EDF5844 · Partnerships in early childhood education

Overview

This unit focuses on understanding how partnerships in early childhood settings are instrumental in developing inclusive communities that provide equitable opportunities for all families and children. The unit will enable you to identify key stakeholders across education settings and communities and develop knowledge in forming and sustaining collaborative and collegial partnerships. You will investigate, analyse and evaluate various approaches used in forming and sustaining partnerships, including communities of practice models and transdisciplinary approaches. Incorporating an ethical perspective including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, you will design ways to effectively communicate and strengthen partnerships with professionals and families through respectful and reciprocal relationships.

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. develop a comprehensive and diverse understanding of partnerships in early childhood education, including between families and education settings and also across professional settings using transdisciplinary approaches and communities of practice
2. demonstrate a sound awareness of ethical and equitable approaches to forming and sustaining positive partnerships with families and communities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, leading to better outcomes for all children and families
3. inquire and investigate Australia’s multicultural contemporary family forms and the implications of socio-political positioning across a variety of local and global landscapes, understanding the role of advocacy in supporting equity and inclusion
4. investigate, analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of partnership work that supports a holistic view of communities and incorporates an evidence-based approach to working collaboratively in communities of practice
5. articulate and demonstrate an ability to critically engage with approaches that aim to form effective partnerships between early childhood settings, families and communities
6. design effective approaches and strategies to establishing and sustaining positive partnerships in early childhood education settings that incorporate ethical positioning of professionals, children, families and communities and uphold ethical codes of conduct for 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 Scheduled learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement. *Subject to variation due to professional experience requirements

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