Advanced Certificate in Senior Phase Natural Sciences Teaching
Education, Training and Development - Higher Education and Training
Purpose and Rationale
Qualification Overview
Purpose:
The purpose of the qualification is to advance educators with the necessary skills to teach Natural Sciences as a subject and as an area of specialization, and to enable these educators to contribute to the development of disciplinary, pedagogical, practical, and situational learning reflexive competencies in teaching and learning in Natural Sciences. The curriculum is designed to offer learners specialized knowledge and skills for teaching and learning in the classroom. This qualification is aimed at meeting the professional training needs of educators who do not have a background in Natural Science and those who need to specialize in Natural Science, including those who need to advance to a Senior Phase level after completing a three-year diploma in education or a National Professional Diploma in Education.
Rationale:
The institution has established itself as a reputable provider of teacher education and training and has trained thousands of teachers via the former National Professional Diploma in Education (NPDE) and the Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE). The NPDE has advanced a large number of practicing teachers' status to REQV/13, resulting in a growing number of potential learners in need of upgrading to REQV/14. The Advanced Certificate in Senior Phase Natural Sciences Teaching responds actively to the Department of Higher Education and Training's (DHET) requirement to create a teaching and learning pathway to advance teachers' careers. This qualification aims to improve and strengthen educators' knowledge and competencies toward a new area of specialization within education and teaching.
Extensive consultation with education institutions at both national and provincial levels and a national needs analysis has shown a shortage of adequately qualified teachers in need of this qualification. Through educational projects addressing gaps in the knowledge base of Natural Sciences, it was found that many educators lack professional capacity, especially within the Free State Province and elsewhere. This qualification aims to advance the qualifications of educators currently employed as Natural Science educators in the Senior Phase without adequate training and to offer specialist education to educators looking to advance their Natural Sciences knowledge base. Additionally, the qualification aims to retrain teachers seeking a career change, widening the pool of educators who can teach this subject.
The curriculum is designed to address the subject-specific needs of Natural Science teachers in the Senior Phase by including additional credits to cover the lack of specific content knowledge among many South African educators. The initial cohort intake is expected to be limited to no more than 100 educators to ensure specialized support during delivery.
Outcomes
- Challenge their identities in a diverse world by imagining the possibilities that exist for social responsiveness as agents of change.
- Create a Science classroom environment that is conducive to teaching and learning environment.
- Critically reflect one-size-fits-all lessons collaboratively with other teachers and move to a creative space where they exercise their own professional judgements.
- An understanding of teaching and learning will be used as a basis for critical discussion, analysis and reflection on classroom practice.
- Educators will be enabled to conceptualise theory, teaching, learning and assessment of Life and Living in Natural Sciences in the Senior Phase and will integrate their specialised pedagogical content knowledge in their teaching.
- Demonstrate deepened knowledge and insight into Life and Living.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
- Diversity in the learning context is managed.
- Inclusive Education is critically examined.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
- A conducive environment for learning Science is created in the classroom.
- Innovation for teaching and learning in an environment where there is lack of resources is displayed.
- Teaching and learning is created and managed through creative planning, organisation of the classroom and ensuring the safety of the learners.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
- Scripted lessons and standardised assessment subject to critical analysis and reflection on the value and limitations of the scripted lessons are taught.
- A move for a learner to adapt to lessons taught is anticipated with consideration of learning styles and needs of each learner.
- New lesson plans are created and adapted to.
- Own professional judgments are exercised and a rationale for the lessons is explained.
- Collaborate with other teachers to improvise and improve teaching and learning is explored.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
- Broad approaches to teaching in different contexts, focusing on methods interpretation of content outcomes of teaching and multi-grade teaching are demonstrated.
- Broad overview of different perspectives on learning with specific emphasis on constructivist and contemporary learning theories, considering different types of learning (e.g. situational, co-operative, problem-based, transformative), and ways in which educators construct powerful learning environments are demonstrated.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
- Relevant teaching strategies, such as large class discussions, co-operative learning, learner-research, problem-solving, are applied.
- Assessment is undertaken and feedback is provided to learners.
- Barriers to learning and misconceptions are identified and acted upon.
- Resources in the subject classroom are used creatively.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
- Relevant teaching strategies, such as large class discussions, co-operative learning, learner-research, problem-solving, are applied.
- Assessment is undertaken and feedback is provided to learners.
- Barriers to learning and misconceptions are identified and acted upon.
- Resources in the subject classroom are used creatively.
Integrated Assessment:
- Integrated assessment aligned with the qualification's purpose.
- Each module has a specific assessment strategy complying with institutional rules.
- Educator's competence assessed through assignments, tests, examinations, or similar tasks.
- Continuous assessment activities include various methods like tests, assignments, projects, presentations, etc.
Formative Assessment:
- Used for developmental purposes.
- Detailed feedback provided to learners.
- Various formative assessment items like tests, assignments, projects, presentations used.
Summative Assessment:
- Records overall performance of learners.
- Feedback provided to learners.
- Summative assessment includes semester examinations or assignments for optional modules.
- Core modules may be formatively assessed.
Examinations will be conducted at outside centers following institutional rules.
Qualification Details
- Type
- Advanced Certificate
- NQF Level
- 06
- Min. Credits
- 156
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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This page includes information from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) . Builtneat Pty Ltd trading as Study Start, has modified all or some of this information. SAQA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.