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News
New graduate-level course, Communicating Science to School Children (PATH 548C), starts this September!
Term 1-2 (Sept 2010-Apr 2011) Mondays from 4:30-6:00 (3 credits)
Co-requisite: participation in UBC’s Lets Talk Science program
Course description
Communicating Science to School Children (PATH 548C) has been designed to complement the work that students perform in the Let’s Talk Science (LTS) program. The course commences with a series of lectures addressing the history and philosophy of science alongside discussions around contemporary topics in science. The students will be introduced, and encouraged to think about, the processes of teaching and learning.
The main part of the course is built around the hands-on science lesson(s) that students will be delivering in the classroom as part of their LTS commitment. In choosing a science concept which they wish to communicate to children, students will be required to: (i) research children’s understanding of this concept (including their misconceptions); (ii) prepare a unit presentation/lesson for delivery in the school classroom; (iii) present the unit to their peers, and the instructors, in the course for critique/feedback; (iv) present the unit in the school classroom; (v) prepare the unit for archiving on the course Website.
Assessment
Throughout this course students will complete their assignments in an electronic portfolio which will be submitted (midway through the course) for feedback and (at the conclusion of the course) for grading. There are two major assignments for assessment in this course, which are: (i) researching, preparing and delivering a hands-on science lesson in a school classroom; and, (ii) reflecting around one’s growing knowledge, skills and attitude to science.
Course Objectives
It is expected that students in this course will gain:
* knowledge about the history and philosophy of science leading up to, and including, the main concepts in modern science
* knowledge of the main theories, and methodologies, associated with teaching and learning
* skills associated with the delivery of scientific concepts in school classrooms
* awareness of their abilities and challenges, enjoyment and attitude, toward communicating science with children.
For more information contact Niamh Kelly, Ph.D. at niamh@interchange.ubc.ca
To register simply e-mail Farah Rooney at frooney@exchange.ubc.ca
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2009 News
