Students

ECST330 – Early Childhood Studies III

2016 – S1 External

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Coordinator
Kelly Johnston
Contact via 98609865
X5B261
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to BTeach(ECS) or BTeach(0-5) and 39cp
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit builds on understandings gained in ECST110 and ECST220. It focuses attention on pedagogical approaches to teaching and learning with children agreed two to five years including the transition to school. The unit introduces students to research about preschool education and the range of settings that cater to children in this age group. Students will engage in a critical analysis of planning approaches, teaching strategies and assessment techniques that are recommended for preschoolers. They will examine strategies for assessment and reporting that involves children, families and teachers and develop plans for children's successful transition to full-time school.

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:

  • 1. Critically examine research relating to children aged three to five years and their learning
  • 2. Identify the inherent strengths and weaknesses of the range of settings catering for pre-schoolers based on your knowledge of curriculum and theory
  • 3. Identify how to create positive learning environments in all service types
  • 4. Identify attitudes and approaches that can either inhibit or enhance learning in relation to equity and socially just practice
  • 5. Draw on current documents that guide and support early learning in Australian contexts to effectively document, assess and extend children's learning and development.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Online postings 30% 18/03, 13/05, 8/06
Early learning environments 40% A- 07/04 or 11/04, B- 26/04
Professional challenges 30% 25/05/2016

Online postings

Due: 18/03, 13/05, 8/06
Weighting: 30%

Three reflective online blog posts. 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 1. Critically examine research relating to children aged three to five years and their learning
  • 2. Identify the inherent strengths and weaknesses of the range of settings catering for pre-schoolers based on your knowledge of curriculum and theory
  • 3. Identify how to create positive learning environments in all service types

Early learning environments

Due: A- 07/04 or 11/04, B- 26/04
Weighting: 40%

Group presentation and individual report of 1000-1200 words 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 1. Critically examine research relating to children aged three to five years and their learning
  • 2. Identify the inherent strengths and weaknesses of the range of settings catering for pre-schoolers based on your knowledge of curriculum and theory
  • 3. Identify how to create positive learning environments in all service types
  • 4. Identify attitudes and approaches that can either inhibit or enhance learning in relation to equity and socially just practice

Professional challenges

Due: 25/05/2016
Weighting: 30%

2000 word essay 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 1. Critically examine research relating to children aged three to five years and their learning
  • 2. Identify the inherent strengths and weaknesses of the range of settings catering for pre-schoolers based on your knowledge of curriculum and theory
  • 3. Identify how to create positive learning environments in all service types
  • 4. Identify attitudes and approaches that can either inhibit or enhance learning in relation to equity and socially just practice
  • 5. Draw on current documents that guide and support early learning in Australian contexts to effectively document, assess and extend children's learning and development.

Delivery and Resources

Weekly lectures (online)

Two hour tutorial each week for internal students

Two full day on campus session days for external students. 

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

New Assessment Policy in effect from Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html. For more information visit http://students.mq.edu.au/events/2016/07/19/new_assessment_policy_in_place_from_session_2/

Assessment Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

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

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.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/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

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://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

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

Graduate Capabilities

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 outcomes

  • 1. Critically examine research relating to children aged three to five years and their learning
  • 2. Identify the inherent strengths and weaknesses of the range of settings catering for pre-schoolers based on your knowledge of curriculum and theory
  • 3. Identify how to create positive learning environments in all service types

Assessment tasks

  • Early learning environments
  • Professional challenges

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 outcome

  • 5. Draw on current documents that guide and support early learning in Australian contexts to effectively document, assess and extend children's learning and development.

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

  • 1. Critically examine research relating to children aged three to five years and their learning
  • 2. Identify the inherent strengths and weaknesses of the range of settings catering for pre-schoolers based on your knowledge of curriculum and theory
  • 3. Identify how to create positive learning environments in all service types
  • 4. Identify attitudes and approaches that can either inhibit or enhance learning in relation to equity and socially just practice
  • 5. Draw on current documents that guide and support early learning in Australian contexts to effectively document, assess and extend children's learning and development.

Assessment tasks

  • Online postings
  • Early learning environments
  • Professional challenges

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

  • 1. Critically examine research relating to children aged three to five years and their learning
  • 2. Identify the inherent strengths and weaknesses of the range of settings catering for pre-schoolers based on your knowledge of curriculum and theory
  • 3. Identify how to create positive learning environments in all service types
  • 4. Identify attitudes and approaches that can either inhibit or enhance learning in relation to equity and socially just practice
  • 5. Draw on current documents that guide and support early learning in Australian contexts to effectively document, assess and extend children's learning and development.

Assessment tasks

  • Online postings
  • Early learning environments
  • Professional challenges

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

  • 1. Critically examine research relating to children aged three to five years and their learning
  • 2. Identify the inherent strengths and weaknesses of the range of settings catering for pre-schoolers based on your knowledge of curriculum and theory
  • 3. Identify how to create positive learning environments in all service types
  • 4. Identify attitudes and approaches that can either inhibit or enhance learning in relation to equity and socially just practice
  • 5. Draw on current documents that guide and support early learning in Australian contexts to effectively document, assess and extend children's learning and development.

Assessment tasks

  • Early learning environments
  • Professional challenges

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

  • 1. Critically examine research relating to children aged three to five years and their learning
  • 2. Identify the inherent strengths and weaknesses of the range of settings catering for pre-schoolers based on your knowledge of curriculum and theory
  • 4. Identify attitudes and approaches that can either inhibit or enhance learning in relation to equity and socially just practice
  • 5. Draw on current documents that guide and support early learning in Australian contexts to effectively document, assess and extend children's learning and development.

Assessment tasks

  • Early learning environments
  • Professional challenges

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

  • 2. Identify the inherent strengths and weaknesses of the range of settings catering for pre-schoolers based on your knowledge of curriculum and theory
  • 4. Identify attitudes and approaches that can either inhibit or enhance learning in relation to equity and socially just practice

Changes since First Published

Date Description
19/02/2016 Hello, I changed Part B of assignment 2 to due on 26/4 as the 25/4 is a public holiday. Also, I noticed that I have 2015 instead of 2016 for assessment 3. Thanks, Kelly.