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Unit of Study TCH10517 - Early Childhood Principles and Practice (2015)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Unit type

    UG Coursework Unit

  • Credit points

    12

  • AQF level

    7

  • Level of learning

    Introductory

  • Former School/College

    Former School of Education

  • Enrolment information

    Students will complete 30 hours in an early childhood setting of their choosing.

Unit description

Provides students with an understanding of the key aspects of an early childhood educator's practice. Involves observation and documentation of children's learning, an understanding of the importance of building and maintaining relationships with children, parents and the community. The importance of flexible learning environments for children's learning and development is considered.

Unit content

  1. Contexts of and influences on early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Australia:
    • Histories; influences: internationally, nationally, regionally; funding; management; quality ECEC; staffing; regulatory frameworks; philosophy of centres; policies and procedures
  2. The importance of relationships with children, families, colleagues and the community:
    • Attachment, personal philosophy, the setting
    • Building the relationships respecting diverse histories and backgrounds including an Indigenous perspective on kinship; Inclusive practices that build relationships with families, honouring and celebrating diversity
  3. Observation and documentation of children's learning:
    • Strategies and techniques: Why document? What to document? How to document?
    • Alignment with personal philosophy to learning and teaching in early childhood
    • The teacher as researcher
  4. Constructing flexible ECEC learning environments:
    • The importance of the physical and human environment to support learning and development
    • The relationship between the physical and human environment on children's learning and development - indoor outdoor, routines, transitions, aesthetics, the use of time, space grouping
    • The importance of early childhood environmental education
  5. Bringing it all together:
    • Personal learning - continual refinement of a personal philosophy/approach in ECEC

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
Coffs Harbour Session 2 Session 2
Gold Coast Session 2 N/A
Lismore Session 2 Session 2

Learning outcomes and graduate attributes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
Learning outcome count Learning outcome description GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 discuss the historical and current context of ECEC in Australia with analysis of ECEC settings regarding their structure, management, mandatory policy and current and prospective legislative and regulatory frameworks
2 analyse the importance of relationships to the learning and development of children
3 discuss how to build and foster relationships with children, parents, staff and the community respecting the diversities of their histories and background
4 analyse, evaluate and discuss the ways in which observation and documentation are used in early childhood programs and classrooms
5 understand how to establish flexible learning environments that are sustainable
6 critically reflect on one's personal approach/philosophy to learning and teaching, the challenges one may face and the learning competencies one needs in order to succeed in study and career as an early childhood professional.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. discuss the historical and current context of ECEC in Australia with analysis of ECEC settings regarding their structure, management, mandatory policy and current and prospective legislative and regulatory frameworks
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
  2. analyse the importance of relationships to the learning and development of children
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
  3. discuss how to build and foster relationships with children, parents, staff and the community respecting the diversities of their histories and background
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
  4. analyse, evaluate and discuss the ways in which observation and documentation are used in early childhood programs and classrooms
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
  5. understand how to establish flexible learning environments that are sustainable
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
  6. critically reflect on one's personal approach/philosophy to learning and teaching, the challenges one may face and the learning competencies one needs in order to succeed in study and career as an early childhood professional.
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.