Unit rationale, description and aim
The importance of sustainability of our local environment as well as our globe has become increasingly apparent within early years education and care settings as well as within national curriculum documents. Scientific knowledge and inquiry-based approaches to understanding the complexities of local, national and global issues will assist pre-service teachers to develop skills and make informed decisions in their environments and in their teaching practices.
This unit explores science and sustainability from content and pedagogical perspectives with a focus on early childhood education and care . In this unit the focus is on sustainability including the science of climate change and other global sustainability issues and the various socially constructed meanings of sustainability. The current local and global implications of sustainability will be identified which provide a foundation for exploring the key role of transformative teaching and learning approaches to addressing sustainability.
The aim of this unit is for pre-service teachers to develop scientific principles relevant to education for sustainability in early educational settings, specifically including scientific inquiry, experiential learning, collaboration and, problem-based and participatory approaches.
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.
Elaborate socio-scientific concepts relevant to un...
Learning Outcome 01
Recognise the critical importance of global sustai...
Learning Outcome 02
Demonstrate understandings of the principles and p...
Learning Outcome 03
Articulate an informed view about the critical rol...
Learning Outcome 04
Demonstrate emerging skills to appropriately imple...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- Scientific concepts relevant to understanding key environmental issues including climate change, the green-house effect, resource conservation, food security and biodiversity.
- Meanings of sustainability and potential impacts both locally and globally
- Education for sustainability as a transformative approach to teaching and learning
- Principles and pedagogies of education for sustainability
- Implementation of sustainability practices in early years’ programs
- Relevant curricula and resources to support implementation skills
Assessment strategy and rationale
The first major assessment task for the unit is intended to provide pre-service teachers with the opportunity to research, plan, implement and evaluate a practical science investigation that would be appropriate to reconstruct with children in early childhood settings. The task is sufficiently open-ended to allow pre-service teachers to follow their own line of interest. The second assessment is intended to allow pre-service teachers to showcase their developed knowledge and understandings related to science and sustainability through incorporating elements of inquiry based and experiential learning approaches. The assessment tasks and their weighting for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. To pass this unit, students are required to submit, participate in, and pass assessment 1 and assessment 2. No one piece of assessment will be worth more than 50 per cent of the total mark.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1 – Eco Challenge Develop an ind...
Assessment Task 1 – Eco Challenge
Develop an individual action priority plan for personal change towards sustainability in pre-service teachers own lives. The action priority will be researched planned then implemented during the teaching semester.
20%
Assessment Task 2 – Action Priority Reflective Jo...
Assessment Task 2 – Action Priority Reflective Journal
Using the action plan developed in task 1, implement the plan during the semester. Journal your actions, additional research undertaken and reflections in completing identified priorities. Evaluate your overall achievement and develop a multimedia presentation or report suitable for peers, family and the community.
30%
Assessment Task 3 – Early Years Learning Activity...
Assessment Task 3 – Early Years Learning Activity and Report
An individual report outlining a rationale for the inclusion of education for sustainability in early years’ curricula and programs with reference to relevant principles and pedagogies including scientific inquiry-based and experiential learning.
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
In line with social constructivist principles, this unit is premised on the belief that teaching and learning activities should build on prior knowledge and connect with the learner’s needs and interests in their own lives, and encourage active participation. Tutorials will be active, collaborative and experiential, with a focus on the application of science understandings and inquiry skills. Through active participation in lectures and tutorials, pre-service teachers will develop a deep understanding of the nature of scientific inquiry along with the ability to use a range of scientific inquiry methods including questioning, planning and conducting experiments and investigations. First-hand experience with an inquiry-based approach to science teaching and learning will ensure that pre-service teachers are able to transfer their knowledge and skills effectively to early childhood contexts.
This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the semester. To achieve a passing standard in this unit, students will find it helpful to engage in the full range of learning activities and assessments utilised in this unit, as described in the learning and teaching strategy and the assessment strategy. The learning and teaching and assessment strategies include a range of approaches to support students’ learning such as reading, reflection, discussion, webinars, podcasts, video, and hands on inquiry-based approaches.
Technology Enhanced Learning
The unit will include a Canvas site with resources and online links, announcements, and a discussion board to post questions and reflections that promote critical engagement. It may include:
- Recorded lectures and lecture notes; tutorial notes / guides
- Webinars, podcasts, videos
- Reviews, guided explorations, quizzes
- Discussion board to exchange ideas and refine learning.
- Focused readings addressing a wide spectrum of Arts education and practices.
Minimum Achievement Standards
The assessment tasks for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome.
In order to pass this unit, students are required to submit all assessment tasks, meet the learning outcomes of the unit and achieve a minimum overall passing grade of 50%.
Electronic Submission, Marking and Return
Assessment tasks are to be submitted to Turnitin. Assessments will be marked and returned via Turnitin in accordance with University assessment policy.
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to:
ACECQA CURRICULUM SPECIFICATIONS
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following specific knowledge: