Universitat Internacional de Catalunya - BarcelonaTeaching and Learning the Experimental Sciences 3
Main language of instruction: Catalan
Other languages of instruction: English
Head instructor
Dra. Sílvia ALBAREDA - salbareda@uic.es
Dr. Santiago GRIJALVO - sgrijalvo@uic.es
Office hours
Tutoring sessions
Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays (08:00 - 08:30) by appointment only
This subject is aimed to the future primary school teachers. It tries to make an approximation and a deepening to the scientific knowledge introduced in primary school and to the most appropriate teaching resources to achieve basic competences in natural sciences.
It is convenient to review all the scientific knowledge that has been studied in high school. It is recommended to prepare an individual project of scientific formation based on one’s shortcomings, and also on one’s own interests and individual qualities. Professors of the subject can make a personalized academic advice to help in this formation.
During the course, made of two terms named Learning and Teaching of Experimental Sciences 1 and 2, primary school curriculum contents of LOMCE (2015/Decret 119) will be developed. These contents belong to the area of In Teaching and Learning Experimental Sciences 1 contents about “Biosphere, the human body and health”, and will be developed applying the teaching resources learned in the subject of General Teaching, but using a scientific methodology. The idea is to understand science and to teach sciences in a rational and reasonable way.
Through the subject activities, specific competences in Learning and Teaching of Natural Sciences will be developed:
1. To understand the basic principles and fundamental laws of the experimental sciences (physics, chemistry, biology and the earth sciences).
2. To become familiar with the experimental-sciences curriculum.
3. To consider and resolve problems associated with science in modern life.
4. To regard the sciences as a cultural fact.
5. To develop and assess the curriculum contents through the relevant teaching resources, and to promote the acquisition of basic skills among the pupils.
6. To recognize the influence between science, society and technological development, as well as appropriate citizen behavior, in achieving a sustainable future.
7. To carry out research activities; to look for sources, cite authors and produce thorough conclusions.
8. To become familiar with the different assessment criteria and learn how to apply them in the subject area.
9. To analyze the different teaching models employed throughout history.
10. To teach science using an element of surprise.
11. To learn the experimental sciences from everyday situations.
12. To design attractive strategies to explain complex issues.
13. To be aware of the communication processes the styles and the conventions of the pupils’ social environment.
14. To become familiar with the aspects of classroom management that are linked to educational activities.
15. To participate constructively in different types of consultation with people and external institutions.
16. To behave ethically and responsibly when carrying out one’s functions.
17. To integrate information and communication technologies into teaching and learning activities, teaching management and professional development
18. To be able to communicate and express oneself appropriately in the language of instruction, both orally and in writing.
19. To learn how to interpret and integrate knowledge from documents in English on this subject.
20. To promote and focus on pupils’ individual educational needs, gender equality, fairness and respect for human rights, in learning and living environments, at school and in relation to the environment.
21. To become familiar with the elements that make up innovation and quality-orientation skills and the different levels of proficiency; to develop them as much as possible and to learn how to apply them in the subject.
22. To design activities to work at school simple machines and compound machines.
23. To understand phenomenon like electricity and magnetism, as well as light refraction and reflection, sound transmission and colors.
24. To place the Earth within the solar system, to recognize the moon as an Earth satellite and to be able to explain rotation and translation movements.
25. To know the different layers of the atmosphere, and its properties.
26. To link the weather with the climate. To recognize the different climates of Earth, the different climate factors and interprets weather maps.
27. To know the different layers of geosphere and its characteristics. Ti interpret internal and external planet dynamics.
28. To know water distribution on Earth, as well as the differences between freshwater and saltwater and to interpret water cycle.
29. To identify mostly used energy sources in society and the difference between renewable energy source and nonrenewable energy source, and t analyze the implication of energy consumption and sustainable development.
30. To critically analyze and value the importance of working for the minimization of some environmental problems like the greenhouse effect increase, the ozone layer decrease, desertification, acid rain and biodiversity loss.
1. Education for Sustainability
- Influence between science, society and technological development. Behaviour for a more sustainable future.
- Main environmental problems and its consequences. Research for solutions.
2. Earth dynamics.
|
- Earth and Solar System. Moon. Rotation and translation movements. - Layers of atmosphere. Weather and climate. Climate factors. - Meteorology. - Water distribution on Earth. Water cycle. Tides, currents and waves. Rivers and aquifers. - Layers of geosphere. Lithospherical plates. Internal and external dynamics of the planet. |
3. Physics and chemistry of matter
|
Basic physiccal concepts: mass, volume, density, etc. Matter states. Mixtures and solutions. Materials. Chemical reactions. Simple and compose machines. |
Chapter 4. Physics and Chemistry of Matter
. Pràctica experimental: Classificació de substàncies i separació de mescles
Material
Pràctica de separació de substàncies practicadeclassificaciodesubstanciessimplesimescles.tecniquesdeseparaciodemescles.docx
Chapter 1. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
Material
Documental HOME documentalhome.docx
Documental HOME català documentalhomequestions.docx
Chapter 2. Hydrosphere
Material
El ciclo del agua en una garrafa cicledelaigualab.nebot.pdf
Pràctica experimental de l'aigua 1-aigua_practicaexperimental.docx
. L'aigua al segle XXI. Una proposta didàctica. Unescocat
Chapter 3. Atmosphere. Climate and Weather
Material
Declaració de científics. 2017 declaraciodecientifics2017.pdf
Declaració de científics. 2017. versió espanyola spanish_version_11-13-17.pdf
Informe sobre canvi climàtic. IPCC (2014) canviclimaticipcc2014.pdf
L'atmosfera latmosfera.elclimaieltempsmeteorologic.pdf
This subject has been design to be able to combined theoretical and practical aspects at a time. Learning activities are geared in ways that allow students to acquire knowledge and teaching resources that they will need in their professional life as teachers.
During the course individual and group work will be done simultaneously, as well as lectures, reflexion and practice inside and outside the classroom. The aim is to work the natural sciences curriculum for primary school, focusing on the scientific competences (Environmental Knowledge).
To ensure that knowledge is not just theoretical, in the classroom will be carried on different scenarios, and each student will be also teacher of the other students. Thus, we all can learn knowledge, resources, ideas and reflexion from practice about teaching sciences.
The different methodologies that will be used are:
The final grade for this subject is an average of the activities and projects on the below table. If any of the grades is missing or the student receives a failing grade of below 4.5, all of these grades will not be averaged when calculating the final grade.
| % Grade | Activity | Date | |
| 1. Attendance and Participation | 15 | Both individual and group activities. Being on time and paying attention | Daily basis |
| 2. Experimental projects | 10 | Cooperative ad experimental activities in groups | Regular basis |
| 3. Cross-cutting workshop on Sustainability | 20 | Research project and poster in groups | 21st of November |
| 4. Written tests | 40 | Individual | 10th of October (covering subjects 1 and 2) 14th of January (covering subjects 3 and 4) |
| 5. Robotics | 15 | Technological research project in groups | Prof. Cristina Galván |
Table 1. Evaluation criteria
1. General references
ALBADALEJO, C., i altres (1993). La ciència a l’aula. Activitats.
ALBAREDA TIANA, S (2015). Reconciliarse con el planeta. La sostenibilidad como nuevo paradigma. Eunsa. Pamplona.
CAÑAL P. (Coord); de Pro, Pedrinaci; Pujol; Márquez, del Carmen; Martínez, Aleixandre i Sanmartí. (2011). Didáctica de la Biología y la Geología. Ministerio de Educación. Graó. Vol II. Primera edició.
CAÑAL P. (Coord); Rivero, Wamba; Giordan; Sendra, Gil; Vilches; Membiela, Pedrinaci; Gil; Fernández, Hueto; Alfaro; Barberá i Brusi. (2011). Ministerio de Educación. Graó. Vol I. Primera edició.
CAÑAL P. (Coord); Mellado; Gutiérrez; Jaén; Luna; Hernández; Perales; Ojeda; De Pro; Cano. (2011). Biología y Geología. Investigación, innovación y buenas prácticas. Ministerio de Educación. Graó. Vol III. Primera edició.
CURTIS, H.Barnes, Scnek, Massarini. (2008). Biologia. Editorial Médica Panamericana (7ª edición en español). Buenos Aires.
FERNÁNDEZ MANZAL, R. y BRAVO TUDELA, M. (2015). Las ciencias de la naturaleza en la Educación Infantil. El ensayo, la sorpresa y los experimentos se asoman a las aulas. Ediciones Pirámide.
FRANCISCO PAPA (2015). Laudato si. Sobre el cuidado de la casa común. Carta Encíclica. 24/05/2015. http://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si_sp.pdf
FRIEDL. A.E. (2000). Enseñar ciencias a los niños. Gedisa. Barcelona.
GENERALITAT DE CATALUNYA. Departament d’Ensenyament (2015): Curriculum Educació Primària. http://www.xtec.cat/web/curriculum/primaria/curriculum
GIORDAN, A. i DE VECCHI, G. (2002). Guía práctica para la enseñanza científica. Diada Editores.
NIEVES, JM. (2006). Hablemos de ciencia. EDAF.
OSBORNE, P.; FREYBERG, R. (1991). El aprendizaje de las ciencias. Implicaciones de la ciencia de los alumnos. Madrid. Narcea.
PERALES FJ. Y CAÑAL P. (coord.) (2000). Didáctica de las ciencias experimentales: teoría y práctica de la enseñan.
2.Scientific journals on learning experimental science
Enseñanza de las Ciencias (Institut de Ciències de l’Educació (UAB)
Aula de Innovación Educativa (Editorial Graó)
Alambique (Didàctica de les Ciències Experimentals, Editorial Graó)