TCE Biology Level 3

🎓Course Type	Pre-tertiary
TASC Code	BIO315124
TCE Points	15
⏱Hours	150
✔️Standard	N/A
📚Prerequisites	Year 11 students taking this course will need to have successfully completed Year 10 Science, preferably obtaining a B grade or better.
📎Desirable prior experiences	As above
📝Assessment	Internal - ongoing against criteria External - 3 hour examination

What will I learn?

This syllabus is designed both for students who are proceeding to tertiary study and for students who have a general interest in biology.

It is intended that students will:

Develop problem solving, practical and personal skills that allow them to function as individuals in contemporary society
Develop an understanding of biological principles and be able to apply these in understanding the world they live in
Be encouraged to ask questions and to develop skills that will help them to seek and gain information for themselves
Develop considered opinions based on evidence and rationality and develop an open-minded, critical approach to scientific and broader issues
Develop an understanding of the levels of biological organisation
Develop an understanding of the processes occurring in biological systems and to be able to apply these to a changing world

The content of the syllabus consists of six essential themes:

Structure reflects function
Energy input/output
Materials input/output
DNA: the code of life
Maintaining equilibrium
Managing challenges

Each theme will be explored at four levels of biological organisation:

Chemical basics of life
Cells
Organisms
Continuity of organisms and survival of changes

Why should I consider this course?

The purpose of science education is to develop scientific literacy, helping learners:

to be interested in, and understand, the world around them;
to engage in discourse about the scientific and technological aspects underlying global and local issues;
to understand the testable and contestable nature of science, and question the claims made by others about scientific matters;
to be able to identify questions, draw evidence-based conclusions and discuss their validity; and
to form opinions, that are reasoned and informed, about the environment, about their own health and well-being, and about the role and impact of science on society.

Biology is the study of the fascinating diversity of life as it has evolved and as it interacts and functions. Investigation of biological systems and their interactions, from the molecular level to cellular processes to ecosystem dynamics, has led to biological knowledge and understanding that enable us to explore and explain everyday observations, find solutions to biological issues, and understand the processes of biological continuity and change over time.

What Skills does this course provide?

This course aims to develop learners’:

sense of wonder and curiosity about life and respect for all living things and the environment
understanding of how biological systems interact and are interrelated; the flow of matter and energy through and between these systems; and the processes by which they persist and change
understanding of major biological concepts, theories and models related to biological systems at all scales, from subcellular processes to ecosystem dynamics
appreciation of how scientists use biology in a wide range of applications, and how biological knowledge influences society in local, regional and global contexts
ability to plan and carry out fieldwork, laboratory and other research investigations including the collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data and the interpretation of evidence
ability to use sound, evidence-based arguments creatively and analytically when evaluating claims and applying biological knowledge
ability to communicate biological understanding, findings, arguments and conclusions using appropriate representations, modes and genres.

What Pathway Options does this course provide?

The study of Biology will provide a foundation for learners to critically consider and to make informed decisions about contemporary biological issues in their everyday lives.

It may be studied as part of a pathway to tertiary study and careers in areas such as medicine, agriculture, botany, zoology, marine science, biotechnology, health science, pharmacy, nursing or veterinary science. It is also suitable for learners wishing to study a science as part of a general education.