Academic Programs - Science Education
Doctoral Program Goals
The following program goals provide guidance for the design of an individual’s doctoral program in Science Education at the University of Georgia. While it may not be possible, or even desirable, for doctoral graduates to fully meet the full intent of every goal, we believe that the spirit of these goals set a standard by which graduates can plan a course of study and measure their growth in professional competence. The goals provide a vision for what graduating professionals should know and be able to do as a result of their academic work and experience.
SCIENCE CONTENT
Breadth of Knowledge
Graduating professionals are knowledgeable of the approaches used by scientists to make sense of the world, scientific habits of mind, and major integrative concepts that transcend all science disciplines.
Depth of Knowledge
Graduating professionals are knowledgeable of the major concepts and the general nature of research in their area of specialization in science.
RESEARCH AND EVALUATION IN SCIENCE EDUCATION
Process of Research
Graduating professionals are able to articulate a researchable question in science education, then design, conduct and report the results of an investigation which answers the question. The investigation may utilize quantitative, qualitative, historical, or philosophical methodologies, or some combination of these.
Knowledge of Research
Graduating professionals are knowledgeable of nature and findings of recent and classic research in science education and in education in general which is applicable to the discipline of science education.
Ethical and Legal Considerations of Research
Graduating professionals are knowledgeable of aspects of research situations that involve ethical and legal complications and strategies to address them.
Process of Evaluation
Graduating professionals are able to design, conduct and report the results of an evaluation study which answers a question about the worth, merit or value of a science educational phenomenon. Also, they are able to discuss the similarities and differences between research and evaluation from an historical and modern perspective.
SCIENCE TEACHER EDUCATION
Knowledge of Science Teacher Education Practices
Graduating professionals are able to articulate a vision for science teacher preparation that takes into account the scope and impact of various reform movements as well as what teachers should know and be able to do, and are knowledgeable of important research-based findings relevant to implementing this vision.
Teaching Preservice and Inservice Teachers
Graduating professionals can design college level courses/workshops on science education topics and for these courses/workshops can plan appropriate up-to-date learning activities, deliver instruction using various innovative and culturally sensitive methods, and assess the learning of their students in both preservice and inservice settings for science teachers at all grade levels.
Teaching Science Courses
Graduating professionals can teach entry level college science content courses/workshops and for these courses/workshops can plan appropriate up-to-date learning activities, deliver instruction using various innovative and culturally sensitive methods, and assess the learning of their students.
TEACHING AND STUDENT LEARNING
Science Teaching Techniques
Graduating professionals are knowledgeable of and are able to demonstrate to others the most innovative, culturally relevant, research-based teaching strategies applicable to science teaching for all ages.
Science Curriculum
Graduating professionals are knowledgeable of broad science concepts, intellectual skills, attitudes, and habits of mind that might compose a framework for teaching science at the Pre-Kindergarten through undergraduate (P-16) levels and can identify curriculum resources, including those historically relevant and those newly developed, available for teaching those outcomes.
Assessment of Science Teaching and Learning
Graduating professionals are knowledgeable of the multiple uses of assessment results and understand how assessment influences both the context for learning and what is learned. They are able to use a myriad of contemporary assessment strategies.
PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIO-CULTURAL FOUNDATIONS
Learning Theory Related to Science
Graduating professionals are knowledgeable of diverse theories of human leaning and development (cognitive, psychomotor, and affective) that apply to the learning and teaching of science at all ages and are able to suggest applications to science teaching.
Socio-Cultural Issues
Graduating professionals are knowledgeable of social factors such as gender, class, economics, ethnicity, and race and how they influence the teaching, learning, and assessment of science. In addition, they are able to teach diverse groups of preservice teachers and science students.
POLICY AND PROFESSIONALISM
Policy
Graduating professionals are knowledgeable of policies related to science education and are able to articulate how these impact science teaching and learning at all levels.
Professionalism
Graduating professionals are cognizant of science education professional organizations, including their purposes and benefits, and are active in a subset of these organizations.
Ethics
Graduating professionals are cognizant of and adhere to the standards of ethical conduct accepted by the science education community.
