Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Children's learning occurs in the contexts of their families and communities. This unit is concerned with the diversity, complexity, and changing nature of contemporary families and childhoods and the influence of broader historical, social, cultural, political and economic factors on their everyday lives. This unit draws upon theory, research, policy and practice from the interdisciplinary fields of childhood sociology, developmental psychology, and family studies. This unit challenges you, in the first year of your course, to consider the breadth and depth of your professional responsibilities in relation to children, their families and communities.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to build knowledge and understanding of contemporary issues facing children, families and communities, and to foster positive attitudes towards family and community collaboration and engagement in ECEC programs.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you should be able to:

1. Use research and theory to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the diverse range of issues affecting children, families and communities. [QCT Standards 4, 7 & 8]
2. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key social and educational policies and their impact on service provision for children and families. [QCT Standards 4 & 8]
3. Establish and promote respectful, collaborative relationships with children and families and expound strategies for developing and maintaining engagement in ECEC contexts. [QCT Standard 8]
4. Design and implement learning experiences that develop language and literacy and that demonstrate a sound fundamental knowledge of language forms and features and textual structures of spoken/ written/ visual multimodal texts; provide evidence of attaining acceptable standards of academic, professional and personal spoken and written English language literacies relating to this unit. [QCT Standard 2]

Content

This unit introduces you to a diverse range of issues impacting children, families and communities. It explores the ways in which historical, social, cultural, political and economic factors influence their everyday practices, and examines government policy responses to dynamic family and community contexts. It promotes understanding of the diverse backgrounds and characteristics of children which is essential for provision of high quality, well-functioning, socially-just early childhood services.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit is delivered through a combination of interactive keynote lectures, small-group discussion sessions based on examining unit readings and your own experiences, and online resources to support in-class activities. You will work in self-selected study groups for specific problem-based learning experiences and will engage in scholarly reading, research, writing and thinking. First year experience principles will be applied as appropriate.

Assessment

Assessment in this unit is both formative and summative. Formative assessment will be provided in in-class and online sessions, and in written comments on initial assignment work. There are two items of summative assessment in the unit: a report and an examination.

Assessment name: Report
Description: Tasks undertaken in the field are reported in the light of relevant research literature.
Word length: 2000 words
Relates to objectives: 1 - 4
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Mid-Semester

Assessment name: Examination
Description: Two-hour examination reviewing work done during the semester.
Relates to objectives: 1 - 4
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End-Semester

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Text

Bowes, J. & Grace, R (Eds.). (2008). Children, families and communities: Contexts and consequences, (3^rd ed) Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press.

References

Farrell , A. (Ed.). (2005). Ethical research with children. North Ryde, NSW: Open University Press/McGraw Hill Education.
James, A., & James, A., (2004). Constructing childhood. Theory, policy and social practice. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
McNaughton, G., Rolfe, S., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (Eds.) (2001). Doing early childhood research. International perspectives on theory and practice. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin.
Poole, M. (2005). Changing families, changing times. In M. Poole (Ed.), Changing families, changing times (pp. 1-19). Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin
Silva, E., & Smart, C. (Eds.).(1999). The new family. London: Sage.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with the general conduct of this unit. Workplace health and safety protocols in relation to computer use will apply.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 29-Oct-2012