Overview

This unit focuses on the identity of the early childhood professional and what it means to be a contemporary professional, with its associated opportunities and challenges. The unit identifies international, national and jurisdictional policy contexts and current key issues. Pre-service teachers will begin to see themselves as belonging to a profession and be able to explain and describe key features. This clarity will enable them to function effectively and comfortably as active members of the profession, to value their unique contribution and to maintain their resilience and wellbeing.

Requisites

Prerequisites
EDU30003 Curriculum, Planning & Assessment for Infants: Practicum 3E

AND
237.5 credit points from one of:
BA-EDUEC (2) Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood)
OR
BA-EDECP (S) Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary)
OR
BA-EDUECT (S) Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Teaching)

Teaching Periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Teaching Period 2
Location
Online
Start and end dates
08-July-2024
06-October-2024
Last self-enrolment date
21-July-2024
Census date
02-August-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
23-August-2024
Results released date
29-October-2024
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
29-July-2024
27-October-2024
Last self-enrolment date
11-August-2024
Census date
31-August-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
13-September-2024
Results released date
03-December-2024

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Identify and analyse the complexities and characteristics of the early childhood profession
  • Discuss and critique contemporary trends, policies and movements in the profession within Australia and internationally
  • Investigate and describe the key legal obligations that impact the early childhood profession and their implications for teaching
  • Describe how engaging in reflective practice and ongoing learning contributes to a culture of professional growth in the early childhood workplace
  • Critically reflect on their own professional identity, including strengths, challenges and uniqueness and articulate what it means to be a professional

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Live Online
Lecture
1.00 12 weeks 12
On-campus
Class
2.00 12 weeks 24
Specified Activities
Various
4.00 12 weeks 48
Unspecified Activities
Various
5.50 12 weeks 66
TOTAL150

Swinburne Online

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning
12.50 12 weeks 150
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
ReflectionIndividual 40% 4,5 
ReportIndividual 60% 1,2,3 

Content

  • Overview and history of early childhood profession in Australia
  • Commonwealth and jurisdictional policies and initiatives in early childhood
  • International perspectives and contexts of early childhood
  • National Quality Reform Agenda
  • Care-education divide
  • Early Childhood Australia Code of Ethics and Victorian Teaching Profession Code of Conduct
  • United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
  • Key components of early childhood education
  • What it means to be a professional and a member of a profession
  • Professional learning and identity
  • Personal and professional resilience and wellbeing
  • Reflective practice and mentoring
  • Professional associations, networks and collaborations and communities of practice
  • Australian Professional Standards for Teachers

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.