Module 3 - Subject Pedagogy

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Module 1 - Professional Studies

Module 2 - Subject Knowledge Enhancement

Module 3 - Subject Pedagogy

Module 4 - School Experience

Module 3 - Subject Pedagogy

Course Description
This module concerns the exploration and examination of the specialist subject understandings and issues which have a bearing on the work of teachers mostly in secondary schools.

In particular, the course will cover planning for, teaching and assessing learning in a specialist subject through online sessions and school experience. Subject-specific ICT and e-learning will be embedded into this course. The course will also link with elements of professional studies (M1) contributing to the student teachers’ understanding of issues which are generic to all teachers, e.g. planning for behaviour for learning, inclusion etc.

Module Aims

The aims of the pedagogy modules (with a particular focus on their subject specialism - Maths, Physics or Chemistry) are to:

Acquaint students with the requirements, demands and implications of National Curriculum documentation relating to science as a whole and their subject specialism specifically, in order to inform their professional decisions and judgments
Provide students with appropriate subject and pedagogic knowledge, understanding and skills to be able to plan, teach and assess their subject with confidence and authority to pupils and to show understanding of the wider curriculum and progression from key stage 2 to further education
Enable students to inform their teaching with an understanding of the processes of learning in science, and of the factors that affect these learning processes, including pupils’ social, cultural, linguistic, religious, and ethnic backgrounds, gender, and the additional educational needs which they may have; provide opportunities to evaluate strategies used in practical teaching situations
Examine the use of appropriate resources relevant to their subject and to expose students to an appropriate range of science teaching materials
To develop students’ understanding and appreciation of the role of e learning strategies in the development of pupils’ understanding of maths, physics or chemistry
Offer opportunities for reflection on practice and theory and opportunities to learn from the experience of experienced teachers through observation and discussion of professional issues in order to build understanding and improve the quality of practice
Relate specialist knowledge and experiences to generic teaching standards and general issues outlined by the Professional Studies module
Develop and demonstrate a personal philosophy of science education, based on individual and collaborative experience and study

Course Outline - Modules 1-10 (click on icon to expland each subject)

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the module students should demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

1. the development of their professional identity and ideology of the education of their subject specialism;

2. a clear theoretical rationale derived through their practice and understanding of the place of their subject specialism in the whole-school and wider educational context, and the impact of social issues and statutory requirements on how it is taught in school;

3. their subject specialism at KS3, KS4 and 5 and related pedagogy, including e learning, and how to apply these confidently over a range of 11-18 educational contexts for a sustained period;

4. the diversity and complexity of learners and learning in their subject specialism with special reference to the 11-18 age phase;

5. reflective practice and how to use this to critically evaluate practice and to inform their short, medium and long term engagement with their pupils and their own on-going professional learning and development.

By the end of the module students should be able to:

6. establish the needs of their learners in order to inform their teaching of their subject specialism;

7. apply creative, innovative, flexible and inclusive strategies to their planning, teaching and assessment to promote pupils’ learning in their subject specialism;

8. encourage pupils to become increasingly independent in their own learning;

9. select and use appropriate assessment methods to give pupils, parents/carers, and other professionals effective feedback to promote learning in their subject specialism;

10. collaborate with peers and other professionals within their department, the school and beyond the school in order to enhance pupils’ learning in their subject specialism;

11. demonstrate their development as critical, reflective and professional practitioner;

12. undertake a rigorous investigation at level 3 (HE) on the nature of their subject specialism and how it is taught in schools, taking account of educational theory and research;