Details for Curriculum Studies - Biological Science

This subject prepares Teacher Education Students to teach Stage 6 Biology to meet the requirements of NESA and ACARA Syllabi. It is designed to advance knowledge in the areas of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment for Stage 6 Biology students. It also aims to develop Teacher Education Students’ (TES) understanding and skills in critically analysing and evaluating contemporary theory, concepts and issues in Biology as applied in the classroom context, including curriculum design and evaluation - assessment, examination and reporting. Using the local area as a research resource and fieldwork are integral parts of this subject.

Awards offering Curriculum Studies - Biological Science

This unit is offered as a part of the following awards:

• Master of Teaching (Secondary)

Unit Content

Outcomes

1. Critically evaluate and discuss key Australian national and state educational policies, priorities and contemporary theory and practice relevant to the teaching Biology at a Stage 6 level.
2. Develop a unit plan which demonstrates integration of aims, objectives, content, outcomes and banded statements of learner achievement, designates work samples for reliably reporting to parents/carers and for record-keeping satisfies all curriculum mandates with schools sharing a Christian or alternate worldview.
3. Design student-centred, Biology learning activity sequences that include differentiated strategies for the full range of student abilities [supporting their well-being and safety] and diverse backgrounds [multilingual and sociocultural].
4. Develop and critically reflect upon units of work, lesson sequences, and curriculum materials using threshold concepts and skills development, knowledge acquisition and signature pedagogies that incorporate ICT, Quality Teaching Framework, and Great Teaching Inspired Learning.
5. Design and integrate safe demonstrations, fieldwork, model-building and other laboratory-based activities in the teaching of Stage 6 Biology in the secondary school context.
6. Prepare and analyse a variety of assessment instruments, using best practice that demonstrates an understanding of statistical information, assessment moderation and its application to judge student achievement through assessment of learning in a biological sciences context and which is suitable for reliably reporting to parents/carers.
7. Identify and integrate a range of secondary sources, research, and problem-solving to support the learning and achievement of the outcomes for Stage 6 Biology course.

Subject Content

• Australian Curriculum Framework, NSW Stage 6 Biology Syllabus
• Values and human issues, Community Participation & Teacher professional associations
• Teaching Stage 6 Biology content and skills
• Teacher Decision Making
• Teacher General Capabilities, Teaching for the range of abilities, Teaching for Diverse Settings
• Teacher program building, Teacher decision making
• Models supporting Assessment

This course may be offered in the following formats

• Face to face
• Online
• Intensive
• Extensive

Please consult your course prospectus or enquire about how and when this course will be offered next at Alphacrucis University College.

Assessment Methods

• Critical Reflection (20%)
• Individual Presentation (10%)
• Lesson Plan Sequence (30%)
• Lesson Plans/Reflection: Authentic Assessment in Biology (40%)