Unit Guide

General Information

Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor Katie Wright Contact via via iLearn dialogue by appointment Lecturer Aliza Salvador Contact via iLearn dialogue by appointment
Credit points	Credit points 4
Prerequisites	Prerequisites (ECED602 or ECED819) or (admission to MEChild or MEd or PGDipEdS or MIndigenousEd or MSpecEd or PGCertSpEd)
Corequisites	Corequisites
Co-badged status	Co-badged status
Unit description	Unit description This unit provides students with opportunities to extend their understanding of appropriate responses to the diverse needs of young children in early childhood practice including consideration of personal and social attitudes towards people who experience disability. Students will be able to integrate their knowledge of child developmental processes and early childhood curriculum into a framework focusing on the social and educational development of young children who experience disability or difference, including inclusive approaches to teaching. Both theory and research-based practice will be explored, as well as the needs of families and how these intersect through social policy, service provision, early intervention and inclusive education.

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:

On successful completion of this unit, students will be expected to: Have become familiar with the issues of individual rights and equity of access to education for children who experience disability
Link principles of child development to the rationale for early intervention
Have a developing understanding of concepts of disability and impairment and the impact these can have on the lives of children and families
Be able to identify the essential roles of the family in setting priorities for and implementing early intervention for children who experience disability or difference
Have become familiar with appropriate terminology required for sharing information with peers and other professionals and for supporting inclusive early childhood settings
Have developed the ability to research and critically review a range of sources of information in order to maintain up to date and appropriate practice as the field changes and progresses over time
Have developed a clear understanding of inclusion and the role of the early childhood teacher in facilitating inclusive early childhood education.

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Hurdle	Due
Assignment 1	25%	No	26th of August
Assignment 2	35%	No	1st of October
Assignment 3	20%	No	28th and 29th of October
Assignment 4	20%	No	Weekly until 10th of November

Assignment 1

Due: 26th of August
Weighting: 25%

Student project part A: Completion of the first two sections of the individual student project (rationale, bibliography and annotated bibliography).

On successful completion you will be able to:

On successful completion of this unit, students will be expected to: Have become familiar with the issues of individual rights and equity of access to education for children who experience disability
Have become familiar with appropriate terminology required for sharing information with peers and other professionals and for supporting inclusive early childhood settings
Have developed the ability to research and critically review a range of sources of information in order to maintain up to date and appropriate practice as the field changes and progresses over time
Have developed a clear understanding of inclusion and the role of the early childhood teacher in facilitating inclusive early childhood education.

Assignment 2

Due: 1st of October
Weighting: 35%

Completion of Part B of the individual student project incorporating analysis of research literature and application to the early childhood context.

On successful completion you will be able to:

On successful completion of this unit, students will be expected to: Have become familiar with the issues of individual rights and equity of access to education for children who experience disability
Link principles of child development to the rationale for early intervention
Have a developing understanding of concepts of disability and impairment and the impact these can have on the lives of children and families
Be able to identify the essential roles of the family in setting priorities for and implementing early intervention for children who experience disability or difference
Have become familiar with appropriate terminology required for sharing information with peers and other professionals and for supporting inclusive early childhood settings
Have developed the ability to research and critically review a range of sources of information in order to maintain up to date and appropriate practice as the field changes and progresses over time
Have developed a clear understanding of inclusion and the role of the early childhood teacher in facilitating inclusive early childhood education.

Assignment 3

Due: 28th and 29th of October
Weighting: 20%

Completion of the final component of the student project including leading a seminar discussion and completing a teacher handout.

On successful completion you will be able to:

On successful completion of this unit, students will be expected to: Have become familiar with the issues of individual rights and equity of access to education for children who experience disability
Link principles of child development to the rationale for early intervention
Have become familiar with appropriate terminology required for sharing information with peers and other professionals and for supporting inclusive early childhood settings
Have developed the ability to research and critically review a range of sources of information in order to maintain up to date and appropriate practice as the field changes and progresses over time

Assignment 4

Due: Weekly until 10th of November
Weighting: 20%

Weekly online blogging and peer discussion throughout the semester.

Compiled blog posts due for marking (10th of November).

On successful completion you will be able to:

On successful completion of this unit, students will be expected to: Have become familiar with the issues of individual rights and equity of access to education for children who experience disability
Link principles of child development to the rationale for early intervention
Have a developing understanding of concepts of disability and impairment and the impact these can have on the lives of children and families
Be able to identify the essential roles of the family in setting priorities for and implementing early intervention for children who experience disability or difference
Have become familiar with appropriate terminology required for sharing information with peers and other professionals and for supporting inclusive early childhood settings
Have developed the ability to research and critically review a range of sources of information in order to maintain up to date and appropriate practice as the field changes and progresses over time
Have developed a clear understanding of inclusion and the role of the early childhood teacher in facilitating inclusive early childhood education.

Delivery and Resources

The unit is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars/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 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 seminars/on campus sessions, lecture listening and required readings are a compulsory requirement of the unit.

To pass the unit all assessment pieces must be completed and submitted and a grade of 50% or higher must be achieved.

Details of the required textbook and the required unit readings are available through the iLearn site for this unit. 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 (150 hours per semester), including careful reading of the online unit information, weekly lecture listening, on campus session 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 (available online)

Two compulsory on campus sessions (2nd of September and 28th of October)

Weekly Readings: See the unit website for details of the weekly required and recommended readings

Weekly blog posts: Please see the unit website for more information

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

PG - Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative

Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Link principles of child development to the rationale for early intervention
Have become familiar with appropriate terminology required for sharing information with peers and other professionals and for supporting inclusive early childhood settings
Have developed the ability to research and critically review a range of sources of information in order to maintain up to date and appropriate practice as the field changes and progresses over time
Have developed a clear understanding of inclusion and the role of the early childhood teacher in facilitating inclusive early childhood education.

Assessment tasks

Assignment 1
Assignment 2
Assignment 3
Assignment 4

PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills

Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be expected to: Have become familiar with the issues of individual rights and equity of access to education for children who experience disability
Link principles of child development to the rationale for early intervention
Have a developing understanding of concepts of disability and impairment and the impact these can have on the lives of children and families
Be able to identify the essential roles of the family in setting priorities for and implementing early intervention for children who experience disability or difference
Have become familiar with appropriate terminology required for sharing information with peers and other professionals and for supporting inclusive early childhood settings
Have developed the ability to research and critically review a range of sources of information in order to maintain up to date and appropriate practice as the field changes and progresses over time
Have developed a clear understanding of inclusion and the role of the early childhood teacher in facilitating inclusive early childhood education.

Assessment tasks

Assignment 2
Assignment 4

PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be expected to: Have become familiar with the issues of individual rights and equity of access to education for children who experience disability
Link principles of child development to the rationale for early intervention
Have a developing understanding of concepts of disability and impairment and the impact these can have on the lives of children and families
Be able to identify the essential roles of the family in setting priorities for and implementing early intervention for children who experience disability or difference
Have become familiar with appropriate terminology required for sharing information with peers and other professionals and for supporting inclusive early childhood settings
Have developed the ability to research and critically review a range of sources of information in order to maintain up to date and appropriate practice as the field changes and progresses over time
Have developed a clear understanding of inclusion and the role of the early childhood teacher in facilitating inclusive early childhood education.

Assessment tasks

Assignment 1
Assignment 2
Assignment 3
Assignment 4

PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability

Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

Have developed the ability to research and critically review a range of sources of information in order to maintain up to date and appropriate practice as the field changes and progresses over time

Assessment tasks

Assignment 1
Assignment 2
Assignment 3

PG - Effective Communication

Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

Have become familiar with appropriate terminology required for sharing information with peers and other professionals and for supporting inclusive early childhood settings

Assessment tasks

Assignment 1
Assignment 2
Assignment 3
Assignment 4

PG - Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical Citizens

Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be expected to: Have become familiar with the issues of individual rights and equity of access to education for children who experience disability
Have a developing understanding of concepts of disability and impairment and the impact these can have on the lives of children and families
Have developed the ability to research and critically review a range of sources of information in order to maintain up to date and appropriate practice as the field changes and progresses over time

Assessment tasks

Assignment 2
Assignment 3
Assignment 4

Required Textbook

Textbook: Cologon, K. (Ed.) (2014). Inclusive education in the early years: Right from the start. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

Additional readings will be provided through e-reserve.