ESS768 - Teaching Chemistry: Senior Years
Unit details
| Year | 2026 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 2: Burwood (Melbourne), Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 2: Seamus Delaney |
| Cohort rule: | This unit is only available to students enrolled in D304, E377, E763, E765, E779 |
| Prerequisite: | D304 students must have passed 24 credit points of study at levels 1, 2 & 3 with a minimum WAM of 60% E763 and E765 students must have passed unit EEE754 plus 1 unit from EEE755, EEE756, EPR731, EPR751, EPR781 D304 and E779 students must have passed: ESS744 |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | Nil |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | 4 x 6.5-hour on-campus workshops (in non-placement teaching weeks – approximately weeks 3, 4, 9, 10) for a total of 26 hours 4 x 1.5-hour online seminar (in non-placement teaching weeks – approximately weeks 3, 4, 9, 10) for a total of 6 hours |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | 4 x 6.5-hour on-campus workshops (in non-placement teaching weeks – approximately weeks 3, 4, 9, 10) for a total of 26 hours 4 x 1.5-hour online seminar (in non-placement teaching weeks – approximately weeks 3, 4, 9, 10) for a total of 6 hours |
| In-person attendance requirements: | Students who are completing professional experience (placements) are not required to attend lectures or scheduled synchronous sessions during their professional experience (placement). For the most up-to-date advice regarding your professional experience (placement) please see here. |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150-hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. |
Content
This unit prepares students to confidently and effectively teach Chemistry in Years 11 and 12. The unit will focus on implementing the senior secondary chemistry curriculum, both in Victoria and nationally. This unit involves students engaging with research-informed best practice in the teaching of concepts and skills relevant to the contemporary chemistry classrooms. Students are encouraged to participate in, learn, and collect a range of contemporary teaching strategies, activities, and resources for diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment. A strong emphasis will be placed on enhancing students’ capabilities to create new and engaging teaching tools, including the responsible use of ICT, and the skills to critically evaluate and synthesise senior secondary students’ assessment data to inform their teaching of chemistry.
Learning outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Curriculum: Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of chemistry in designing and executing coherent and engaging learning sequences. Apply knowledge of contemporary curricular and student learning challenges in science to focus on the development of meaningful chemical science knowledge and practice for all students. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO4: Critical thinking GLO5: Problem solving |
| ULO2 | Pedagogy: Communicate and flexibly apply a range of disciplinary-specific teaching strategies (e.g., structured inquiry-based learning, differentiated instruction, practice pedagogies) to develop a positive and supportive learning environment. Apply a range of pedagogical approaches that support student engagement with and demonstration of deep chemistry learning consistent with curriculum expectations. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO2: Communication GLO3: Digital literacy GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO3 | Assessment: Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the effective design, implementation and interpretation of a variety of student assessment practices including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches. Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to support student learning. Develop approaches to assessment analysis and reporting to effectively support robust student learning of key chemistry concepts and their application. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO4 | Resourcing: Demonstrate knowledge and competence in selecting, evaluating and strategically using a range of material resources and digital teaching and learning tools to expand learning opportunities to effectively support student engagement and learning in chemistry. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO3: Digital literacy GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO5 | Evaluation: Demonstrate the capacity to critically interpret and evaluate a variety of student assessment data relating to student learning to modify teaching practices. Reflect on and (re-)design effective learning sequences in chemistry utilising contemporary theories of curriculum and pedagogy. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO4: Critical thinking GLO6: Self-management |
Assessment
Trimester 2:| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Emerging Science Research Study | 1750 words or equivalent * 3-minute (maximum) Presentation * One A4 Page Infographic * 800 word Research Report | 35% | Week 5 |
| Assessment 2: Teacher Demonstration | 1250 words or equivalent * 6-minute Presentation * 400 word Report | 25% | Week 9 |
| Assessment 3: Analysis of an Area of Study and Teaching a Difficult Chemical Concept | 2000 words or equivalent | 40% | Week 11 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The unit guide, on-line resources, curriculum documents and journal articles form the basis for this unit. They are available through the online unit site.
The texts and reading list for ESS768 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list.
Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.