Contemporary child development theories and practices

In this unit you will develop understandings of a range of contemporary child development theories and discuss development as a cultural and social process whereby development is always positioned in relation to what the child can do collaboratively. You will explore how a diverse range of theoretical perspectives and theories, including developmental, sociocultural and post-structural, are applied to the provision of education and care for children from birth to eight years in their specific contexts. The unit explores new research in this field and you will critically reflect on current practices in light of this research in order to begin to develop your pedagogical leadership. You will apply your understanding of contemporary child development in early childhood settings to plan learning experiences, showing the nexus between theory, teaching and development strategies that reflect contemporary curriculum frameworks.