EDUC457 Pedagogy in Early Childhood Education

Critically evaluates a range of pedagogical approaches to early childhood education, and explores how these approaches influence teachers’ thinking about children’s learning and development in the early years.

This paper critically evaluates a range of pedagogical approaches to early childhood education, and explores how these approaches influence teachers' thinking about children's learning and development in the early years.

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Prerequisite

54 300-level EDUC points

Restriction

EDUX 457

Notes

Students who have not passed the normal prerequisite may be admitted with approval from the Dean of the College of Education.

Eligibility

To successfully complete this paper, students will need either a background in education studies with a focus on early childhood or teaching experience in an early childhood centre.

Contact

postgrad.education@otago.ac.nz

Teaching staff

Associate Professor Alex Gunn

Paper Structure

We will consider the following kinds of topics and expect students will bring their own ideas to the curriculum as well:

• A socio-historical-cultural examination of thinking, scholarship and practice in pedagogy, including students' own theories of pedagogy and of national and international trends.
• Relationships between pedagogy and socio-historical-cultural shifts in thinking about children, childhood, learning, teaching and early childhood education (research and policy based).
• Research, scholarship and theory of pedagogy.
• Interrelatedness of pedagogy, curriculum, assessment and learning: implications for teachers' practice and children's learning.

There are three assignments, all of which can build on each other. First up will be an annotated bibliography of about 10-15 studies on a topic of student choice related to socio-cultural-historical research and theory around pedagogy. Then an essay on the student identified topic will be prepared (5,000-7,000 words) and followed up with the third assessment, which will be a poster presentation (online) of the inquiry.

Teaching Arrangements

This paper is taught online, with students not required to be online at set times although some negotiation over coordinated online meetings will be expected. The paper is fully internally assessed.

Textbooks

Students will be expected to access required readings via the library and the Internet and to source their own relevant readings.

Graduate Attributes Emphasised

Critical thinking.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.

Learning Outcomes

1. Critically analyse, appraise, compare and contrast and different theoretical and research perspectives on pedagogy;
2. Critically explain socio-cultural-historical influences on pedagogy, including implications for teachers' practices;
3. Appraise and explain relationships between theories of pedagogy and theories of learning in and for early childhood education.

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