Students

ECHE4520 – Child Development: Research and Practice

2022 – Session 1, Online-scheduled-weekday

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor
Shirley Wyver
Contact via via iLearn
232 29WW
By appointment
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
130cp including (ECH228 or ECH218 or ECHE2180 or EDUC262 or EDUC2620 or PSY235 or PSYU2235)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit builds on material introduced in previous child development units. In doing so, the unit has two main focuses. The first is to develop students' skills in using child development research to develop effective programs and interventions for infants and young children. The second is to introduce students to research-based child development programs and interventions that have direct relevance to early childhood programs. Most topics support understanding of EYLF and PDHPE curriculum although links will not always be made explicitly.

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:

  • ULO1: Investigate a child development topic in detail.
  • ULO2: Become familiar with peer reviewed journal articles as a source of evidence in child development.
  • ULO3: Understand the importance of evidence based approaches.
  • ULO4: Understand limits to generalisability of research findings.
  • ULO5: Appreciate the need to update knowledge regularly.

General Assessment Information

This section provides students with general information about assessment tasks and how to submit them. Please copy the following into your Unit Guide:

 

Assessment Presentation and Submission Guidelines

Please follow these guidelines when you submit each assignment:

  • Allow a left and right-hand margin of at least 2cm in all assignments.
  • Please type all assignments using 12-point font and 1.5 spacing.
  • All assessments must be submitted through Turnitin in .doc or .pdf format
  • It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that all assessments are successfully submitted through Turnitin.
  • Faculty assignment cover sheets are NOT required.

 

Draft Submissions & Turnitin Originality Reports

  • Students may use Turnitin’s Originality Report as a learning tool to improve their academic writing if this option is made available in the unit.
  • Students are strongly encouraged to upload a draft copy of each assessment to Turnitin at least one week prior to the due date to obtain an Originality Report.
  • The Originality Report provides students with a similarity index that may indicate if plagiarism has occurred. Students will be able to make amendments to their drafts prior to their final submission on the due date.
  • Generally, one Originality Report is generated every 24 hours up to the due date.

 

Please note:

  • Students should regularly save a copy of all assignments before submission.
  • Students are responsible for checking that the correct file has been uploaded, that their submission has been successful, and that it has been submitted by the due date and time.

 

Assignment extensions and late penalties

 

  • Applications for extensions must be made via AskMQ according to the Special Consideration policy. Extensions can only be granted if they meet the Special Considerations policy and are submitted via https://ask.mq.edu.au/. This will ensure consistency in the consideration of such requests is maintained.

 

  • Late submissions: Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply - 10/100 marks of credit (10% of the total assessment weighting) will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted seven days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessment - e.g., quizzes, online tests. A zero result for the assignment will be recorded after the late submission period has ended if no task has been received.

 

  • If a student is still permitted to submit on the basis of unavoidable disruption, an alternative topic may be set.

 

  • Students should keep an electronic file of all assessments. Claims regarding "lost" assessments cannot be made if the file cannot be produced. It is also advisable to keep an electronic file of all drafts and the final submission on a USB untouched/unopened after submission. This can be used to demonstrate easily that the assessment has not been amended after the submission date.

 

Requesting a re-assessment of an assignment

If you have evidence that your task has been incorrectly assessed against the grade descriptors you can request a re-mark. To request a re-mark you need to contact the unit convenor within 7 days of the date of return of the assignment and provide a detailed assessment of your script against the task criteria. Evidence from your assignment must be provided to support your judgements.

Note:

  • Please do not request a re-mark for a Failed assessment as they are all double-marked as a part of the moderation process.
  • The outcome of a re-mark may be a higher/lower or unchanged grade.
  • Grades are standards referenced and effort is NOT a criterion.

 

Quiz Assessments

Online quizzes are an individual assessment task and MUST BE COMPLETED by each student individually. Similarities in responses between students will be checked and investigated for possible collusion.

 

University policy on grading

Criteria for awarding grades for assessment tasks

Assignments will be awarded grades ranging from HD to F according to guidelines set out in the University's Grading Policy. The following descriptive criteria are included for your information.

 

Descriptive Criteria for awarding grades in the unit

In order to meet the unit outcomes and successfully pass this unit, students must make a genuine attempt at all assessment tasks. Where any submitted assessment task is considered to be unsatisfactory in this regard, the highest possible final grade that can be awarded for the unit will be 45.

 

Students will be awarded grades ranging from HD to F according to guidelines set out in the policy: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment-in-effect-from-session-2-2016

 

The following generic grade descriptors provide university-wide standards for awarding final grades.

 

Grade

Descriptor

HD

(High Distinction)

Provides consistent evidence of deep and critical understanding in relation to the learning outcomes. There is substantial originality and insight in identifying, generating and communicating competing arguments, perspectives or problem-solving approaches; critical evaluation of problems, their solutions and their implications; creativity in application as appropriate to the discipline.

D

(Distinction)

Provides evidence of integration and evaluation of critical ideas, principles and theories, distinctive insight and ability in applying relevant skills and concepts in relation to learning outcomes. There is demonstration of frequent originality in defining and analysing issues or problems and providing solutions; and the use of means of communication appropriate to the discipline and the audience.

Cr

(Credit)

Provides evidence of learning that goes beyond replication of content knowledge or skills relevant to the learning outcomes. There is demonstration of substantial understanding of fundamental concepts in the field of study and the ability to apply these concepts in a variety of contexts; convincing argumentation with appropriate coherent justification; communication of ideas fluently and clearly in terms of the conventions of the discipline.

P

(Pass).

Provides sufficient evidence of the achievement of learning outcomes. There is demonstration of understanding and application of fundamental concepts of the field of study; routine argumentation with acceptable justification; communication of information and ideas adequately in terms of the conventions of the discipline. The learning attainment is considered satisfactory or adequate or competent or capable in relation to the specified outcomes

F

(Fail)

Does not provide evidence of attainment of learning outcomes. 
There is missing or partial or superficial or faulty understanding and application of the fundamental concepts in the field of study; missing, undeveloped, inappropriate or confusing argumentation; incomplete, confusing or lacking communication of ideas in ways that give little attention to the conventions of the discipline.

 

Note: If you fail a unit with a professional experience component, the fail grade will be on your transcript irrespective of the timing of the placement.

 

Withdrawing from this unit

If you are considering withdrawing from this unit, please seek academic advice via https://ask.mq.edu.au before doing so as this unit may be a co-requisite or prerequisite for units in the following sessions and may impact on your progression through the degree.

 

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.

 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Journal article quiz 5% No 14/03/22
Essay or quiz option 45% No 07/04/22
Exam of 2 hours or Essay 2,500 words 50% No 23/05/22

Journal article quiz

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 14/03/22
Weighting: 5%

Online quiz based on a journal article, no time limit and multiple attempts permitted.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Become familiar with peer reviewed journal articles as a source of evidence in child development.

Essay or quiz option

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 55 hours
Due: 07/04/22
Weighting: 45%

Specialist essay of 2,500 words or Quiz of 1 hour


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Investigate a child development topic in detail.
  • Become familiar with peer reviewed journal articles as a source of evidence in child development.
  • Understand the importance of evidence based approaches.
  • Understand limits to generalisability of research findings.
  • Appreciate the need to update knowledge regularly.

Exam of 2 hours or Essay 2,500 words

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 65 hours
Due: 23/05/22
Weighting: 50%

Select a final exam or optional essay


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Investigate a child development topic in detail.
  • Become familiar with peer reviewed journal articles as a source of evidence in child development.
  • Understand the importance of evidence based approaches.
  • Understand limits to generalisability of research findings.
  • Appreciate the need to update knowledge regularly.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

This is an online unit and you will have the option to work at your own pace. 

A focus of this unit (Unit Learning Outcome 2) is the use of research articles to promote understanding of contemporary issues in child development.  As a final year unit in your degree, the delivery supports strategies for ongoing professional learning and use of evidence based research.

There are no textbooks for this unit.  You will be provided with a list of current journal articles on iLearn to support your studies.

 

Lectures are available on the web through the ECHO360 lecture component. You must complete all lectures.

PowerPoint slides are available in iLearn in advance of the lecture.

Access and technical assistance

Information for students about access to the online component of this unit is available at https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/index.php. You will need to enter your student username and password.

Please do NOT contact the Unit Convenor regarding iLearn technical help.

No extensions will be given for any technical issues. Allow enough time for your submissions.

Assistance is available from IT Helpdesk ph: 1800 67 4357 or log a request at help.mq.edu.au. OneHelp is the online IT support service for both students and staff.

 

This unit requires students to use several ICT and software skills:

  • Internet access: The iLearn site contains materials for this unit; it is also required for the online submission of all Assessment Tasks, and for the use of Turnitin submission for ALL tasks. 
  • Word processing, visual representations, and document formatting: You are required to use an appropriate form of software to present your assignments.
  • Uploading of assessment tasks to iLearn.

 

Unit Schedule

A detailed unit schedule will be published on iLearn.  There are timetabled classes, but most will involve pre-recorded lectures to allow for flexibility in your study. You can complete this unit even if you are not able to attend all classes.  Recordings will be available. The scheduled class in the first week will be a live tutorial via Zoom.  The optional quiz will be held during a scheduled class and you must be available for this session if you select the quiz option for your assessment.

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

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

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

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.

Electronic Communication

It is the student’s responsibility to check all electronic communication on a regular weekly basis.  Communication may occur via:

  • Official MQ Student Email Address
  • The Dialogue function on iLearn
  • Other iLearn communication functions

 

Unit Expectations 

● Students are expected to read weekly readings before completing tasks and attending tutorials 

● Students are expected to listen/attend scheduled lectures before completing tasks and attending tutorials Note: It is not the responsibility of unit staff to contact students who have failed to submit assignments. If you have any missing items of assessment, it is your responsibility to make contact with the unit convenor. Electronic Communication It is the student’s responsibility to check all electronic communication on a regular weekly basis. Communication may occur via: 

● Official MQ Student Email Address 

● The Dialogue function on iLearn 

● Other iLearn communication functions External Students

● Please make effective use of the online component of the unit and access iLearn regularly. Keep up to date with listening to the lectures on a weekly basis.

5Rs Framework

The 5Rs Framework, developed by the School of Education at Macquarie University, is embedded throughout your teacher education course.

Your use of the 5Rs Framework will help you develop the capabilities that will make your teaching career sustainable and fulfilling.

In this unit, you will learn using the 5Rs framework with a particular focus on being Research Engaged.  The unit has a strong focus on conducting reviews of primary research to build understanding of evidence based practice.  This unit supports use of research to change practice.  The focus is on a critical reading of research and understanding if/when research can be considered appropriate for use in practice.


Unit information based on version 2022.04 of the Handbook