Course Outline (Online 3.0 credits)
EVALUATION
Assignment 1: Weekly Responses to Readings
Assignment 2: Observations of an Early Childhood Environment or an interview with an Early Childhood Educator
Assignment 3: Final Paper
This course is eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading. To determine whether you can take this course for Credit/D/Fail grading, visit the Credit/D/Fail website. You must register in the course before you can select the Credit/D/Fail grading option.
DESCRIPTION
The development of pre-Kindergarten programs with reference to recent research, theories of early learning, and curriculum trends and practices.
This online course will explore the breadth of research on early childhood pedagogy. This course will introduce students to the link between sociocultural theory and young children’s development, the changing role of the early childhood educator, authentic early childhood environments, the significance of children’s ‘voice’ in curriculum development and classroom design, children’s engagement with changing communication systems, their evolving identities, and the ‘languages’ of assessment and evaluation for young learners.
ECED 406 is a core course for the Minor in Education – Early Childhood Education and the BC ECE Basic Certificate Program. This online course is an elective for the Certificate in Early Years Education and the Diploma in Early Years Education.
OBJECTIVES
To develop an understanding of:
- Early childhood issues and trends
- Theoretical perspectives influencing early childhood education
- The role of the educator in early learning contexts
- Children’s involvement in curriculum development and classroom design
- Children’s multi-layered identities
- Evaluation and assessment strategies for young children
OUTLINE
This course is offered online on Canvas – http://canvas.ubc.ca
| WEEK | TOPICS |
| 1 |
Image of the Child Examines the evolution of how children have been viewed by society, and provokes reflection on how our past experiences and cultural norms shape our own images of children. |
| 2 |
Sociocultural Theory: Young Children, their Families and Communities Provides insight into the flexible webs of relationships and communities that young students are a part of outside of the classroom. |
| 3 |
Pedagogy of Play Highlights the different types and stages of play in young children’s worlds. |
| 4 |
The Negotiated Curriculum and the Evolving Role of the Early Childhood Educator Provides insight into the concept of the ‘emergent curriculum’ in early childhood classrooms, and the teacher’s role in this collaborative process. |
| 5 |
Children’s ‘Voices’ in Early Childhood Contexts Highlights the importance of valuing and respecting children’s ideas, thoughts, and perspective in the early childhood context. |
| 6 |
Contemporary Childhood: The Influence of Digital Technology & Popular Culture in Children’s Worlds Examines the significant role digital technology and popular culture narratives play in children’s out-of-school lives, and provokes us to reflect on our own beliefs on the inclusion of digital technology and popular culture in early childhood classrooms. |
| 7 |
Early Learning Environment Highlights the notion of co-constructing beautiful and stimulating learning environments with young children. |
| 8 |
Children’s Multiple Identities Examines how children’s sense of identity evolves, and explores the significant role ‘imagined communities’ play in young children’s development. |
| 9 |
Home-School-Community Connections Discusses the importance of developing meaningful and reciprocal partnerships with students’ families and local community members. |
| 10 |
Multimodality: Children as Meaning-Makers Introduces the concept that children have many layers of representational resources available to them, such as play, movement, song and artistic activity, which enable them to make sense of their world. |
| 11 |
‘Languages’ of Assessment and Evaluation for Young Children Explores the different forms of assessment and documentation that can be used in early childhood classrooms. |
| 12 |
Reflections A review of the course, with a discussion on the seminal ideas that have resonated with you or transformed your thinking on early childhood education. |
REQUIRED COURSE MATERIAL
Call the UBC Bookstore to order: 604.822.2665, or toll-free in North America: 1.800.661.3889 or
Order online: http://shop.bookstore.ubc.ca/courselistbuilder.aspx
- Fraser, Susan. Authentic Childhood: Experiencing Reggio Emilia in the Classroom, Third Canadian Edition. Nelson Publishing. ISBN: 9780176501365
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
This is an online course. Students are required to have a computer, access to the Internet, and a Campus Wide Login ID and password to access the course website.
There is no textbook required.
LIBRARY RESOURCES: Connect From Home
Your EZproxy connection will allow you to access library resources from your computer on or off campus. For more information, go to https://services.library.ubc.ca/electronic-access/connect/
MORE INFORMATION
Telephone: 604.822.2013, or toll-free in North America: 1.888.492.1122
Email: eced.educ@ubc.ca
Latest Revision on: November 5, 2019