Students

ECHE3150 – Leading and Managing as Early Childhood Teachers

2026 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-infrequent, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor
Sandie Wong
sandie.wong@mq.edu.au
Contact via Via I-Learn
Room 610, 25B Wally's Walk,
By appointment
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
(130cp at 1000 level or above including ECH120 or ECHE120 or ECHE1200 or ACSH100 or ACOM1001 or ECHE2200) or (130cp at 1000 level or above and admission to BTeach(ECS))
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit introduces students to the macro context in which they teach. Students will critically consider the socio-political context of early childhood education; management and governance structures of schools and prior-to-school settings; and the legal and professional accountabilities of early childhood teachers. From studying this unit students will develop foundational understandings of effective management and leadership, an awareness of their professional and legal responsibilities, skills in policy development, and critical understandings of children's rights and quality early childhood 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:

  • ULO1: Understand and critically engage with the ever changing socio-political and legal context within which schools and early childhood settings operate.
  • ULO2: Have developed a critical awareness of diverse early childhood and school management structures, and the implications of each for teachers' organisational roles and responsibilities.
  • ULO3: Have a sound working knowledge of teachers' legal and professional accountabilities, as per federal and state government legislation and professional standards.
  • ULO4: Critique organisational policies, and understand how centre/school policies play a critical role in supporting teachers to meet their legal and professional accountabilities.
  • ULO5: Demonstrate a commitment to leading and managing and leading ethically and professionally, with due regard for children's rights.
  • ULO6: Appreciate the impact of effective management and leadership on the provision of quality education for young children.
  • ULO7: Understand the importance that a leader's professional values, judgement and vision play in the ways they and their school/early childhood setting engages with the socio-political and legal context.
  • ULO8: Consider systems or policy advocacy as a professional responsibility.

General Assessment Information

There are two assessments for this unit. Students must submit both assessments in order to be eligible to pass this unit.

All assessments must be submitted electronically. Turnitin plagiarism detection software is used to check all written assessments. It is the responsibility of all students to ensure that their submitted work is in a format compatible with Turnitin software for plagiarism checking. Submissions must meet the required file type and formatting specifications outlined in the assessment guidelines. Failure to submit work in an acceptable format may result in delays in processing your submission and potential penalties for non-compliance with assessment requirements. If you are unsure about the file format or have technical difficulties, it is your responsibility to seek assistance before the submission deadline. Students should be careful to check that they submit the correct file for an assessment as no re-submissions will be accepted after the due date and time, including instances where students upload an incorrect file. It is not the responsibility of unit staff to contact students who have failed to submit assessments. If you have any missing items of assessment, it is your responsibility to contact the unit convenor.

Students can use Turnitin’s Originality Report as a learning tool to improve their academic writing if this option is made available in the unit.

Word limits are strictly applied. Work above the word limit will not be marked.

Please format assessments using 12-point font and 1.5 spacing.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Students should be aware of and apply the University policy on academic integrity (see: https://policies.mq.edu.au/document/view.php?id=3). Any student suspected of using unauthorised AI in an assignment will be referred to the Faculty of Arts Discipline Committee. Penalties can include reduced marks for an assessment, being awarded '0' for a task, failing an entire unit, being excluded from a course of study. Please see each assessment task description/rubric for expectations about AI.

Unauthorised use of generative artificial intelligence occurs when a student uses material

produced by a generative artificial intelligence in an academic exercise, without authorisation

and submits it as their own work.

Unauthorised use of generative artificial intelligence may include using generative artificial intelligence to:

  • produce or retrieve information and then using that information in an academic exercise;
  • paraphrase text;
  • increase or enhance the quality of an academic exercise, beyond the purposes permitted within the academic exercise;
  • Produce an answer for a task or quiz; and/or produce non-text-based work in an academic exercise

Special Consideration / Late Penalties

Applications for extensions must be made via Service Connect.

Late submission penalty

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day an assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends) (see: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/special-consideration). After the 7th day, a mark of 0 (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11:55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. 

Important to note:

  • Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/ presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special Consideration application.
  • Students should not request an informal arrangement from their tutpr, lecturer or Uni Convenot (or equivalent).
  • This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessments (incl. essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc).

  • Where an application for Special Consideration is approved and the outcome is an extension to the due date of a task, submissions that are received after the new due date will be subject to late penalties that are calculated from the new due date. This only applies where the outcome is an extension to the due date – see the Special Consideration Policy for a schedule of all possible outcomes.

Marking

All assessments are marked using a rubric. 

Marking of all assessments is moderated by the Unit Convenor.

University Policy on Grading

Assignments will be awarded grades ranging from HD to F according to guidelines set out in the University's Grading System and University Assessment Policy.

To attain a pass or higher grade in Professional Experience a student must obtain a satisfactory in both the Professional Experience component and a pass or higher grade in the academic component. For Professional Experience units the Professional Experience Evaluation Report is marked as Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. The Macquarie Teaching Performance Assessment (MQTPA - in final WIL/PEx units) is marked as Not met, Met or Exceeds.

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed because 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 Service Connect.

Withdrawing from this unit

 

 If you are considering withdrawing from this unit, plase seek academic advice via Service Connect before doing to as this unit may be a co-requisite or prerequisite for units in the following sessions and may impact your course progression.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due Groupwork/Individual Short Extension AI assisted?
Leading a Learning Community 50% No Presentation at OCS. Summary & Reflection 23.55 19/4/26 Individual and Group No Open AI
End of Semester Examination 50% No Exam period Individual No Observed

Leading a Learning Community

Assessment Type 1: Portfolio
Indicative Time on Task 2: 45 hours
Due: Presentation at OCS. Summary & Reflection 23.55 19/4/26
Weighting: 50%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual and Group
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?: Open

This assessment comprises of two parts: Part 1 – is based on a group COLLABORATION and Part 2 – is based on your INDIVIDUAL REFLECTIONS. The requirements for each part is specified separately. For Part 1, students may be allocated the same grade/mark as a group, or this could be varied depending on your contribution. For Part 2, an individual grade/mark will be allocated on the basis of the 500 words submitted. 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand and critically engage with the ever changing socio-political and legal context within which schools and early childhood settings operate.
  • Have developed a critical awareness of diverse early childhood and school management structures, and the implications of each for teachers' organisational roles and responsibilities.
  • Have a sound working knowledge of teachers' legal and professional accountabilities, as per federal and state government legislation and professional standards.
  • Critique organisational policies, and understand how centre/school policies play a critical role in supporting teachers to meet their legal and professional accountabilities.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to leading and managing and leading ethically and professionally, with due regard for children's rights.
  • Appreciate the impact of effective management and leadership on the provision of quality education for young children.
  • Understand the importance that a leader's professional values, judgement and vision play in the ways they and their school/early childhood setting engages with the socio-political and legal context.
  • Consider systems or policy advocacy as a professional responsibility.

End of Semester Examination

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 45 hours
Due: Exam period
Weighting: 50%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?: Observed

The final assessment task in ECH315 is a two hour written exam. The exam will include a series of multiple-choice and short answer questions and a short essay based on the topics covered in this Unit. You will be assessed on your ability to apply the material covered in the Unit to each of the scenarios, and your capacity to critically and thoughtfully meet your legal and professional accountabilities.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand and critically engage with the ever changing socio-political and legal context within which schools and early childhood settings operate.
  • Have developed a critical awareness of diverse early childhood and school management structures, and the implications of each for teachers' organisational roles and responsibilities.
  • Have a sound working knowledge of teachers' legal and professional accountabilities, as per federal and state government legislation and professional standards.
  • Critique organisational policies, and understand how centre/school policies play a critical role in supporting teachers to meet their legal and professional accountabilities.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to leading and managing and leading ethically and professionally, with due regard for children's rights.
  • Appreciate the impact of effective management and leadership on the provision of quality education for young children.
  • Understand the importance that a leader's professional values, judgement and vision play in the ways they and their school/early childhood setting engages with the socio-political and legal context.
  • Consider systems or policy advocacy as a professional responsibility.

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.

3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.

Delivery and Resources

Required and recommended texts

Required textbook to purchase: Waniganayake, M., Cheeseman, S., Fenech, M., Hadley, F., & Shepherd, W. (2024). Leadership: Contexts and complexities in early childhood education (3rd edition). Oxford University Press.

Information about the unit iLearn site

This unit has a full web presence through iLearn. 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. Assistance is available from IT Helpdesk: via email onehelp@mq.edu.au or Ph: 9850 4357 or 1800 67 4357. On Campus: Ground floor at 18 Wally’s Walk.

Unit Schedule

 

This unit is divided in two modules each with four Topics. Content from each module is covered over several weeks. Please not that due to PEX requirements, there are no Topics in weeks 9, 10, 11 & 12.

Module 1: Leadership and Management in the Social Political Context: This module grounds the Unit within Child’s Rights perspectives. It introduces understandings about the meaning of management & leadership and sets the policy context for understanding these roles in ECEC and schools settings.

Week 1:

23 February

Topic 1: The role of Early Childhood Education and Care in upholding children’s rights and agency, and contributing to equity and social justice. A Child’s Rights perspective.

Week 2:

2 March

Topic 2: Management & Leadership: Introduction & conceptualisations.

Weeks 3

9 March

Topic 3: Overview of National Quality Framework (NQF) and National Quality Standards (NQS).

Weeks 4

16 March

Topic 4: Regulatory environment for schools.

Module 2: Leading, Managing & Governance at the Local Level: This module focuses on Governance at the local level and the role of leaders and managers.

Week 5:

23 March

Topic 5: Management structures & responsibilities

Week 6:

30 March

Topic 6: Managing risk, compliance, complaints and critical incidents, and managing change for quality improvement.

6/4/2025

University Recess

On-Campus Session: Wednesday 8th & Thursday 9th April

13/4/2025

University Recess

Assessment 1 due 19/04/2026

Week 7

20 April

Topic 7: Duty of care, negligence & child rights and protection. Roles and responsibilities for keeping children safe.

Week 8

27 April

Topic 8: A focus on the workforce: Industrial legislation. Supporting, advocating for, and rewarding, educators and teachers.

Week 9, 10 11 & 12

4, 11, 18 & 25 May

Self-directed Learning: Students are on prac during these weeks.

8 June

University Exam period:

Assessment 2: Exam during exam period

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 connect.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.

School of Education Procedures

In addition, the following policies and procedures for the Macquarie School of Education apply to this unit.

Academic Progression Policy

 

This unit is a part of a professional course listed on Schedules 2 and 3 of the Academic

Progression Policy. This course has additional requirements that are applicable for the full

requirements and other compulsory course requirements. It also has rigorous academic

admission and/or permanent exclusion from the course in accordance with the General

Coursework Rules.

Communication

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

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

Attendance and Participation ALL STUDENTS

There are TWO COMPULSORY on campus sessions for this unit. Information about the dates of the on-campus sessions can be found in the university timetable. Creating your timetable - Enrolling | Macquarie University, Sydney (mq.edu.au)

Activities completed during on campus days (INFQ Face to Face mode) are essential for building the core knowledge and/or skills required to demonstrate the learning outcomes of this unit and to meet the AITSL Graduate Teacher Standards and/or ACECQA requirements. Attendance at both on campus days is expected and will be recorded. Make up tasks may be given if attendance is missed to ensure all content is covered to meet accreditation requirements.

  • The on campus sessions are essential to student engagement and learning and attendance is expected. Failure to attend or not to have an approved Special Consideration may result in a Fail grade.
  • Prior to the on campus sessions, students should have read the prescribed readings and listened to the lectures, summarise the main points, and make notes of the key terms and definitions. Prepare any discussion questions of your own that you wish to share.
  • Further details and any updates about times and locations will be posted on iLearn as an Announcement during first half of the semester.
  • 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.

Student Support

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

Academic Success

Academic Success 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 the Service Connect Portal, 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.

Unit information based on version 2026.02 of the Handbook