Catalog Year: 2021-2022

University of South Florida

Science Recommendations

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Here NCTQ outlines (1) the set of courses providing candidates with the content most aligned with what elementary teachers need within current institution and program requirements, and (2) suggestions for courses to fill in gaps where candidates still lack coverage. 

"Most Aligned" Set of Courses

  1. Science Requirement 01

    ESC 2000 - Introduction to Earth Science

  2. Science Requirement 02

    SCE 4310 - Teaching Elementary School Science

How to Improve Content Coverage

Using the “Most Aligned” Set of Courses, current course requirements can address up to 33.33% coverage of science topics.

The topics still lacking coverage include:

  • Scientific and Engineering Practices
  • Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
  • Inheritance and Variation of Traits
  • Forces, Waves, and Energy
  • Structure and Properties of Matter
  • Engineering Design

To improve content coverage, the institution or teacher preparation program may need to require additional courses for their candidates to achieve coverage across all topics. Our analysts identified the following courses to cover these topics:

  • Scientific and Engineering Practices: No applicable courses found in NCTQ's analysis
  • Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: BSC 1005
  • Inheritance and Variation of Traits: BSC 1005
  • Forces, Waves, and Energy: PHY 2020
  • Structure and Properties of Matter: CHM 2020
  • Engineering Design: No applicable courses found in NCTQ's analysis

Analysis of Content Covered by "Most Aligned" Set of Courses

= Course is Currently Recommended or Required by Program

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Themes: Pedagogy Life Science Physical Science Earth & Space Sciences Engineering
Topics (hover to see name):

A

Cross-cutting Concepts

B

Scientific and Engineering Practices

C

Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

D

Inheritance and Variation of Traits

E

Forces, Waves, and Energy

F

Structure and Properties of Matter

G

Space Systems

H

Earth's Systems and Processes

I

Engineering Design

ESC 2000
Introduction to Earth Science
SCE 4310
Teaching Elementary School Science
Total Content Covered: 33.33%
If a candidate takes the above courses, this is the topic coverage they would experience overall:

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