Undergraduate Course: Science Education Placement: Physics (PHYS10084)
Course Outline
| School | School of Physics and Astronomy |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
| Course type | Placement |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | An extended school placement offering the opportunity for the students to gain first hand experience of science education and communication. The course entails:
- Classroom observation and assistance: Initial contact with the teacher and pupils will be as a classroom assistant, watching how the teacher handles the class, the lesson structure, the level of science taught and offering practical support to the teacher in the 'lab'.
- Teaching assistance: The teacher will assign the undergraduate actual teaching tasks which will vary depending on specific needs and the undergraduate=s own ability as it develops over the term. This could include offering problem-solving coaching to a small group of higher ability pupils or taking the last ten minutes of the lesson for the whole class. As part of their course assessment the undergraduate will have to demonstrate an understanding of how the level of scientific knowledge of the pupils they are teaching fits in to their overall learning context in other subjects.
- Special projects: The undergraduate will devise a special project on the basis of discussion with the teacher and their own assessment of what will interest the particular pupils they are working with. The undergraduate will have to show that they can analyse a specific teaching problem and devise and prepare appropriately targeted teaching materials, practical demonstrations and basic 'tests'.
- Extra-curricula projects: The undergraduate may be supervised by the teacher in helping to run an out-of-timetable activity such as a lunchtime science club, special coaching periods for higher ability pupils or a trip to their university department. The undergraduate will have to demonstrate an ability to think laterally in order to formulate interesting ways to illustrate more difficult scientific concepts.
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| Course description |
Not entered
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Sucessful completion of Physics Junior Honours and by selection. Or with the permission of the Head of School.
This course may only be undertaken as part of BSc and MPhys4 Honours degree courses in Physics, Astrophysics, Computational Physics.
This course replaces either a Senior Honours project in Semester 1 or Semester 2 in the degree programmes detailed above |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2014/15, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 8 |
| Course Start |
Full Year |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Fieldwork Hours 60,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
126 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Assessment of the module comprises the following, equally-weighted components
1. Student's reflective journal of their progress and development in working in the classroom environment, assessed by Course Organiser (CO)
2. Undergraduate presentation on their experience and Special Project topic given to CO and peers
3. Teacher assessment of their planning and delivery of Special Projects
4. Undergraduate end of course report on their Special Project with an evaluation of how well it worked and suggested improvements.
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| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of the module students will have gained substantial experience of working in a challenging and unpredictable working environment. They will have gained experience of answering questions about their subject and will be able to assess and devise appropriate ways to communicate a difficult principle or concept at a level appropriate to who is asking the question. They will also develop a better understanding of and confidence in their own degree subject.
They will also have gained a broad understanding of many of the key aspects of teaching science in schools. The specific and transferable skills they will have had an opportunity to attain include:
- Understanding the needs of individuals.
- Interpersonal skills when dealing with colleagues.
- Staff responsibilities and conduct.
- The ability to improvise.
- Giving (and taking) feedback.
- Organisational, prioritisation and negotiating skills.
- Handling difficult and potentially disruptive situations.
- Public speaking and communication skills.
- Team-working.
- Standard teaching methods.
- Preparation of lesson plans and teaching materials.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Approximately 200 hours of student practical and oral and report preparation effort, within times assigned. |
| Keywords | SEP |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Judy Hardy
Tel: (0131 6)50 6716
Email: j.hardy@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Rebecca Thomas
Tel: (0131 6)50 7218
Email: R.Thomas@ed.ac.uk |
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