• All activities
  • New study options
    • Engaging with practices of contemporary science
    • Inquiry science
    • Schools science project
    • Science in Schools
    • Science and mathematics specialist pathways
    • Science and Mathematics in the Classroom
  • Additional Experiences
    • AMSPP collaboration
    • ASELL for Schools - Victorian Node
    • Back to school
    • Communicating Science
    • Contemporary Biology and Environmental Science In Education
    • Contemporary Science Schools Network
    • Discovery STEM initiative
    • Maths videos
    • Multidisciplinary Science and Technology in Education collaboration
    • Reconceptualising Chemistry
    • Reconceptualising Rocks
    • Representing scientific practice at the Institute for Frontier Materials
    • Scientists as Partners in Education
    • Science Squad

SCI3910 Schools Science Project

This new science elective at Monash University, created in collaboration with the Faculty of Education, aims to build a pathway for science teachers by giving undergraduate science students teaching experiences that will allow them to consider teaching as a career.

Contact

Responds to ReMSTEP innovation(s):

2

Undergraduate maths and science students engaging with schools.

4

Specialist science and technology centre collaborations.

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Opportunities for students to interact with scientists in world-class research environments.

Key points

• New unit for science undegraduates commenced 2015
• Provided education workplace experience and exposure to teaching as a career

The Faculties of Science and Education collaborated to develop a new elective unit for second and third year Bachelor of Science students (SCI3910 Schools Science Project). The students research, develop, manage and deliver (teach) a science-based module that matches the learning outcomes specified to them by their client (supervising teacher).

SCI3910 aims to:

• provide a genuine and safe workplace experience for undergraduate science students, through which they can reflect on and further develop skills required for employment: effective communication, problem solving, developing new innovative ideas, learning new skills, working in teams, leading and motivating small teams, thinking on their feet and coping with the pressures of working in a professional environment where 'conditions' are constantly changing; and
• provide undergraduate science students with an opportunity to communicate their passion for science to school students, through engaging activities they develop and lead.

Prior to their school placement, students participate in a series of workshops. Effective practice was modeled by the Unit Coordinator during the workshops preceding the placements in schools. University science students had the opportunity to rehearse approaches during workshops and to undertake formative evaluation. There was much more emphasis on inquiry and collaborative practice with appropriate use of authentic contexts for learning. Undergraduate science students gained an understanding of the complexity associated with the communication of science to others (in an education setting, in relation to their future work places or more generally). The resultant approaches were applied in the classroom setting and evaluated by teachers providing undergraduate students the opportunity for immediate constructive feedback that they could respond to across the weeks of this experience and hence refine their understanding further.

Students are placed into schools to design and deliver science modules that are individually tailored to meet their client's (supervising teacher's) needs. Schools provide an ideal hands-on, supportive, professional place of work for the students to step out of their comfort zones and develop their communication, problem-solving, organisation, leadership skills, etc. The school environment provides a 'natural' place of learning, where mistakes are reflected on and opportunities to improve are provided regularly.

Students have an introductory meeting with the school supervisor to establish a teaching brief. They also observe a session of the class they will teach to familiarise themselves with the context and audience for their delivery. They then research, experiment, plan lessons and develop teaching materials. Finally they deliver the lessons and reflect on what worked/did not work and why, and consider what changes need to be made for future classes and how their learning can be transferred into a future workplace.

Undergraduate science students, some of whom are likely to become PSTs in the future, were able to practice and rehearse their skills and knowledge of science concepts by communicating them to various audiences. They also had the opportunity to put in practice enquiry-based teaching and learning approaches.

School teachers benefited from “fresh” science brought to their schools by the undergraduate students. The activities delivered by the undergraduate students provided professional development in situ for the teachers who learned new science and/or new ways of engaging children with science.