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 - 2024
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 communication
Clarity of unit requirements
Ensure greater clarity of unit requirements
- 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
Historical overview of early childhood
Chapter
Brennan. (2013). Early childhood education and care: History and possibilities. Bedrock (Sydney), 18(3), 6–7.
Logan,H. (2017). Tensions in constructions of quality in Australian early childhood education and care policy history. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 25(4), 506–518.
Logan,H. (2018). Retaining meanings of quality in Australian early childhood education and care policy history: perspectives from policy makers. Early Years (London, England), 38(2), 139–155.
Events and Submissions/Topic
All references listed for each weekly module may assist you in your assignments.
Please refer to Moodle e Reading Lists as well.
Module/Topic
The changing context of Early Childhood Education and Care
Chapter
Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority. (2018). National Quality Framework. https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/national-quality-standard
Australian Government Department of Education. (2022). Belonging, being and becoming: The early years learning framework for Australia V2.0. Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority. https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-01/EYLF-2022-V2.0.pdf
Logan, H., Sumsion, J., & Press, F. (2014). Uncovering hidden dimensions of Australian early childhood policy history: insights from interviews with policy “elites.” European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 22(5), 711–722.
Sims, M., Waniganayake, M., & Hadley, D. F. (2018). Educational leadership: An evolving role in Australian early childhood settings. Educational Management, Administration & Leadership, 46(6), 960–979.
Events and Submissions/Topic
All references listed for each weekly module may assist you in your assignments.
Please refer to Moodle e Reading Lists as well.
Module/Topic
The policy context including the NQF & NQS
Chapter
Bown, & Sumsion, J. (2016). Generating visionary policy for early childhood education and care: Politicians’ and early childhood sector advocate/activists’ perspectives. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 17(2), 192–209.
Sims, M., Forrest, R., Semann, A., & Slattery, C. (2015). Conceptions of early childhood leadership: driving new professionalism? International Journal of Leadership in Education, 18(2), 149–166.
Events and Submissions/Topic
All references listed for each weekly module may assist you in your assignments.
Please refer to Moodle e Reading Lists as well.
Module/Topic
Conceptualising early childhood leadership
Chapter
Garner, P., & McCarron, G. P. (2020). Developing leadership in early childhood education and care through the integration of theory, policy engagement, and advocacy. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 1–18.
Penn, H. (2019). Understanding the contexts of leadership debates. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 20(1), 104-109. http://doi:10.1177/1463949118800768
Siraj-Blatchford, I. and Manni, L. (2007). Effective leadership in the early years sector: The ELEYS study. University of London, Institute of Education
Waniganayake, M., Cheeseman,S., Fenech, M., Hadley, F. & Shepherd, W. (2017). Leadership: Contexts and complexities in early childhood education. Oxford University Press.
Waniganayake, M., Rodd, J. & Gibbs, L. (2015). Thinking and learning about leadership: Early childhood research from Australia, Finland and Norway. Community childcare Co-operative.
Woodrow, C., & Busch, G. (2008). Repositioning early childhood leadership as action and activism. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 16(1), 83-93. http://doi:10.1080/13502930801897053
Events and Submissions/Topic
All references listed for each weekly module may assist you in your assignments.
Please refer to Moodle e Reading Lists as well.
Module/Topic
Approaches to leadership – (Pedagogical Leadership, Distributed Leadership)
Chapter
Bøe, M., & Hognestad, K. (2017). Directing and facilitating distributed pedagogical leadership: Best practices in early childhood education. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 20 (2), 133–148.
Colmer, K., Waniganayake, M., & Field, L. (2014). Leading professional learning in early childhood centres : Who are the educational leaders? Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 39(4), 103–113.
Heikka, J., & Waniganayake, M. (2011). Pedagogical leadership from a distributed perspective within the context of early childhood education. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 14(4), 499–512. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2011.577909
Sims, M., Waniganayake, M., & Hadley, F. (2019). What makes good even better? Excellent EC leadership. International Journal of Educational Management, 33(4), 573–586.
Events and Submissions/Topic
All references listed for each weekly module may assist you in your assignments.
Please refer to Moodle e Reading Lists as well.
Module/Topic
Enacting cultural competence through leadership practice
Chapter
Ritte, R., Panozzo, S., Johnston, L., Agerholm, J., Kvernmo, S. E., Rowley, K., & Arabena, K. (2016). An Australian model of the First 1000 Days: an Indigenous-led process to turn an international initiative into an early-life strategy benefiting indigenous families. Global Health, Epidemiology and Genomics, 1, e11–e11.
Events and Submissions/Topic
All references listed for each weekly module may assist you in your assignments.
Please refer to Moodle e Reading Lists as well.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment Task 1: Reflective Practice Assignment Due: Week 7 Friday (20 Dec 2024) 12:00 am AEST
Assessment Task 1: Reflective Practice Assignment Due: Week 7 Friday (20 Dec 2024) 12:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Leadership to effect change, implement policy and create safe and supportive learning environments for children from diverse cultural and social backgrounds
Chapter
Aubrey, C., Godfrey, R., & Harris, A. (2013). How Do They Manage? An Investigation of Early Childhood Leadership. Educational Management, Administration & Leadership, 41(1), 5–29.
Black, A., Busch, G., & Woodrow, C. (2020). Using contemplative practices for teaching, leadership and wellbeing. In S.Garvis. & D. Pendergast (Eds.), Health & Wellbeing in Childhood (3rd ed., pp, 328-346). Cambridge University Press.
Gibbs, L. (2020). “That’s your right as a human isn’t it?” The emergence and development of leading as a socially-just practice in early childhood education. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 45(4), 295-308.
Gambaro,L., Stewart, K., & Waldfogel, J. (2014). An equal start?: Providing quality early education and care for disadvantaged children (Kitty Stewart, Jane Waldfogel, & Ludovica Gambaro, Eds.). Policy Press.
Hard,L. & Jónsdóttir, A. H. (2013). Leadership is not a dirty word: Exploring and embracing leadership in ECEC. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 21(3), 311–325.
Wong,S. (2013). A “Humanitarian Idea”: Using a Historical Lens to Reflect on Social Justice in Early Childhood Education and Care. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 14(4), 311–323.
Woodrow, C. (2016). In the pursuit of social justice: methodologies for growing leadership and mobilising change. In R. R. Scarlet (Ed.), The Anti-bias Approach in Early Childhood (pp. 303-306). Multiverse Publishing.
Events and Submissions/Topic
All references listed for each weekly module may assist you in your assignments.
Please refer to Moodle e Reading Lists as well.
Module/Topic
Leading professional learning and building learning communities including with families– pedagogical leadership
Chapter
Myran, S. & Masterson, M. (2020). Training early childhood leaders: developing a new paradigm for professional development using a practice to theory approach. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 1–24.
Stamopoulos, E. (2015). The Professional Leadership and Action Research Training Model : Supporting early childhood leadership. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 40(4), 39–48.
Events and Submissions/Topic
All references listed for each weekly module may assist you in your assignments.
Please refer to Moodle e Reading Lists as well.
Module/Topic
Advocacy for children and families – leading intentionally through advocacy and activism
Chapter
Fenech, M. (2013). Quality early childhood education for my child or for all children? : parents as activists for equitable, high-quality early childhood education in Australia. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 38(4), 92–98.
Fenech, M., Salamon, A., & Stratigos, T. (2019). Building parents’ understandings of quality early childhood education and care and early learning and development: changing constructions to change conversations. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 27(5), 706–721.
Events and Submissions/Topic
All references listed for each weekly module may assist you in your assignments.
Please refer to Moodle e Reading Lists as well.
Module/Topic
Challenges and dilemmas in the field of Early Childhood Education and Care
Workforce Challenges in ECEC – attracting and retaining staff, qualifications, remuneration and conditions
Chapter
Alchin, I., Arthur, L., & Woodrow, C. (2019). Evidencing leadership and management challenges in early childhood in Australia. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 44(3), 85 - 297.
Irvine, S., Thorpe, K., McDonald, P., Lunn, J., & Sumsion, J. (2016). Money, love and identity: Initial findings from the National ECEC Workforce Study.
Logan, H., Cumming, T., & Wong, S. (2020). Sustaining the work-related wellbeing of early childhood educators: Perspectives from key stakeholders in early childhood organisations. International Journal of Early Childhood, 52(1), 95-113.
McKinlay,S., Irvine, S., & Farrell, A. (2018). What keeps early childhood teachers working in long day care? : Tackling the crisis for Australia’s reform agenda in early childhood education and care. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 43(2), 32–42.
Press, F., Wong, S., & Gibson, M. (2015). Understanding who cares: creating the evidence to address the long-standing policy problem of staff shortages in early childhood education and care. Journal of Family Studies, 21(1), 87–100.
Waniganayake, M., Cheeseman, S., Fenech, M., Hadley, F. & Shepherd, W. (2017). Leadership: Contexts and complexities in early childhood education. Oxford University Press.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment Task 2: Presentation and accompanying documentation Due: Week 12 Friday (7 Feb 2025) 12:00 am AEST
Assessment Task 2: Presentation and accompanying documentation Due: Week 12 Friday (7 Feb 2025) 12:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
This unit will have a vacation after the official vacation week until the unit content recommences delivery in week 9 and study will continue till Week 12.
1 Reflective Practice Assignment
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 to create a professional learning community
committed to the well-being, safety, and improved educational outcomes of children with diverse characteristics and needs.
Use of Generative Artificial intelligence Agents (Gen AI)
Within this assessment, the use of Gen AI agents is as follows:
• No Gen AI use at any point during this assessment.
Week 7 Friday (20 Dec 2024) 12:00 am AEST
Week 9 Friday (17 Jan 2025)
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
- 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
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, 2024). 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, 2024, 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.
Use of Generative Artificial intelligence Agents (Gen AI)
Within this assessment, the use of Gen AI agents is as follows:
• No Gen AI use at any point during this assessment.
Week 12 Friday (7 Feb 2025) 12:00 am AEST
Exam Week Friday (14 Feb 2025)
● 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
- 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?
