Postgraduate Module Descriptor


EDUM037: Secondary Biology Subject Knowledge and Pedagogy

This module descriptor refers to the 2016/7 academic year.

Module Aims

The principal aims of the module are to:

  • enable you to gain a comprehensive understanding of the background theory, issues and practice relating to current teaching of science in the secondary curriculum, with particular reference to the teaching of biology;
  • support you to meet the Standards required for the award of Qualified Teacher Status and thus be in a very good position to gain employment as a science teacher able to specialize in biology; and
  • nurture your development as a reflective and autonomous professional practitioner who is able to identify strengths and areas for development in your subject knowledge and pedagogy, through evaluating current professional practice in relationship to developments in research and curriculum theory.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.

On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. identify and evaluate educational concepts and issues related to the teaching of science, with particular reference to biology, and engage in critical debate about current educational issues in the teaching of these subjects drawing on evidence from theory, research and practice;
2. recognise pupils’ learning needs in science, with particular reference to biology, and interpret these learning needs in order to plan, teach, assess and evaluate lessons and schemes of work;
3. demonstrate confident academic and pedagogic subject knowledge to teach science to Key Stage 3 and biology to Key Stage 4 and beyond;
4. demonstrate secure understanding of the statutory requirements for teaching science;
Discipline-Specific Skills5. critically evaluate the relevance of educational theory to practice;
6. synthesise relevant educational literature in support of an argument;
7. use appropriate technologies for data handling and writing in education;
8. present data and findings in a form appropriate in educational studies;
9. use research data in support of an argument in education;
Personal and Key Skills10. manage your own learning development;
11. learn effectively and be aware of your own learning strategies;
12. express ideas and opinions, with confidence and clarity, to a variety of audiences for a variety of purposes;
13. work productively in different kinds of teams (formal, informal, project based, committee based etc); and
14. think creatively about the main features of a given problem and develop strategies for its resolution.