UnitLevel 5Undergraduate and Postgraduate

EDF5175 Science: Psychology in secondary years A

Faculty of Education

EDF5175 Science: Psychology in secondary years A is a level 5, 6-credit-point, undergraduate and postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Education, offered in 2026 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites and unlocks 1 unit.

Credit points
6
Offered in 2026
Semester 1
Clayton
Assessment
No exam
2 tasks
Workload
144 hours
per semester

This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.

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Requisites

Before EDF5175

No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.

After EDF5175

1 unit list EDF5175 as a prerequisite or corequisite.

Enrolment rules

Prerequisites

  • Enrolment in D30014, D30017, D30022, D30052 
  • Minimum minor in psychology

or

  • Enrolment in D6001 MTeach

Overview

This unit explores the learning and teaching of psychology in secondary schools. It enables you to develop your professional knowledge to teach psychology, offering a strong foundation for you to become an innovative and purposeful curriculum-maker. You will become familiarised with psychology curriculum policy in Australia and internationally, including an understanding of the subject's place within schools, in junior and senior years and within whole school programs. You will learn about contemporary developments and traditional views regarding the educational purposes of psychology education. You will explore the complexities of teaching to enhance student learning of psychology and use these understandings to design and enact purposeful, inclusive and meaningful learning activities within a range of contexts for differing needs. This unit encourages you to consider the purpose, nature and value of psychology education as a subject in schools and engage with the research literature and positions you as an innovative and purposeful curriculum-maker to meet the current and future needs of your school students in an ever changing and uncertain world. The unit emphasises a view of learning about teaching as an ongoing, collaborative process that is developed through engaging with theory, research and critical reflection on experience.

Offerings in 2026

Teaching periodCampusMode
First semesterClaytonOn campus, block

Assessment

  • Investigation into learning and teaching psychology (2000 words or equivalent)Written
    50%
  • Reflective journal (2000 words or equivalent)Written
    50%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Learning outcomes

When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

  1. 1

    demonstrate an appreciation of the nature and scope of psychology as a subject in secondary schools and consider its purpose, relevance and appropriateness as a standalone or integrated subject across all year levels and embedded within whole school programs

  2. 2

    demonstrate an understanding of the principles of curriculum-making, psychology’s place in the curriculum and the psychology content of current curriculum policy and contemporary future-focused directions, the pedagogical perspectives and issues, forms of assessment and the implications for your classroom teaching of psychology

  3. 3

    demonstrate an awareness of the ways in which psychology education research helps inform teacher practice to enhance student’s learning of psychology, including a critical awareness and understanding of the complexities of teaching and learning psychology, and the barriers raised by traditional curriculum

  4. 4

    develop competence in planning purposeful and relevant learning experiences, including selecting and utilising purposeful, ethical and inclusive pedagogical procedures and assessment strategies that inspire students to learn and act in positive, sustainable and ethical ways and meet the current and future needs of your students and society in an ever changing and uncertain world

  5. 5

    reflect critically on the development of your own teaching and learning to teach psychology.

Workload and teaching

  • Tutorials16 hours
  • Lectures8 hours
  • Teaching approachActive learning

The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per teaching period comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study.

Usually, you can expect to engage with:

• 24 hours* of scheduled learning delivered on campus via weekly/regular directed learning activities; and
• the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study

Scheduled learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

*Subject to variation due to professional experience requirements.

You will be provided with the opportunity to engage with relevant literature and resources. Further, you will be encouraged to deepen your understanding of topic areas through collegial discussion and debate, and by participating in activities designed to extend your understanding.

Learning resources

Recommended resources

Please visit the unit Moodle site for further information.

Contacts

Unit Coordinators
Dr Karen Marangio
Chief Examiners
Dr Karen Marangio

Common questions

What are the prerequisites for EDF5175?

EDF5175 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.

What can I take after EDF5175?

EDF5175 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 1 unit, including EDF5176.

When is EDF5175 offered?

In 2026, EDF5175 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton.

How much work is EDF5175?

The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.

Does EDF5175 have an exam?

No. EDF5175 has 2 assessment tasks and no exam.

More details

Credit points
6
Level
5
Study level
Undergraduate and Postgraduate
Faculty
Faculty of Education
Type
Coursework
EFTSL
0.125
Student contribution
SCA Band 1
Study abroad
Not available