EDCR101 Exploring Curriculum

An exploration of early childhood curriculum, with a particular focus on Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum framework.

This paper provides students with an introduction to the New Zealand early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki, through an exploration of its historical, political, social, ideological, theoretical and cultural contexts. It will also allow students to gain both content and pedagogical content knowledge of ICT (Information Communication Technology), mathematics and technology.

This introduction provides a foundation for two future courses: Weaving Curriculum (EDCR 201) and Living Curriculum (EDCR 301), which will deepen students' knowledge and understandings of the implementation of the early childhood curriculum.

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Limited to

BEdSt, BTchg

Notes

Early Childhood Education students only.

Contact

meredith.kelly@otago.ac.nz

Teaching staff

Paper Co-ordinator: Meredith Kelly (Southland campus)
Judy Layland (Dunedin),

Paper Structure

What is curriculum in the early years?

• The context of Te Whāriki
• Historical, cultural, ideological, political, social
• Theoretical Te Whāriki, as a bicultural framework
• Aims, philosophy, aspiration statement
• Principles and strands
• Te Ao Māori and two worldviews

Pedagogy

• The pedagogy of play
• Pedagogical approaches

Content and pedagogical content knowledge

• Key elements and pedagogic approaches
• Mathematics
• Technology
• ICT: A curriculum tool for learning

Textbooks

Required Texts:

• Lee, W., Carr, M., Soutar, B. & Mitchell, L. (2013). Understanding the te whariki approach: Early years education in practice. Oxon, United Kingdom: Routledge.
• Hemara, W. (2000). Māori pedagogies - a view from the literature. Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
• New Zealand Ministry of Education. (1996). Te whāriki: He whāriki matauranga mo ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
• Nuttall, J. (Ed.). (2013). Weaving Te Whāriki: Aotearoa New Zealand's early childhood curriculum document in theory and practice. (2nd ed.). Wellington, New Zealand: NZCER.
• Online te reo Māori dictionary http://www.tewhanake.maori.nz/

Graduate Attributes Emphasised

Interdisciplinary perspective, Scholarship, Communication, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding, Information literacy, Research, Self-motivation, Teamwork.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.

Learning Outcomes

1. To explore and describe what curriculum means in early childhood settings.
2. To examine the historical, cultural, ideological, political, social and theoretical context of the early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki.
3. To gain an understanding of Te Whāriki, as a bicultural curriculum framework with its underpinning aims, philosophy, principles and strands in practice.
4. To construct content and pedagogical content knowledge in relation to the learning areas of mathematics and technology that are relevant to learners in the early childhood context.

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