| CODE | EPE1008 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Becoming an Early Childhood Educator | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Early Childhood and Primary Education | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit aims to introduce students to the professional and vocational aspect of becoming an early childhood educator, by critically reflecting on the essential qualities, values, skills and dispositions required to work with young children aged 0 to seven years. The field of ECEC has been inundated with debates surrounding issues related to quality education, recognition and training of the profession, monitoring and support provided to a skilled workforce, early years curricula, as well as benefits of high quality ECEC on children's development and overall wellbeing. The significant role of the highly skilled, responsive, sensitive adult underlies every aspect of this ongoing debate. In this study-unit, the focus will be placed on the role of the educator as a key player in the care and education of young children. A participatory and reflective stance will be adopted to provide students with diverse opportunities for engaging in individual and collaborative reflection as they are initiated into their new role as trainee early childhood educators. The methods and strategies employed will seek to support the development and articulation of the values of trainee educators as they consider their impact on their role at both a relational and pedagogical level. This study-unit will encourage students to learn from experienced early childhood educators, using personal and professional narratives and case-studies to analyse the qualities, values and attitudes needed for their own successful formation as prospective educators working with young children. Study-Unit Aims: The overall aim of the study-unit is to introduce students to the role of the early childhood educator and to provide them with opportunities for reflection on the qualities, skills and attitudes that are required for their professional formation as trainee educators. It also seeks to encourage students to evaluate personal and societal values and beliefs on education and ECEC, and to ultimately develop a critical mindset as a foundation on which to build their profession. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - understand the multiple roles undertaken by early childhood educators and the required qualities to fulfil those roles; - know that the professional and vocational aspect of early childhood educators entails an introspective exercise into one’s own values and beliefs about educational aims; - distinguish between writing that is descriptive in contrast to that which is reflective, critical and constructive; - be aware of the need to develop professional competencies and professional integrity as they are initiated into their formation as trainee educators. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - compare images of early childhood educators as presented in the literature and through the sharing of experiences of experienced early childhood educators; - discuss, share and question personal perspectives and values about the professional role of early childhood educators; - develop own professional identity as a prospective early childhood educator; - engage in collaborative reflection during a residential experience to develop the capacity to actively build, interpret, refute, or change a professional identity through social negotiation; - keep a reflective journal which will be shared on an online forum and provide constructive feedback on your colleagues' entries. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Dockett, S. (2019). 'Images of Early Childhood Educators: How Are They Characterised?' European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 27:6, 737-740. Supplementary Readings: - Farrugia, R.C. (2019). 'Vocational Pedagogies for the Formation and Training of Early Childhood Educators: Perspectives of VET Lecturers and Level 5 Early Years Learners'. MCAST Journal of Applied Research and Practice, 3:1, 81-96. - Gellel, A. (2010). 'Teachers as Key Players in Values Education: Implications for Teacher Formation'. In Lovat. T et al. (eds.) International Research Handbook on Values Education and Student Wellbeing. London: Springer. - Harwood, D., Klopper, A., Osanyin, A. & Vanderlee, M. (2013). 'It's More Than Care: Early Childhood Educators' Concepts of Professionalism.' Early Years, 33:1, 4-17. - Moyles, J. (2001). 'Passion, Paradox and Professionalism'. Early Years, 21:2, 81-95. - Paige-Smith, A. & Craft, A. (2007). Developing Reflective Practice in the Early Years. London: Open University Press. - Scanlan, M. (2020). 'Does Engaging in Action Research Support Trainee Teachers in Forming and Reflecting on Values?' Education 3-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2020.1722198. - Sollars, V. (2018). 'Shaping Early Childhood Education Services in Malta: Historical Events, Current Affairs, Future Challenges.' Early Years, 38:4, 337-350. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Online Learning and Seminar | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Maria Stephanie Bugeja Rosienne Camilleri |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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