Students

ECED601 – Health and Well-being in Early Childhood

2016 – S1 Online

General Information

Download as PDF
Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Lecturer
Emma Smith
Coordinator
Kelly Johnston
Contact via 9850 9865
X5B 261
Credit points Credit points
4
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MTeach(Birth to Five Years)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit aims to cover many of the health issues that face children and families in both early childhood settings and at home. Early childhood professionals have an added duty of care that necessitates a comprehensive knowledge of likely and unlikely medical events in children's lives. It is also essential that these professionals are familiar with Australian regulations designed to protect children and ensure their optimal wellbeing.
With technology and medical knowledge increasing at an exponential rate, it is important to develop a critical awareness of controversies and differences of opinion concerning practices. An awareness of others' beliefs and levels of understanding is necessary. Debate is encouraged regarding health and medical choices and practices.

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. Increase knowledge and understanding of current health policies and regulations in early childhood services
  • 2. Develop skills in accessing, evaluating and using information gained from diverse sources in competent practical ways
  • 3. Promote positive health practices for young children in the family and in early childhood services
  • 4. Evaluate early childhood programs in the context of preventative health and child well-being and optimise environments for young children
  • 5. Develop awareness of current medical and scientific research affecting children and families
  • 6. Analyse factors involved in various controversies and debates
  • 7. Examine diversity of opinion and reasons underlying this diversity

General Assessment Information

Extensions

It is expected that you will commence working on your learning activities at the beginning of semester. If you have had a brief illness or adverse event, the unit coordinator will request that you submit all work completed prior to the interruption in your study. If it appears that you have not completed a substantial component of the work, it is unlikely that your extension will be granted. Demonstration of work completed should be done by sending an email to the unit convenor with a word file of completed work attached or the content of your document pasted into the email.

Penalties for Late Work

3 marks will be deducted for each day the assignment is overdue (including weekends).

Requirements to Pass the Unit

In order to receive a passing grade in this unit, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Receive an adequate total mark for the unit (i.e. your combined marks for the tutorial task, presentation, essay and quiz). In order to receive a grade of Pass, your total mark must be at least 50/100.
  • Have made a serious attempt at passing all pieces of work in order to pass the unit.Note: If you miss one piece of work, you will fail the unit. It is not the responsibility of unit staff to contact students who have failed to submit assignments or have missed a quiz. If you have any missing items of assessment, it is your responsibility to make contact with the unit coordinator to determine whether it is possible to complete the unit in 2015. 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Early identification task 20% See handbook
Group/ online presentation 30% See handbook
Essay on Health Issues 30% See handbook
Quiz 20% See handbook

Early identification task

Due: See handbook
Weighting: 20%

Early identification task- 500 word synopsis. 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 1. Increase knowledge and understanding of current health policies and regulations in early childhood services
  • 2. Develop skills in accessing, evaluating and using information gained from diverse sources in competent practical ways
  • 3. Promote positive health practices for young children in the family and in early childhood services
  • 4. Evaluate early childhood programs in the context of preventative health and child well-being and optimise environments for young children
  • 5. Develop awareness of current medical and scientific research affecting children and families
  • 6. Analyse factors involved in various controversies and debates
  • 7. Examine diversity of opinion and reasons underlying this diversity

Group/ online presentation

Due: See handbook
Weighting: 30%

Group or online presentation and discussion. 

 

 

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 2. Develop skills in accessing, evaluating and using information gained from diverse sources in competent practical ways
  • 3. Promote positive health practices for young children in the family and in early childhood services
  • 4. Evaluate early childhood programs in the context of preventative health and child well-being and optimise environments for young children
  • 5. Develop awareness of current medical and scientific research affecting children and families

Essay on Health Issues

Due: See handbook
Weighting: 30%

Assessment 3: Essay (30%)

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 1. Increase knowledge and understanding of current health policies and regulations in early childhood services
  • 2. Develop skills in accessing, evaluating and using information gained from diverse sources in competent practical ways
  • 3. Promote positive health practices for young children in the family and in early childhood services
  • 4. Evaluate early childhood programs in the context of preventative health and child well-being and optimise environments for young children
  • 5. Develop awareness of current medical and scientific research affecting children and families
  • 6. Analyse factors involved in various controversies and debates
  • 7. Examine diversity of opinion and reasons underlying this diversity

Quiz

Due: See handbook
Weighting: 20%

Online quiz with multiple choice and short answer questions. 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 1. Increase knowledge and understanding of current health policies and regulations in early childhood services
  • 3. Promote positive health practices for young children in the family and in early childhood services
  • 4. Evaluate early childhood programs in the context of preventative health and child well-being and optimise environments for young children
  • 5. Develop awareness of current medical and scientific research affecting children and families
  • 6. Analyse factors involved in various controversies and debates
  • 7. Examine diversity of opinion and reasons underlying this diversity

Delivery and Resources

There is a website for this unit, which you can access using your Macquarie University password. The address for this website is https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MQ/

This site is made available as an important unit resource. You are required to check this website at least weekly for any announcements and updates on readings.

There will be lectures on each topic pre-recorded for internal and external students to listen to each week. This series of lectures, along with accompanying lecture notes and readings, are the core study material. Tutorials and assessments have been developed specifically to facilitate understanding of the lectures and readings. See the lecture schedule on pages 11-12 for more details.Classes for internal students will take a tutorial format and be based on these lectures. On occasion, pre-recorded videos may be recommended by the lecturer for students to watch in their own time.

 

Unit Schedule

There are four blocks of internal classes (tutorials) for this unit for internal students. Each block is scheduled to run for 5 hours on Fridays, 9:30am-3pm. The tutorial blocks will run on the following weeks, Friday 13th March, Friday 1st May, Friday 15th May, and Friday 22nd May. External students are expected to participate in online forum discussions each week. In classes two, three and four (Friday 1st May, Friday 15th May, and Friday 22nd May) there will also be student presentations due (both in class and online) and discussion of topics of particular interest.

This unit has 11 core lectures in addition to a two-week study break. The final assessment, assessment 4, is a quiz which will be completed online by all students on the 5th June 2015. The portal will only be available on the day of the quiz. The website available for this unit contains material required for lectures, tutorials and assignments. 

 

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

  • 3. Promote positive health practices for young children in the family and in early childhood services
  • 4. Evaluate early childhood programs in the context of preventative health and child well-being and optimise environments for young children

Assessment task

  • Early identification task

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

  • 1. Increase knowledge and understanding of current health policies and regulations in early childhood services
  • 2. Develop skills in accessing, evaluating and using information gained from diverse sources in competent practical ways
  • 3. Promote positive health practices for young children in the family and in early childhood services
  • 4. Evaluate early childhood programs in the context of preventative health and child well-being and optimise environments for young children
  • 6. Analyse factors involved in various controversies and debates
  • 7. Examine diversity of opinion and reasons underlying this diversity

Assessment tasks

  • Early identification task
  • Group/ online presentation
  • Essay on Health Issues
  • Quiz

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

  • 1. Increase knowledge and understanding of current health policies and regulations in early childhood services
  • 2. Develop skills in accessing, evaluating and using information gained from diverse sources in competent practical ways
  • 3. Promote positive health practices for young children in the family and in early childhood services
  • 4. Evaluate early childhood programs in the context of preventative health and child well-being and optimise environments for young children
  • 5. Develop awareness of current medical and scientific research affecting children and families
  • 6. Analyse factors involved in various controversies and debates

Assessment tasks

  • Early identification task
  • Group/ online presentation
  • Essay on Health Issues
  • Quiz

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. Increase knowledge and understanding of current health policies and regulations in early childhood services
  • 2. Develop skills in accessing, evaluating and using information gained from diverse sources in competent practical ways
  • 3. Promote positive health practices for young children in the family and in early childhood services
  • 4. Evaluate early childhood programs in the context of preventative health and child well-being and optimise environments for young children
  • 7. Examine diversity of opinion and reasons underlying this diversity

Assessment tasks

  • Early identification task
  • Group/ online presentation
  • Essay on Health Issues
  • Quiz

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. Increase knowledge and understanding of current health policies and regulations in early childhood services
  • 2. Develop skills in accessing, evaluating and using information gained from diverse sources in competent practical ways
  • 4. Evaluate early childhood programs in the context of preventative health and child well-being and optimise environments for young children
  • 5. Develop awareness of current medical and scientific research affecting children and families
  • 6. Analyse factors involved in various controversies and debates
  • 7. Examine diversity of opinion and reasons underlying this diversity

Assessment tasks

  • Early identification task
  • Group/ online presentation
  • Essay on Health Issues
  • Quiz

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. Increase knowledge and understanding of current health policies and regulations in early childhood services
  • 2. Develop skills in accessing, evaluating and using information gained from diverse sources in competent practical ways
  • 4. Evaluate early childhood programs in the context of preventative health and child well-being and optimise environments for young children
  • 5. Develop awareness of current medical and scientific research affecting children and families
  • 7. Examine diversity of opinion and reasons underlying this diversity

Assessment tasks

  • Early identification task
  • Group/ online presentation
  • Essay on Health Issues
  • Quiz

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

  • 3. Promote positive health practices for young children in the family and in early childhood services
  • 4. Evaluate early childhood programs in the context of preventative health and child well-being and optimise environments for young children
  • 7. Examine diversity of opinion and reasons underlying this diversity

Assessment task

  • Early identification task

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

  • 1. Increase knowledge and understanding of current health policies and regulations in early childhood services
  • 3. Promote positive health practices for young children in the family and in early childhood services
  • 4. Evaluate early childhood programs in the context of preventative health and child well-being and optimise environments for young children
  • 6. Analyse factors involved in various controversies and debates
  • 7. Examine diversity of opinion and reasons underlying this diversity

Assessment tasks

  • Early identification task
  • Essay on Health Issues

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

  • 1. Increase knowledge and understanding of current health policies and regulations in early childhood services
  • 3. Promote positive health practices for young children in the family and in early childhood services
  • 4. Evaluate early childhood programs in the context of preventative health and child well-being and optimise environments for young children
  • 6. Analyse factors involved in various controversies and debates
  • 7. Examine diversity of opinion and reasons underlying this diversity

Assessment tasks

  • Essay on Health Issues
  • Quiz

Changes since First Published

Date Description
25/02/2016 Assignment weightings needed to be adjusted.