ED2610 - The Nature of Inquiry: From Theory to Practice

Credit points:	03
Year:	2017
Student Contribution Band:	Band
Administered by:	College of Arts, Society & Education

Inquiry underpins the work of scientists in the 21st century. This subject introduces you to the wide range of approaches to inquiry that scientists use in their professional lives. You will consider science as a creative, human endeavour and, in doing so, will examine the social, historical and cultural paradigms that are embedded within the disciplines of science. You will undertake two assessment tasks. First, you will create a digi-explanation about an approach to inquiry, as evidenced in either an historical or current case study. Second, you will select and design an inquiry for a particular purpose, based on topic that is both interesting to you and relevant to the tropics. You will justify your selection, and communicate your inquiry to a selected audience in a particular context. This subject is positioned as a Level 2 subject as it builds upon conceptual understanding attained in SC1101: Science: Nature, Knowledge and Understanding. This subject will enable you to engage with contemporary professional practices and will develop your professional competencies.

Learning Outcomes

• demonstrate knowledge of identified concepts, structure and attributes pertaining to the role of curiosity and inquiry in the disciplines of science, and their specific content areas;
• be able to apply that knowledge to an historical and/or contemporary example of scientific endeavor;
• be able to critically analyse an inquiry approach undertaken in a selected contemporary or historical case;
• be able to design an inquiry, for a selected audience, with explicit consideration made for relevant social, intellectual, developmental, linguistic and cultural characteristics of that audience;
• be able to select, with justification, and implement effective strategies to communicate an understanding of the role of inquiry in the disciplines of science.

Assumed Knowledge:	As covered by SC1101: Science: Nature, Knowledge and Understanding
Prerequisites:	Students enrolling in ED2610 will have the opportunity for school-based experiences associated with Assessment Task 3 and, as such, will be required to complete and obtain a Suitability to Work with Children Card (blue card) application through the Queensland Governments Public Safety Business Agency. For more information, refer to: http://www.bluecard.qld.gov.au/

Availabilities
Townsville, Internal, Study Period 1
Census Date 23-Mar-2017
Coordinator:	Professor Brian Lewthwaite
Contact hours:	39 hours workshops/Seminars
Assessment:	tutorial attendance and participation (10%); digi-explanation: inquiry approach evident in an example of a scientific endeavour (30%); design, justify, and communicate an inquiry for a particular purpose and context (60%).

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.