| Semester 1, 2022 Online | |
| Units : | 1 |
| Faculty or Section : | USQ College |
| School or Department : | USQ College |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
| Course fee schedule : | /current-students/administration/fees/fee-schedules |
Staffing
Examiner:
Overview
Students entering the Tertiary Preparatory Program (TPP) typically come from diverse backgrounds, with some having little experience in scientific related endeavours. Moreover, recent government initiatives related to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) related careers have seen a greater emphasis placed on science in undergraduate degrees. Students who wish to undertake undergraduate study in primary teacher education are now expected to demonstrate prerequisite skills, knowledge and attitudes in science. This course aims to provide students who do not feel confident about their knowledge of science with the basic concepts and skills necessary for further pursuit of the subject in undergraduate degrees that include nursing, teacher-education and general science. It also provides a useful foundation for students wishing to expand their understanding of science prior to entry into engineering related degrees.
Increasingly in today's world we are exposed to situations that require both a knowledge of science and an appreciation of scientific processes. The content of this course introduces students to scientific method, measurement in science, the nature of matter and contemporary scientific issues such as antibiotic resistance, genes and genetic technology and the causes and effects of climate change.
The course is structured to increase students' scientific literacy, particularly the ability to interpret, analyse and evaluate scientific data and to communicate effectively their findings. This will enable students to engage with scientific thought processes and content that is relevant both today and in the future.
Course learning outcomes
In the process of successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
- Describe and explain the scientific concepts of the course.
- Apply analytical and problem-solving skills in a range of theoretical and experimental contexts.
- Effectively discuss and evaluate the scientific data and concepts presented in the course.
- Generate and communicate explanations of scientific phenomena based on knowledge and critical analysis of the concepts covered in the course.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | The nature of science - experimental design, measurement, communicating scientific findings. | 10.00 |
| 2. | Introduction to Cellular Biology - Contemporary issues. | 30.00 |
| 3. | Introduction to Chemistry - models of the atom, physical and chemical properties of substances, the periodic table, ionic and covalent compounds, acids, bases, pH and chemical reactions. | 20.00 |
| 4. | Climate change: Causes and effects. | 30.00 |
| 5. | Sustainable energy. | 10.00 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
Student workload expectations
To do well in this subject, students are expected to commit approximately 10 hours per week including class contact hours, independent study, and all assessment tasks. If you are undertaking additional activities, which may include placements and residential schools, the weekly workload hours may vary.
Assessment details
| Description | Group Assessment |
Weighting (%) | Course learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz | No | 20 | 1,2,3,4 |
| Problem Solving 1 | No | 15 | 1,2,3,4 |
| Problem Solving 2 | No | 20 | 1,2,3,4 |
| Time limited online examinatn | No | 45 | 1,2,3,4 |