Students

ECH 400 – Individual Educational Project

2017 – S1 External

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Helen Little
Convenor
Catherine Patterson
Emilia Djonov
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
((39cp at 100 level or above) including (ECH218 or ECH228)) or admission to GDipAdvStEc or GCertTeach(8-12)
Corequisites Corequisites
3cp from ECH or ECHE units at 300 level or above
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit gives students the opportunity to pursue an area of interest through reading, writing and/or working with children. This unit is designed to enable students to acquire depth of knowledge in their chosen topic area, to consolidate their study and research skills. The unit also highlights the value of professional learning and lifelong learning. At the end of this unit, it is expected that students will be able to speak and write with confidence and authority about their chosen topic area.

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:

  • Locate, evaluate and analyse relevant theoretical and research literature
  • Demonstrate a depth of understanding of key aspects of early childhood education
  • Identify personal strengths in performance and learning
  • Demonstrate a commitment towards improving professional performance and learning
  • Integrate and synthesise prior knowledge and learning

General Assessment Information

Assignments may vary for students enrolled in particular programs. 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
First assignment 25% No 31 March
Second assignment 35% No 5 May
Third assignment 40% No 9 June

First assignment

Due: 31 March
Weighting: 25%

An annotated bibliography of key readings


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Locate, evaluate and analyse relevant theoretical and research literature

Second assignment

Due: 5 May
Weighting: 35%

A synthesised review of relevant literature.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Locate, evaluate and analyse relevant theoretical and research literature
  • Demonstrate a depth of understanding of key aspects of early childhood education

Third assignment

Due: 9 June
Weighting: 40%

An analysis of implications of literature review


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate a depth of understanding of key aspects of early childhood education
  • Identify personal strengths in performance and learning
  • Demonstrate a commitment towards improving professional performance and learning
  • Integrate and synthesise prior knowledge and learning

Delivery and Resources

Learning in this unit

Some students enjoy the challenge of independent study, while others find it difficult to work to their own schedule without a weekly timetable provided in a unit outline, or a structure provided by taped lectures. In ECH 400, you control your own learning and you should develop some personal strategies to make sure you remain focused on your study. Some strategies are listed below:

Learning journal

It is a good idea to maintain a learning journal as you progress through your study for this unit. This is a personal record of your study, and entries may include responses to your reading, any quotes you would like to remember, new ideas or techniques you would like to try and questions for discussion with your tutor or other students. Weekly entries in your learning journal will help maintain a steady focus on your study.

 

Readings 

As there are no lectures, tutorials or on-campus sessions for this unit, your independent reading is a key component of your learning. The diversity of students’ interests makes it impossible to cover the range of topics in a text or recommended readings. You must spend time searching for relevant information to complete your assignments. A wide range of original and creative thinking underlies the work you will complete for ECH 400, and a search of the literature is an important component of your study. 

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_2016.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 (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html

Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration

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

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

  • Demonstrate a depth of understanding of key aspects of early childhood education
  • Identify personal strengths in performance and learning
  • Demonstrate a commitment towards improving professional performance and learning

Assessment tasks

  • Second assignment
  • Third assignment

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

  • Identify personal strengths in performance and learning
  • Demonstrate a commitment towards improving professional performance and learning

Assessment task

  • Third assignment

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

  • Locate, evaluate and analyse relevant theoretical and research literature
  • Demonstrate a depth of understanding of key aspects of early childhood education
  • Integrate and synthesise prior knowledge and learning

Assessment tasks

  • First assignment
  • Second assignment
  • Third assignment

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

  • Locate, evaluate and analyse relevant theoretical and research literature
  • Demonstrate a depth of understanding of key aspects of early childhood education
  • Integrate and synthesise prior knowledge and learning

Assessment tasks

  • First assignment
  • Second assignment
  • Third assignment

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 outcome

  • Locate, evaluate and analyse relevant theoretical and research literature

Assessment tasks

  • First assignment
  • Second assignment