Chemistry for Education

“Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.” (Marie Curie Sklodowska)

Degree programme objectives

The aim of the study programme Chemistry for Education, followed by Lower Secondary School Teacher Training in Chemistry, is to prepare graduates to teach chemistry in primary and grammar schools. The Chemistry for Education programme is primarily oriented towards developing subject-specific, pedagogical, psychological, communication, and other personal development competencies as a foundation for subsequent master’s studies in the programme, Lower Secondary School Teacher Training in Chemistry. Through studying for the Master’s degree graduates gain the necessary competences that allow them to critically apply the use of their pedagogical and psychological knowledge in practice as a teacher at a primary or secondary school. Graduates are fully qualified to pursue the profession of a teacher. They are ready to base their professional conduct on well-structured knowledge and skills from their fields of approbation (content knowledge). The effectiveness of their professional conduct is conditioned by their subject-didactic (pedagogical content knowledge) and broader pedagogical and psychological knowledge and skills (knowledge of the broader background of education, knowledge of educational practices, knowledge about people involved in education, etc.). The degree develops students’ analytical and comparative skills, which enable them to understand the diverse pedagogical reality and to use subject-specific, pedagogical, and psychological publications in their work for planning, implementing and reflecting on educational activities. They develop communication skills important for communication and collaboration with pupils/clients, colleagues in the workplace, with parents of pupils/clients and with practitioners. An important benefit of the degree is the development of self-reflective skills that provide space for the development of attitudes towards one another, to educated individuals and to the profession: perception of the responsibility of the teaching profession, the acceptance of the moral obligations of a helping profession and its ethics. The studies emphasise the principle of interdisciplinarity (interconnection of some pedagogical and psychological subjects) and the principle of sequence and gradation of themes and courses, from the more general to the more specific. The concept is also characterized by the interdependence of theory and practice. An important part of the concept is the reflective teaching practice. The principles of reflection on teaching practice and self-reflection are related both to practice and to other experience-oriented subjects. An important part of the concept is also the promotion of inclusion, which is perceived as a cross-curricular theme (also supported by a separate course).

Study plans

Chemistry for Education

full-time, major

Chemistry for Education

full-time, minor

Studies

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Objectives
The aim of the study programme Chemistry for Education, followed by Lower Secondary School Teacher Training in Chemistry, is to prepare graduates to teach chemistry in primary and grammar schools. The Chemistry for Education programme is primarily oriented towards developing subject-specific, pedagogical, psychological, communication, and other personal development competencies as a foundation for subsequent master’s studies in the programme, Lower Secondary School Teacher Training in Chemistry. Through studying for the Master’s degree graduates gain the necessary competences that allow them to critically apply the use of their pedagogical and psychological knowledge in practice as a teacher at a primary or secondary school. Graduates are fully qualified to pursue the profession of a teacher. They are ready to base their professional conduct on well-structured knowledge and skills from their fields of approbation (content knowledge). The effectiveness of their professional conduct is conditioned by their subject-didactic (pedagogical content knowledge) and broader pedagogical and psychological knowledge and skills (knowledge of the broader background of education, knowledge of educational practices, knowledge about people involved in education, etc.). The degree develops students’ analytical and comparative skills, which enable them to understand the diverse pedagogical reality and to use subject-specific, pedagogical, and psychological publications in their work for planning, implementing and reflecting on educational activities. They develop communication skills important for communication and collaboration with pupils/clients, colleagues in the workplace, with parents of pupils/clients and with practitioners. An important benefit of the degree is the development of self-reflective skills that provide space for the development of attitudes towards one another, to educated individuals and to the profession: perception of the responsibility of the teaching profession, the acceptance of the moral obligations of a helping profession and its ethics. The studies emphasise the principle of interdisciplinarity (interconnection of some pedagogical and psychological subjects) and the principle of sequence and gradation of themes and courses, from the more general to the more specific. The concept is also characterized by the interdependence of theory and practice. An important part of the concept is the reflective teaching practice. The principles of reflection on teaching practice and self-reflection are related both to practice and to other experience-oriented subjects. An important part of the concept is also the promotion of inclusion, which is perceived as a cross-curricular theme (also supported by a separate course).
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the programme, the graduate is able to:
- use and apply his/her broad special knowledge of chemistry and chemical skills for his/her teaching practice;
- use properly the basic methods of teaching chemistry in lower secondary school;
- work with chemicals; he/she knows the safety principles and principles of health protection related to work in a chemical laboratory;
- apply the principles of good laboratory practice;
- evaluate the suitability of chemical experiments and chemical substances in the classroom;
- select (from a broad spectrum of new chemical knowledge) and use for teaching suitable current chemical issues and to present them appropriately in the classroom;
- think critically about the use of pedagogical and psychological knowledge in the practice of a teaching assistant or other pedagogical worker, read familiar pedagogical and psychological texts for educators and understand them creatively;
- describe and analyse an educational situation using special terminology and rules of effective pedagogical communication and to propose a change; use their knowledge and skills in communication with pupils, parents, teachers in the school context;
- cooperate with various teachers at school and under their leadership to plan, implement and reflect on the sequence of teaching and activities in relation to the appropriate school curriculum;
- use self-reflective skills to reflect on their actions: for example, to better justify and evaluate their arguments, to give voice to their emotions and their connection to some behaviour or to critically review their own attitudes towards education;
- use basic methods and tools of pedagogical diagnostics in teaching to support differentiation and individualization in teaching, thus gaining data which is available for the support of an individual pupil/client;
- formulate their own concept of education they would like to implement in their future profession, supporting it with arguments from theory and practice;
- explain the basic principles of inclusive and special education; to reflect on their attitude towards diversity and its influence on their own teaching;
- explain the basic concepts of developmental and social psychology and identify possible difficulties in pupils’ social competences or school adaptation, based on knowledge of developmental and socio-psychological aspects of classroom life.
Occupational Profiles of Graduates
Knowledge, skills and attitudes acquired during the studies are the basis of the skills for:
- profession of teaching (chemistry teacher) assistant in lower secondary school education
- supporting educational work
- work of instructor in free-time centres.
According to Act no. 563/2004 Coll., on pedagogical staff (amended) graduates may work as an assistant teacher, instructor in free-time centres, as an educator in youth centres, educator in after-school clubs, and in various civic associations involved in educational activities. Besides these professional outlets, graduates are also prepared to start the Master's degree programme in Lower Secondary School Teacher Training in Chemistry.
Regulated Professions
- Teacher´s assistant
Rules and Conditions for the Creation of a Study Plan
The standard duration of studies is six semesters. For admittance to the final state examination students must obtain a total of 180 ECTS credits in required, selective and elective courses. Required courses constitute the basis of the discipline. Out of the optional courses students choose according to their interests and intended professional specialization. For all students there is an obligation to complete at least one course taught in English from the ones on offer at the department for the given level of studies.
During the course of their studies students should follow the "Study catalogue" for their year of matriculation. They can access the "Study catalogues" through the faculty website.
Practical Training
Professional chemical practice is not included in the bachelor’s degree programme Chemistry for Education . Within the pedagogical and psychological part of study, the student chooses either assistant practice focussed on individual pupil tutoring, or assisting teachers at a school. The teaching practice is conceived as a coherent and gradated system with an emphasis on interconnection with theory and reflection and self-reflection of the student as a teacher. The aim of the teaching practice is to acquire the professional competences necessary in the daily work of the teacher, to become acquainted with the roles which the teacher enters into in their work, to realize their own professional needs and to gradually take responsibility for the planning, implementation and evaluation of lessons. Throughout the teaching practice, students get a real idea of what a teacher's everyday work involves. The teaching practice forms a coherent system of consecutive subjects. In the follow-up master's programmes, these are the subjects Teaching Practice 1 (1st semester), Teaching Practice 2 (2nd semester) and Teaching Practice 3 (3rd semester). In total, this makes up 280 hours (double-subject programme), followed by Seminar on Teaching Practice. Students enrol in the Seminar on Teaching Practice 1 twice during their studies (in the first and second semesters). The aim of the reflection is to provide students with a space for sharing and reflecting on experiences from their own teaching practice and helping them to deepen their reflective and self-reflective skills. The system of teaching practice is regularly evaluated both through open and closed questions, both by students and the mentor teachers. The reflective seminars are also evaluated.
Access to Further Studies
A graduate of the bachelor’s degree programme may (after meeting the admission requirements) continue in any follow-up master’s programme. At the Faculty of Education of Masaryk University, it is possible to continue studies in the direct follow-up master’s programme Lower Secondary School Teacher Training in Chemistry .