Science: Chemistry in secondary years A

This unit prepares you to teach chemistry in secondary schools both as a specialist unit in senior years (Years 11 and 12) and within the junior science curriculum (Years 7 to 10) in real and relevant ways for your students and society, now and into the future. A central focus of the unit is for you to use cognitive skills in critical and creative thinking and reflection to build an understanding of the importance of developing a purposeful pedagogy for teaching chemistry that can be adapted and applied in diverse educational settings. The unit builds an understanding of problematic chemistry content and the application of evidence-based teaching approaches that better facilitate student learning with different learning needs, experiences and from diverse backgrounds. You will trial and critique a wide variety of effective teaching strategies, including the use of innovative technologies, essential for establishing a productive, respectful, safe and engaging secondary science classroom.

The unit highlights the importance of setting personal and professional goals, engaging with relevant research literature and actively accessing professional learning programs that contribute to the ongoing improvement of your professional classroom practice. The principles of and methods for assessing and monitoring student learning in chemistry are introduced. The relationship between science, technology and society, the cultural context for chemistry, the nature of chemistry as a discipline, the values that underpin chemistry and the relevance of chemistry to students' lives are recurrent themes explored through readings, class group work, discussion forums and assignments.