EDUC9301 Curriculum and Pedagogy in the Early Years

2020

4.5

1 x 3-hour seminar weekly
1 x 1-day intensive workshop per semester

Admission into MTEC-Master of Teaching (Early Childhood)

EDUC9137 has been successfully completed

This topic engages the complex historical, cultural and political discourses and national and international policy contexts producing contemporary conceptions of early childhood curriculum and pedagogy. Ways in which curriculum and pedagogy have been conceptualised in Australia and internationally and across the different sectors in the early years of education, are interrogated. The impact that these differences have on early childhood educator identity are examined. Implications for curriculum, pedagogy and identity are investigated to explore contemporary understanding of the development of socially just and equitable education in the early years.

This topic aims to:

• provide conceptual, technical and cognitive skills to investigate, analyse and evaluate early years curriculum and pedagogy in international and national contexts

• interpret and communicate the differences and possible connections between curriculum and pedagogy across the different sectors of early childhood education

• examine the inter-relationship between discourses of curriculum and pedagogy found in contemporary research, practice and theory

• recognise the effects of history, culture and politics on teacher identities and social justice and equitable practice

On completion of this topic students will be able to:

• demonstrate specialised knowledge and understanding of the inter-relationship between the contexts and discourses of international and national curriculum and pedagogy found in contemporary research, practice and theory

• interpret, critically analyse and communicate the relationship between discourses of curriculum and pedagogy and the ways in which their identities as early childhood educators are linked to particular discourses of curriculum and pedagogy

• apply knowledge and understanding of early years curriculum and pedagogy in international and national contexts to make informed, critically reflective and defensible judgements that recognise the impact of curriculum and pedagogical decisions in addressing and enacting socially just and equitable practice