Outline

Overview

Students in this unit will learn about leadership and management roles and responsibilities that enable the effective and viable operation of high-quality early childhood programs and services. They will explore conceptualisations of leadership in the context of early childhood education, and articulate a vision and philosophy for quality early learning. How strong leadership and effective management translate into the meeting of a teacher’s regulatory and professional accountabilities will be explored, with particular attention given to Australia’s National Quality Framework.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Education
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	60 credit points including EDMT6641 EC Professional Experience 3-5
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Marianne Fenech, marianne.fenech@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Presentation	Leading your EDMT6632 learning community - Part A Presentation of a reading that is related to a topic covered in this unit	10%	Multiple weeks	5-10 mins
Outcomes assessed:
Small test	Case study scenarios In-class test	40%	Week 04	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Leadership in practice Essay	40%	Week 05	2500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Leading your EDMT6632 learning community - Part B In-class participation that supports the learning of class members	10%	Weekly	Weekly
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

Leading your EDMT6632 learning community: The building of a learning community is something that an effective leader will do in a quality early education service. To develop this aspect of your leadership capacity this assessment task requires you to facilitate your peers' understanding of a topic of your choice (from week 2 - 8) based on the key ideas from the week's readings. For this task you will have 45 minutes to implement engaging activities designed to consolidate and support students' learning and reflection on your selected topic.
Leadership in practice: Analyse the leadership practice of the director of your EDMT6634 professional experience early childhood service.
Case study scenarios: This assessment task will include approximately 6 short answer questions based on scenarios that relate to the topics covered in this Unit. You will be assessed on your ability to apply material covered in the Unit to each of the scenarios, and your capacity to critically and thoughtfully meet your legal and professional accountabilities. All questions are compulsory. You will have 2.5 hours to complete the task.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

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.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

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.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Unit overview	Seminar (3 hr)
	Social and political influences on ECE in Australia	Seminar (3 hr)
	Theorising the leadership and management of ECE services	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 02	Leading for quality I	Seminar (3 hr)
	Leading for quality II	Seminar (3 hr)
	Leading and managing under different management structures	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 03	Strategic, operational and financial planning	Seminar (3 hr)
	Policy development	Seminar (3 hr)
	Pedagogical leadership: the role of the educational leader	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 04	Leading and working in teams	Seminar (3 hr)
	Centre director case study and Unit review	Seminar (3 hr)
	Assessment 2 - Case study scenarios	Seminar (3 hr)

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

Textbook: Waniganayake, M., Cheeseman, S., Fenech, M. Hadley, F., & Shepherd, W. (2017). Leadership: Contexts and complexities in early childhood (2nd Ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

Other required readings for this unit can be accessed via the Reading List link in Canvas.

Learning outcomes

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. critically engage with the ever changing political and legal context within which early childhood education services operate
LO2. demonstrate a sound understanding of theorertical and conceptual approaches to leadership and quality early childhood education
LO3. develop a strong working knowledge and a critical appreciation of teachers' legal and professional responsibilities as required by the National Quality Framework, including the role of a service's Nominated Supervisor and Educational Leader
LO4. critique diverse early childhood management structures, and the implications of each for teachers’ organisational roles and responsibilities and the provision of quality early childhood education
LO5. show an understanding of the responsibilities related to the strategic, operational and financial management of early childhood settings
LO6. evaluate service policies in light of teachers' legal and professional accountabilities and the provision of quality early childhood education.
LO7. appreciate the skills required to build, work in, and lead effective teams

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
Learning outcomes

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes	Competency standards
	Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - 6.1. Leadership 6.4. Advocacy
	Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - 6.1. Leadership 6.2. Management and administration 6.3. Professional identity and development
	Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - 6.1. Leadership 6.2. Management and administration 6.3. Professional identity and development
	Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - 6.1. Leadership 6.2. Management and administration 6.3. Professional identity and development 6.4. Advocacy
	Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - 6.1. Leadership 6.2. Management and administration
	Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - 6.1. Leadership 6.2. Management and administration
	Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - 6.1. Leadership 6.2. Management and administration

Responding to student feedback

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

2020 feedback was positive, in particular, students appreciated the many practical connections to and application of theory.

Additional information

Site visit guidelines

If you are undertaking professional experience/field education placement as part of your enrolment in this unit of study, please assess your specific needs and requirements for the safe and successful completion of an external placement within a host organisation. You will be given the opportunity to disclose any health issues that have a work health and safety significance before arranging a placement so that your safety, and the safety of others, can be properly assessed. The Professional Experience Coordinator/Field Education Manager will work to ensure that the workplace assignment to you is appropriate for your needs and requirements. If you are experiencing disability, and require reasonable adjustments to be arranged, please contact Disability Services as early as possible prior to commencing the internship. Please note, in all cases, and for the purpose of organising reasonable adjustments, only the impact and not the nature, of your disability will be disclosed to the host organisation.

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.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Site visit guidelines

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

EDMT6632: Early Childhood Leadership

Semester 2, 2021 [Normal day] - Remote

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Site visit guidelines

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links