Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Extending STEM Education

Credit Points: 12.00

Important Information:  

 



Course Coordinator: Grant Cooper

Course Coordinator Phone: 03 9925 7851

Course Coordinator Email: grant.cooper@rmit.edu.au@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Bundoora Level Three

Course Coordinator Availability: email


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

This course is designed to deepen your content and pedagogical content knowledge in STEM disciplines. This course extends your knowledge of key concepts and contemporary issues in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education. You will explore the contexts and key theoretical and professional debates in STEM education including new ways of thinking about STEM within a school curriculum and as a teacher. You will enhance your STEM content and pedagogical knowledge, through a critical examination of new and emerging approaches to engaging students in STEM education and hands-on activities. You will consider the implications of seeing knowledge as distributed and dynamic on your own pedagogical practices.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

 

AITSL Standards

Articulate concepts and contemporary issues in STEM education, contexts and systems

2.1

Extend your current knowledge, skills and abilities as a STEM educator

2.1

Synthesise STEM content and pedagogical content knowledge to develop authentic STEM learning sequences for primary children

1.3, 1.5, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 2.6, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 5.1

Discuss major theoretical and professional debates in STEM education as located within contemporary research

 

 


Program Learning Outcomes

In this course you will develop the following program learning outcomes:

  • Demonstrate broad and coherent theoretical and technical knowledge in education
  • Critically analyse and apply theoretical and practical knowledge and skills to your professional practice in curriculum, pedagogy and assessment across a range of disciplines, reflecting a graduate level of proficiency in teaching
  • Consolidate and synthesise expert content and pedagogical content knowledge and develop highly effective classroom teaching skills in an area of specialisation


Overview of Learning Activities

Your learning in this course will involve a range of activities including online lectures, workshops, practical activities, individual tasks, collaborative group work, discussion and individual reflection.


Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT University will support your access to learning resources for this course. Readings from current educational literature will be provided through your online course site and will be drawn from highly regarded academic journals, books and conferences as well as reports, websites and other online resources.

The University Library provides extensive scholarly resources to supplement your suggested readings and research and is able to request books or articles from any library in the world. Guides to the literature in your discipline area are available from http://rmit.libguides.com/sb.php?subject_id=67929

Assistance with referencing and avoiding plagiarism is available here http://www1.rmit.edu.au/library/referencing

The Library and the Study and Learning Centre are also on hand to support and assist in the development of your academic skills to make best use of such resources within your academic studies. http://www1.rmit.edu.au/library


Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes. Assessment will cover both theoretical and practical aspects of your learning. You will be able to develop your work in relation to your own specific areas of interest in your professional practice.

AT1 The what, why and how of STEM education (50%) Articulate your conceptions of STEM education, and outline your STEM pedagogy, with reference to current literature and education debates CLO1, CLO4

AT2 STEM Unit design (50%) A complete science/STEM unit for teaching the school-based component of this course including a description of the dominant pedagogical paradigms that underpin the unit, teaching pedagogy that promotes conceptual development and address students' possible alternative conceptions. CLO2, CLO3

Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.

If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or the Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.

Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions which are available for review online: http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/assessment