EDF4090 · Policy and politics in early childhood

Overview

This unit focuses on the world of policy making in early childhood within local, regional, national and international contexts. Specific attention is given to current broader education policy trends and discourses. You will examine and analyse how these current policy trends reflect current political agendas and specifically influence the early childhood policy context. You will explore and examine how your own processes of policy implementation are able to demonstrate a commitment to ethical practices that attend to issues of social justice and equity for all children. This will be done through a process of both critical workshop discussions and engagement with early childhood teachers. Engagement with early childhood teachers will occur during workshops and with early childhood teachers in the field. The unit will focus on a critical engagement with policy and will expect you to demonstrate that you are a leader in your field capable of achieving high quality outcomes for children, families and communities as you implement policy.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. research, interpret and evaluate the policy context governing early childhood education and care
2. understand, design and implement relevant curriculum frameworks and pedagogies which reflect early childhood policy directions and initiatives
3. critically analyse and interpret policy in practice to ensure policy implementation addresses cultural, social and economic factors influencing the lives of children, families and communities
4. research, interpret and evaluate ways in which early childhood policy directions reflect and influence key trends shaping the profession and its community
5. articulate and demonstrate your professional values and commitment to advocating for the profession through key policy drivers as a means to secure social justice and sustainable futures for children and the profession.

Workload

The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per teaching period comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Usually, you can expect to engage with: • 24 hours* of scheduled learning delivered on campus via weekly/regular directed learning activities; and • the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study *Subject to variation due to professional experience requirements Scheduled learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.