Catalog Year: 2021-2022

Western Kentucky University

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

    BIOL 113/114 - General Biology

  2. Science Requirement 02

    CHEM 106/106 - Fundamentals of General Chemistry/Lab

  3. Science Requirement 03

    GEOL 112/114 - Earth's Past and Future/Lab

  4. Science Requirement 04

    ELED 406 - Teaching Science in the Elementary School

How to Improve Content Coverage

Using the “Most Aligned” Set of Courses, current course requirements can address up to 55.56% coverage of science topics.

The topics still lacking coverage include:

  • Inheritance and Variation of Traits
  • Forces, Waves, and Energy
  • Space Systems
  • 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:

  • Inheritance and Variation of Traits: ARGO 110/111
  • Forces, Waves, and Energy: PHYS 101
  • Forces, Waves, and Energy: PHYS 103
  • Space Systems: ASTR 104
  • 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

BIOL 113/114
General Biology
CHEM 106/106
Fundamentals of General Chemistry/Lab
GEOL 112/114
Earth's Past and Future/Lab
ELED 406
Teaching Science in the Elementary School
Total Content Covered: 55.56%
If a candidate takes the above courses, this is the topic coverage they would experience overall:

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