| CODE | EPE3001 | ||||||||||||||||
| TITLE | Emergent Curriculum: Planning and Implementation 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 6 | ||||||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Early Childhood and Primary Education | ||||||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Seitz (2006) explains that an emergent curriculum is a process of learning that emanates from the children's interest, where the role of the teacher is to plan a positive authentic experiences around and beyond that interest and therefore is negotiated, organic and engaging to all involved. It is a framework which is rooted in socio‐cultural and relational pedagogy that is comprised of provocations, conversations, opportunities, experiences and theory-building. Students will revisit the different approaches such as the Reggio Approach and the Project Approach, and will be equipped to implement a "good-enough model" approach. Students will have the opportunity to adopt a pedagogy that is child-initiated. Lectures will collaborate together in order to furnish examples of how to connect different aspects of the same reality, provide children with an interplay of new experiences, rich resource of materials and time to make meaning. Their role as early years practitioners in planning experiences and environment that enhances curiosity and discovery while providing children with the space and time to investigate on their own will also be emphasised. Study-unit Aims: The overall aim of this study-unit is to equip students with an ability to adopt a "good-enough" emergent curriculum model. The study-unit will be based on the needs of how to apply theory in practice and develop an open-ended type of planning that moves away from a teacher-directed, theme-based, pre-primary approach to one that is more child-directed, interactive, action-based and emergent. It further provides consolidation about the philosophy and ideology that surrounds an emergent curriculum and thus, contributes to the professional knowledge which early years practitioners need to acquire in order to be able to plan, develop and implement inquiry-based and experiential experiences to young children. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Identify the pedagogical challenges in developing an emergent curriculum; - Demonstrate an understanding of and identify ways to practice an inquiry-based and emergent framework; - Critically reflect on emergent curriculum and briefly articulate how it is carried out in their own practice; - Have a clear understanding of the meaning of structural knowledge and an awareness of how different concepts are inter-related. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Highlight the connections within the same domain of knowledge as well as with other concepts of knowledge; - Design, plan and organise emergent and flexible activities that are characterised by a process-oriented methodology through contextual learning; - Develop a learning environment that stimulates inquiry, curiosity and investigation, where time, space and relationships are valued; - Document children's activities and interest; - Modify their planning according to the children's evolving interests. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main texts: - Chaille’ C. (2008). Constructivism across the Curriculum in early Childhood Classroom: Big Ideas as Inspiration. Boston: Pearson. - Helm, J. H. & Katz, L. (2010) Young Investigators: The Project Approach in the Early Years (2nd Ed.). New York: Teachers College. - Kashin, D. (2011). From theme-based to emergent curriculum: Four teachers change and learn about themselves, the children, and authentic practice. Curriculum Exchange, 45 - 48. - Stacey, S. (2009). Emergent Curriculum in Early Childhood Settings: From Theory to Practice. St Paul: Redleaf Press. - Schwartz, S. L., & Copeland, S. M. (2010). Connecting Emergent Curriculum and Standards in the Early Childhood Classroom: Strengthening Content, and Teaching Practice. Columbia: Teachers College. - Wein, C. A. (2008). Emergent Curriculum in the Primary Classroom. London: Teachers College Press. Supplementary texts: - Clearinghouse on Early Education and Parenting (u.d.) Section 3: The Project Approach on the Web. Methodology in Activity: Two Examples of Long-term Projects. Retrieved on 14th October, 2012, Available from http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/eecearchive/books/projcat3/section3.html - Jones, E. (2012). The Emergence of Emergent Curriculum. Young Children. 66 – 68. Available from http://www.naeyc.org/yc/files/yc/file/201203/Heritage_v67n2_0312.pdf - Mulqueen, M. (u.d.). Louise Boyd Cadwell and the Reggio-Inspired Approach to Education. Available from: http://www.i-edu.org/Articles/Reggio-Approach.pdf - The Project Approach (2011-2013). Available from: http://www.projectapproach.org/ - Wien, C. A. (u.d.). Emergent Curriculum. Connections 10(1), Available from http://tachedaycare.com/Articles/Emergent%20Curriculum.pdf |
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| RULES/CONDITIONS | Before TAKING THIS UNIT YOU MUST TAKE EPE1003 | ||||||||||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Independent Study | ||||||||||||||||
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| LECTURER/S | Charmaine Bonello |
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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 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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