New Thinking in Early Childhood Pedagogy

This subject is not offered in 2015.

170 hours

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, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject will introduce students to current thinking on early childhood curriculum and pedagogy. Students will study current early childhood curriculum policy frameworks and guides from local and international contexts and critically engage with their own pedagogical assumptions and implications for building socially just teaching and learning in early childhood contexts. Whilst specific topics will change as new thinking emerges the focus will be on thinking that seeks to engage changing constructions of early childhood curriculum and pedagogy that seek to build greater social justice and equity outcomes for children living in culturally, linguistically and ethnically diverse contexts. Topics may include, but will not be limited to: the implications of critical and postfoundational thinking and theories for generating contemporary early childhood curriculum; approaches to teaching and learning and its evaluation; approaches to decolonising early childhood curriculum and pedagogy; the implications of Indigenous epistemologies and Indigenous models of power, ethics and social justice for early childhood curriculum and pedagogy.

On completion of this subject students will be able to:

• Identify the diverse ways curriculum and pedagogy are understood and practiced across local and international contexts particularly in regard to culturally diverse contexts;
• Understand the complex interconnections and influence of their theoretical knowledge and experiences on the building of socially just teaching and learning;
• Engage with new and multiple theoretical understandings of children, curriculum and pedagogy in order to rethink and respond to contemporary issues;
• Understand and discuss the intersections of theory and practice (praxis) in working for socially just early childhood education policy and practices.

• One 2,000 word essay due mid-semester (40%)
• One class presentation (equivalent to 1,000 words) of a case study (to be delivered in final two weeks of semester) (10%)
• One 2,000 word essay as write up of case study and response (50%)

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.

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 building socially just teaching in their contexts;
• Theorise an approach and/or principles to building socially just teaching in culturally diverse contexts;
• Be skilled at principles and practices of critical reflection and use these skills to develop and respond to case studies in socially just ways;
• Use knowledge of a wide range of contemporary theories to engage with debates around contemporary curricula and pedagogy that supports socially just early childhood policy and practices.