Bachelor of Early Childhood Education

There will no new intake into this course after 2008.

The Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (BECE) is a 400-point, four-year degree course designed to meet the growing demand for early childhood educators who can work in a range of settings including child-care, kindergarten and the early years of school and provides dual qualification for employment as early childhood educators in preschools and primary schools. The course will emphasise the developmental needs of young children and examine teaching and learning practices appropriate to children from birth to eight years across these settings.

The BECE course consists of six main areas of study:

• Teaching and professional practice comprises 115 days of supervised placement experience, 45 days in primary schools and 70 days in preschool settings. This strand will be closely linked to subjects in the Learning and Teaching Strand.

• Curriculum, learning and teaching strand concentrates on the role of educational theory and practice in early childhood education and emphasises the role of observation and reflective practice in the design and implementation of curriculum for young children.

• The child development strand provides a major study sequence of child development acrross the key domains of early childhood development from a cross-disciplinary perspective.

• The professional orientation strand concentrates on management theory and practice for early childhood professionals in early childhood and school settings.

• Learning area studies include early childhood curriculum and compulsory studies in the Curriculum and Standards Framework learning areas of levels one and two and an introduction to levels three and four, except the key learning area LOTE.

• A special research study in the final year is offered at both pass and honours level.

Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Honours) S11117

To qualify for the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Honours) award a student must satisfy the normal course requirements and they must:

• obtain an average mark of at least 75 in Practicum 1-4; and

• obtain a mark of 65 or more in the Special Research Study - Honours; and

obtain an average mark of 75 or more in all other subjects in the course.

Attendance at all classes (tutorial/seminars/practical classes/lectures/labs) is obligatory. Failure to attend 80% of classes will normally result in failure in the subject. 100 per cent attendance is required in the Teaching & Professional Practice subjects.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education will:

• have an understanding of the development of children in the age ranges of birth to eight years and the implications for the provision of care and educational services in child-care, kindergarten and primary school settings;
• demonstrate an understanding of current curriculum theories and pedagogy in the design and implementation of child-centred, play-based and developmentally appropriate curriculum and the implications of this for young children in child-care, kindergarten and primary school settings;
• be able to plan, implement and evaluate learning experiences across a range of learning areas for infants and children and show an awareness of development, individual needs and desired learning outcomes;
• demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of Australian society and the influence of culture, family circumstances, gender and disability on development and the influence of these on the education of young children;
• show an awareness of the importance of parent involvement in the education of young children and be able to form partnerships with parents concerning their child's care and education;
• understand basic principles of management, leadership, advocacy for collaborative work-based practices in children's services and in primary schools;
• understand the diverse roles of teachers in child-care, kindergarten and primary school settings;
• show an awareness of current issues in early childhood education and the need for continued reflection and research as a basis for examining the significance of these issues on educational practice; and
• have acquired the skills necessary to design research questions and conduct small-scale research.

First Year

Second Year

Third Year

Fourth Year

Applicants must have successfully completed the Victorian Certificate of Education or approved equivalent Year 12 certificate with a study score of at least 25 in VCE English (any) Units 3 and 4 and a satisfactory grade in Units 1 and 2 General Mathematics or Mathematical Methods.

The Melbourne Graduate School of Education welcomes applications from students with disabilities. It is University and Graduate School policy to take reasonable steps to enable the participation of students with disabilities, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student’s participation in the Graduate School’s programs.
The core participation requirements for study in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education are:

In all courses

1. The ability to comprehend complex information related to education and the disciplines in which the student is teaching.
2. The ability to communicate clearly and independently in assessment tasks a knowledge of the content, principles and practices relating to education and other relevant disciplines.
3. Behavioural and social attributes that enable a student to participate in a complex learning environment. Students are required to take responsibility for their own participation and learning. They also contribute to the learning of other students in collaborative learning environments, demonstrating interpersonal skills and an understanding of the needs of other students. Assessment may include the outcomes of tasks completed in collaboration with other students.
   
   In courses requiring students to undertake practicum placements
   
4. The ability to undertake professional practice placements independently, including:
   a. the ability based on personal maturity to establish a professional relationship with students and interact with them appropriately;
   b. the ability to communicate to students the subject matter being taught with clarity and in a way that is age-sensitive;
   c. the ability to model literacy and numeracy skills independently for students and in all their interactions meet community expectations of the literacy and numeracy skills teachers should have;
   d. the ability to demonstrate skilfully and safely activities required in particular discipline areas being taught (e.g. physical education activities, science laboratory techniques);
   e. the ability to create, monitor and maintain a safe physical environment, a stable and supportive psychological environment, and a productive learning environment in their classroom;
   f. the ability to establish effective relationships with all members of the school community, including colleagues, students, and caregivers;
   g. the ability based on mental and physical health to exercise sound judgment and respond promptly to the demands of classroom situations, and the personal resilience to cope and maintain their wellbeing under stress.

Students who feel a disability will prevent them from meeting the above academic requirements are encouraged to contact the Disability Liaison Unit.