Students

ECH 333 – Developmental Difference and Disability

2014 – S1 Day

General Information

Download as PDF
Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Other Staff
Kathy Cologon
Contact via kathy.cologon@mq.edu.au
Unit Convenor
Amanda Niland
Contact via amanda.niland@mq.edu.au
X5B Music Room Level 2
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
39cp including [(ECH218 or ECH228) or (ECH216 and admission to BTeach(0-5)) or admission to BTeach(ECS)]
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
In this unit notions of 'difference' and 'disability' are explored in the context of the provision of early childhood education and care. The unit provides students with the opportunity to integrate their knowledge of principles of child development, developmental processes and early childhood pedagogy into a framework focusing on the education of diverse groups of young children. A primary emphasis is working with families of children who experience disability. During the unit, students develop understanding of inclusive education and features of inclusive environments and communities, consider theoretical models of disability, and develop their understanding of appropriate terminology and language. Students also develop their knowledge of practical approaches to inclusive early childhood education and care.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Explore social and contextual issues of difference and disability and reflect on experiences and relationships with others.
  • Become familiar with the issues of individual rights and equity of access to education for children who experience disability.
  • Identify the essential roles of the family in the education of their children.
  • Understand parent/professional issues relating to collection, recording and sharing of information.
  • Examine research based instructional approaches, strategies and planning systems in inclusive settings and developing knowledge and understanding of planning, monitoring and evaluation processes to effectively engage in problem solving and work collaboratively to provide appropriate opportunities for young children and their families.
  • Identify practical and theoretical issues involved in preferred practice in early childhood.
  • Develop understanding of the relevance of considering the perspectives of a child who experiences disability and their family in relation to approaches, terminology and material used in early childhood.
  • Develop knowledge of ways to support a diverse range of children in early childhood settings, including the development of creative and innovative approaches to problem solving and adapting curriculum and approaches.
  • Consider the importance of effective collaboration in achieving educational outcomes for children who experience difference and disability in relation to theory as well as personal experience.
  • Explore the role of the teacher in relation to the education of children who experience developmental difference and disability, with particular emphasis on developing an understanding of inclusive education and reflective consideration of the impact of beliefs and attitudes on practice.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Assignment 1 20% weeks 6/on campus session 2
Assignment 2 40% 27 April/ 4 May
Assignment 3a 24% 8th June
Assignment 3b 16% 16 June

Assignment 1

Due: weeks 6/on campus session 2
Weighting: 20%

Critical review and peer sharing


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explore social and contextual issues of difference and disability and reflect on experiences and relationships with others.
  • Become familiar with the issues of individual rights and equity of access to education for children who experience disability.
  • Identify practical and theoretical issues involved in preferred practice in early childhood.
  • Develop understanding of the relevance of considering the perspectives of a child who experiences disability and their family in relation to approaches, terminology and material used in early childhood.
  • Develop knowledge of ways to support a diverse range of children in early childhood settings, including the development of creative and innovative approaches to problem solving and adapting curriculum and approaches.

Assignment 2

Due: 27 April/ 4 May
Weighting: 40%

Completion of a weekly journal and development of a handout for teachers


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explore social and contextual issues of difference and disability and reflect on experiences and relationships with others.
  • Become familiar with the issues of individual rights and equity of access to education for children who experience disability.
  • Identify the essential roles of the family in the education of their children.
  • Understand parent/professional issues relating to collection, recording and sharing of information.
  • Examine research based instructional approaches, strategies and planning systems in inclusive settings and developing knowledge and understanding of planning, monitoring and evaluation processes to effectively engage in problem solving and work collaboratively to provide appropriate opportunities for young children and their families.
  • Identify practical and theoretical issues involved in preferred practice in early childhood.
  • Develop understanding of the relevance of considering the perspectives of a child who experiences disability and their family in relation to approaches, terminology and material used in early childhood.
  • Develop knowledge of ways to support a diverse range of children in early childhood settings, including the development of creative and innovative approaches to problem solving and adapting curriculum and approaches.
  • Consider the importance of effective collaboration in achieving educational outcomes for children who experience difference and disability in relation to theory as well as personal experience.
  • Explore the role of the teacher in relation to the education of children who experience developmental difference and disability, with particular emphasis on developing an understanding of inclusive education and reflective consideration of the impact of beliefs and attitudes on practice.

Assignment 3a

Due: 8th June
Weighting: 24%

Critical literature review


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explore social and contextual issues of difference and disability and reflect on experiences and relationships with others.
  • Identify practical and theoretical issues involved in preferred practice in early childhood.
  • Develop understanding of the relevance of considering the perspectives of a child who experiences disability and their family in relation to approaches, terminology and material used in early childhood.
  • Develop knowledge of ways to support a diverse range of children in early childhood settings, including the development of creative and innovative approaches to problem solving and adapting curriculum and approaches.
  • Explore the role of the teacher in relation to the education of children who experience developmental difference and disability, with particular emphasis on developing an understanding of inclusive education and reflective consideration of the impact of beliefs and attitudes on practice.

Assignment 3b

Due: 16 June
Weighting: 16%

Critical reflection 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explore social and contextual issues of difference and disability and reflect on experiences and relationships with others.
  • Identify practical and theoretical issues involved in preferred practice in early childhood.
  • Develop understanding of the relevance of considering the perspectives of a child who experiences disability and their family in relation to approaches, terminology and material used in early childhood.
  • Develop knowledge of ways to support a diverse range of children in early childhood settings, including the development of creative and innovative approaches to problem solving and adapting curriculum and approaches.
  • Explore the role of the teacher in relation to the education of children who experience developmental difference and disability, with particular emphasis on developing an understanding of inclusive education and reflective consideration of the impact of beliefs and attitudes on practice.

Delivery and Resources

The unit is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials/on campus sessions, required and recommended readings and the online website. More detailed information regarding the unit content and requirements is provided through the unit website. It is essential that each student carefully reads the information provided in the unit website at the start of the semester and adheres to all unit requirements as detailed here and in the unit website.

Due to the requirement to use the online website, students will need to have computer and internet access to complete the unit.

Attendance at tutorials/on campus sessions and lecture listening is an expected requirement of the unit.

To pass the unit all assessment pieces must be completed and submitted.

The required unit readings are available through e-reserve. A list of additional recommended readings are also provided in the unit website.

The unit website is available at ilearn.mq.edu.au. You are required to check this website at least once per week.

The workload for the unit requires 9 hours of compulsory study per week (135 hours per semester), including careful reading of the online unit information, weekly lecture listening, tutorial (internal) or on campus session (external) attendance, unit readings and completion and submission of all assessment tasks. 

Student feedback is valued and encouraged in this unit and informs yearly revisions to the unit.

Unit Schedule

Weekly Lectures: Tuesday 9-11am (available online for external students)

Internal students: Weekly Tutorials (see the university timetable for tutorial times and locations)

External students: Two compulsory on campus sessions (see the online handbook and university timetable for details)

Weekly Readings: See the unit website and e-reserve for weekly required and recommended readings

Weekly Reflections: Please see the unit website for more information

Assessment tasks: Please see details of the assessment tasks in the unit website

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy  http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Explore social and contextual issues of difference and disability and reflect on experiences and relationships with others.
  • Understand parent/professional issues relating to collection, recording and sharing of information.
  • Examine research based instructional approaches, strategies and planning systems in inclusive settings and developing knowledge and understanding of planning, monitoring and evaluation processes to effectively engage in problem solving and work collaboratively to provide appropriate opportunities for young children and their families.

Assessment task

  • Assignment 2

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Explore social and contextual issues of difference and disability and reflect on experiences and relationships with others.
  • Consider the importance of effective collaboration in achieving educational outcomes for children who experience difference and disability in relation to theory as well as personal experience.

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment 1
  • Assignment 2
  • Assignment 3a
  • Assignment 3b

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Explore social and contextual issues of difference and disability and reflect on experiences and relationships with others.
  • Identify the essential roles of the family in the education of their children.
  • Understand parent/professional issues relating to collection, recording and sharing of information.
  • Examine research based instructional approaches, strategies and planning systems in inclusive settings and developing knowledge and understanding of planning, monitoring and evaluation processes to effectively engage in problem solving and work collaboratively to provide appropriate opportunities for young children and their families.
  • Identify practical and theoretical issues involved in preferred practice in early childhood.
  • Develop knowledge of ways to support a diverse range of children in early childhood settings, including the development of creative and innovative approaches to problem solving and adapting curriculum and approaches.
  • Explore the role of the teacher in relation to the education of children who experience developmental difference and disability, with particular emphasis on developing an understanding of inclusive education and reflective consideration of the impact of beliefs and attitudes on practice.

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment 1
  • Assignment 2
  • Assignment 3a
  • Assignment 3b

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Explore social and contextual issues of difference and disability and reflect on experiences and relationships with others.
  • Become familiar with the issues of individual rights and equity of access to education for children who experience disability.
  • Examine research based instructional approaches, strategies and planning systems in inclusive settings and developing knowledge and understanding of planning, monitoring and evaluation processes to effectively engage in problem solving and work collaboratively to provide appropriate opportunities for young children and their families.
  • Identify practical and theoretical issues involved in preferred practice in early childhood.
  • Explore the role of the teacher in relation to the education of children who experience developmental difference and disability, with particular emphasis on developing an understanding of inclusive education and reflective consideration of the impact of beliefs and attitudes on practice.

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment 1
  • Assignment 2
  • Assignment 3a
  • Assignment 3b

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Examine research based instructional approaches, strategies and planning systems in inclusive settings and developing knowledge and understanding of planning, monitoring and evaluation processes to effectively engage in problem solving and work collaboratively to provide appropriate opportunities for young children and their families.
  • Identify practical and theoretical issues involved in preferred practice in early childhood.
  • Develop knowledge of ways to support a diverse range of children in early childhood settings, including the development of creative and innovative approaches to problem solving and adapting curriculum and approaches.

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment 3a
  • Assignment 3b

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Develop knowledge of ways to support a diverse range of children in early childhood settings, including the development of creative and innovative approaches to problem solving and adapting curriculum and approaches.

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Examine research based instructional approaches, strategies and planning systems in inclusive settings and developing knowledge and understanding of planning, monitoring and evaluation processes to effectively engage in problem solving and work collaboratively to provide appropriate opportunities for young children and their families.
  • Develop knowledge of ways to support a diverse range of children in early childhood settings, including the development of creative and innovative approaches to problem solving and adapting curriculum and approaches.

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment 1
  • Assignment 2
  • Assignment 3a
  • Assignment 3b

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Explore social and contextual issues of difference and disability and reflect on experiences and relationships with others.
  • Become familiar with the issues of individual rights and equity of access to education for children who experience disability.
  • Identify the essential roles of the family in the education of their children.
  • Develop understanding of the relevance of considering the perspectives of a child who experiences disability and their family in relation to approaches, terminology and material used in early childhood.

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment 1
  • Assignment 2
  • Assignment 3a
  • Assignment 3b

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Explore social and contextual issues of difference and disability and reflect on experiences and relationships with others.
  • Become familiar with the issues of individual rights and equity of access to education for children who experience disability.
  • Identify the essential roles of the family in the education of their children.
  • Develop understanding of the relevance of considering the perspectives of a child who experiences disability and their family in relation to approaches, terminology and material used in early childhood.
  • Consider the importance of effective collaboration in achieving educational outcomes for children who experience difference and disability in relation to theory as well as personal experience.