Skip to main content
Unit of study_

EDMT5707: EC Professional Experience 1 (0-2 years)

Semester 2, 2022 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

First of three professional experience units in the Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) providing opportunities for students to gain teaching experience in early childhood education settings. This unit focuses on the education and care of infants and toddlers and includes a 20-day placement. Students will observe and engage in daily practices and routines with the support of a supervising teacher and mentor including interacting with, documenting observations of, and planning and implementing learning experiences for infants and toddlers. Students gain understandings of the world of early childhood education which form the foundation for subsequent professional experiences.

Unit details and rules

Unit code EDMT5707
Academic unit Education
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
24 credit points
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Tina Stratigos, tina.stratigos@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Tina Stratigos, tina.stratigos@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Placement hurdle task Professional experience placement and ePortfolio
Attendance, supervising teacher report, and ePortfolio
75% Multiple weeks N/A
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO8 LO7 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment hurdle task Observe and plan for loose parts heuristic play
Loose parts heuristic play collection, observation, plan and report
20% Week 07
Due date: 15 Sep 2022 at 14:00
2,000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO4
Assignment hurdle task Pre-professional experience ePortfolio check
Pre-placement check to ensure ePortfolio is ready
5% Week 08
Due date: 22 Sep 2022 at 14:00
N/A
Outcomes assessed: LO8
hurdle task = hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

  • Observe and plan:  Students will develop a teaching resource comprising a collection of materials to support loose parts heuristic play for infants and toddlers. The collection will be accompanied by a written submission including an observation and experience plan, and presented to the class in a showcase in week 7
  • Pre-professional experience ePortfolio check: Students will have their ePortfolio prepared for the placement and this will be checked in class in week 8 leading to approval to commence the placement.
  • Profesional experience placement and ePortfolio:  Participation in professional experience placement as specified in professional experience handbook and professional experience requirements documents.  100% attendance for 20 days of placement plus one day lead-up visit is required.  Assessment of ePortfolio as described in the professional experience requirements.  Professional experience report as completed by the supervising teacher.
  • Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

 

R

Failed requirements

No mark

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes to a satisfactory standard, for units which are marked as either Satisfied requirements or Failed requirements.

SR

Satisfied requirements

No mark

When you meet the learning outcomes to a satisfactory standard, for units which are marked as either Satisfied requirements or Failed requirements.

All assessment components must be graded as SR to achieve an overall grade of SR for the unit.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction to professional experience Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO8
Week 02 Infants, toddlers, teaching and curriculum Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO2
Week 03 Introduction to the planning cycle - what is it, why and how do we use it? Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO6 LO7
Week 04 Assessment for learning - formative and summative assessment Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO7
Week 05 Learning environments and materials for infants and toddlers Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO4 LO7
Week 06 Relationships and interactions in infant and toddler education and care Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5
Week 07 Loose parts showcase Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO4 LO6 LO7
Week 08 Final preparations for placement Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO8
Week 13 Reflecting on placement and looking ahead to professional experience 2 Tutorial (2 hr) LO7

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: The Sydney School of Education and Social Work requires attendance of at least 90 percent of all seminars, workshops or lectures. Where a student is unable to attend at the required rate evidence of illness or misadventure may be required and the student may be required to undertake extra work. Students should discuss the circumstances of their absence(s) with the co-ordinator of the unit of study. Further details are provided in the School canvas site: https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/13426

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Canvas site.

  • Required text: Arthur, L., Beecher, B. Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (2020). Planning and programming in early childhood settings (8th ed.). Cengage.
  • Required text: MacNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices for theory and practice (3rd ed.). Pearson.
  • Required text: Porter, L. (2016). Young children’s behaviour: Practical approaches for caregivers and teachers (4th ed.). Elsevier Australia.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Interact and communicate professionally with centre staff, families and children, according to the ECA Code of Ethics
  • LO2. Build positive relationships with infants and toddlers by engaging in respectful, responsive and reciprocal interactions
  • LO3. Apply a range of observation methods to document and analyse the interests, learning and development of infants and toddlers, including synthesizing information from relevant literature, theory and the EYLF
  • LO4. Draw on knowledge gained from documented observations, theory and the EYLF to plan, implement and evaluate intentional, open-ended and play-based learning and caregiving experiences appropriate for infants and toddlers
  • LO5. Begin to use respectful and positive behavior guidance strategies to support toddlers’ learning and development
  • LO6. Critically reflect on and evaluate own teaching effectiveness drawing on theoretical knowledge and the EYLF
  • LO7. Apply knowledge and strategies gained in other Units of Study to respond to children's interests and support their learning
  • LO8. Demonstrate professional organisation, presentation and a high standard of academic literacy in professional experience e-portfolio

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes Competency standards
LO1
Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - ACECQA
4.1. Developing family and community partnerships
5.3. Ethics and professional practice
LO2
Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - ACECQA
1.1. Learning, development and care
1.3. Social and emotional development
LO3
Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - ACECQA
1. Psychology and child development such as:
1.1. Learning, development and care
1.2. Language development
1.3. Social and emotional development
LO4
Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - ACECQA
2.2. Play based pedagogies
2.4. Teaching methods and strategies
3.1. Early Years Learning Framework
3.9. Curriculum planning, programming and evaluation
LO5
Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - ACECQA
2.3. Guiding behaviour / engaging young learners
LO6
Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - ACECQA
2. Teaching pedagogies, such as:
2.4. Teaching methods and strategies
3.9. Curriculum planning, programming and evaluation
LO7
Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - ACECQA
2. Teaching pedagogies, such as:
2.2. Play based pedagogies
2.4. Teaching methods and strategies
LO8
Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - ACECQA
6.3. Professional identity and development

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered

Work, health and safety

Please make yourself familiar with the inherent requirements for this course:  https://sydney.edu.au/students/student-responsibilities/inherent-requirements.html

Please make yourself familiar with the professional experience handbook provided on your unit Canvas site, including information on Working With Children Check, workplace health and safety induction, infectious diseases and immunisation, and pregnancy.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.