Bachelor of Education Honours in Science Education
Education, Training and Development - Schooling
Purpose and Rationale
Purpose:
The Bachelor of Education Honours in Science Education (B. Ed Hons) qualification is designed in line with the Policy on the Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications (2011) and aims to achieve the following:
- Prepare learners for research-based postgraduate studies in the field of education.
- Consolidate and deepen learners' knowledge of the field of science education.
- Develop learners' research capacity in the methodology and techniques relevant to the field.
- Demand a high level of theoretical engagement and intellectual independence from learners.
The curriculum takes a strong praxeological approach, where assignments are closely linked to professional practice, and the Year 2 specialism focuses on applied research. Learners are introduced to qualitative educational research from Year 1, engaging in activities and assignments that encourage critical and theoretically-informed perspectives on current educational issues and their implications for educational practice.
Rationale:
The B. Ed Hons qualification is a well-established program that prioritizes the continuous professional development of teachers, emphasizing critical thinking and responsiveness to educational challenges. The rationale for this qualification includes:
- Addressing the long-term need in the Eastern Cape for continuing teacher professional development to enhance the quality of education in the province.
- Providing a foundation in educational knowledge, including sociological, psychological, and philosophical dimensions of education.
- Supporting the development of applied research skills and reflexive practice for educators.
- Laying a groundwork for future research at the master's level.
Outcomes
- Acquire a sound knowledge base for a critical understanding of education in general and of the area of specialisation in particular.
- Conduct independent inquiry in a specialised area of education, training or development, and report findings in academically appropriate ways.
- Exhibit the potential to act as academic leaders and/or experts in the field of education, training and development.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
- Acquiring a critically informed understanding of the national and international policy context of education, specifically in the learner's area of specialisation.
- Explaining the sociocultural, historical, and material contexts of education in general and in the learner's area of specialisation.
- Identifying and critically analysing a range of responses to key issues in education, both in general and within the learner's area of specialisation.
- Accessing, selecting, and critically reviewing a range of academic texts relevant to the field of education.
- Evaluating a range of theoretical responses to an area of educational specialisation.
- Reflecting upon key educational issues from philosophical, sociological, and psychological perspectives.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
- Considering a range of research design options and making decisions about appropriate use of research methods.
- Applying relevant theories and concepts to data in a specified educational investigation.
- Understanding and applying the ethics of conducting educational research appropriately.
- Engaging with issues of rigour, validity, and quality in educational research.
- Reporting on small-scale educational research in a systematic, professional, and academically appropriate manner.
- Demonstrating an ability to think independently in writing the report and formulating ethical and defensible responses to key educational issues in the area of specialisation.
- Conducting theoretically-informed assignments using qualitative research methods.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
- Demonstrating professional conduct with others in response to current educational issues.
- Effectively conducting management within a system based on an understanding of the roles and relationships between elements within the system.
Integrated Assessment:
- Assessment of learning will be guided by the University's Policy on Assessment, focusing on both formative and summative assessment.
- Summative assessment will consist of written examinations or a Portfolio of Evidence, including a research report submitted at the end of the year.
- Types of formative assessment include individual and group assignments.
- The Final Mark for each module will be a combination of the Class Mark (50%) and the Examination Mark (50%).
- Assessment results will be benchmarked according to the Exit Level Outcomes of the qualification and subjected to external examination by appropriately qualified academics.
Qualification Details
- Type
- Honours Degree
- NQF Level
- 08
- Min. Credits
- 120
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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