Academic management

The module "Didáctica del Medio Natural y su implicación cultural" (Didactics of the natural environment and its cultural implications) of compulsory character is included in the Experimental Sciences Teaching and Learning, in the Didactic-Disciplinary Module. Its basic competencies are defined in the ORDER ECI / 3857/2007, on December the 27th, which establishes the requirements for the verification of official university degrees that qualify for the professional practice as teacher in Primary Education.

Requirements:

None

BASIC COMPETENCIES (CB)

CB1.- That students have shown possessing and understanding knowledge in the area of ​​study (Education), starting from the base of general secondary education, and usually found at a level that, although supported by advanced textbooks, includes some aspects that imply knowledge at the vanguard of its field of study.

CB2.- That students know how to apply their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way, possessing skills that are usually demonstrated through the elaboration and defense of arguments and the resolution of problems within their area of ​​studies.

CB3.- That students have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their area of ​​study) to make judgments that include a reflection on relevant social, scientific or ethical issues.

CB4.- That students can transmit information, ideas, problems and solutions to specialized and non-specialized public.

CB5.- That students have developed those learning skills necessary to undertake further studies with a high degree of autonomy.

GENERAL COMPETENCIES (CG)

CG1.- Teamwork, disciplinarily and interdisciplinarily, cooperatively and collaboratively, respecting diversity.

CG2. Use means and strategies of interpersonal communication in different social and educational contexts.

CG3.- Adopt an attitude and behavior in accordance with professional ethics.

CG4.- Participate and be involved in the activities and events promoted by the University, as well as working with and in society at local, regional, national and international level

CG5.- Maintain an attitude of respect for the environment to promote values, behaviors and sustainable practices.

CG6.- Incorporate information and communication technologies into their training and professional activity.

CG7.- Know how to adapt to new situations, developing a creative spirit and leadership attitude.

CG8.- That students develop an ethical commitment to respect fundamental rights, ensuring the effective equity of men and women, equal opportunities, non-discrimination and universal accessibility for people with disabilities, as well as the values ​​of a culture of peace and democratic values.

 SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES (CE)

CE1. Know the curricular areas of Primary Education, the interdisciplinary relationship between them, the evaluation criteria and the body of didactic knowledge in the respective teaching and learning processess.

CE2. Design, plan, develop and evaluate teaching and learning processes, both individually and in collaboration with other teachers and professionals of the center.

CE5 Promote coexistence in the classroom and outside it, solving problems of discipline and contributing to the peaceful resolution of conflicts. Stimulate and value effort, perseverance and personal discipline in students.

CE7. Collaborate with different sectors of the educational community and the social environment. Assume the educational dimension of teaching, and promoting democratic education for active citizenship.

CE8. Maintain a critical and autonomous relationship regarding knowledges, values ​​and public and private social institutions.

CE9. Value individual and collective responsibility for achieving a sustainable future.

CE10 Reflect on classroom practices to innovate and improve teaching processess. Acquire habits and skills for autonomous and cooperative learning promoting it among students

CE11 Know and apply information and communication technologies in the classroom. Selectively discerning of audiovisual information that contributes to learning, civic education and cultural richness.

 
SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES OF MATTERS (CEM)

CEM4.1. Understand the basic principles and fundamental laws of Experimental Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Geology)

CEM4.2. Know the school curriculum of these sciences.

CEM4.3. Pose and solve problems associated with science to everyday life

CEM4.4. To value science as a cultural fact

CEM4.5. Recognize the mutual influence between science, society and technological development, as well as relevant citizen behaviors, to seek for a sustainable future.

CEM4.6. Develop and evaluate curricular contents through appropriate teaching resources and promote the acquisition of basic skills in students.

CEM4.7. Know the environment globally and systemically.

CEM4.8. Become aware of the limits of nature.

The competencies of this subject are translated into the following learning outcomes (RA):
 

RA4.1. Understand the basic principles of the fundamental laws of Experimental Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Geology)

RA4.2. Know and evaluate the school curriculum of Experimental Sciences, as well as its contribution to the aims of Primary Education.

RA4.3.Pose and solve problems close to everyday life related to Science.

RA4.4. Value science as a cultural fact

RA4.5. Recognize the mutual influence among science, society and technology, as well as relevant citizen behavior to seek for a sustainable future.

RA4.6. Develop and evaluate contents in the curriculum through appropriate teaching resources, promoting the acquisition of basic skills in students.

BLOCK I. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Science learning in relation to the natural environment sustaining life: Lithosphere, Hydrosphere, Atmosphere, Biosphere, Biodiversity, Ecosystems.

Problems related to science teaching and learning. Students´ ideas in Primary Education about the natural environment, preconceptions, alternative ideas and evolution of the infantile reasoning.

Didactic use of the natural environment and strategies based on scientific methodology. Basic procedural skills in science in Primary Education.

Didactic analysis of school science contents in Primary related to the natural environment. Presentation, analysis of didactic resources and planning of learning activities. Evaluation as a process of improvement in science teaching and learning about the natural environment. Attitudes of care and respect towards the natural environment.

Block practices: design and development of experimental activities related to the natural environment. Planning and development of basic procedural skills and abilities in Primary Education. Rules for risk prevention in experimental work in Primary Education. Selection, planning and elaboration of teaching proposals and learning activities in Primary Education about the natural environment.

 
BLOCK II. RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT

Scientific literacy; scientific education and values, relations Science, Technology and Society in everyday life and in a globalized world. Human influence on the environment. Education for Sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals. Environmental Education.

Natural Protected Areas. Interrelations between the natural and cultural environment: didactic resources in Primary Education.

Block practices: design of didactic field routes relating the natural and cultural environment in the near context of Primary Education students; proposals and learning activities promoting values, behaviors and attitudes of respect towards the natural environment from the Sustainability perspective and Sustainable Development Goals.

The methodology combines lectures, classroom practices (adapted in their materials, tools, methodologies to the content of the module) and other face-to-face (in site) activities and also off site by using the Virtual Campus. The basis of the training activities is to facilitate student´s acquisition of a series of competencies that will allow him / her to carry out a continuous learning of the subject in an autonomous way, developing critical reasoning and information management skills, as well as motivation for the quality and rigor of work. Thus, these activities are related to skills to be acquired and the learning outcomes as follows: (1) theoretical and tuition classes, CB and CG competences (all), CE1,2,5,7-11, CEM4.1- 6, learning outcomes RA4.1,2 and 6; (2) practical classes / seminars / workshops with CB and CG (all), CE1,2,5,7-11, CEM4.1-8 and RA4.2,3,5,6; (3) CB and CG group tutorials (all), CE1,2,4,5,7-11, CEM4.1-8; (4) written and oral CB and CG (all), CE1,2,5,7-11, CEM4.1-8, RA4.1,2,6; (5) laboratory practices CB and CG (all), CE1,2,5,7-11, CEM4.1-8; (6) individual and autonomous work CB and CG (all), CE1,2,5,7-11, CEM4.1-8, RA4.4,5,6; (7) teamwork and cooperative work CB and CG (all), CE1,2,5,7-11, CEM4.1-8, RA4.4,5,6.

Exceptionally, if required due to sanitary conditions, non-face-to-face teaching activities may be included. In this case, students will be informed about changes made.

Tutorial Action Plan:

This subject focuses on training students to be able to plan and design a curriculum in the area of ​​knowledge of the Experimental Science Didactics meeting individual and collective needs of Primary Eeducation students. It is expected that, after passing this subject, students will be able to select, plan, manage and create teaching resources related to experimental sciences and the natural environment, acquiring the knowledge necessary for their understanding and transmission to their future students using teaching strategies appropriate to the educational stage. In this way it is expected that students can build their future students knowledge by means of active manipulative, experimental and collaborative methodologies, also having the necessary theoretical-practical background.

This subject, and the whole subject in the field of knowledge, are linked to the following professional opportunities:

• Primary Education Teachers

• Educators in Children's Centers

• Trainers of trainers.

• Instructors in Playgrounds, Libraries, ..

• Environmental Education and Education for Sustainability in childhood

• Design of educational material related to Natural Environment Didactics.

• Design of educational programs and workshops in Museums, Interpretation Centers, Art Galleries ...

• Position in the State Administration, Autonomous Administration and local in group A2.

During the course these professional outputs and news related to future professional development will be discussed from the perspective of this subject in a forum in the Virtual Campus of the module. Special interest will be given to the protection of the environment in this module, promoting actions towards Environmental Education and Education for sustainability and SDGs (among others, reduction of resources and materials, reuse, separate collection for recycling, etc.).

Criteria to be taken into account in the assessment of learning will be:

Mastery of basic concepts of the discipline, ability to analyze and understand, as well as the use of basic research techniques in Experimental Sciences; Attitudes of work, leadership, collaboration, involvement and active participation in all laboratory and classroom practices will also be valued.

Exceptionally, if required by sanitary conditions, non-face-to-face evaluation methods may be included. In this case, students will be informed about changes made

Weighting of the final mark will be as follows:

Initial evaluation to check previous knowledge of students.

Formative and continuous evaluation through the following instruments:

    Observation of active, individual work and teamwork on experimental face-to-face laboratory activities and productions, focusing on attitudes, abilities and skills: 20%
    Assessment of classroom practices, face-to-face active participation, teamwork and online work, as well as oral presentations and productions. 29%
    Final written exam. 51%. A minimum mark of 4.5 is required in the final test to be able to weight it with the mark corresponding to laboratory activities, and the mark corresponding to classroom practices.

Evaluation criteria of the extraordinary calls will be the same as in the ordinary ones and the weighting will be the following:

    Practical laboratory activities carried out during the course. 20%
    Classroom practices and work done and presented orally during the course. 29%.
    Extraordinary call of the written test: 51%. A minimum mark of 4.5 is required in the final written test to be able to weight it with the mark corresponding to laboratory activities, and the mark corresponding to classroom practices.

The differentiated evaluation for students who have the corresponding recognition, will have the following criteria:

    Student`s performance follow-up through at least three tutorials throughout the academic year, from the module start.
    Presentation of tasks required corresponding to Classroom practices (through the Virtual Campus or face-to-face, as required). The marks corresponding to these tasks will suppose 29% of the final mark.
    In the exceptional case that the student can not perform face-to-face all the laboratory practices provided (even though offering the possibility of adapting schedules, between the different groups available, to facilitate student´s attendance as much as possible) the teaching staff could agree with the students to elaborate and present a report adapted to off-site circumstances. The marks of these practical laboratory experimental activities will suppose 20% of the mark.
    Final face-to-face written test, which will count for 51% of the final mark of the module. A minimum mark of 4.5 is required in this written test to be able to weight the final mark of the module with the mark corresponding to laboratory/experimental activities, and the mark corresponding to classroom practices.

Each lecturer in the module can provide specific literature or didactic materials to their students.

Basic literature (in Spanish):

GONZÁLEZ GARCÍA (coord.) (2015). Didáctica de las ciencias para educación primaria. II. Ciencias de la vida. Madrid: Ediciones Pirámide.

CAÑAL, P., GARCÍA-CARMONA, A., CRUZ-GUZMÁN, M. (2016) Didáctica de las Ciencias Experimentales en Educación Primaria. Madrid: Editorial Paraninfo.

MARTÍ, J. (2012) Aprender ciencias en la Educación Primaria. Barcelona: Ed. Graó.

PUJOL, ROSA Mª (2014). Didáctica de las Ciencias en la Educación Primaria. Madrid: Editorial Síntesis.

RIVERO GARCÍA, A., MARTÍN DEL POZO, R. SOLÍS RAMÍREZ, E., PORLÁN ARIZA, R. (2017) Didáctica de las ciencias experimentales en educación primaria. Madrid: Editorial Síntesis.

VÍLCHEZ GONZÁLEZ, J. M. (2015). Didáctica de las ciencias para educación primaria. I. Ciencias del espacio y de la Tierra. Madrid: Ediciones Pirámide.

Complementary literature (in Spanish):

BLANCO, A., LUPIÓN, T. (ed.) (2015) La competencia científica en las aulas, 9 propuestas didácticas. Santiago de Compostela: Andavira editora.

CABALLERO, M. (2011). Enseñar Ciencias Naturales en Educación Primaria. Madrid: Editorial CCS.

FRIEDL, A. E. (2000) Enseñar ciencias a los niños. Barcelona: Gedisa Editorial.

GARRIDO ROMERO, J.M., PERALES PALACIOS, F.J., GALDÓN DELGADO, M. (2008) Ciencia para educadores. Madrid: Pearson Educación.

HARLEN, W. (2007). Enseñanza y aprendizaje de las ciencias. 6ª ed. Madrid. Morata/MEC.

JARMAN, R., MCCLUNE, B. (2010) El desarrollo del alfabetismo científico. El uso de los media en el aula. Madrid: Ediciones Morata.

PEDRINACI, E., CAAMAÑO A., CAÑAL, P., DE PRO, A. (2012) 11 ideas clave. El desarrollo de la competencia científica. Barcelona: Graó.

RAMIRO, E. (2010) La maleta de la ciencia. 60 experimentos de aire y agua y centenares de recursos para todos. Barcelona. Graó.

RUIZ HEREDIA, A. (2008) Educación, Medio Ambiente y Didáctica del Entorno. Madrid: Editorial Popular

Journals (in Spanish)

Alambique. Didáctica de las Ciencias Experimentales.  https://www.grao.com/es/alambique

Ápice. Revista de Educación Científica. http://revistas.udc.es/index.php/apice

Didáctica de las Ciencias Experimentales y Sociales https://ojs.uv.es/index.php/dces

Enseñanza de las Ciencias. http://ensciencias.uab.es

Revista electrónica de enseñanza de las ciencias. http://www.saum.uvigo.es/reec/

Revista Eureka sobre Enseñanza y Divulgación de las Ciencias. https://revistas.uca.es/index.php/eureka

International Journals (in English):

Science Education. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1098237X

Journal of Research in Science Teaching. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10982736

International Journal of Science Education. https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tsed20

Journal of Environmental Education. https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/vjee20

Journal of Biological Education. https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rjbe20

Sustainability Science. https://link.springer.com/journal/11625