| CODE | PRE2509 | ||||||
| TITLE | Curriculum in Early Childhood Education: Design, Planning and Implementation | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 6 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Early Childhood and Primary Education | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Early childhood education policies suggest that curricular frameworks can raise quality in early years services (OECD, 2001). However, curricula can also become an issue of conflicting ideas, different philosophies, pedagogies and practice about what early childhood education is for and what are the appropriate content and context for learning and development. In this unit, students will examine and analyse the differences between the two main types of curricula, the pre-primary approach and the social pedagogic perspective (OECD 2006; 2001) where students will reflect why an increasing number of countries are adopting open and flexible frameworks which focus broadly on the children’s holistic development and well-being rather than on only cognitive development and closed literacy and numeracy objectives. The challenges between planning an emergent curriculum where the emphasis is placed on the process of learning through play, interaction, activity and co-operative project work and the prescriptive frameworks which provide for a school-readiness approach will be discussed and explored. Moreover, the students will be introduced to and explore different curricula, frameworks and approaches, such as the Reggio Approach, the Experiential Education Theory, and High/Scope which have been hailed by the OECD (2004) as examples of good practice in the field of early childhood education through their ideologies of children’s participation, active learning, holistic development, identity and well-being. Students are introduced to the planning framework as developed by the Department of Early Childhood and Primary Education, with explanations and examples from practice of how to develop an implement project work. They will subsequently be asked to create and share their own plans. This will present students with a practical view of how a process-oriented curriculum that builds on children’s interests can be translated and implemented in practice. Study-unit Aims: The overall aim of this study-unit is to introduce students to different frameworks and curricula approaches, theories, ideologies and current practices of learning which are meaningful and engaging for children and educators alike and encourage them to implement the concept of active, process-oriented, holistic approach that is based on children’s interests in their daily curriculum planning and organisation. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Distinguish and discuss the different curricula and frameworks and understand their challenges for implementation; - Outline the key characteristics which inform the curricula and approaches discussed, in order to create a nourishing classroom culture and a pedagogy based on relationships and contextualised active learning; - Identify the challenging issues in developing an emergent curriculum; - Demonstrate an understanding of the planning framework (Project plan, Weekly Plan & Activity Plan); - Reflect and propose the different ways of involving children as partners in the learning process. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Use different curricula frameworks and approaches to inform and develop their practice; - Create a nourishing classroom culture based on active learning and respect towards children as capable learners; - Design, plan, and organise emergent and flexible activities that are characterised by a process-oriented methodology through contextual learning; - Observe, assess and provide documentation for learning activities that demonstrates the children’s knowledge, understanding and experiences of the children; - Modify their planning according to the new outcomes, the flow of the activities and the children’s new interests. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Chaille’ C. (2008). Constructivism across the Curriculum in early Childhood Classroom: Big Ideas as Inspiration. Boston: Pearson. - Katz, L. G., Chard, S. C., & Kogan, Y. (2013). Engaging children’s minds: The project approach. (3rd ed.), USA: Praeger. - Miller, L., Cable, C., & Devereux, J. (2005). Developing Early Years Practice. Great Britain: David Fulton. - Pound, L. (2005). How children learn: From Montessori to Vygotsky – Educational theories and approaches made easy. London: Step by Step. - Sollars, V. (2002). Curricula, Policies and Practices in Early Childhood Education. Malta: PEG. - Stacey, S. (2009). Emergent Curriculum in Early Childhood Settings: From Theory to Practice. St Paul: Redleaf Press. - Wein, C. A. (2008). Emergent Curriculum in the Primary Classroom. London: Teachers College Press. - Wood, E., & Attfield, J. (2005). Play, learning and the Early Childhood Curriculum (2nd ed.). London: Paul Chapman. Online documents: - Ministry of Education. (1999). Creating the Future Together: National Minimum Curriculum. Malta: Ministry of Education. Available in http://curriculum.gov.mt/docs/nmc_english.pdf. - Ministry of Education and Empolyment. (2012). A National Curriculum Framework for All. Malta:Salesian Pres. Available in https://www.education.gov.mt/mediacenter.ashx?file=MediaCenter/Docs/1_NCF%20Booklet.pdf - Ministry of Education, Youth & Employment. (2006). Early Childhood Education and Care: A National Policy. Malta: MEYE. In http://www.education.gov.mt/ece.htm. - International ECEC Documents: (available online / via moodle) - Ministry of Education, New Zealand. (1996). Te Whariki: Early Childhood Curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media. Available from: http://www.northcotecreche.org.nz/pdf/whariki.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 - OECD, (2004). Starting Strong Curricula and Pedagogies in Early Childhood Education and Care: Five Curriculum Outlines. France: OECD. Available from: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/23/36/31672150.pdf. - OECD, (2001). Starting Strong I: Early Childhood Education and Care. France: OECD. - OECD, (2006). Starting Strong II: Early Childhood Education and Care. France: OECD. Available from: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/14/32/37425999.pdf. - Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. (2008). Early Years Foundation Stage. QCA: London. Available from: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Forms-and-guidance/Browse-all-by/Care-and-local-services/Childcare/Early-Years-Foundation-Stage. - The Project Approach (2011-2013). Available from: http://www.projectapproach.org/ |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-requisite Study-unit: PRE1001 | ||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Independent Study | ||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Colin Calleja (Co-ord.) Josephine Deguara |
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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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