SCE - Science Education

This course is designed to provide active inquiry and exploration of science content for teacher candidates. The main topics in this course are aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and will increase teacher candidates’ knowledge and skills to participate in inquiry focused on physical and earth science contents through a variety of hands-on scientific investigations. Relevant connections between science content and everyday life will be explored and discussed. Pre-requisite(s): 3 semester hours of previous coursework in the general education sciences. Co-requisite(s): None. 2 semester hours

This course encourages the active exploration of the question, "What is good science teaching?" In this course, candidates explore methods of planning, teaching and assessing elementary students' science outcomes. Candidates construct ideas about effective science instruction to inform their developing science teaching styles and their approaches to creating equity in learning. Assignments aim to increase comfort, confidence, and competence in using effective science teaching methods by relating the nature of science to the way elementary students develop and learn. An emphasis on curriculum, instructional planning, teaching with technology and creating formative and summative assessments are linked to building meaningful constructs of good science teaching.

1-4 semester hours

Provides an opportunity to develop both scientific knowledge and instructional skills in novel community settings. Internships available in informal science education institutions, such as science/natural history museums, zoos, aquaria, planetaria, environmental education centers, etc., or in corporate and governmental research and development laboratories. Placement made in consultation with the faculty advisor in accordance with student's career goals and experience. Supervised experiences must be in approved programs. The internship is supervised by an approved on-site mentor and a faculty member from Science Education department. Arrangements made with faculty advisor two quarters before registering for internship credit. Prerequisite(s): SCE 500: Science, Technology and Society, and consent of program coordinator. 5-7 semester hours

Independent inquiry into a science topic can guide participants to a deeper understanding of science content and concept. This understanding can then be put to use in an educational setting, as science educators practice the instructional model of doing science as a scientist does. Through use of individualized investigative practices, science educators will more deeply examine content and instructional practices that facilitate understanding of essential science content. Through this course, the science educator is classroom implementation of science instruction. Pre-requisite(s): None. 1-3 semester hours