Pedagogical Approaches to Early Childhood Curriculum

• Topics

  • Introduction to the Unit
  • Historical overview of theories of early childhood
  • Theories of children and childhood since the Industrial Revolution
  • Contributors to EC approaches to curriculum - Piaget and child development
  • Contributors to EC approaches to curriculum - Vygotsky and Dewey
  • What is early childhood curriculum?
  • International models and approaches to curriculum development
  • The Australian context of early childhood curriculum - The EYLF
  • What is pedagogy? The role of the teacher in early childhood curriculum
  • Analysing approaches to curriculum - Including DAP, High Scope, English Foundation Stage.
  • Analysing approaches to curriculum- including Reggio Emilia, Emergent Curriculum , a consideration of infant and toddler curriculum.
  • The role of pedagogical leader
  • Reflecting on learning

• Study resources

  • Instructional Methods

    • Blog
    • Disscusion forum/Discussion Board
    • Embedded Multimedia
    • Online assignment submission
    • Podcasting/Leacture capture
    • Standard Media
    • Web links
    • Wikis

Entry Requirements

Equivalent Subjects

You cannot enrol in this unit if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:

• MAQ-ECEX831

You must have successfully completed the following subject(s) before starting this subject:

MAQ-ECHX822-Issues in Early Childhood Policy and Pedagogy , or MAQ-ECEX822

Special requirements

No special requirements

This subject was previously known as ECEX831 Pedagogical Approaches to Early Childhood Curriculum.

Contemporary approaches to curriculum in early childhood education emphasise the importance of the teacher as a curriculum decision maker. This demands that early childhood teachers are conscious of their everyday practice, informed about curriculum content and knowledgeable about the ways that children learn. This subject examines the philosophical and theoretical foundations of contemporary approaches to curriculum and pedagogy beyond technicist approaches to teaching and learning. Students will engage in critical inquiry of intentional teaching and understandings of early childhood pedagogy and curriculum at an advanced level. They will participate in research-based projects to further examine pedagogies in practice.

• Assignment 1 (30%)
• Assignment 2 (35%)
• Assignment 3 (35%)

Textbooks are subject to change within the academic year. Students are advised to purchase their books no earlier than one to two months before the start of a subject.