Units
Early Childhood Society Environment and Health Education
Unit code: EAB013
Contact hours: 3 per week
Credit points: 12
Information about fees and unit costs
This unit promotes a broad view of science. However, that includes the social sciences, health and environmental perspectives. Appropriate curriculum approaches that support a broader, more integrated view of science is a key goal.
Through this unit, students should achieve the following: develop a deepening of their own understandings of concepts pertinent to science, studies of society and environment, and health; learn to critique and broaden their views of science; understand a range of appropriate inquiry-based approaches relevant to these areas; learn to apply these approaches to facilitate young children's learning in the sciences.
Availability
| Semester | Available |
|---|---|
| 2013 Semester 1 | Yes |
| 2013 Semester 2 | Yes |
Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013
Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.
Rationale
Unit Rationale
We live in an age of uncertainty and rapid change. It is imperative that early childhood educators are able to work with children, families and communities in ways that build knowledge, skills and values that help them to understand and shape this complex world. This unit focuses on social and cultural education, education for sustainability, and health and physical education. It explores contemporary issues, both global and local, and has a futures focus. It emphasises integrated, critical inquiry approaches to teaching and learning aimed at encouraging young people to be pro-active in shaping peaceful, healthy, just and sustainable futures. The unit is underpinned by a view of children as learners who are competent, have rights, and are capable of making decisions and acting responsibly.
Aims
The aim of this unit is to provide students with opportunities to broaden and deepen your understandings of key concepts that are foundational to social, environmental, health and physical education in the early childhood years, birth to 8 years. Allied with this conceptual understanding is the development of appropriate teaching and learning approaches that support young children as proactive learners capable of creating change in their social and physical environments.
Objectives
On completion of this unit, you should be able to:
1. Demonstrate understanding and critique of teaching and learning strategies for promoting higher-order thinking skills, reflection and problem-solving in the context of SOSE and HPE for young children. [QCT Standard 3]
2. Plan and implement appropriate learning experiences in which students actively use ICTs to communicate and represent knowledge in SOSE and HPE. [QCT Standard 3]
3. Explain how principles of peace, health, equity and sustainability can permeate teaching and learning practices in SOSE and HPE. [QCT Standard 6]
4. Demonstrate acceptable standards of professional communication, professional responsibility, and personal competence through participation in professional teams. [QCT Standard 9]
5. 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 includes the following topics:
The Big Picture
Broad principles, theories, values and practices that underpin social, environmental, health and physical education in early childhood contexts.
Curriculum and pedagogy in social and environmental education in the early years
Examines concepts and values related to social and environmental education including democracy, social justice, reconciliation, sustainability and peace and ways to promote these in classrooms and group settings
Curriculum and pedagogy in health and physical education in the early years
Explores concepts and values related to health and physical education, including principles of diversity, equity and supportive environments, and ways to promote these in classroom and group settings
Bringing it all together
Ways to create interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches in early education, using multiliteracies, ICTs, excursions and children's literature.
Approaches to Teaching and Learning
This unit aims to foster critical inquiry and creative problem-solving through personal research and collaborative learning activities. These qualities will be developed using a combination of keynote lectures, set readings, videos, workshops, tutorials, field trips, online teaching resources, and web-based materials and resources. First year experience principles will be applied as appropriate.
Assessment
There are two summative assessment items for this unit:
Assessment name:
Project (applied)
Description:
Small Group Curriculum Project (Webstory) (20%); Classroom Presentation (10%); Individual Reflection/s (2 X 10%); TOTAL 50%
This small group curriculum project explores teaching and learning strategies in social, environmental, health and physical education in early childhood. A feature is the development of a collaborative webstory using ICTs which is then presented to students in tutorial. Individual comments/reflections on learning are also required.
Length: Internal students: Active participation in workshops; webstory task and presentation in class (equivalent to 1200 words); 2 X individual reflections (around 150 words/reflection)
Length: External Students: Online collaboration; webstory task (equivalent to 1200 words); 2 X individual reflections (around 150 words/reflection)
Relates to objectives:
1 - 4
Weight:
50%
Internal or external:
Both
Group or individual:
Group
Due date:
Mid-Semester
Assessment name:
Essay
Description:
Essay on early childhood SOSE/HPE principles and practice
This task provides opportunities for students to identify, implement (as part of field experience) and critique curriculum and pedagogy in SOSE and HPE in the early years. For most students, this task will relate directly to their field experience. Students not undertaking concurrent field experience will prepare a modified version of this task
Length: 1500 words.
Relates to objectives:
1, 2, 3 & 4
Weight:
50%
Internal or external:
Both
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
Texts
Davis, J. (Ed.)(2010) Young Children and the Environment: Early Education for Sustainability. Melbourne Cambridge University Press.
References
Albon, D., & Mukherji, P. (2008) Food and health in early childhood. London: Sage.
C&K Preschooling Professionals. (2006). Building waterfalls: A living and learning curriculum framework. Newmarket, QLD: Author.
Davis, J. & Elliott, S. (2003). Early childhood environmental education: Making it mainstream. Watson, ACT: Early Childhood Australia.
Gilbert, R. (Ed). (2004). Studying society and environment: A guide for teachers. (3rd ed.), Southbank, VIC, Thomson Learning.
Hart, R. (1997). Children's participation: The theory and practice of involving young citizens in community development and environmental care. New York: UNICEF.
Kinsella, R. (2007) Greening services: Practical sustainability. Research into Practice Series, Watson, ACT: Early Childhood Australia
Lang, J. (2007) How to succeed with education for sustainability. Melbourne, VIC: Curriculum Corporation.
MacNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices for theory and practice (3rd ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson.
Marsh, C. J. (2008). Studies of society and environment: Exploring the teching possibilities. (5th ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Education.
Oberklaid, F. (2004). Health in early childhood settings: From emergencies to the common cold. Castle Hill, NSW: Pademelon Press.
Phillips, J., & Lampert, J. (Eds.) (2005) Introductory Indigenous studies in education: The importance of knowing. Frenchs forest: NSW: Pearson.
Queensland School Curriculum Council. (2000). Studies of Society and Environment - Years 1-10 Syllabus. Brisbane: The Office of the Queensland School Curriculum Council.
Queensland School Curriculum Council. (2000). Health and Physical Education - Years 1-10 Syllabus. Brisbane: The Office of the Queensland School Curriculum Council.
Queensland Studies Authority. (2006). Early years curriculum materials: Teacher's pack. Brisbane: The State of Queensland.
Stanton, R., & Hills, A. (2004) A matter of fat: Understanding and overcoming obesity in kids . Sydney, NSW.: UNSW 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
