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Summary

This 20-credit Extended Project unit is intended primarily for students considering a career in teaching, but may also be of interest to those wishing to pursue careers in science communication in general. The first half of the unit will introduce a range of topics including theory of learning and teaching, skills such as video editing, physics in the National Curriculum, and a range of hands-on exercises in science teaching and communication. Students will undertake a range of assignments related to the taught material, which may include lesson observations in schools, making videos or podcasts, radio broadcasts, writing popular articles or creating resources for schools. The second half consists of a 10-credit project: a wide range of schools and outreach-related topics are available.

Note that admission to this unit is subject to an interview and a DBS check. This is because parts of the unit require students to visit schools and interact with pupils.

Syllabus

Semester 1:

Science in the Classroom

This section focuses on science education. It includes:

• STEM Ambassador training (provided by Sheffield Hallam Centre for Science Education)
• Physics in the National Curriculum
• “Notes from the Chalkface”: a seminar by a secondary school physics teacher.
• Classroom observation session, with preparation and debriefing.

Science and the Public

This section deals with more general science communication. It includes:

• Using digital media (videos and podcasts)
• Talking to the media: radio broadcasts, journalism, press releases
• Talking to the public: the art of public speaking

Science and Society

Ethical issues in science education and communication.

Journal Club

A regular forum for discussion of research papers relevant to education and outreach. This is intended to develop your skills in critically evaluating scholarship within the discipline, and in communicating your thoughts effectively to your peer group.

Semester 2

Semester 2 comprises a 10-credit project on some topic related to education, science communication or outreach. A list of available projects will be provided at the end of semester 1 and you will be asked to submit an order of preference: we will then try to allocate projects so that each student gets as close to their first choice as possible (given constraints on supervisor workload). Students may work solo or in pairs.

Student-generated projects, where you initiate the project yourself instead of choosing from a list, are possible. If you have an idea for a project, write up a short proposal (½–1 side of A4) explaining what you would like to do and how it relates to the learning outcomes of PHY394, and submit it to us before the end of week 11 of semester 1. If the project is suitable, you choose whether you want to do it yourself or whether you would like to recruit a partner. If the project is not suitable, you will get a written explanation of why it won't work (don't feel snubbed if this is the case: there are many possible reasons why a project that seems perfectly reasonable to you might not be doable, e.g. logistical problems or issues with the Data Protection Act). Note that such a proposal, even if rejected, might make an excellent addition to your portfolio.

Assessment

The principal assessment (62.5%%) is by a portfolio of written material and other items (e.g. podcasts, videos and audio recordings). The breakdown of the assessment is as follows:

• Semester 1 oral exam (12.5%)
• Semester 1 portfolio (37.5%), comprising
  • at least one reflective element (journal/diary, series of short (½–1 A4 side) pieces, or single long (2000 word) essay);
  • at least one deliverable (a finished product in education, communication or outreach, e.g. video or audio recording, web page, newspaper/magazine article, lesson plan, physical object (e.g. a prop for a demonstration), etc.);
  • at least one report, essay or paper.
• Semester 2 project: 50%, comprising
  • Supervisor's assessment (12.5%);
  • project log (not formally assessed, but required as support for supervisor's assessment);
  • Oral exam (12.5%);
  • Either
    a project report (25%)
    or
    a short project report (12.5%) and
    the project deliverable (12.5%).

Your portfolio comprises the portfolio items from semester 1 and the project report, logbook and, if applicable, deliverable from semester 2. It must thus contain a minimum of five or six items (depending on whether or not your project has a deliverable) but may (should) contain more. There is no upper limit. Note that whether or not a particular project requires a deliverable will be specified in advance—you cannot choose to have a project that was intended to produce a deliverable assessed by report only (unless this is requested by the supervisor, owing to unforeseen circumstances preventing the production of the intended deliverable).