Fundamentals of Science Didactics

Code: PED14717M

6 ECTS

Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours

Scientific Area: Education Sciences

Teaching languages: Portuguese

Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese

Regime de Frequência: Presencial

Sustainable Development Goals

Educação de qualidade - Assegurar a educação inclusiva, e equitativa e de qualidade, e promover oportunidades de aprendizagem ao longo da vida para todos.

Trabalho digno e crescimento económico - Promover o crescimento económico sustentado, inclusivo e sustentável, emprego pleno e produtivo, e trabalho decente para todos.

Learning Goals

1. To understand the concept of didactics, as well as the nature and meaning of research in science didactics
2. To understand the types of knowledge necessary for the teaching profession
3. To discuss the educational purpose of subjects in the area of science and their contribution to the promotion of literacy and scientific culture among citizens
4. To analyze synergies of different curricular perspectives and their didactic implications
5. To know the biological, psychological and sociological foundations of didactics
6. To problematize the curricular models and trends in science teaching, namely of an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary nature
7. To understand the importance of language in science teaching and learning
8. To understand evaluation paradigms and the main determinants of the evaluation forms

1. The concept of didactics: from the historical perspective to didactics as a science and its investigation
2. Teacher's professional knowledge
3. Relevance of scientific literacy: consequences for the school curriculum
4. Didactics and curriculum
5. Biological, psychological and sociological foundations of didactics
6. Curricular models and trends in science teaching
7. Language, communication and learning in science classes
8. Assessment in the teaching and learning process

Teaching Methods

The methodologies give priority to the active participation of students, through diversified strategies, such as debate, document analysis, reflection and grounded comment, valuing the articulation with research carried out in this area. Students develop tasks in the classroom, of an individual and collaborative nature, which are supported by resources and instruments that facilitate the understanding of learning objectives and their successful achievement. The participation of specialists in certain themes is foreseen in order to deepen and enrich training in this area and to provide students with the opportunity to learn about the research that is carried out in this field.

Assessment

Students assessment takes into account the University of Évora regulations, which includes the continuous assessment regime and the final assessment regime. Continuous assessment regime: Assessment is integrated into teaching and learning, playing a regulatory role. It occurs throughout the semester, on a continuous basis, by carrying out tasks of a different nature, individually and in groups. The final classification will be obtained from the accomplishment of 4 tasks (T) of analysis and critical reflection of documents related to the topics, being also taken into account the participation (P) of the students. CF=90% T + 10% P. Final assessment regime: Students who opt for this regime take a written test (WT), that will be the final classification of the UC CF=100% WT.