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This subject requires you to do a practical placement, please see Additional Requirements for more information.
Early Childhood Professional Experience 1: Planning and Documentation
Postgraduate
CUR-MTEC501 2025Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
Understand how the educator develops relationships not just with children but also families and carers. Consult policy documents that early childhood teachers use to inform their work. Feel out ways for teachers to practice emotional resilience.
- Study method
- Online & on-campus
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 25 May 2025
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Price from
- $4,100
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Early Childhood Professional Experience 1: Planning and Documentation
About this subject
At the completion of this subject students will be able to:
- apply knowledge of the Graduate Teacher Standards and identify and adopt a reflective practice model to guide ongoing pre service teacher development
- plan and implement appropriate learning experiences for infants, toddlers and young children in early learning settings
- analyse and evaluate relevant national and local laws, policies and frameworks and the impact these have on early learning environments, families and children
- create and maintain collaborative relationships with families and colleagues while developing teacher professional identity, resilience and emotional wellbeing
- establish professional and ethical work behaviours by developing initial content for a digital professional portfolio
- Policy overview and requirements
- Building relationships
- Data
- Learning environment plans
- Language development
- Physical development
- Health and safety
- Social and emotional development
- Diversity and cultural competence
This is the first in the suite of professional experience subjects and includes both a theory and a practical component (a placement in an Early Learning and Care setting). It will critically examine the principles and practices to plan and implement appropriate learning experiences for children in Early Learning and Care settings. The subject will focus on exploring intentional teaching and child-centred approaches to teaching and learning during a professional experience placement. Pre-service teachers will be introduced to the importance of developing teacher resilience. Relevant national and local policies and frameworks will be scrutinised. The professional experience practical assessment is five distributed days plus a two-week full-time block placement intended to enable practical application of the knowledge and skills gained, along with providing students with insights into the complexity of the educator’s role. All required clearances to work with children must be obtained and valid, and all other professional experience requirements met. Both theory and practical components must be passed in order to pass the subject.
All required clearances to work with children must be obtained and valid, and all other professional experience requirements met.
Both theory and practical components must be passed in order to pass the subject.
To view the Professional Experience Calendars, please see below:
2025 Master of Teaching Prof Exp Calendar (PDF)
Please Note: If it’s your first time studying a Curtin University subject you’ll need to complete their compulsory ‘Academic Integrity Program’. It only takes two hours to complete online, and provides you with vital information about studying with Curtin University. The Academic Integrity Program is compulsory, so if it’s not completed your subject grades will be withheld.
Find out more about the Academic Integrity module.
- Report on a series of short investigations (50%)
- Develop profile content for digital professional portfolio (50%)
- Professional Experience (Pass/Fail)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
Part of a degree
To enrol in this subject you must be accepted into one of the following degrees:
Core
- CUR-MTE-MAS-2025 - Master of Teaching (Early Childhood Education)
Prior study
You must either have successfully completed the following subject(s) before starting this subject, or currently be enrolled in the following subject(s) in a prior study period; or enrol in the following subject(s) to study prior to this subject:
Please note that your enrolment in this subject is conditional on successful completion of these prerequisite subject(s). If you study the prerequisite subject(s) in the study period immediately prior to studying this subject, your result for the prerequisite subject(s) will not be finalised prior to the close of enrolment. In this situation, should you not complete your prerequisite subject(s) successfully you should not continue with your enrolment in this subject. If you are currently enrolled in the prerequisite subject(s) and believe you may not complete these all successfully, it is your responsibility to reschedule your study of this subject to give you time to re-attempt the prerequisite subject(s).
Additional requirements
- Placement requirements - This subject includes a 15-day professional experience placement in an early learning and care setting. The placement consists of 1 day per week for 5 weeks, immediately followed by a block of 10 consecutive days (2 weeks). The block placement is undertaken on a full-time basis at the specified time. Other Details - Please note that all relevant, valid working with children checks and clearances must be provided as requested prior to commencement of the placement.
- Other requirements - Access to Microsoft Office or a unit approved alternative, Access to video creation and editing software
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
Related degrees
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Master of Teaching (Early Childhood Education)
Postgraduate
CUR-MTE-MAS