Course Title: Being in the Early Years
Part A: Course Overview
Course Title: Being in the Early Years
Credit Points: 24.00
Flexible Terms
Course Code |
Campus |
Career |
School |
Learning Mode |
Teaching Period(s) |
TCHE2685 |
Bundoora Campus |
Postgraduate |
360H Education |
Face-to-Face |
PGRDFx2020 (All) |
TCHE2685 |
Bundoora Campus |
Postgraduate |
360H Education |
Face-to-Face |
PGRDFlex21 (FF2), PGRDFlex21 (ONL2), PGRDFlex21 (OUA2), PGRDFlex21 (All) |
Course Coordinator: Linda Knight
Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 99258870
Course Coordinator Email: linda.knight@rmit.edu.au
Course Coordinator Location: Bundoora
Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment
Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities
None
Course Description
In this course you will explore and apply a range of pedagogical solutions to curriculum-based issues that face teachers and other stakeholders using play as methodology. Within the course there will be a range of studio offerings, projects partnered with industry, based around a real curriculum issue facing teachers in their work with young children, families and society.
In these studios you will collaborate with respective studio leaders and industry partners and draw on their expertise to solve challenging real-world problems in early childhood education. Studio leaders will pose a real problem facing the field for you to solve. It is likely that some aspects of Studios will take place in an educational setting. You will be supported to develop and apply a range of research approaches, design methods, production techniques, aligned with your studio leaders’ expertise. You will also present and communicate your work and ideas to industry partners.
This course is offered as an intensive in June/July over a four week period.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development
In this course you will develop the following program learning outcomes:
- Examine the role of play in a holistic early childhood curriculum located within a post-digital world, with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) and sustainable futures
- Articulate the importance of developing a professional identity and demonstrate leadership strategies that ethically engage with all stakeholders and advocate for learners
- Develop and apply effective problem-solving strategies to solve ‘wicked problems’ facing the early years community, critically evaluating discoveries in order to identify industry-based solutions
- Apply knowledge and skills as a teacher researcher, using self-review methodologies, to critically explore and assess a targeted aspect of pedagogy
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Investigate and present findings of the multiple languages of childhood through an applied understanding of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) in relation to play pedagogies
- Link key theoretical knowledge of diverse pedagogical approaches into specialised and targeted areas of practice
- Integrate a range of skills including collaborative inquiry, leadership and experimentation to advance high quality early years experiences for learners
- Fluently and effectively present design proposals and solutions to team members, clients, consultants, other design teams, and government and community stakeholders.
- Critically evaluate and reflect on discoveries in order to identify solutions
Overview of Learning Activities
In this course you will undertake problem-based research with a team of peers and explore solutions to a specific field of enquiry/problem facing teachers which is underpinned by knowledge. You will attend a set of workshops in which you will explore the relationship between play and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) in curriculum. You will then work in your team, with a studio leader, to investigate innovative design solutions. These will then be pitched to Industry partners.
Overview of Learning Resources
RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems.
You will also be provided with a laboratory space in the PoPLab (the pedagogies of possibility laboratory) on Bundoora campus (or virtually if you are online). Access to data generation resources, such as video or audio-recorders, will be available.
RMIT has Early Years Industry Partners who will provide access to early years services for observation and inquiry purposes.
The University Library has extensive resources for Early Childhood Education students. The Library has produced a number of subject guides that includes quality online and print resources for your studies in Education. Please access these Library Guides to assist you in your studies. The Library also provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help.
Overview of Assessment
You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes.
Assessment Task 1: Innovations in STEAM, Education Report (25%)
CLO 1, CLO 2
Assessment Task 2: Background Briefing Paper (25%)
CLO 1, CLO 2, CLO 4
Assessment Task 3: Studio Journal (10%)
CLO 5
Assessment Task 4: Pitch to Industry - Group Presentation (40%)
CLO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.
If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equity Learning Services if you would like to find out more.
Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions.