UNIVERSITY OF LIVINGSTONIA
LAWS CAMPUS
FACULTY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TEACHING STUDIES
Course Outline
Science Education
1. Programme : University Certificate of Education
2. Subject : Science Education
3. Course Title : Science Education
4. Course Code : SCE 2401
5. Year of Study : 1
6. Duration : 16 weeks
7. Prerequisites None
8. Lecture Hours per week : 4
9 Tutorial/Seminar Hours per week : 1
10. Student Independent learning hours : 1
11. Practical Hours per week : 2
12. Total Credit Hours : 8
13. Assessment Weighting Continuous Assessment 40%
Final Examination 60%
14 Course Description
Science education is the teaching and learning of science to learners. The field of science
education includes work in science content, science process (the scientific method), some
social science, and some teaching pedagogy. Students will acquire scientific knowledge and
skills to best deliver lessons.
15 Aim(s) of the course
The aim of the course is to introduce the student to the nature and philosophy of science,
the aims of science education and theories of learning science.
16 Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students must be able to:
a. develop schemes and record of work
b. develop lesson plans from their schemes of work
c. evaluate JCE and MSCE science syllabus
d. use models in the teaching Science
17. Topics of the Study
a. Schemes and Records of Work
i. Lesson planning
ii. Writing topic objectives
iii. Writing schemes of work
b. JCE and MSCE Sciences Syllabi
i. Characteristics of a syllabus
ii. Comparison between an examination syllabus and a teaching syllabus
c. Methods of Teaching Sciences
i. Identification of various methods used in teaching Sciences
ii. Practice and demonstration of methods used in Sciences s teaching
d. Models and Activities in Sciences Teaching
i. Preparation of models and aids for teaching Sciences
ii. Setting up activities for the students
e. Assessment in Physics
i. Different types of assessment
ii. Planning an assessment program
iii. Formulating a physics test: (validity and reliability of test)
iv. Reporting on pupil’s progress
f. Managing Laboratory Classes
i. Safety considerations
ii. Effective planning of practical work in physics
iii. Strategies for handling problems of supply of items needed for practical
work, cooperative groups, rotational arrangement and improvisation.
18. Mode of delivery and Method of teaching
Face to face and blended and Group work, lecturing, experimentation, demonstration.
19. Prescribed Texts
Bargh, J. (2017). Before you know it: The unconscious reasons we do what we do. Simon
and Schuster.
DeBoer, G. (2019). A history of ideas in science education. Teachers college press.
Mackay, R. A., & Henderson, W. (2017). Introduction to modern inorganic chemistry.
CRC Press.
MoEST (2013). Syllabus for Chemistry forms 1, 2, 3, and 4. Domasi Malawi Institute of
Education
MoEST (2013). Syllabus for Physics forms 1, 2, 3, and 4. Domasi Malawi Institute of
Education
MoEST (2013). Syllabus for Biology forms 1, 2, 3, and 4. Domasi Malawi Institute of
Education
MoEST (2013). Syllabus for Mathematics forms 1, 2, 3, and 4. Domasi Malawi Institute
of Education
Robert J. Marzano, (2018)The Handbook for the New Art and Science of
Teaching, Solution Tree Press
20 Recommended Texts
Czerniak, Charlene Lochbihler, Krajcik, Joseph S (2018)Teaching science in elementary
and middle school: a project-based learning approach.
Felipe Fregni (2019) Critical Thinking in Teaching & Learning: The Nonintuitive New
Science of Effective Learning
John L. Rudolph (2019) How We Teach Science: What’s Changed, and Why It Matters .
Harvard University Press
Ross, K., Lakin, L. and McKechnie, J. (2010).Teaching secondary science:
Constructingmeaning and developing [Link]: Routledge
Routledge
Schwarz, C. V., Passmore, C., & Reiser, B. J. (2017). Helping students make sense of the
world using next generation science and engineering practices. NSTA Press.
Thompson, C., & Spenceley, L. (2019). Learning theories for everyday teaching. SAGE.
Wallace, W. L. (2017). The logic of science in sociology. Routledge.
Zander, J., Schieferdecker, I., & Mosterman, P. J. (Eds.). (2017). Model-based testing for
embedded systems. CRC press.