based 
• General capabilities and Cross-curriculum priorities and the key ideas of science 
• Worldviews, including Western and Indigenous approaches to science 
• Conceptual development in science and alternative conceptions, including constructivist approaches 
• Evidence-informed science pedagogies, including inquiry-based learning (Launch Integrate Act [LIA] framework), experiential learning and explicit teaching strategies 
• Teaching strategies for:  
• working scientifically;  
• incorporating literacy, numeracy and digital skills; and  
• enhancing scientific communication, including, effective questioning, scaffolding, and explaining using worked examples. 
• Effective planning and assessment strategies in Science, including risk assessment and management 
• Socio-scientific issues, including ethics of science and eco-justice in a science-technology rich world 
• Aligning teaching and learning with the needs of diverse learners and ethics of care 
• Integrating technology and generative AI in science teaching, learning and assessment  
• STEM/STEAM approaches to teaching and learning  

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit is grounded in constructivist and inquiry-based learning, emphasising the importance of building on prior knowledge, connecting with learners' lives, and promoting active participation and the ethics of science. It covers key concepts across the four science disciplines—Biological, Chemical, Earth and Space, and Physical sciences—to develop strong pedagogical content knowledge inclusive of culturally, linguistic, and neurodiverse students.  

Pre-service teachers will engage with contemporary socio-scientific issues and ethical questions relevant to 21st-century science and technology, including the use of generative AI. Learning is designed to be active, collaborative, and experiential, aligned with the national and state-based science curricula. Through hands-on activities, participants will develop a deep understanding of scientific processes, including questioning, planning and conducting investigations, analysing data, and drawing evidence-based conclusions. This practical experience equips them to confidently and safely apply a range of pedagogies in primary school classrooms. A variety of learning activities, including reading, reflection, discussion, science investigations, and the integration of GenAI, support the development of content knowledge and inquiry-based teaching skills. The grounding of this approach within socio-scientific issues ensures the teaching and learning strategy reflects ACU’s mission by promoting professional and ethical practice grounded in social justice and the common good. 

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level

In connection to the learning outcomes, on successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level standards:

• APST(GA)1.2

  Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO5

• APST(GA)1.5

  Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4

• APST(GA)2.1

  Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3

• APST(GA)2.2

  Relating toOrganise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO5

• APST(GA)2.3

  Relating toUse curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4

• APST(GA)2.4

  Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of, and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4

• APST(GA)2.5

  Relating toKnow and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1

• APST(GA)2.6

  Relating toImplement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3

• APST(GA)3.1

  Relating toSet learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4, LO5

• APST(GA)3.2

  Relating toPlan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO5

• APST(GA)3.3

  Relating toInclude a range of teaching strategies.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4

• APST(GA)4.2

  Relating toDemonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO5

• APST(GA)4.4

  Relating toDescribe strategies that support students’ wellbeing and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3

• APST(GA)5.1

  Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO5

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) Core Content

On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the AITSL Core Content:

• AITSL - 2.1.1

  Relating toThe key features of coherent and deliberate planning and sequencing of tasks and lessons including curriculum-aligned learning objectives, clear descriptions of how students will show evidence of mastery, the common progression of learning in a subject area and the critical curriculum knowledge needed for students to progress. 

  Relevant learningLO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5

• AITSL - 2.1.3

  Relating toHow to sequence tasks within a lesson that build upon each other, meet students where they are in their learning and help them understand the progression of skills needed to attain mastery. 

  Relevant learningLO2, LO3, LO4, LO5

• AITSL - 2.3.1

  Relating toHow to pitch an introductory lesson at an appropriate level, before starting a new unit of work, by identifying where a student is in their learning through assessing what they know, or think they know. 

  Relevant learningLO3, LO4, LO5

• AITSL - 2.3.2

  Relating toHow to use formative assessment practices to gather and interpret information about student learning as learning is taking place – for example, use of simple, low-key assessments such as exit slips, quick quizzes or targeted oral questioning to prompt students to articulate their reasoning and identify common student misconceptions. 

  Relevant learningLO3, LO4, LO5

• AITSL - 2.3.3

  Relating toHow to design summative assessment to assess students against a standard or benchmark to gain an understanding of the level of mastery attained. 

  Relevant learningLO4, LO5

• AITSL - 4.1.1

  Relating toThe content covered in the Australian Curriculum Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority across stages and subjects.  

  Relevant learningLO1, LO5

• AITSL - 4.4.3

  Relating toThe evidence-based approaches to cater for specific needs and disabilities that a teacher may encounter during their career, with a focus on needs with high prevalence in Australian classrooms. Content should be developed in collaboration with appropriate subject matter expertise from a range of disciplines – for example, linguistics, psychology, health, and education.

  Relevant learningLO2, LO3, LO4, LO5