Course coordinator
Dr Stephanie Macmahon
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- External
- Attendance mode
- Online
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Education School
The Foundations of the Science of Learning Course will provide an overview of the emerging field and its implications for teaching, learning and leading across the lifespan and in a range of contexts. It will explore the latest research in the field, how this can be translated into the various teaching, learning and leading contexts relevant to the participants, and will encourage discussion and reflection on how participants individually think about and support learning and teaching. Students will develop skills in the critical evaluation of Science of Learning literature and how to translate this into practical applications for teaching, learning and/ or leading. The course will be highly interactive with some of the content determined by the participants. Participants will be challenged to articulate through a variety of mediums how this research impacts their thinking and their practice, and will collaboratively develop a set of Learning, Teaching and Leading Principles exemplified through the course content and delivery. Participants in this course will be able to focus on areas of special interest to their field. These may include but are not limited to: creativity, leadership, music, art, language learning, technology, and learning difficulties.
Course requirements
Restrictions
Quota: Minimum 10 student enrolments for In Person offering
Jointly taught details
This course is jointly-taught with:
- Another instance of the same course
This course has both Internal and External offerings and will be run in a hybrid environment with synchronous in-person and online delivery happening simultaneously.
Course contact
Lecturer
Dr Stephanie Macmahon
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
This course aims that learners will:
- Identify and be able to explain various approaches and theories of learning.
- Describe how the three fields of neuroscience,ﾠpsychological scienceﾠand education can contribute to understand, measure and promote learning.
- Demonstrate awareness of the neurological and physiological underpinnings of emotions and cognition.
- Consider the role of social cognition and interaction in learning.
- Identify the conditions that are likely to make feedback effective for learners.ﾠ
- Apply the scientific method in order to review research for reliability and validity.ﾠ
- Create a proposal to translate science of learning research into practical contexts.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Access, interpret, and critically evaluate scientific articles relevant to science of learning practices and/or research.
LO2.
Explicate key ideas about the brain and mind, and how function is determined.
LO3.
Consider, critically evaluate, and implement psychological theories relevant to education and learning.
LO4.
Describe processes leading to the development of self-regulated learning.
LO5.
Identify the many factors that affect the dynamic process of development and learning across the lifespan.
LO6.
Translate key teachings and learnings into each students own personal and professional practice through the development of a personal theory.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Assessment 1 - Personal Learning Philosophy Blog
|
40% 1500-2000 equivalent |
Blog post 1 (formative) - 2/08/2024 Blog Post 2 (formative) - 20/09/2024 Blog Post 3 (Summative) - 18/10/2024 2:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Assessment 2 - Written Response | 30% 2000 words |
30/08/2024 2:00 pm |
| Presentation, Translation/ Interpretation | Assessment 3 - Translation Presentation | 30% 1500 words equivalent |
4/11/2024 2:00 pm |
Assessment details
Assessment 1 - Personal Learning Philosophy Blog
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 40% 1500-2000 equivalent
- Due date
Blog post 1 (formative) - 2/08/2024
Blog Post 2 (formative) - 20/09/2024
Blog Post 3 (Summative) - 18/10/2024 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
Topic: Development of personal philosophy of learning
The Aim of the Activity: To develop a personal theory / philosophy of learning that is informed by the course content, readings and additional literature pertaining to the Science of Learning.
The Activity: Your personal philosophy of learning reflects your beliefs about learning. It also shapes the way you may engage in your own learning experiences or how you might design and deliver learning experiences for others such as your students or colleagues. So, what is your personal philosophy of learning? To begin, you will write a blog entry summarising your current personal philosophy of learning. At the conclusion of Module 3 (Week 9) you will write a blog entry demonstrating how your personal philosophy of learning is informed by the focus, readings, activities, and discussions of the course so far, and additional literature pertaining to the science of learning. At the conclusion of the course, you will complete a final Blog (Week 12), reflecting on how your personal philosophy of learning has been informed by the course.
Guidelines: The blog entries will need to attend to the criteria as described in the EDUC7059 criteria sheet. The following questions serve as a guide for your blog entry responses.
Entry 1 – Formative assessment
The first of your blog entries needs to respond to the question:
- What is your current personal philosophy of learning?
- What experiences/ ideas/ beliefs/ existing theories underpin your current philosophy?
Entry 2 - Formative Assessment
- How does information from the recent Science of Learning lectures, readings and discussions inform/challenge/support your personal philosophy of learning, i.e.: how is your personal philosophy evolving?
- What might be some practical ways you could apply these insights from the Science of Learning into your practice as a learner or teacher/ leader of learning?
Final Entry SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT(Your final grade will be based on this response)
1. Reflect on your initial blog post. How has your developing understanding of the Science of Learning supported or challenged your initial philosophy or theory of learning?
2. What insights from the Science of Learning findings have had the greatest influence on your personal philosophy of learning? Explain, drawing on relevant literature to support your discussion.
3. What might be some challenges to mobilising these insights into practice?
4. In reflecting across the course, how might you action your personal philosophy of learning into practice?
The assignment length guidelines are 1500-2000 words maximum for the total of all 3 blog entries. This is approximately equivalent to 500 words maximum for Blogs 1 & 2 and 500-1000 for the final summative post.
Submission guidelines
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.
Late submission
A penalty of 1 grade for each 24 hour period from time submission is due will apply for up to 7 days. After 7 days you will receive a mark of 0.
Assessment 2 - Written Response
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 30% 2000 words
- Due date
30/08/2024 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L05
Task description
Topic: Written response on the role of ‘the brain in learning’
The Science of Learning is underpinned by three disciplines: neuroscience, psychology, and education. The Science of Learning takes a multidisciplinary approach to understanding how people learn, the factors that affect learning, and what the implications of these findings are for teaching, learning design and learning technologies (Hayes, 2006). However, the inclusion of neuroscience in the study of learning has been the focus of an ongoing debate: over 20 years ago Bruer (1997) claimed that neuroscience was unable to offer direct, practical applications for classroom teachers. Today the debate continues as questions continue to be asked as to whether new understandings of brain structure and function can improve teaching practice and fundamentally, augment learning (Bowers, 2016). Contributing to this debate is the misuse of neuroscience research and findings in educational practice, evidenced through the prevalence of neuromyths, and a poor understanding of how to effectively translate research – particularly neuroscience research - into practice in unique teaching and learning contexts. Despite the ongoing debate and the noticeable challenges, the inclusion of insights from neuroscience and cognitive psychology is increasingly popular in education and workplace training, with recent reviews of Initial Teacher Education in Australia calling for an understanding of ‘the brain and learning’ to be included as core knowledge (Australian Government, 2023).
Your task is to demonstrate an understanding of the complexities and possibilities surrounding the critiquing, interpretation, and use of multi-disciplinary research in practice. You are to review the literature on both sides of the debate surrounding the ‘role of the brain in learning and present a well justified position in relation to your own professional context.
You must draw on course readings, course materials, and additional literature to clearly communicate the arguments and your position.
Use the following questions to guide your response:
1. Define the Science of Learning drawing on current literature, evaluating and describing the similarities and differences with related fields such as educational neuroscience, cognitive science, and the Learning Sciences.
2. Why is there still an ongoing debate about the role of the brain in learning? What are the contemporary and historical arguments for and against the inclusion of neuroscientific evidence in education?
3. What role do translational complexities play in the current debate relating to the role of the brain in learning? What cautions would you suggest (informed by the literature) practitioners in your professional context take when translating research into practice?
4. Reflecting on your responses above, present your position on the debate surrounding the ‘role of the brain in learning’ in your professional context.
Assignments should include:
- a clear introduction with an opening hook, outlining the organisation of the article and your key points to be addressed.
- a detailed discussion providing a response to each of the four key questions outlined above, using literature to support your discussion and to substantiate your position.
- a clear conclusion summarizing the main points of your discussion in relation to your own professional context.
- a correctly formatted reference list.
Submission guidelines
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.
Late submission
A penalty of 1 grade for each 24 hour period from time submission is due will apply for up to 7 days. After 7 days you will receive a mark of 0.
Assessment 3 - Translation Presentation
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia
- Category
- Presentation, Translation/ Interpretation
- Weight
- 30% 1500 words equivalent
- Due date
4/11/2024 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
Mobilising the Science of Learning into practice: a professional learning presentation in your context
The multi-disciplinary nature of the science of learning makes the process of mobilising or translating this knowledge into authentic teaching, learning, and training environments a complex and challenging one (see Daniel, 2012; Fischer, 2009; Joram, Gabriele, & Walton, 2020; Lysenko, Abrami, Bernard, Dagenais, & Janosz, 2014; MacMahon, Leggett & Carroll, 2022; van Atteveldt, Tijsma, Janssen, & Kupper, 2019). However, seeking ways to overcome these complexities and challenges has immense value for the field and reciprocal benefits for both educators and researchers (Hobbis et al., 2018). Levin (2013) conceptualised the process of knowledge mobilisation as involving three domains: knowledge production, knowledge use, and knowledge mediation. Knowledge brokers – individuals who can act as a conduit between research and practice – are fundamental to effective knowledge mediation, supporting educators and other users of Science of Learning research to effectively engage with and apply research in contextually relevant ways (Brown, 2020; Cooper et al., 2020; Farley-Ripple, 2017; Gorard et al., 2020; Hobbis et al., 2019; Neal et al., 2015).
You can play an important role in your context as a mediator of the science of learning by communicating clearly the relevant Science of Learning findings and principles and illustrating how these can be applied and evaluated in your own context.
Your final assessment task is to prepare a professional presentation that explains and illustrates ways to mobilise a Science of Learning Principle into your teaching/ learning/ training context.
The presentation is to be suitable for educators in your context and must feature some key practical applications.
Use the prompts below to guide your presentation.
- Clearly set the context for your presentation, i.e.: who the audience is
- Clearly articulate and explain your chosen principle.
- Explain the role of the chosen principle in the learning process relevant to your identified audience.
- Synthesise and clearly communicate the key research supporting this principle
- Provide clear illustrations of how this principle can be applied into practice in your audiences context.
Your presentation may be presented as either a PowerPoint presentation, a keynote presentation, a video, or a podcast. Regardless of mode, the translation presentation must:
- adhere to a maximum time limit of 10 minutes or 1500 words equivalent
- include an APA formatted reference list
Submission guidelines
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.
Late submission
A penalty of 1 grade for each 24 hour period from time submission is due will apply for up to 7 days. After 7 days you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: No evidence of engagement with assessment requirements and literature. No critical analysis of readings, theories and research. |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Very minimal engagement with assessment requirements and literature. Critical analysis of readings, theories and research severely lacking. Written presentation extremely poor. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Lack of engagement with assessment requirements and literature. Poor critical analysis of readings, theories and research with substandard written presentation. |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Satisfies all of the basic requirements for the course, such as some use of fundamental concepts, some use of references, basically keeping to the topic; some elaboration of ideas and arguments, some degree of coherence and organisation and appropriate length; demonstrates sufficient quality of performance to be considered satisfactory or adequate or competent or capable with respect to explaining the significance and implications of the topic. |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates ability to use and apply fundamental concepts of the course, going beyond mere replication of ideas from source materials to show understanding of key ideas, awareness of relevance, analysis of implications and drawing of conclusions. |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates awareness and understanding of deeper and subtler aspects of the course, such as identifying and debating critical issues or problems, applying ideas to practical situations in schools, and offering insightful commentary, implications and conclusions. |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates imagination, originality or flair, based on comprehensive and complex understanding of the course. Assessment is interesting or surprising or exciting or challenging or erudite. |
Additional course grading information
Assignment Submission: All assignments must be submitted electronically. Assignments must be submitted by the due date.
Determining Final Grades: The final grades are determined by consideration of the weighting of individual assessment items, through the use of weighting formula and the profile of individual grades across accumulated assessment tasks.ﾠ
Exemplar to show calculation of final grade:
All three assignments in this course will be provided a grade out of 7.ﾠ The final grade will be calculated using the weighting and the individual assignment grade as follows.ﾠ For example if a student receives the following three grades:
Assignment 1: Grade of 4 at 40% weighting
Assignment 2: Grade of 5 at 30% weighting
Assignment 3: Grade of 6 at 30% weighting
The final grade for this student taking into account the weighting of each assignment would be:
ﾠﾠﾠ (A1)ﾠﾠﾠﾠ +ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ (A2)ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ +ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ (A3)ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ
ﾠ
(0.40 x 4) + (0.30 x 5) + (0.30 x 6) = 1.6 + 1.5 + 1.8 = 4.9
The final grade would be rounded to the nearest whole number; in this case the grade would be 5.
In the case where the final grade is 0.5 or above, the grade will be rounded up to the nearest whole number (e.g. 5.5 would become 6). In the case where the final grade is 0.49 or below, the grade will be rounded down to the nearest whole number (e.g. 6.49 would become 6).
Note: A marking rubric for each assignment has been uploaded to Turnitin and each criterion has been given a specific weighting. This rubric is then used to grade each individual assignment, and Turnitin will record a partial grade in the comments section, but will record a whole number grade in the grade window (either rounded down or up to the nearest whole number). The whole number grade automatically populates the grade centre. Note that to avoid inflation or deflation of grades at the assignment level, the partial grade will be manually recorded in the grade centre. The partial grades for each assignment will be used to calculate the final grade.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the 'Assessment' folder in Blackboard for this course.
Release of assessment item marks and feedback
In addition to the grade awarded, feedback will be provided in a timely manner to enable students to apply the feedback to further tasks within the course or program and/or plan for supplementary assessment, requests for re-mark, or re-enrolment. However, as per UQ Policy and Procedures Library under the Assessment Policy, results for the final assessment item are to be released only after the final grade for the course has been released. Time frames for applications for assessment re-mark are indicated under the Assessment Procedure.
Re-mark policy
After each assessable item, students will be given the opportunity to view their assessment and so satisfy themselves that a marking or administrative error has not occurred. The formal process of querying a course result (requesting a remark on academic grounds) is set out in the UQ Policy and Procedures Library under the Assessment Procedure.
Use of generative AI to support or inform assessment
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. ﾠWhilst students may use AI technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI tools.
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) |
Workshop |
Week 1 - Introduction to the Science of Learning The first week of this course will provide an overview of the role of science of learning. Key questions are explored, such as: What is Learning? What is the Science of Learning? A range of learning theories will be explored and considered. The structure of the course will be outlined and assessment explained. Learning outcomes: L03 |
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Workshop |
Week 2 - The Brain, The Mind, The Body This week we will be looking at some foundational ideas from psychology and neuroscience that inform the Science of Learning. We will also explore some the varying philosophical foundations of the key disciplines and consider the challenges when merging them together. There will be a couple of short videos for you to watch before the workshop, and you will be required to critically engage with the literature surrounding the Science of Learning as you develop your own philosophy relating to the science of learning. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Workshop |
Week 3 - Mobilising the SoL into Practice As a multi-disciplinary field, the science of learning presents complex challenges when we want to mobilise this research into applied settings. In Week 3 we will be looking at various Knowledge Mobilisation and Research Translation models and considering the challenges and possibilities, building your skills in how to be a SoL 'Knowledge Broker'. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L05, L06 |
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
Workshop |
Week 4 - Synapse to Society 1 This week we will start looking more deeply into some important learning constructs, including attention, memory and executive functions, and how we can draw from the evidence to inform practice. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Workshop |
Week 5 - Synapse to Society 2 This week we will explore some of the research into learning regulation, metacognition and effective feedback. Principles of learning and strategies for application will be discussed. Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Workshop |
Week 6 - Synapse to Society 3 We are social beings who exist in a social world, and who learn, teach and work in social and cultural contexts. This workshop will explore how the science of learning is informing our understanding of social cognition and interaction and how we can utilise this knowledge to design more effective learning and teaching experiences. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05, L06 |
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Workshop |
Week 7 - The Science of Learning and Wellbeing 1 The links between well-being and learning are clear, whether that be in-person or face-to-face or at home, school, university or in the workplace. This week we commence our module on the Science of Learning and Wellbeing starting with an exploration of different definitions and theories wellbeing and learning. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Workshop |
Week 8 - The Science of Learning and Wellbeing 2 This week we continue our look into the Science of Learning and Wellbeing, with a focus on the role of emotions on learning across the lifespan. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04, L05 |
Week 9 (16 Sep - 22 Sep) |
Workshop |
Week 9 - The Science of Learning and Wellbeing 3 IN our final week of the Science of Learning and Wellbeing we will take a closer look at how we can mobilise this knowledge into our practice for the benefits of ourselves, our students and our colleagues. Learning outcomes: L01, L04, L05, L06 |
Mid Sem break (23 Sep - 29 Sep) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid-semester break |
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
Workshop |
Week 10 - Curiosity, Creativity, Confusion Higher order thinking skills: This workshop will explore some of the research surrounding the science of learning and how it is informing our understanding of curiosity, creativity & confusion - interrelated concepts frequently discussed but often misunderstood and underutilised in learning. Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Week 11 (07 Oct - 13 Oct) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Week 11 - Public Holiday Independent Study - No class this week due to public holiday |
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
Workshop |
Week 12 - Supporting Learning for all Neurodiversity: The science of learning and related fields are providing important insight into how differences in learner attributes can be better understood and supported. This workshop will explore how we might reframe some common developmental differences to promote more positive experiences for teachers and learners. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04, L05, L06 |
Week 13 (21 Oct - 27 Oct) |
Workshop |
Week 13 - Checking for Understanding Making sense of the science of learning in our contexts: this final week will be a revisiting of key principles and ideas from across the course and how we can be using these in our diverse contexts and settings to promote learning. This workshop will also be an opportunity to engage in some collaborative peer feedback processes in relation to the final assessment. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
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.