Teaching Program - Social Issues
The teaching program of the New Colombo Plan project is structured to give students the opportunity to complete Curtin Unviersity's Social Issues (EDUC3045) unit of work. The educational aspect of this program focuses on students developing a functional two-week lesson plan that incorporates problem-based learning and key outcomes of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG). Indian pre-service teachers will then conduct these lesson plans and give feedback on the their success and engagement. Using the Hasso-Plattner model as a guide, this aspect of the program offers students an authentic and meaningful teaching experience in problem-based learning. Underpinned by the ten-week cultural program, this exercise is structured to increase cultural sensitivity while developing a pre-service teacher's understanding of universal learning principles. As students are creating a lesson plan for a learning group in a different country, they must think critically about different teaching environments in entirely different contexts.
Key Outcomes of EDUC3045
The Social Issues unit is one of Curtin's three undergraduate Option units for students in integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (iSTEM). The following capabilities will be developed throughout the unit and ultimately assessed upon completion of the unit:
1. Demonstrate STEM content and pedagogical content knowledge whilst undertaking a STEM-based project designed for a particular context
Using STEM knowledge as their foundation, students will show their understanding of pedagogical knowledge through how their lesson plans are structured and articulated in an authentic learning environment - a classroom in India.
The context of focus is education in India, and more broadly, the Indo-Pacific region.
2. Utilise engineering and technology design processes to develop iSTEM projects that address environmental, social, health and/or cultural issues
Students will be addressing the UNSDG after gaining a sound understanding of the context in which their lesson plan will be implemented, recording their findings and processes in personal blogs.
3. Create, implement and evaluate a challenging iSTEM project plan in relevant educational settings in the form of lesson plans or a student centred project
Students will be addressing the UNSDG through their lesson plans while learning about differing educational settings in the Indo-Pacific region.
4. Demonstrate and evaluate individual ability to ideate, scope, collaborate, communicate and problem solve
By using a problem-based learning pedagogy, students will be able to weave a variety of important 21st-century skills into their personalised teaching approach.
1. Demonstrate STEM content and pedagogical content knowledge whilst undertaking a STEM-based project designed for a particular context
Using STEM knowledge as their foundation, students will show their understanding of pedagogical knowledge through how their lesson plans are structured and articulated in an authentic learning environment - a classroom in India.
The context of focus is education in India, and more broadly, the Indo-Pacific region.
2. Utilise engineering and technology design processes to develop iSTEM projects that address environmental, social, health and/or cultural issues
Students will be addressing the UNSDG after gaining a sound understanding of the context in which their lesson plan will be implemented, recording their findings and processes in personal blogs.
3. Create, implement and evaluate a challenging iSTEM project plan in relevant educational settings in the form of lesson plans or a student centred project
Students will be addressing the UNSDG through their lesson plans while learning about differing educational settings in the Indo-Pacific region.
4. Demonstrate and evaluate individual ability to ideate, scope, collaborate, communicate and problem solve
By using a problem-based learning pedagogy, students will be able to weave a variety of important 21st-century skills into their personalised teaching approach.