Units
Early Childhood Curriculum: Arts 1
Unit code: EAB011
Credit points: 12
Information about fees and unit costs
We are surrounded by visual images, in many cases much more powerful than any other form of communication. It is important that we are aware of how these images are working on us, and for that, we need to be visually literate. Childhood cultures are made up of interwoven narratives and commodities. The arts enable young children to give form to thought, to develop multiliteracies for exploring and expressing ideas and feelings through representation. This unit examines the characteristic features of the early childhood arts curriculum, its philosophical and theoretical underpinnings, beliefs about the nature of the learner, the child/teacher relationship, and the educational process.
Availability
| Semester | Available |
|---|---|
| 2013 Semester 2 | Yes |
Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013
Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.
Rationale
The arts traditionally and historically play an important part in early childhood care and education. This unit is about the social, emotional and cultural importance of the arts, and explores issues of identities through the arts - students', teachers', and young children's identities. This unit is early in the course to introduce foundation theories and practices in the arts, at the beginning of a graduated sequence of arts units throughout your course.
Aims
The aim of this unit is to introduce you to principles and practices about (i) art as a discipline body of knowledge, (ii) how young children learn about art, and (iii) how to provide quality planned experiences and supportive environments for learning.
Objectives
On completion of this unit, you should be able to:
1. Demonstrate personal and professional understanding of the concepts, skills, processes and values of the arts in early childhood education, including a scholarly understanding of the social, cultural and historical contexts of the arts and arts education. [QCT Standard One; QCT Standard Three]
2. Make links between a personal exploration of identity issues, and professional understandings about language forms and features and textual structures of spoken, written, visual and multimodal texts. [QCT Standard Two]
3. Develop techniques for identifying and developing criteria for assessment in the arts, and consider the characteristics, uses, advantages and limitations of different assessment techniques. [QCT Standard Five]
4. Identify and use information about young children to set learning goals that promote personal development and social participation. [QCT Standard Six]
5. 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 and demonstrate professional responsibility. [QCT Standard Two, QCT Standard Nine]
Content
This unit will cover the following topics:
- introduces the history and philosophy of early childhood arts education, and the theories and practices which shape the early childhood arts curriculum. The studio work provides the environment and opportunities to develop skills and knowledge about art as language, and the language of art.
- Current curriculum documents are examined to assist planning, implementing and evaluating quality arts experiences, and the role of the teacher is debated.
Approaches to Teaching and Learning
Practical studio sessions are based on problem based learning approaches with students actively participating in arts learning. This unit is delivered through a combination of keynote lectures, studio workshops, online interactive teaching resources, tutorials, field trips and discussion. Your learning will be enhanced by weekly reading as specified in the unit material. Both assessment tasks are designed as learning experiences, and are designed to help build your personal and professional knowledge and skills in designing quality arts programs for young children. First year experience principles will be applied as appropriate.
Assessment
Assessment in this unit is both formative and summative. Formative assessment will be provided through multiple opportunities for reflection, discussion and feedback, including online discussions, written comments on initial assignment work, and feedback in studio sessions.
There are two items of summative assessment in the unit: a proposal, and a learning journal.
Assessment name:
Proposal
Description:
Plan for the studio project.
Length: 750 words or equivalent
Relates to objectives:
1, 2 & 5
Weight:
30%
Internal or external:
Both
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
Early semester
Assessment name:
Learning Journal
Description:
Compilation of reflections on learning experiences.
Length: 2500 words or equivalent
Relates to objectives:
1 - 5
Weight:
70%
Internal or external:
Both
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
End of 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
Wright, S. (Ed.). (2003). Children, meaning-making and the arts. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Prentice Hall.
References
Campus Kindergarten. (2003). Big Art: small viewer. Campus Kindergarten, University of Queensland.
Edwards, C., Gandini, L., & Foreman, G. (1995). The hundred languages of children: The Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education. New Jersey: Ablex.
Kolbe, U. (2001). Rapunzel's supermarket: All about young children and their art. Sydney: Peppinot Press.
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
