TCD Master of Education (M.Ed) in Science Education

TCD have announced details of a new Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Science Education. The programme, aimed at science educators at all levels, “aims to give students the academic and practical skills they need to develop a critical understanding of the role of science education, research and communication in society“.

The programme has both taught and research components. It may be taken on a one year full-time basis or on a two year part-time basis. The taught component includes four modules each including 25 hours of direct contact time. The research component involves carrying out a research project and writing a dissertation under the guidance of a supervisor. A course in research methods forms part of the dissertation work. The full-time, one year option requires students to complete the taught modules as well as research-based dissertation while the part-time two year option requires the taught component to be completed in the first year and the dissertation in the second year. Independent learning, at personal as well as group/collaborative level is actively encouraged.

Course Modules

1. Science in Society: This module explores the relationship between science and society and equips students with a knowledge of policymaking, funding and ethics that will serve as a platform to promote cultures of sustainability and progress.
2. Learning Theories:  This module introduces a range of learning theories from education, psychology, machine learning and neuroscience that together generate a new ‘science of learning’ and will concentrate closely on the work of Lev Semenovich Vygotsky, which is among the most influential in current educational research and practice.
3. Communicating Science: This module examines the history and best practices of communicating science to different audiences as well as considering critically the distillation, dissemination and engagement of science and the role of mass media, social media and the creative arts.
4. Frontier Research and Current Debates in STEM Education: This module provides an opportunity to interact with frontier research being carried out in the university as well as the most pressing topics and concerns that STEM education faces nationally and internationally (where “STEM” is science, technology, engineering and maths).

For more information email master.education@tcd.ie or find TCD Science on Twitter: @ScienceTCD