STEM EDUCATION AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT - 2023/4

Module Overview

The module will introduce students to key concepts in education as well as the tools and strategies for effective public engagement in their discipline areas and for different audiences. Students will gain practical experience by planning, implementing, and evaluating an education or public engagement-based activity. Opportunities will also exist for classroom (e.g. school; early-year University) teaching experience and / or involvement in external exhibitions. The projects will be related to current Faculty, department and / or outreach needs thus leading to informed student partnership activities.

Module provider

Mathematics & Physics

Module Leader

SHENTON-TAYLOR Caroline (Maths & Phys)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): 30

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

- Becoming a teacher (roles and responsibilities)
- Beginning to teach (learning outcomes; lesson planning; content and delivery design)
- Classroom / peer interactions and management
- Inclusive education
- Assessment, feedback and evaluation
- The science of learning
- Debunking educational myths
- Educational research methods and tools
- Effective communication (audience design; creative media; engagement)
- Stress management in public speaking
- Public Engagement planning / design (Theory of Change; framing information; narrative)
- Technical and Public Engagement writing
- Reflective practice

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

The coursework¿s can be completed within the Late Summer Assessment (LSA) period if required. The presentation is individual and can also be completed within the LSA. If the school placement or public engagement activity cannot be completed, an alternative assessment will be provided instead of the critical/event report. In this instance the students will either undertake a research pedagogic essay or evaluate an existing faculty engagement event. Whilst students will work in groups for the public engagement activity, all units of assessment are completed individually.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and skills for the effective design, delivery and evaluation of an education, or public engagement activity. Two assessment paths are provided to accommodate specific student interest.

School Placement
¿ An extended essay on a topic in mathematics/physics education, 30%
¿ A short-written report and placement assessment, 50%
¿ A presentation on undertaken school project, 20%

Public Engagement Event
¿ An activity event plan, 30%
¿ A short-written report and event assessment, 50%
¿ A presentation evaluating the event, 20%

Feedback and formative assessment: Feedback will be provided through scheduled supervisor / mentor meetings and within a workshop dedicated to formative assessment practices. The latter will involve peer feedback on aspects of the research / event / media design work.

Module aims

• Introduce key concepts in education and public engagement as well as the tools and strategies for effective teaching and public engagement for different audiences.
• Gain practical experience by planning, implementing and evaluating an education or public engagement-based activity.
• Opportunities for classroom (e.g. school; early-year University) teaching experience or involvement in external exhibitions.
• Work is related to current Faculty, Department and Outreach needs, working with the faculty as partners to further enhance education and communication practices.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to provide students with a holistic and integrated understanding of communication, education, and reflective practice. Skills and approaches common to effective teaching and public engagement are explored and students are provided opportunity for the practice through authentic assessments. A blended learning approach is used to provide flexibility in student learning and implicit demonstration of teaching practice. The taught teaching sessions comprise lectures, seminars and workshops, with opportunities to engage with expert communicators, public speakers and National Teaching Fellows.

The module provides option for specialisation in either education practice (school placement, SP) or public engagement (PE). This is achieved through a school placement or public display / presentation . Two study / assessment pathways are possible to accommodate specific student interest. Common teaching sessions and resources are used irrespective of the pathway.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: PHY3063

Other information

The module is designed to be offered across several FEPS departments. For the pilot year, the module will be available to a capped number of students registered on Mathematics and Physics degree courses. In future years the course will expand to include Computing Science registered students.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2023/4 academic year.