EDF5822 Early childhood education and practice

This unit provides comprehensive preparation for your early childhood studies and professional practice. You will examine early childhood contexts and pedagogies across historical and contemporary times. You will engage with the policy context to develop knowledge and skills of key policy drivers that support quality improvement in early childhood. This will include examining the role of the Educational Leader and what this means for you in your own developing professional identity. You will engage with the National Quality Standard to understand the role of the Educational Leader in driving quality improvement. You will engage with, and demonstrate understanding of, key curriculum frameworks for the purpose of developing and applying skills in planning, implementing and critically reflecting on learning experiences that can support children’s learning and development. This will include examining both policy and curriculum in relation to providing and supporting culturally safe and inclusive learning environments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. You will engage with Quality Improvement Plans for the purpose of understanding how to support continuous improvement in practice as an Educational Leader. In addition, you will engage with key research and policy relevant to transition to school for the purpose of supporting children’s continuity of learning as they transition from early childhood education to formal schooling.   You will examine ethical conduct and professional standards of the profession to begin developing and examining your emerging philosophy of early childhood practices and how this will be informing your emerging identity as an early childhood teacher.