Contemporary Issues and the Young Child

This subject is not offered in 2014.

125 hours. 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.

None

None

Recommended

None

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Objectives, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison Unit: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Contemporary international research is calling for the early childhood field and education more broadly, to reconceptualise their understandings of children as innocent and malleable to an image that supports children as sophisticated agentic builders and negotiators of identities. In this subject students will study major issues in how the young child as learner is understood through examining current early childhood research from different disciplinary areas including the new sociology of childhood, socio-cultural theory, developmental theory, linguistics, postmodern and postcolonial theory. Students will negotiate a study program of classes, reading and investigative work to develop an in-depth case study of a major contemporary issue or debate about early childhood identities in the 21st century.

On completion of this subject students will be able to:

• Identify and understand changing historical and contemporary theoretical perspectives on conceptualising childhood;
• Identify the diverse ways the young child is understood across and within local and international contexts and across and within different theories;
• Engage with new and multiple theoretical understandings of the young child in order to rethink and respond to contemporary issue;
• Understand and discuss the intersections of theory and practice (praxis) in working with the young child in early childhood education policy and practice.

Assignment requirements are connected to the development of an in-depth case study:

• One essay of 1,500 words introducing the major contemporary issue or debate due mid-semester (25%)
• One class presentation of case study due last two sessions of subject (equivalent to 1,500 words, 25%)
• One essay of 2,000 words that further develops case study and response due during the examination period (50%)

Reading booklet will be provided

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject students will be able to:

• Identify and be familiar with a range of contemporary theories, concepts and strategies for contextualising and exploring the young child and their identities;
• Through the development of an in-depth case study, enhance their engagement, knowledge and skills in a contemporary issue of the young child today;
• Enhance their skills of scholarly critique through reading widely in diverse journals and texts;
• Use knowledge of a wide range of contemporary theories to engage with debates around the young child in contemporary times.