Course coordinator
Dr Reshma Musofer
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Human Movement & Nutrition Sci
Senior Biology aims to prepare students to effectively teach Senior Biology (Years 11 and 12) and Junior Science (Years 7-10). Students will be provided with the opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of pedagogy, specifically the development of critical inquiry and laboratory-based skills. They will be provided with opportunities to develop knowledge and teaching strategies to effectively deal with practical demands and learning opportunities that exist in Senior Biology and Junior secondary school science. Students will demonstrate the ability to evaluate key laboratory skills and assessment techniques of the Queensland Senior Biology Syllabus.
EDUC3251: Senior Biology introduces students to the subject matter of the Biology syllabus, not explored within other courses of the BHSPE program. The course aims to develop students knowledge of the modes of assessment in Biology, instructional skills in delivering the mandatory practicals and fluency with ecology, infectious disease,ﾠ genetics and evolution. Across the course, students will engage in authentic learning experiences relating to the development and moderation of assessment, the processing and analysis of quantitative data from correlational and experimental research designs and engagements with curriculum outreach programs from external providers.ﾠ
Course requirements
Assumed background
Students enrolled in EDUC3251 are expected to have completed EDUC3250 Junior Science and thus have an understanding of theﾠAustralian Curriculum: Science (Years 7-10).
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
EDUC3250, NEUR2530, PHYL1007, PHYL2730, BIOM1050
Restrictions
BHSPE (Hons)
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Reshma Musofer
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
In this course, students will engage in a wide range of interactive learning experiences and assessment tasks that will help them develop knowledge and competencies in:
- instruction relative to the biology syllabus subject matter, and its application to the mandatory practicals of the syllabusﾠ
- the modes of assessment in biology, including their development and moderation.ﾠ
*The aims and objectives of this course have been developed relative to theﾠAustralian Professional Standards for Teachersﾠ(https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards).
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Standard 1: Know students and how they learn - Focus Area 1.1. N/A
LO2.
Standard 1: Know students and how they learn - Focus Area 1.2. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.
LO3.
Standard 1: Know students and how they learn - Focus Area 1.3. N/A
LO4.
Standard 1: Know students and how they learn - Focus Area 1.4. N/A
LO5.
Standard 1: Know students and how they learn - Focus Area 1.5. N/A
LO6.
Standard 1: Know students and how they learn - Focus Area 1.6. N/A
LO7.
Standard 2: Know content and how to teach it - Focus Area 2.1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
LO8.
Standard 2: Know content and how to teach it - Focus Area 2.2. Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
LO9.
Standard 2: Know content and how to teach it - Focus Area 2.3. Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
LO10.
Standard 2: Know content and how to teach it - Focus Area 2.4. N/A
LO11.
Standard 2: Know content and how to teach it - Focus Area 2.5. Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.
LO12.
Standard 2: Know content and how to teach it - Focus Area 2.6. Implement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students.
LO13.
Standard 3: Plan for and implement effective T&L - Focus Area 3.1. Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.
LO14.
Standard 3: Plan for and implement effective T&L - Focus Area 3.2. Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
LO15.
Standard 3: Plan for and implement effective T&L - Focus Area 3.3. Include a range of teaching strategies.
LO16.
Standard 3: Plan for and implement effective T&L - Focus Area 3.4. Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.
LO17.
Standard 3: Plan for and implement effective T&L - Focus Area 3.5. Demonstrate a range of verbal and non -verbal communication strategies to support student engagement.
LO18.
Standard 3: Plan for and implement effective T&L - Focus Area 3.6. N/A
LO19.
Standard 3: Plan for and implement effective T&L - Focus Area 3.7. N/A
LO20.
Standard 4: Supportive & safe learning environment - Focus Area 4.1. Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.
LO21.
Standard 4: Supportive & safe learning environment - Focus Area 4.2. Demonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions.
LO22.
Standard 4: Supportive & safe learning environment - Focus Area 4.3. N/A
LO23.
Standard 4: Supportive & safe learning environment - Focus Area 4.4. Describe strategies that support students wellbeing and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements.
LO24.
Standard 4: Supportive & safe learning environment - Focus Area 4.5. Demonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.
LO25.
Standard 5: Assess, provide feedback and report - Focus Area 5.1. Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
LO26.
Standard 5: Assess, provide feedback and report - Focus Area 5.2. Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning.
LO27.
Standard 5: Assess, provide feedback and report - Focus Area 5.3. Demonstrate understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning.
LO28.
Standard 5: Assess, provide feedback and report - Focus Area 5.4. Demonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice.
LO29.
Standard 5: Assess, provide feedback and report - Focus Area 5.5. N/A
LO30.
Standard 7: Engage professionally with others - Focus Area 7.1. N/A
LO31.
Standard 7: Engage professionally with others - Focus Area 7.2. Understand the relevant legislative, administrative and organisational policies and processes required for teachers according to school stage.
LO32.
Standard 7: Engage professionally with others - Focus Area 7.3. N/A
LO33.
Standard 7: Engage professionally with others - Focus Area 7.4. Understand the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers professional knowledge and practice.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Product/ Design |
Lesson Plans and Mandatory Practical Rationale
|
40% |
Part 1.1: Lesson Plans 16/08/2024 5:00 pm Part 1.2: Mandatory Practical Modifications & Rationale 30/08/2024 5:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | External Provider Evaluation and Recommendation | 30% |
20/09/2024 5:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Product/ Design | Data Test Qs & Guide to Making Judgements (GTMJ) | 30% |
4/11/2024 12:00 pm |
Assessment details
Lesson Plans and Mandatory Practical Rationale
- Team or group-based
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Product/ Design
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
Part 1.1: Lesson Plans 16/08/2024 5:00 pm
Part 1.2: Mandatory Practical Modifications & Rationale 30/08/2024 5:00 pm
Task description
Design consecutive biology lesson plans (2), drawing from one of the nine mandatory practicals (from Units 1 to 4), that explicitly addresses at least one of the content descriptors of a unit’s subject matter. In this task, you will demonstrate understanding of literacy and numeracy teaching strategies via your lesson planning.
In addition to the lesson plans, including its relevant risk assessment, a considered rationale is to be developed that:
- Proposes and categorises 2 modifications to the selected mandatory practical (where such modifications are split across different categories of modification ie. A refinement + redirection, or a refinement + extension).
- Outlines a specific and relevant research question to be investigated, drawn from the proposed modification (redirection or extension).
- Justifies the impact of each modification to the mandatory practical, in terms of the modifications’ capacity to: enhance representation of a biological phenomenon, overcome limitations of the scope of applicability of the data, or obtain more accurate or precise data, and
- Includes a considered rationale for the modified mandatory practical in terms of raising a need for the scientific inquiry. This rationale will need to make explicit links to the biological theory being investigated. Note, a rationale should: Raise a need for the investigation; explain the biological theory involved in the investigation; and justify the parameters of the independent variable being investigated.
Submission guidelines
Submit via relevant links on Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Task 1.1: is a group task, so extensions impact the whole group and given task 1.2 is due two weeks later extensions longer than 7 calendar days will impact on submission of task 1.2.
Task 1.2: extensions beyond 7 calendar days will impact on preparation for assessment 2 (External Provider Evaluation and Recommendation).
External Provider Evaluation and Recommendation
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
20/09/2024 5:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L07, L08, L33
Task description
Research another external agency providing a Biology curriculum outreach program supporting teachers in the delivery of mandatory practicals relating to Unit 3 (ie. Moreton Bay Environmental Education Centre, or alike). Evaluate this agency, along with the services provided by the School of Biological Sciences at UQ. Make a recommendation to your Head of Department (Science) as to which service you propose would best suit your school. The evaluation and subsequent recommendation should take into consideration the programs: syllabus coverage for Unit 3, support in teaching relevant data processing and analysis skills, support materials provided, cost of the program, program itinerary, risk, and the relevance of activities to hypothetical student interest (not all need to be discussed).
Note: For context, your school is located at Canon Hill. To get to either venue, you will require student and teacher transportation. However, given that it has been deemed that travel costs to and from each venue would be relatively similar, travel cost should not form part of your evaluation and recommendation for service use.
Submission guidelines
Submit via relevant links on Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Applications for extensions beyond 7 calendar days on this assessment item will interfere with the practicum block. Please be mindful of the impacts this may have on your practicum.
Data Test Qs & Guide to Making Judgements (GTMJ)
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Product/ Design
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
4/11/2024 12:00 pm
Task description
Develop 3 data test questions and a guide to making judgements for each for endorsement, for Biology Unit 1 or 3 (Topic 1 & 2 inclusive) as per the assessment conditions described in the Biology General Senior Syllabus 2019 (version 1.2). Between 2-4 data presentations should be used. At least 1 data presentation must include data processing conducted in Excel for the mandatory practicals in Unit 1 or 3. Note, 1 question should target each assessment objective for the data test (Ie. AO 2, 3 & 4).
Submission guidelines
Submit via relevant links on Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A grade of 1 will be awarded to a student who achieves a final cumulative percentage of 0 - 24% from all graded assessment tasks. |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A grade of 2 will be awarded to a student who achieves a final cumulative percentage of 25 - 44% from all graded assessment tasks. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: A grade of 3 will be awarded to a student who achieves a final cumulative percentage of 45 - 49% from all graded assessment tasks. |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A grade of 4 will be awarded to a student who achieves a final cumulative percentage of 50 - 64% from all graded assessment tasks. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A grade of 5 will be awarded to a student who achieves a final cumulative percentage of 65 - 74% from all graded assessment tasks. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A grade of 6 will be awarded to a student who achieves a final cumulative percentage of 75 - 84% from all graded assessment tasks. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A grade of 7 will be awarded to a student who achieves a final cumulative percentage of 85 - 100% from all graded assessment tasks. |
Additional course grading information
A final percentage mark will be rounded to the nearest whole number (e.g. 64.50 and above will be rounded to 65 and 64.49 and below will be rounded down to 64.)
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
- What do I need to do if I’ve missed a practical?
If you are unable to attend for medical or extenuating circumstances, you are required to email your Course Coordinator (Dr Reshma Parveen Musofer - r.parveen@uq.edu.au) within two calendar days. Please include a completed Absentee Form (ﾠhttps://hmns.uq.edu.au/current-students/student-support )ﾠand supporting evidence for your absence.
- About Assignment Submission and Turnitin?
When submitting an assignment, remember to include a coversheet, for example:
Assessment Task:ﾠ Lesson Plans
Course Title: Senior Biology
Course Code: EDUC3251
Student Name: First and Last Name
Student Number: 4xxxxxxxx
Prac Group: P01
Turnitin is an electronic assignmetn submission tool. The tool provides your Course Coordinator with:
- a record of the exact submission time of an assignment
- an originality report indicating the percentage of your work tht is an exaxt match of existing materials within the Turnitin database.
Instructions on how to submit an assignment using Turnitin are located on the UQ Library website Submit your Turnitin assignment - Library Guide
#NB:
- When submitting, remember to check that you have chosen the correct file on the Preview Submission page and click on the Submit to Turnitin button.
- Remember to download your digital receipt in your Assignment inbox to confirm successful submission
- If submission cannot be successfully completed, email a copy of the assessment task to the Course Coordinator. For contact details refer to section 1.3 of the course profile
- Use of AI within assessment in this course:
The assessment tasks for this course haveﾠbeen designed to be challenging, authentic and reflective. Whilst students may use AI technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for whichﾠartificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct. Referencing protocols for APA 7th can be found here:ﾠhttps://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing/apa7/chatgpt-and-generative-ai
To pass assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI tools.
- Semester Disruptions?
In the event of a disruption during the semester (e.g. covid ) that prevents the scheduled assessment from occurring as planned, the assessment will be changed to an alternative form of assessment. The timing of the assessment may also be impacted.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Lecture |
Biology Syllabus Orientation Course structure and modes of assessment in the senior phase of learning for Biology. Learning outcomes: L25, L26, L27, L28 |
Practical |
Calibration and Moderation of the IA1, IA2 & IA3 Learning outcomes: L25, L26, L27, L28 |
|
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Lecture |
Unit 1: Topic 1 & 2 Plant Systems Gas exchange & transport systems; Cells Internal membranes & enzymes |
Practical |
Mandatory Practical s from Unit 1 Lab orientation & safety, Surface Area to Volume Ratio & Effect of Temperature on Rate of Reaction of an Enzyme |
|
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Lecture |
Unit 2: Topic 1 Homeostasis Thermoregulation & osmoregulation |
Practical |
Mandatory Practical's from Unit 2 The role of the leaf in plant osmoregulation & The effect of an antimicrobial on the growth of a microbial organism |
|
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
Lecture |
Data Skills for IA1 and IA2 Best practice in data processing; Experimental design; Best practice in data analysis; and Best practice in data presentation using Excel |
Practical |
Mandatory Practical s from Unit 3 Symbiotic interactions; Diversity indices; Ecosystem classification; and Surveying techniques and sampling methods |
|
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Lecture |
Ecology I & II How to measure and Why measure Population Dynamics; Surveying techniques and sampling methods; Critical appraisal of scientific literature and relevance to IA3 Research Investigation; Theoretical ecology: ecological niche, sexual reproduction, competitive exclusion |
Practical |
Data Skills from Unit 1 & 2 Constructing a guide to making judgements for a data test. |
|
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Lecture |
Unit 2: Topic 2 Infectious disease Immune Response & Transmission |
Practical |
Data Test and GTMJ Development Design questions, classify questions to assessment objectives, define marks awarded & design GTMJ (draw from Excel data processing) |
|
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Lecture |
Analysis of IA2 and IA3 exemplars IA2: research process and nuances of ecological experiments and best practice in scientific writing |
Practical |
Mandatory Practical s from Unit 4 Changes in the gene pool due to selection pressure & Gel electrophoresis |
|
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Lecture |
Unit 4: Topic 1 DNA, Genes and the Continuity of Life Cellular replication & variation, Mutations, Inheritance & Biotechnology |
Week 9 (16 Sep - 22 Sep) |
Lecture |
Unit 4: Topic 2 Continuity of Life on Earth Evolution, Natural selection and microevolution & speciation and macroevolution |
Practical |
Data Test and GTMJ Development Design questions, classify questions to assessment objectives, define marks awarded & design GTMJ draw from Excel data processing) |
|
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
Lecture |
Course Summary Course overview & PD resources |
Practical |
Data Test and GTMJ Development Design questions, classify questions to assessment objectives, define marks awarded & design GTMJ draw from Excel data processing) |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course: