EDF5867 · Understanding the Australian early childhood context

Overview

This unit provides comprehensive preparation for early childhood studies and professional practice in the Australian context. The unit explores the infrastructure and funding systems for child access to early childhood services in Australia as regulated by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority body administering the National Quality Frameworks for laws, regulations, quality standards and the approved learning frameworks. 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 be engaging in practical activity to establish the relationship this holds with ongoing planning and daily practice for high-quality professional practice in early childhood education and care. You will engage with and demonstrate an understanding of the national and state key curriculum frameworks for the purpose of developing and applying skills in planning, implementing, and critically reflecting on learning experiences to effectively and contextually support children’s learning and development. This will include examining the National Early Years Learning Frameworks and the State Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework to understand the principles, pedagogy, and practice of early childhood professionals in support of successfully implementing planning for children’s individual and group learning outcomes.

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. analyse, critique and select pedagogical approaches that represent Australian policy, quality standards and regulations
2. demonstrate and show an understanding of context for implementing practice for learning outcomes in support of children’s learning and development
3. demonstrate critical understanding of early childhood practice and principles through policy
4. apply knowledge to create planning for quality in the Australian early childhood
5. identify an aspect of practice for change and create planning for quality improvement.

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.