Undergraduate - UnitEDF4038 - Researching innovative practices in childhood education

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2014 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered, or view unit timetables.

Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Education
Offered	City (Melbourne) Term 2 2014 (Flexible)
Coordinator(s)	Ms Prasanna Srinivasan

Synopsis

In this unit students develop understanding of innovative practices in childhood education through exploring literature and evidence-based research in teaching and learning in early childhood contexts. This includes a focus on innovation in using information and communication technology (ICT) and new media forms and new approaches to literacy and numeracy education. A range of approaches to research are explored to highlight the participation of children and families, ethical issues in research with young children, teacher research, self-study, arts-based research and other innovative methodologies. Students are encouraged to study their own pedagogical practice and explore the learning possible when teachers are researchers.

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit students should be able to:

develop their knowledge of innovation in teaching and learning in early childhood contexts through exploring evidence based research including a focus on using ICT and new media forms and new approaches to literacy and numeracy education
conduct and complete a literature review on innovative practices in childhood education
understand how to make ethical decisions about the involvement of children and families in research
show familiarity with a range of innovative methodologies
frame their practice as research and study their own pedagogical practice.

Assessment

Literature review (2000 words equivalent, 50%)
Self-study research report on innovative practice (2000 words equivalent, 50%)

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Jane Bone

Workload requirements

Minimum total expected workload equals 12 hours per week comprising:

(a.) Contact hours for on-campus students:

2 contact hours per week

(b.) Additional requirements:

independent study to make up the minimum required hours per week

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Education - Early childhood and early childhood-primary
Education - Primary