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Science, Environments and Nature Pedagogy
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ECCOP3001 - Science, Environments and Nature Pedagogy
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20260200
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1.3
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2026-09-10
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2026-09-10
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Education
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Institute of Education, Arts & Community
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Education
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Undergraduate
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30
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070101
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Teacher Education: Early Childhood
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070101 - Teacher Education: Early Childhood
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<a href="http://www.federation.edu.au/locate/unit/eccop3001">View unit fees</a>
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<p>This unit equips pre-service teachers (PSTs) with a comprehensive understanding of science and environmental education through play, inquiry and nature-based pedagogies in early childhood education. PSTs will develop their understanding of science concepts and processes and explore pedagogies that foster children’s scientific inquiry and environmental stewardship. PSTs will critically examine the benefits and potential challenges of learning and teaching in outdoor environments. Emphasising the interconnectedness of play, nature pedagogy and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, the unit strengthens PSTs skills in advocacy and collaborative approaches to enhance children’s learning, development and wellbeing through science and environmental education. This unit includes a 10-day placement.</p>
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<p>Topics to be covered include:</p>
<p>• Introduction to nature pedagogy and its theoretical underpinnings.</p>
<p>• Historical and contemporary perspectives on outdoor and environmental education.</p>
<p>• The role of nature in supporting holistic child development.</p>
<p>• Science concepts and processes, and why they are important to young children</p>
<p>• Planning, implementing and assessing science and environmental experiences in play-based early childhood education </p>
<p>• Planned and spontaneous science and environmental experiences in daily routines</p>
<p>• Teaching strategies to support diverse learners</p>
<p>• Inquiry based approaches for science and environmental education</p>
<p>• Incorporating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in nature-based education.</p>
<p>• Place based pedagogies and connections to nature</p>
<p>• Promoting environmental sustainability through early childhood education.</p>
<p>• Building partnerships with families and communities to enrich learning experiences.</p>
<p>• Children's health, safety, and wellbeing in outdoor learning environments.</p>
<p>• Risk assessment and management strategies for nature-based activities.</p>
<p>• Supporting children's emotional and social development through nature pedagogy</p>
<p>• Critical reflection on personal attitudes and practices to identify their impact on teaching and learning </p>
<p>• Setting professional learning goals to enhance the teaching of science and environmental education.</p>
<p>• Advocacy, networks and research in promoting nature-based learning in early childhood education.</p>
<p><br></p>
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<p>Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment.</p>
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2027
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ECCOP3001 - Science, Environments and Nature Pedagogy
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ECCOP3001 - Science, Environments and Nature Pedagogy
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Semester 1
Semester 2
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Year
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2026
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Overview
Key information
Requisites
Learning outcomes
Assessment
FedTASK
Parent Region
Overview
Unit description
<p>This unit equips pre-service teachers (PSTs) with a comprehensive understanding of science and environmental education through play, inquiry and nature-based pedagogies in early childhood education. PSTs will develop their understanding of science concepts and processes and explore pedagogies that foster children’s scientific inquiry and environmental stewardship. PSTs will critically examine the benefits and potential challenges of learning and teaching in outdoor environments. Emphasising the interconnectedness of play, nature pedagogy and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, the unit strengthens PSTs skills in advocacy and collaborative approaches to enhance children’s learning, development and wellbeing through science and environmental education. This unit includes a 10-day placement.</p>
Unit content
<p>Topics to be covered include:</p> <p>• Introduction to nature pedagogy and its theoretical underpinnings.</p> <p>• Historical and contemporary perspectives on outdoor and environmental education.</p> <p>• The role of nature in supporting holistic child development.</p> <p>• Science concepts and processes, and why they are important to young children</p> <p>• Planning, implementing and assessing science and environmental experiences in play-based early childhood education </p> <p>• Planned and spontaneous science and environmental experiences in daily routines</p> <p>• Teaching strategies to support diverse learners</p> <p>• Inquiry based approaches for science and environmental education</p> <p>• Incorporating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in nature-based education.</p> <p>• Place based pedagogies and connections to nature</p> <p>• Promoting environmental sustainability through early childhood education.</p> <p>• Building partnerships with families and communities to enrich learning experiences.</p> <p>• Children's health, safety, and wellbeing in outdoor learning environments.</p> <p>• Risk assessment and management strategies for nature-based activities.</p> <p>• Supporting children's emotional and social development through nature pedagogy</p> <p>• Critical reflection on personal attitudes and practices to identify their impact on teaching and learning </p> <p>• Setting professional learning goals to enhance the teaching of science and environmental education.</p> <p>• Advocacy, networks and research in promoting nature-based learning in early childhood education.</p> <p><br></p>
Key information
Institute / school:
Institute of Education, Arts & Community
Discipline:
Education
Study level:
Undergraduate
Credit points:
30
EFTSL:
0.25
Field of education:
070101 - Teacher Education: Early Childhood
Grade scheme:
Graded (e.g. HD, D, C, etc)
Placement component:
Yes
Placement hours:
75
Fee information:
<a href="http://www.federation.edu.au/locate/unit/eccop3001">View unit fees</a>
Requisites
Prerequisite
<p>must have completed <a href="/ords/r/curriculum/catalogue/course?p6_code=ECCOP2001" target="_blank">ECCOP2001</a> AND must have completed <a href="/ords/r/curriculum/catalogue/course?p6_code=ECCOP2002" target="_blank">ECCOP2002</a> AND must have completed <a href="/ords/r/curriculum/catalogue/course?p6_code=ECCOP2003" target="_blank">ECCOP2003</a> AND must have completed <a href="/ords/r/curriculum/catalogue/course?p6_code=ECCOP2004" target="_blank">ECCOP2004</a></p>
Corequisite
None
Exclusion
None
Learning outcomes
Learning outcomes
<p>On successful completion of this unit, students are expected to gain the following [K]nowledge, [S]kills and [A]pplication of knowledge & skills</p>
Learning Outcomes
Ref
Outcome
K1
<p>Demonstrate an understanding of science concepts and processes, and how they may be integrated into nature and play-based pedagogies.</p>
K2
<p>Articulate the significance of nature pedagogy in supporting children’s learning, development, wellbeing and connection to place.</p>
K3
<p>Examine theories, perspectives and pedagogical approaches including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives for their potential to support children’s learning in science and environmental education.</p>
S1
<p>Advocate for the inclusion of environmental education within early childhood education settings.</p>
S2
<p>Develop a nature-based curriculum plan that integrates science concepts and processes.</p>
S3
<p>Critically reflect to identify challenges, teaching approaches and attitudes that may impact on the effectiveness of inquiry and nature-based pedagogies.</p>
A1
<p>In collaboration with children, plan, implement and assess inclusive, play-based science and environmental education experiences that cater to diverse abilities, interests, and cultural backgrounds. </p>
A2
<p>Apply inquiry-based teaching strategies to engage children in authentic science and environmental learning experiences in natural settings.</p>
Assessment
Learning Tasks and Assessment
Ref
Learning task
Assessment type
Weighting
Learning outcomes assessed
1
<p>Science and environmental education inquiry project:</p><p>• Document observations of children and analyse to identify current interests and knowledge </p><p>• Select an area of inquiry and create a mind map of children’s ideas and questions </p><p>• In collaboration, design science and environmental education experiences </p><p>• Identify resources, environments and teaching strategies to support learning in play and nature- based pedagogies </p><p>• Implement, modify, assess and evaluate.</p><p><br></p>
<p>Planning and reflection</p>
<p>40%-60%</p>
K1, K3, S2, S3, A1, A2
2
<p>Advocacy statement – write a position statement or advocacy piece that could be shared on your website or in a newsletter to families. Focus on the importance of nature play in early childhood highlighting the benefits for learning, wellbeing and sustainability. </p>
<p>Professional communication</p>
<p>40%-60%</p>
K2, S1, S3
3
<p>10 days professional experience in early childhood education setting with children aged 3 -5 years (external to workplace).</p>
<p>Placement. Not available for Supplementary Assessment.</p>
<p>Hurdle S/U</p>
K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, A1, A2
Supplementary assessment available:
Yes
Supplementary assessment information:
<p>Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment.</p>
FedTASK
FedTASK
Description of FedTASK outcome
Level
FedTASK 1: Interpersonal
The ability to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups.
<p>Level 3 - Student works independently with limited guidance or works within self-determined guidelines appropriate to context</p>
FedTASK 2: Leadership
The ability to apply professional skills and behaviours in leading others.
<p>Level 3 - Student works independently with limited guidance or works within self-determined guidelines appropriate to context</p>
FedTASK 3: Critical Thinking and Creativity
The ability to work in complexity and ambiguity using imagination to create new ideas.
<p>Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines</p>
FedTASK 4: Digital Literacy
The ability to work fluently across a range of tools and applications to achieve a range of skills.
<p>Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines</p>
FedTASK 5: Sustainable and Ethical Mindset
The ability to consider and assess the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting ethical and sustainable decisions.
<p>Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines</p>
FedTASK
<p>Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FedTASKs (<strong>T</strong>ransferable <strong>A</strong>ttributes <strong>S</strong>kills and <strong>K</strong>nowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key, transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and co-operative learning opportunities.</p>
Key information
Institute / school:
Institute of Education, Arts & Community
Discipline:
Education
Study level:
Undergraduate
Credit points:
30
EFTSL:
0.25
Field of education:
070101 - Teacher Education: Early Childhood
Grade scheme:
Graded (e.g. HD, D, C, etc)
Placement component:
Yes
Placement hours:
75
Fee information:
<a href="http://www.federation.edu.au/locate/unit/eccop3001">View unit fees</a>
Additional information
Add Info Static Text
Internal reference: ECCOP3001 - U1.3