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Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title Issues in Professional Learning & Practice
Module Code EC109 (ITS) / ECE1023 (Banner)
Faculty DCU Institute of Education School Language, Literacy & ECE
Module Co-ordinatorMarlene Mccormack
Module TeachersGeraldine French
NFQ level 6 Credit Rating 5
Pre-requisite Not Available
Co-requisite Not Available
Compatibles Not Available
Incompatibles Not Available
Coursework Only
Reassessment - Essay Drawing on experience from practice, class based learning and discussion, students will develop a reflective essay which explores their emerging personal and professional values in relation to early childhood education and care.
Description

This module focuses on issues in professional learning and practice in Year 1, the foundational year and is relevant to students' emerging professional identities and taking an enquiry stance to practice. Students will develop an ethical dimension to their practice through critically reflecting on personal and professional values. These values relate to practising in ways which are child-centred, socially-oriented, inclusive, rights-based, democratic and cross-disciplinary. The student is prepared for placement in an early childhood care and education setting. In order to learn to plan creatively and well for this experience, students will learn about settings in ECE in Ireland, their role and the roles of others within these settings. Students will be introduced to planning and reflecting for early learning, professional e-portfolio building, and integrating theory with practice.

Learning Outcomes

1. Outline a range of personal values in relation to early childhood and examine core values that are evident in ECEC policy and practice in Ireland.
2. Engage in critical reflection on all children’s learning through enquiry-centred communities of practice.
3. Outline the importance of building collaborative and responsive relationships with all babies, toddlers, young children and staff.
4. Describe the practicalities and context of working as a professional in an early childhood setting with babies, toddlers and young children, cognisant of legislative and good practice requirements.
5. Highlight the importance of observing and planning for early experiences appropriate to the context of learning and development.
6. Initiate the process of compiling a professional e-portfolio



Workload Full-time hours per semester
Type Hours Description
Lecture24No Description
Assessment Feedback25No Description
Independent Study76No Description
Total Workload: 125

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Communicating and collaborating
Within this theme the student is introduced to planning to build collaborative and responsive relationships with: • Children, for example, how to enter sensitively into children’s play. • Staff, for example, how to arrange time to talk to staff about the placement in a busy setting.

Understanding diversity
Within this theme the student is prepared for placement by introducing the student to: • The provision of early childhood education in Ireland, for example, a typology incorporating the diversity and variety of: settings, children and families, staff, communities and curricula.

Applying professional knowledge
Within this theme the student is introduced to: • Planning how to link the theory learned in the foundation year course-work, for example, on communication and language, creativity in art and music, play, child protection, wellbeing, health and nutrition, Irish national frameworks and apply it to their practice in placement.

Engaging in professional practice
Within this theme the student is prepared for placement by introducing the student to: • The role and expectations of the student, the setting manager, the ‘co-operating educator’ and university placement tutor. • Developing a professional identity, for example, thinking about and discussing the concept of professionalism with specific reference to the emerging profession of early childhood education in Ireland. • Planning to deal with conflicts and young children’s many care routines of, for example, nappy changing, feeding, and toileting generally. • Short-term planning for early learning and development.

Practising reflectively and ethically.
Within this theme the student is prepared for placement by introducing the student to: • Ways of observing and ethically documenting children’s learning in play. • Strategies and simple tools for self-assessment and reflection. • Developing a professional placement e-portfolio

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment100% Examination Weight0%
Course Work Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
PortfolioThe e-portfolio will comprise of students’ reflections and learning on a range of topics that link with the learning outcomes of the module.100%Sem 1 End
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories:
Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module.
Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1
Indicative Reading List

  • Ioanna Palaiologou: 2019, Child Observation: A guide for students of early childhood, 4th, Sage Publications, London, 978-1-52564-4
  • T., Louis, S. and McCall, G.: 2014, Observing Young Children, Sage, London, 978-1-4462-85
  • Fawcett, M. and Watson, D.: 2016, Learning through child observation, 3rd, Jessica Kingsley, London,
  • Ioanna Palaiologou: 2012, Ethical Practice in Early Childhood, 1st, Sage Publications, London, 978-0-85702-8
  • Alice Paige-Smith, Anna Craft: 2008, Developing Reflective Practice in the Early Years, 2nd, 11, Open University Press, 0335242359
  • Professor Cathy Nutbrown, Mrs Jools Page: 2013, Working with Babies and Children, 2nd, 7, Sage Publications Ltd, London, 1412946743
  • French, G.: 2008, Supporting quality: Guidelines for professional practice in early childhood services, 3rd, Barnardos, Dublin,
  • Maire Mhic Mhathuna (Editor), Mark Taylor (Editor): 2012, Early Childhood Education & Care, 1st, 30, Gill & Macmillan Ltd, Dublin, 071715324X
Other Resources

39690, Website, 0, Ballyfermot Language Enrichment Programme for ideas for language games with children three to six visit, http://www.thelanguagegarden.ie, 39691, Website, 0, Children’s Right’s Alliance, for communications on children’s rights, contact Communications, communications@childrensrights.ie see also http://www.childrensrights.ie/, 39692, Website, 0, Early Childhood Ireland for general information visit, http://www.earlychildhoodireland.ie/, 39693, Website, 0, Information on resources for Montessori (Irish) Montessori Alliance, info@montessorialliance.ie, 39694, Website, 0, National Adult Literacy Association for ideas to help children from birth to learn, visit Help my kid learn., http://www.helpmykidlearn.ie/, 39695, Website, 0, National Council for Curriculum and Assessment for podcasts, videos, and information supporting early learning in relation to Aistear: The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework' visit, http://www.ncca.ie, 39696, Website, 0, Síolta, the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education, http://www.siolta.ie, 39699, Website, 0, American daily news items on ECE; to receive ExchangeEveryDay write to exchangeeveryday@ccie.com, 39700, Website, 0, American monthly newsletter (Extensions) is available from HighScope Foundation. Become a member for free at http://www.highscope.org, 39702, Website, 0, European e-News Bulletin called Euro Child Bjoern Becker bjoern.becker@eurochild.org,

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