Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

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

Rationale

Early childhood educators provide programs for young children from all social and cultural contexts and with a wide range of abilities. Developing the personal and professional attributes and abilities for effective interactions with all children, and with the adults in the lives of those children, is an important part of becoming an early childhood educator. Together with the other professional practice units, this unit is designed to assist you to develop the confidence and professional competence necessary to teach in a range of early childhood education and care settings, and builds on the work undertaken in other units a focus on early childhood teacher professional practice, pedagogy and inclusion in early childhood settings.
This unit focuses on very young children aged from birth to three years of age. Emphasis is placed on relationships and on the planning, implementation and evaluation of individually and culturally relevant learning environments for very young children with diverse abilities and family backgrounds. The unit includes a 20-day block field experience in an inclusive early childhood education and care setting.

Designated Unit
This is a designated unit. Designated units are field experience units deemed to be critical to progress in your course. At the end of each semester, if you fail to achieve a satisfactory level of performance in a designated unit you may be eligible for a period of probation or exclusion.

Aims

The aim of this unit is for you to develop an understanding of the links between research, theory and practice in work with children, aged birth to three years and their families in early childhood education and care settings. You will focus on developing an understanding of professional relationships and the need for the teacher to work collaboratively with children, parents, other colleagues and as a member of the community.

Objectives

On completion of this unit, you should be able to:

1. Link educational theory, mandatory policy and current legislative and regulatory frameworks with high quality, ethical and inclusive childhood education and care practice. [QCT Standard 4; QCT Standard 10]


2. Create and maintain flexible, responsive, inclusive, and safe learning environments that support young children with diverse needs. [QCT Standard 4, QCT Standard 7]


3. Foster positive and productive relationships that promote social justice and inclusivity with children and families, centre staff, other professionals and surrounding community. [QCT Standard 8]


4. Document observations of children to plan and implement individually and culturally relevant programs which demonstrate an understanding of children's socio-cultural contexts and partnerships with families and staff in inclusive early childhood education and care settings. [QCT Standard 4; QCT Standard 5 ]


5. Critique knowledge from a variety of sources, critically reflect on your own learning and provide evidence of attaining acceptable standards of academic, professional and personal spoken and written English language literacies relating to this unit. [QCT Standard 2; QCT Standard 7; QCT Standard 10]

Content

The nature of authentic curriculum planning for very young children, including infants and toddlers, and the importance of relationships with families and young children will be explored. The context of inclusive early childhood education will be examined with consideration being given to the purposes of early childhood education and care programs in before school settings in Australia, regulatory frameworks, current research and the role of early childhood education and care programs in promoting human, cultural and social capital.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

The unit aims to help you integrate a theoretical base with practical application. This unit is delivered through a combination of keynote lectures, tutorial activities and discussion, online teaching resources and field experience. Preparation for and reflection on, field experiences in inclusive early childhood programs provides the basis for personal and professional knowledge, skills and growth. You will undertake twenty-days of field experience in an early childhood education and care context, with children aged birth to three years.

Assessment

There are two summative assessment tasks in this unit. One summative assessment task takes place in the field during field experience and is based on your demonstration of the unit outcomes. This task is assessed in conjunction with the supervising teacher in the field. The second summative assessment task involves the development of an EDB013 unit based teaching portfolio which is submitted to the university at the completion of field experience.Assessment in this unit is both formative and summative. Formative assessment will be provided through multiple opportunities for feedback in lectures and tutorial sessions, as well as feedback from your supervising teacher and/or university liaison academic whilst you are in the field. There are two summative assessment tasks.

Assessment name: Portfolio
Description: You are required to develop a Field Experience portfolio that contains selected representations of your work during FE, and which demonstrates growth and understanding of the unit criteria.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5.
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End-Field Experience

Assessment name: Demonstration
Description: 20 days of supervised field experience in an educational setting.
Field experience is graded on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis. You are required to meet all outcomes of the field experience satisfactorily, in order to gain an overall passing grade for this unit.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5.
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Final day of FE

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

Fleer, M., Edwards, S., Hammer, M., Kennedy, A., Ridgway, A., Robbins, J., & Surman, L. (2006). Early Childhood learning communities: Sociocultural research in practice. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson.

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.

The Commission for Children and Young People Act 2000 (Qld)
requires that all students undertaking a field experience as part of this unit will need a valid suitability card or Blue Card which has been registered with QUT before they can commence their placement.

Please refer to Blue Card Applications for full details and appropriate forms.

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: 12-Sep-2012