Unit Profile Correction added on 10-11-23
1 Written Assessment
Assessment Title Assessment Task 1: Reflective Practice
Assignment Task Description: Examine policy documents that guide the practice of early childhood educators to identify key messages about the significance of the early years. Explain the emergence of leadership as an essential component of the work of early childhood professionals. Your explanation should trace the historical origins of leadership constructs and their development as a process considered integral to guiding the professional learning of colleagues and establishing partnerships that contribute to children’s positive dispositions for learning. Emerging understandings of leadership that are responsive to contemporary early childhood education and care settings need to be examined also. Construct and clearly describe two scenarios where leadership intervention could be used to develop shared understandings of communication, caregiving, and pedagogical practices that support the safety, well-being, and learning of children and foster effective and respectful partnerships between families and educators. Both scenarios need to consider the strategies for involving parents/carers in the educative process. One of these scenarios must focus specifically on the legislative requirements and strategies that support the participation and learning of students with disability and the second one can be of your choosing. Describe the principles and strategies you would use to guide the development of a centre policy in response to the scenarios and lead the professional learning and implementation of the proposed practices and strategies with colleagues in an early childhood education and care service. Your response should include a reflective component that clearly explains your approach to leadership and defends the strategies you have used to create a professional learning community committed to the well-being, safety, and improved educational outcomes of children with diverse characteristics and needs.
Assessment Due Date Week 6 Friday (22 Dec 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Return Date to Students Week 9 Monday (15 Jan 2024)
Weighting 50%
Assessment Criteria:
● Research and explicate the key messages about the significance of the early years included in policy texts including shared values
● Explain leadership as a feature of membership of the early childhood profession in historical and contemporary contexts
● Construction of scenarios that model how leadership of (1) learning about legislative requirements and strategies support the participation and learning of students with disability and (2) pedagogy in early childhood that supports the learning of all children
● Describe the principles and strategies to guide the development of a centre policy and lead professional learning in relation to both scenarios
● Explanation of how leadership supports the involvement of and partnership with parents/carers in the educative process
● Explicate and justify approaches to selected leadership strategies to create a professional learning community committed to improving educational outcomes for all children
● Effective, scholarly and professional communication in accordance with accepted academic conventions APA 7th
Unit Profile Correction added on 10-11-23
2 Presentation Assessment
Title Assessment Task 2: Presentation and accompanying documentation
Task Description: Within early childhood settings, leading pedagogy is an important dimension of the work of leaders and, as such, leadership is highlighted in Standard 7 of the National Quality Standards (ACECQA, 2020). Underpinning the enactment of leadership is a commitment to reflecting on and continuously working to improve practice and “curriculum quality, equity, and the wellbeing and inclusion of each child” (ACECQA, 2020, p. 302). This task requires that you create a presentation that identifies challenges and dilemmas that early childhood educators may face in demonstrating cultural competence and responding to the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the participation, engagement and learning of children and families from different cultures, including children from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds. The presentation should summarise the guidance derived from policy, codes of ethics and conduct for the profession, and independent research to promote the understanding of colleagues of their legislative, practical, and ethical responsibilities as culturally competent educators. Your presentation should be designed to include opportunities for modeling, discussing, and reflecting on practices, teaching strategies, and interactions that support culturally diverse learners including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. Finally, identify sources of ongoing learning and engagement with external professionals and community representatives that expand teachers’ professional knowledge and skills for ethical and culturally competent teaching practice. Additionally, you need to explicate the importance of reflection for leadership practice. Additionally, your presentation must include:
1. An extensive notes page for each slide including references
2. A summary of relevant policy texts and identification of implications for legislative, practical, and ethical responsibilities as culturally competent educators.
Assessment Due Date Week 11 Friday (2 Feb 2024) 11:45 pm AEST Return Date to Students Exam Week Friday (16 Feb 2024) Weighting 50%
Assessment Criteria:
● Identification of challenges and dilemmas that early childhood educators encounter in demonstrating cultural competence and responding to the impact of diversity
● Design reflects a broad knowledge of, understanding of, and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and languages
● Explication of guidance from policy texts to promote cultural competence embedded in presentation and accompanying documentation
● Design of presentation that supports professional learning that enables discussion and reflection on practices, teaching strategies, and interactions
● Design of presentation models approaches to demonstrating cultural competence in early childhood contexts
● Identification of sources of ongoing learning to expand teachers’ professional knowledge and skills for ethical and culturally competent teaching practice and consideration of the importance of ongoing reflection
● Effective, scholarly and professional communication in accordance with accepted academic conventions APA 7th
Overview
In this unit, you will develop knowledge and practices that underpin effective leadership in early childhood settings. You will reflect on the qualities of contemporary leadership that are responsive to implementing new and emerging policy for early childhood education and care and that foster the development of professional learning communities committed to the equitable and socially-just practice and the creation of safe and supportive learning environments for children from diverse cultural and social backgrounds. Through analysis of policy documents including the National Quality Framework and Early Years Learning Framework, codes of conduct and codes of ethics for the profession and independent research, you will lead professional learning for early childhood educators that respond to contemporary challenges and dilemmas and models practices for implementing policy that recognises the importance of working in partnership with families to support children’s wellbeing, safety and learning. Throughout the unit, your skills for engaging in leadership activities will be enhanced as you synthesise understandings of the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the engagement and learning trajectories of children from culturally diverse backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners and lead professional learning that enhances the cultural responsiveness of early childhood educators.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre-requisite EDEC28001 Responding to Difference: Children, Families and Communities
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 3 - 2023
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student discussions
Moodle Materials
Continue to refine the Moodle materials
- Reflect critically on the importance of leadership in responding to new and emerging policy expectations for quality early childhood education and care
- Construct responses to the challenges and dilemmas of early childhood practice to lead professional learning for colleagues
- Explicate and justify approaches to leadership that create shared understandings of practices that support the wellbeing, safety and learning of children from diverse backgrounds
- Interpret policy and research to explain the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the participation and learning trajectories of children from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally diverse backgrounds
- Design professional learning that fosters inquiry and reflection on practice and models approaches to demonstrating cultural responsiveness in early childhood contexts
- Identify sources of learning and engagement with families, external professionals and community representatives that expand teachers’ professional knowledge and advocacy for young children and their families.
Learning outcomes and assessment in this unit provide opportunities for students to engage with content and practices in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Stage) focus areas of:
1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
1.4 Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
1.6 Strategies to support full participation of students with disabilities
2.4 Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians
3.7 Engage parents/carers in the educative process
4.1 Support student participation
4.4 Maintain student safety
6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice
6.4 Apply professional learning and improve student learning
7.1 Meet professional ethics and responsibilities
7.2 Comply with legislative, administrative and organisational requirements
7.3 Engage with the parents/carers
7.4 Engage with professional teaching networks and broader communities.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Reflective Practice Assignment - 50% | ||||||
| 2 - Presentation - 50% | ||||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||||
| 4 - Research | ||||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
l.hughes@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
The image of the playful child and the historical perspectives on play
Chapter
Fleer, M. (2021). Play in the early years. Cambridge University Press.
Irving, E & Carter, C. (2018)The Child in Focus, Oxford University Press
Norozi, S. A., & Moen, T. (2016). Childhood as a Social Construction. Journal of Educational and Social Research MCSER Publishing, Rome-Italy Vol. 6 No.2.
Theobald, M. (2019) UN Convention on the Rights of the Child: “Where are we at in recognising children’s rights in early childhood, three decades on…?”. IJEC 51, 251–257.
Theobald, M., Cobb-Moore, C., & Irvine, S. (2013). A Snapshot of 40 Years in Early Childhood Education and Care through Oral Histories. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 38(4), 107–115.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Child development from birth – 8 years – including understandings outlined in the First 1000 Days
Chapter
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2016). From Best Practices to Breakthrough Impacts: A Science-Based Approach to Building a More Promising Future for Young Children and Families. Retrieved from: www.developingchild.harvard.edu.
Fleet, A., & Farrell, L. (2014). The Place of Infants in the Evolving Australian Policy Context. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 39(4), 81–88.
Moore, T., Dr, Arefadib, N., Deery, A., Dr, & West, S. (2017). The first 1000 days. Centre for Community Child Health.
Pascoe, S., & Brennan, D. (2017). Lifting our game. Queensland Government, Department of Education of Victoria.
First 1000 days Case for Investment
The first 1000 days Evidence Paper
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Centrality of Relationships
Chapter
Aspden, K., Clarke, L. & McLaughlin, T. (2019). Transitions as opportunities: Teaching practices to support major transitions for infants and toddlers. The First Years: Ngā Tau Tuatahi, 21, 2, 5-12.
Wisneski, D. & Reifel, S. (2012). A place of play in early childhood curriculum. In N. File., J. Mueller, & D. Basler (Eds.), Curriculum in early childhood education: Re-examined, rediscovered, renewed (pp. 187-199). Routledge.
Bishop, R., Ladwig, J., & Berryman, M. (2014). The centrality of relationships for pedagogy: The Whanaungatanga thesis. American Educational Research Journal, 51(1), 181-214.
Dalli, C. (2014). Quality for babies and toddlers in early years settings. Occasional Paper 4. TACTYC, Association for the Professional Development of Early Years Educators.
Dalli, C (2019). Key teacher in infant pedagogy. In M. A. Peters. Encyclopedia of Teacher Education. Springer. Living edition.
Day, C. (2017). Pedagogy with under-three year olds: Cross-disciplinary insights and innovations. Children, Young People and Care.
Hughes, A. M. (2010). Developing play for the under 3s: The treasure basket and heuristic play. London: Routledge.
Sparling, J., & Lewis, I. (2000–2004). Learning Games: The Abecedarian Curriculum (5 volumes). Aprendamos Jugando: El programa de estudios abecedario, (5 volumes). Hillsborough, NC: MindNurture, Inc.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Week 3B Listening as pedagogy.
Chapter
Fleer, M. (2015). Pedagogical positioning in play–teachers being inside and outside of children's imaginary play. Early child development and care, 185(11-12), 1801-1814.
Houen, S., Danby, S., Farrell, A., & Thorpe, K. (2016). Creating Spaces for Children’s Agency: ‘I wonder…’ Formulations in Teacher–Child Interactions. Springer
Justus Sluss, D. (2019). Supporting Play in Early Childhood: Environment, Curriculum, Assessment. (3rd ed) Boston, Cengage
Quiñones, G., Li, L., & Ridgway, A. (2021). Affective Early Childhood Pedagogy for Infant-Toddlers.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Contemporary studies on Appropriate Pedagogies for children birth to 8 years (e.g., The effective provision of pre-school education),
Chapter
Australian Government Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations. 2009. Belonging, Being and Becoming. The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations for COAG.
Edwards, S., Nuttall, J., Grieshaber, S. & Wood, E. (2019). New play: A pedagogical movement for early childhood education. In D. Whitebread & D. Pino-Pasternak. (Eds.), The SAGE Handbook of Developmental Psychology and Early Childhood Education. London: Sage.
Kilderry, A. (2015). Intentional pedagogies: Insights from the past. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood 40(3), 20-28.
Leggett, N., & Ford, M. (2013). A fine balance: Understanding the roles educators and children play as intentional teachers and intentional learners within the Early Years Learning Framework.
Queensland Curriculum Assessment Authority. (2021). Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guidelines. https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/kindergarten/qklg
Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 38(4), 42-50.
Samuelsson, I.P., & Carlsson, M.A. (2008). The playing learning child: Towards a pedagogy of early childhood. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 52(6), 623-641.
Walsh, G., McMillan, D. & McGuinness.C. (eds). (2017). Playful teaching and learning. Melbourne: Sage. Chapter 2
Wisneski, (Eds.), Curriculum in early childhood education: Re-examined, rediscovered, renewed. (pp.175-187). NY, NY: Routledge.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
The environment as the third teacher: Creating responsive and respectful environments for young children that align with our knowledge of how children learn
Chapter
Berris, R. & Miller, E. (2011). How design of the physical environment impacts early learning: Educators' and parents' perspectives. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 36(4). 102-110.
Biermeier, M. A. (2015). Inspired by Reggio Emilia: Emergent Curriculum in Relationship-Driven Learning Environments. YC Young Children; Nov 2015; 70, 5; ProQuest One Academic.
Gonzalez-Mena. (2013). What Works? Assessing Infant and Toddler Play Environments. YC Young Children, 68(4), 22–25.
MacFarlane, K., & Cartmel, J. (2008). Playgrounds of learning: valuing competence and agency in birth to three-year-olds. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 33(2), 41-47.
Ralli, J., & Payne, R. G. (2016). Let's Play at the Library: Creating Innovative Play Experiences for Babies and Toddlers. Library Trends, 65(1), 41-63.
Rouse. (2016). Making learning visible - parents' perceptions of children’s learning outdoors. Early Child Development and Care, 186(4), 612–623.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Playful inquiry - learning in the everyday
Chapter
Helm, J. &. (2016). Young Investigators: The project approach in the early years (3rd edition). Victoria, Australia: Hawker Brownlow Education.
Pelo,A. (2014). A Sense of Wonder: Cultivating an Ecological Identity in Young Children—and in Ourselves. Canadian Children, 39(2), 5–10.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Appropriate pedagogies in the early years of schooling
Chapter
Bassok D., Latham, S. & Rorem A. (2015). Is kindergarten the new first grade? EdPolicyWorks Working Paper Series, No. 20.
Edwards, S. (2017). Play-based learning and intentional teaching: Forever different?, Australasian Journal of Early Childhood,42(2), 4-11.https://doi.org/10.23965/AJEC.42.2.01
Hall, J., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2009). The role of preschool quality in promoting resilience in the cognitive development of young children. Oxford Review of Education, 35(3), 331-352.
Irvine, S. (2016). Playful pedagogies: Promoting active learning through play and imagination in the early years of school. In D. Bland. (Ed.), Imagination for Inclusion: Diverse Contexts of Educational Practice. (pp. 18-30). Abingdon, Oxon: Taylor and Francis.
Mardell, B., Wilson, D., Ryan, J, Ertel, K., Krechevsky, M & Baker, M. (2016). Towards a pedagogy of play. Retrieved February 7, 2018 from Project Zero: http:// pz.harvard.edu/resources/towards-a-pedagogy-of-play
Milne, I. (2010).A sense of wonder, arising from aesthetic experiences, should be the starting point for inquiry in primary science. Science Education International, 21(2), 102-115.
Queensland Department of Education and Training (2015). Age-appropriate pedagogies for the early years of schooling: Foundation paper. Brisbane, Australia: Queensland Government.
Weisberg, D., Hirsh-Pasek, K., & Golinkoff, R. (2013). Guided Play: Where curriculur goals meet a playful pedagogy. Mind, Brain and Education 7(2), 104-112.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Play as a context for emergent literacy and numeracy
Chapter
Barratt-Pugh, C., & Rohl , M. (2021). Literacy learning in the early years. Routledge.
Hopkins, L., Brookes, F., & Green, J. (2013). Books, Bytes and Brains: The Implications of New Knowledge for Children’s Early Literacy Learning. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 38(1), 23–28.
MacDonald A and Murphy S (2019) ‘Mathematics education for children under four years of age: A systematic review of the literature’, Early Years: An International Journal of Research and Development, 1-18.
Neaumm,S. (2018). Engaging with literacy provision in the early years: Language use and emergent literacy in child-initiated play. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy
Reid, K. (2016). Changing Minds: Discussions in neuroscience, psychology and education. Australian Council for Educational Research.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Play in the contemporary childhood – technologies and digital play
Chapter
Danby, S., Davidson, C., Theobald, M., Houen, S., & Thorpe, K. (2017). Pretend play and technology: Young children making sense of their everyday social worlds. In Multidisciplinary perspectives on play from birth and beyond (pp. 231-245). Springer.
Edwards, S. (2013). Digital play in the early years: A contextual response to the problem of integrating technologies and playbased pedagogies in the early childhood curriculum. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 21(2), 199–212. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2013.789190
Edwards, S. (2015). New concepts of play and the problem of technology, digital media and popular-culture integration with play-based learning in early childhood education. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 25(4), 513-532.
Edwards, S. (2019). Digital play. In C. Donohue (Ed.), Exploring key issues in early childhood and technology: Evolving perspectives and innovative approaches, (pp. 55-62). Routledge.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment Task 1: Pedagogical approaches for children
Due date: 11.45pm EST Friday, December22, 2023
Module/Topic
Documentation and reflecting on the learning occurring as children play
Chapter
Mcnally, & Slutsky, R. (2017). Key elements of the Reggio Emilia approach and how they are interconnected to create the highly regarded system of early childhood education. Early Child Development and Care, 187(12), 1925–1937.
Ramsay Greenberg, A. (2017). Dance and the Reggio Emilia Approach. Dance Education in Practice, 3(1), 20–24.
Turner, T & Wilson, D. G. (2009). Reflections on Documentation: A Discussion With Thought Leaders From Reggio Emilia. Theory Into Practice: Observation, Documentation, and Reflection to Create a Culture of Inquiry, 49(1), 5–13.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Building partnership with families/carers to support children’s learning
Chapter
Emerson, L., Fear. J., Fox, S., & Sanders, E. (2012). Parental engagement in learning and schooling: Lessons from research. A report by the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) for the Family-School and Community Partnerships Bureau Canberra.
McAulay, Baxter, J., & Graham, K. (2013). Promoting partnerships in learning: Inspired by Reggio Emilia principles. Connect, 9, 12–13.
Newman, L., Arthur, L., Staples, K., & Woodrow, C. (2016). Recognition of family engagement in young children’s literacy learning. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 41(1), 73–81.
Rouse, E. (2016). Making learning visible - parents perceptions of children’s learning outdoors. Early Child Development and Care, 186(4), 612–623.
Woodrow, C., Somerville,M., Naidoo, L., & Power, K. (2016) Researching parent engagement: A qualitative field study. The Centre for Educational Research, Western Sydney University, Kingswood, N.S.W.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Challenges for play in early childhood.
Chapter
Farrell, A. (2021). Young Children’s Rights to Provision, Participation and Protection: Challenges of Applying the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child to Early Childhood Education and Care in Australia. In Young Children in the World and Their Rights (pp. 151–166). Springer International Publishing.
Redman, Harrison, L. J., & Djonov, E. (2021). Education versus care for infants and toddlers: the Australian early childhood challenge. Early Child Development and Care
Sumsion, J., Grieshaber, S., McArdle, F., & Shield, P. (2014). The “state of play” in Australia : Early childhood educators and play-based learning. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 39(3), 4–13.
Wood. (2014). Free choice and free play in early childhood education: troubling the discourse. International Journal of Early Years Education, 22(1), 4–18.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment Task 2: Professional learning presentation
Due date: 11.45pm EST on Friday, February 2, 2024
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Important note about the structure of this unit:
Please note that the content of Term 3 units is delivered in various ways (some in intensive mode over the first 6 weeks of the Term). Each unit’s timetable was created to deliver its unique content best and prepare you to complete assessment tasks effectively, as well as allow some ‘downtime’ prior to the commencement of the placement for Professional Praxis 3 and the commencement of university Term 1 2023.
To allow this to happen, some online Zoom Tutorial sessions will be conducted over 6 weeks straight with a class occurring in ‘non-teaching week’ - That is, Week 1 – 4, Non-Teaching Week & Week 5.
Due to the nature of a diverse unit delivery, it is important that you organise your personal diary in order for you to keep up and realise that you should double the usual time allocation to a unit during the intensive mode period for those units.
Please take a look at the Moodle site for each unit for more information.
Please take note below for this specific unit.
This term comprises a 6-week intensive block leading up to the completion of content by December 22, 2023 and Assessment Task 1 is also due on that date.
Assessment task 2 will be due on Week 11 on February 2, 2024. Support will be offered in Week 10 in the form of a drop-in session so that students can discuss their assessment before submission.
1 Reflective Practice Assignment
Task Description
Drawing on scenarios provided on Moodle and engagement with relevant literature, you are required to identify approaches to pedagogy for children:
● Birth – 3 Years
● 3 years – 5 years
As you consider the pedagogical approaches for the two age ranges identified, you need to consider how the pedagogies support the holistic development of the child and align with what we know about the development and characteristics of young children. You need to make explicit how such approaches support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities and contribute to the development of literacy and numeracy knowledge. Particular attention to how the pedagogical choices you make support children and are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds (including children with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds) is required. The centrality of responsive adult-child interactions that support the belonging and development of children need to be discussed.
As part of your consideration, you need to identify the learning opportunities afforded to children in the scenarios and document how the learning opportunities for children reflect the theory you have examined and link to the learning outcomes of the early years learning framework and where appropriate the Kindergarten Guidelines (or similar in your State or Territory).
Your documentation may take the form of a learning story but there must be explicit attention to the learning that is occurring. There must be evidence of considering the learning that is occurring in the capabilities of literacy and numeracy. Additional annotation needs to be included to articulate why the teacher made particular pedagogical decisions. You need to reflect on the importance of documentation as a mechanism for engaging parents/carers in the educative process
Week 6 Friday (22 Dec 2023) 12:00 am AEST
Week 9 Monday (15 Jan 2024)
● Synthesis of contemporary research on early childhood pedagogies
● Articulation of knowledge of the links between early childhood pedagogies, learning theory and knowledge of young children
● Discussion of how early childhood pedagogies support inclusive participation and learning
● Justification for the importance of responsive adult-child interactions and playfulness
● Application of strategies for data gathering, organisation and analysis
● Documentation of children’s learning with links to the relevant learning framework (EYLF)
● Reflection on the importance of documentation as a mechanism for engaging parents/carers in the educative process
● Effective, scholarly and professional communication in accordance with accepted academic conventions APA 7th
- Reflect critically on the importance of leadership in responding to new and emerging policy expectations for quality early childhood education and care
- Construct responses to the challenges and dilemmas of early childhood practice to lead professional learning for colleagues
- Explicate and justify approaches to leadership that create shared understandings of practices that support the wellbeing, safety and learning of children from diverse backgrounds
2 Presentation
Task Description
Part A.
In the previous assessment task, the focus was on pedagogies that teachers enact in the years prior to school contexts. In this assessment task, you will build on your knowledge of early childhood pedagogy to consider appropriate pedagogies in the early years of school. You are required to research pedagogies appropriate in the early years of school that support the holistic development and learning of young children. You are required to provide a synthesis of this research as an appendix of this assessment task.
Part B:
Drawing on your developing knowledge of early childhood pedagogies, you are to develop two professional development sessions for F-2 teachers. You need to make explicit how the use of appropriate pedagogies and adult-child interactions in the Foundation to Year 2 years of schooling enables young children to engage in meaningful learning across the curriculum to enhance the general capabilities of literacy and numeracy. This PD sessions will:
1. Provide theoretical knowledge (perhaps key readings) for the participants
2. Use vignettes (from websites such as AITSL, Dept of Education) to show how pedagogies might look in an F-2 classroom where the pedagogies align with what we know about young children, their way of learning, the developing brain and their development across the domains of development
3. Identify how the environment supports appropriate pedagogies for children in the F-2 classroom
Part C:
In this final section, you are asked to reflect on why teachers need to engage in continued professional learning during their teaching career and also show evidence of where to access professional learning as a member of the early childhood profession.
Week 11 Friday (2 Feb 2024) 12:00 am AEST
Exam Week Friday (16 Feb 2024)
● Synthesis of contemporary research on pedagogies appropriate to the early years of schooling
● Design of professional development embeds contemporary research and shares theoretical knowledge
● Selection of examples of pedagogies that show evidence of knowledge of young children, their wary of learning and the developing brain
● Identification of how the design of the environment supports the implementation of appropriate pedagogies
● Reflection of the importance of professional learning and the identification of resources that might support professional learning
● Effective, scholarly and professional communication in accordance with accepted academic conventions APA 7th
- Reflect critically on the importance of leadership in responding to new and emerging policy expectations for quality early childhood education and care
- Construct responses to the challenges and dilemmas of early childhood practice to lead professional learning for colleagues
- Interpret policy and research to explain the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the participation and learning trajectories of children from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally diverse backgrounds
- Design professional learning that fosters inquiry and reflection on practice and models approaches to demonstrating cultural responsiveness in early childhood contexts
- Identify sources of learning and engagement with families, external professionals and community representatives that expand teachers’ professional knowledge and advocacy for young children and their families.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
