Visual and Media Arts for Early Childhood
UndergraduateCUR-EDE2522025
Previously CUR-EDE262
Familiarise yourself with the principles, planning and delivery of arts education in early childhood settings. Develop arts literacy and capability through personal investment in visual and media arts praxis, reflection and appreciation.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 23 Nov 2025
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Start dates
- 2 June 2025,
- 1 Dec 2025
- Price from
- $666
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Visual and Media Arts for Early Childhood
About this subject
At the completion of this subject students will be able to:
- demonstrate understanding of The Arts in the context of young children’s learning and development as both meaning-making and cultural enterprises, with particular consideration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contexts
- analyse arts learning experiences with reference to the principles of authentic arts education and early childhood education, the development of children’s identity and agency, and the expectations of the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care and the school curriculum
- develop within a lifelong learning framework and to a foundational standard for teaching, personal arts literacy and capability through engagement in visual and media arts praxis, critical review and reflection
- design a unit of inquiry (arts learning module) of sequential and meaningful learning experiences on a theme that reflects an understanding of early childhood (birth - 8 years) learning, curriculum, and arts pedagogy, as well as the ethos of sustainable, safe, functional, ethical, relevant and culturally sensitive learning contexts for a diversity of students
- apply professional skills to plan, organise, teach, assess and review, in the context of an improvement cycle, an arts learning activity undertaken with a child, that reflects authentic arts learning principles and pedagogy within the early childhood context
- Educational principles and the language of art
- Being in the world: sensory explorations and observations
- Belonging in the world of art: Making connections
- Becoming: Self-expression and communicating ideas
- Children at the centre - Building relationships for educational growth
- Integrated planning
- Practical preparation and pedagogical approaches to support learning
- Creating a culture of inquiry: Planning, observation, documentation, assessment
- Creating the learning context for ongoing social and educational gains
- Joining the dots: Policy and curriculum documents
- Partnerships and life-long learning
- Australian professional standards for teachers and advocating for the arts
This subject was previously known as EDE262 Visual and Media Arts for Early Childhood.
Through engagement with Visual and Media Arts, this subject focuses on the principles, planning and delivery of authentic forms of arts education in early childhood settings for children aged birth – 8 years. Inquiry-based learning that embraces exploration, creativity, self-expression, meaning-making and the communication of ideas is presented within a child centred learning context. Planning for arts learning is examined within the framework of the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care, and the Australian Curriculum; and organising programs, environment provocations and pedagogical documentation around a cyclic process of observation, study and responsive planning are practised. Integral to the unit are experiential learning opportunities designed to enlarge children’s understanding of the scope and nature of arts learning across the early childhood years (birth – 8 years); and also, to develop their own visual and media arts literacy to a foundational standard for teaching.
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 Integritymodule.
- ePortfolio of Arts Making, Arts Responding (50%)
- Report: Arts Documentation (50%)
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-ECE-DEG-2025 - Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education)
Elective
- CUR-FAST-DEG-2025 - Fast track your Curtin on campus study
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:
one of
- CUR-EDC153-Performing Arts for Educators
CUR-EDC161 (Not currently available)
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).
Equivalent subjects
You should not enrol in this subject if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:
CUR-EDE262 (Not currently available)
Others
You don't have to enrol in this subject if you have completed EDE202 The Creative Arts and Design in ECE as they are considered equivalents.
Additional requirements
- Other requirements - You will be required to locate a small range of art materials to complete activities.
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.
Student feedback
6 student respondents between 19 Aug 2024 - 3 Mar 2025.
83%of students felt the study load was manageable
83%of students felt this subject helped them gain relevant skills
Related degrees
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education)
UndergraduateCUR-ECE-DEG
Fast track your Curtin on campus study
UndergraduateCUR-FAST-DEG