EDP3502

Practicum studies 4 (infants and toddlers)

Associate Professor A Stonehouse

6 points - 2 hours per week - Second semester - Peninsula - Prerequisites: EDP2105 and EDP2501

Objectives Upon successful completion of this subject, students should have knowledge, skills and understanding to be competent team leaders in a child care centre, including skills to plan, implement and evaluate a program of high quality for under three year olds; be able to work effectively as the leader of a group of staff, and to form effective partnerships with parents; have knowledge and understanding of the following as they relate particularly to under three year olds, child care services available to children in Victoria and throughout Australia, with a particular focus on child care centres and family day care, the particular characteristics of babies and toddlers that impact on the provision of care, the unique features of family day care that make it particularly suitable for babies and toddlers, current issues in child care impacting particularly on the care of under three year olds; be able to discuss current issues, such as the impact of child care experience on the development of very young children, and to identify the features of high quality child care services and programs.

Synopsis This subject will examine child care services for children under three years of age, with a particular emphasis on program planning, implementation, and evaluation, with a broad focus on all components of the program. The major focus will be centre based care, with some attention to other forms of care, particularly family day care. Particular issues related to the importance of partnership with parents of very young children and how to establish and maintain a partnership will be looked at. Students will undertake a 25-day practicum placement in a child care centre with a group of under three year olds in which they will demonstrate the skills, knowledge and attitudes of a competent team leader, including the planning, implementation, and evaluation of an appropriate program for under three year olds.

Assessment Written program (3000 words): 60% - Assignment (2000 words): 40% - Hurdle requirement: successful completion of practicum

Recommended texts

Greenman J and Stonehouse A Prime times: A handbook of excellence in infant and toddler care Addison Wesley Longman, 1997
Hutchins T Babies need more than minding Australian Early Childhood Association, 1996
National Childcare Accreditation Council Quality improvement and accreditation handbook, 1994

Back to the 1999 Education Handbook