ECE307 - Program Planning and Evaluation

Unit details

Content

• Formats that can be used in program planning and for scaffolding of programs to support language, conceptual, physical, social and emotional development;
• Links to relevant web-based resources; and
• Pre-school curriculum documents from Australian states, or web links to these.

Participants will develop a week's program for use in a pre-school setting. Its presentation will involve the use of multimedia and its features will be suitable for use in a professional presentation to a kindergarten community group (e.g., management committee, parents, community evening). The program will be built on evidence of the children's cognitive development and will demonstrate students' knowledge of varied aspects of early childhood pedagogy, as introduced in units to date. The content will include plans for evaluation of the strengths and limitations of the program, including input from parents and relevant professionals (e.g., child psychologist, community librarian, disabilities officer, Koorie educator).

The CloudDeakin resources will include interviews with experienced kindergarten, long day care, and primary school teachers about their program development and program evaluation.

Assessment

Assignment No. 1: An Inquiry and critical evaluation task, 50%

Based on your observations and reflections from your placement, current or previous teaching experience in an early childhood education and care setting, identify and discuss the potential learning available in a learning area that is of interest to you. The potential learning that you identify could include academic (maths, literacy, science, music, creative arts), social and emotional or competencies-based learning. Using current literature, discuss how children’s learning could occur and which areas of knowledge, skills and competencies could be strengthened. From these, select one specific area of knowledge, a skill or competency and provide at least three examples of teaching practices that could enhance a child’s learning. Use current literature to support your choice of practices. Specify the age-group you are considering in your discussions.

Assignment No.2: Portfolio development and reflection, 50%
Part A: Portfolio development, 25%. From your observations and assessment of children’s development and learning, with the written consent of a parent (see consent form) develop a learning profile. The purpose of the profile is to document the progression of the child’s learning over a four week period.

Your task is to:

• Observe the child for at least three days and note the curriculum areas he or she engages in, the knowledge, skills and competencies they demonstrate and the interests they show. 
• Document the learning areas you have observed. For example: social skills, emotional competencies, maths, literacy, science, problem solving (creative thinking) including cognitive skills such as hypothesising, constructing working theories, metacognitive thinking) visual arts, music, physical skills. 
• Notice a child’s engagement within the centre. 
• Recognise the learning occurring during across the curriculum areas. Analyse the child’s work to see if there are patterns in areas of learning that are emerging. Write at least three learning stories over the four week period. Using the following format, show how the child demonstrated their knowledge, skills or competencies and show continuity by linking to previous learning events where similar learning was shown: Learning story with...............Date..............Teacher This is what happened and how it links to previous learning: (What the teacher noticed and the learning they recognised) In this learning experience you showed us that you......(describe academic or social learning or competencies) This is how demonstrated that you.....(dispositions) Our next step is............... Respond by developing a programme plan for ways to extend one significant aspect of the child’s learning and using their interests as a context for your plan.

Part B: Critical reflection, 25%. Using an essay format, critically reflect on the process you have used to develop your profile. Support your reflections with scholarly references.

Unit Fee Information

* Rate for all CSP students, except for those who commenced Education and Nursing units pre 2010
** Rate for CSP students who commenced Education and Nursing units pre 2010
Please note: Unit fees listed do not apply to Deakin Prime students.