ED3EDP-Chemistry Education Project

Module Provider: Institute of Education
Number of credits: 40 [20 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Spring / Summer module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites: Pre-requisite: Part 2 BSc Chemistry or similar Co-requisite: Part 3 Chemistry
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Placement opportunity: Micro placement
Current from: 2020/1

Module Convenor: Mrs Janet Thomson

Email: j.thomson@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

Students gain experience of chemistry and science teaching over an extended period of time in a secondary school setting. They research, design, implement and evaluate a chemistry-based  intervention.  Only a limited number of places are available and interested students will apply through a standard procedure, will attend an interview and will be selected on the basis of their commitment and suitability for working in schools.  All students must successfully complete an enhanced DBS check prior to starting their work in school.

 

Aims:

1. To give students the experience of chemistry education through a mentoring scheme carried out with chemistry teachers in local secondary schools.


2. To develop key transferable skills including team-work, communication and organisational skills, creativity, and resourcefulness in order to enhance employability.


3. To conduct themselves in a professional manner in a school setting


4. To develop reflection, drawing on both personal experience and educational literature.


5. To enable students to understand how to address the learning needs of pupils and devise and develop a suitable teaching intervention to engage pupils at the relevant level.


6. To inspire a new generation of prospective undergraduates by providing role models for school pupils.


7. To help teachers by providing an assistant who can work with, and support, pupils


8. To investigate an aspect of chemistry teaching and learning in depth.

Assessable learning outcomes:

•  Conducted themselves in a professional manner in a school


•  Reflected on their school and chemistry teaching experiences, drawing on their knowledge of appropriate literature to critically evaluate these experiences


•  Identified and evaluated their development of key transferable skills: communication; working with others; organisation; initiative and creativity; self—analysis and reflection


•  Closely analyse d a particular problem or learning issue related to the teaching of chemistry, drawing on the appropriate literature and their observations to inform their analysis.


•  Used this analysis to design, implement, and evaluate a chemistry- based intervention, drawing valid conclusions from their results. 


•  Presented the analysis, intervention undertaken, results and conclusion in a logical and legible form in their written report


•  Del ivered an oral presentation of the key elements of their work and responded appropriately to questions.


•  Discussed their report during a viva

Additional outcomes:

Students will gain an understanding of the secondary education system and the key aspects of teaching science in schools.. Students should develop an understanding the needs of individuals, an appreciation of staff responsibilities and conduct, and the ability to improvise. They will learn how to prioritise and negotiate and may have to practise handling difficult and potentially disruptive situations.

Outline content:

Students will attend training sessions during week 8 of the summer term (following part 2 exams) to prepare them for their work in a school.  They will undertake 5 days of targeted observation in science classrooms. They will then be assigned to work with a member of staff from the providing department and the school, where they will work for a further 15 days. Initial contact in the school will be in an observational role as a classroom assistant. Following this the teacher will assign the student specific tasks related to science teaching. Students will carry out an individual project designed to demonstrate that the student can analyse a particular teaching and learning problem and devise and prepare appropriately targeted teaching materials. A full description of the module content, delivery and assessment is given in the Appendix to this module description.

Global context:

This module provides opportunities for students to consider whether chemistry teaching may be an appropriate career for them.  Students can act as positive role models for secondary pupils in order to promote chemistry as a positive career choice.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Link librarian and member of chemistry staff (3 hours lectures) Library Skills:

An introduction to critical literature analysis for preparation for project work and literature review. A description of facilities.

Janet Thomson/Caroline Foulkes(7 hours) School preparation training sessions:

Professional working  in schools; introduction to key pedagogical ideas; recording transferable skills development; how to observe effectively i n the classroom; and what to expect in the project. Teaching scheduled for the Summer term will take place following the examination period of the Part 2 year.

Four seminars will be held during the course of the year to share experiences, discuss progress and practise report giving.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures	3
Seminars	2	2	7
Tutorials	2	2
Work-based learning	90	90
Guided independent study:
Wider reading (independent)	16	26
Wider reading (directed)	10
Preparation for presentations			16
Preparation of practical report			50
Carry-out research project	42	42
Total hours by term	165	162	73
Total hours for module	400

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Report	40
Project output other than dissertation	30
Oral assessment and presentation	25
Practical skills assessment	5

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Spring term week 11: oral presentation of chemistry education project

Summer term week 1: submission of final project report and logbook

Formative assessment methods:

An interim report is required at the start of the Spring term. Supervisors will give feedback on this report.

Penalties for late submission:

The Module Convenor will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day[1] (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: http://www.reading.ac.uk/web/FILES/qualitysupport/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

An overall mark of 40%.

Reassessment arrangements:

It is not possible to retake this module in the same format. If a student fails the programme overall, reassessment will be by re-submission of the project report and an oral examination in August.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

 

Cost	Amount
Required text books
Specialist equipment or materials
Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear
Printing and binding	£20
Computers and devices with a particular specification
Travel, accommodation and subsistence	£80

Travel costs are based on a placement school that can be reached by a Reading Bus service. Students may be placed further away form campus if they are in agreement.

Last updated: 4 April 2020