Course Title: Early Childhood Professional Practice 1

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Early Childhood Professional Practice 1

Credit Points: .00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

TCHE2272

Bundoora Campus

Postgraduate

360H Education

Workplace

 Sem 1 2009,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013,
Sem 2 2013,
Sem 1 2014,
Sem 2 2014

Course Coordinator: Dr Josephine Ng

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 7861

Course Coordinator Email: josephine.ng@rmit.edu.au


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

This is a core course that focuses on the development of professional practice skills directly related to work integrated learning. The course involves placement in an educational setting for children aged 3-6 years for a period of 20 days. Particular focus will be given to introducing the professional practice experience and explaining the students’ roles and responsibilities in this context.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course is designed to assist students to develop and apply the knowledge, skills and strategies in the areas of observation, learning and teaching, assessment, monitoring and reflection, and their knowledge of innovation and initiatives in relation to their professional experience.


Upon completion of the course students will be able to:

  • Observe and understand individual children in context.
  • Demonstrate an awareness of the individual differences between children and observe and record how the early childhood teacher plans for individuals.
  • Demonstrate an ability to provide positive feedback to individual children to encourage learning and co-operative behaviour.
  • Articulate some of the innovations and initiatives that are being implemented.
  • Seek and accept guidance and respond constructively to feedback from professional mentors.
  • Reflect on their teaching and issues impacting on the professional practice.

ICT Outcomes

At the conclusion of this course students will have demonstrated and/or acquired the following ICT capabilities:

  • Understandings of the role of ICT in learning and implications for the early childhood setting.
  • Awareness of a range of contemporary ICT resources suitable for the early childhood setting.
  • Awareness of how the early childhood environment can be managed to empower children’s use of ICT.

Professional Standards

This course is aligned with the following standards:

  • Teachers know how children learn and how to teach them effectively.
  • Teachers know the content they teach.
  • Teachers know their children.
  • Teachers plan and assess for effective learning.
  • Teachers create and maintain safe and challenging learning environments.
  • Teachers use a range of teaching strategies and resources to engage children in effective learning.
  • Teachers reflect on, evaluate and improve their professional knowledge and practice.
  • Teachers are active members of their profession.


Overview of Learning Activities

Students’ learning in this course will involve a range of activities both at the educational setting and university that are designed to focus on addressing Early Childhood Australia Inc. characteristics of effective professional practice.


Overview of Learning Resources

See Part B


Overview of Assessment

Assessment tasks are directly linked to the stated objectives and outcomes. Assessment in the course will be both theoretical and practical in nature. A range of formative and summative assessment types will be incorporated into the course (for example, developing a Professional Portfolio and a variety of assessment that demonstrates how the specific areas of professional practice have been addressed).

Students should refer to Part B of the course guide for further information on assessment.