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The Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) is dedicated to producing quality graduates ready to take up employment across the early childhood education sector, including teaching children aged 0-3 years, pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, pre-primary and years 1-3 in a primary school. Dealing specifically with children aged 0-8 years, this course focuses on the care and education of children in this age group in partnership with families and communities. This course is built on the principle that students come to the program with strengths from a diverse range of educational and life experiences. Reflective thinking and research, with an emphasis on links between theory and practice is valued, as students develop a deep understanding of the importance of building strong, positive relationships with children, families, communities and colleagues. Further, they are taught how to develop, implement and assess socially inclusive curricula where children are valued, respected and productively engaged in learning. The Master of Teaching provides a teaching qualification for students who have already obtained a Bachelor degree or an equivalent qualification in areas other than Education.
This course information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester. In particular please check the course requirements and the unit and unit set offerings, as these differ according to course delivery location.
Central to this course is an extensive program of Professional Experience in schools and early childhood settings culminating in a final Teaching Practicum in the final year of the course. Students have the shared responsibility for the education, safety and well-being of children in schools and early childhood settings, therefore the teaching profession demands the highest professional standards and personal ethics. Students will complete a 2-week placement (ECE6140), five distributed days and a 4 week block placement (ECE6180 in a Junior primary setting) and five distributed days and a 6 week block placement (ECE6160) in a Kindergarten and/or Pre-Primary. Further information regarding Professional Experience can be found at: <a href='https://www.ecu.edu.au/schools/education/professional-experience'>https://www.ecu.edu.au/schools/education/professional-experience</a>
The Department of Education Western Australia and cooperating non-government schools have the right to determine 'fit and proper persons' to enter and practice in schools. For these reasons, all Pre-Service Teachers 18 years of age and over will be required to have a current Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) and a current Working with Children Check, or the equivalent clearance issued by the relevant State authority before commencing this period of Professional Experience. Further information can be found at <a href='http://www.ecu.edu.au/schools/education/professional-experience/before-professional-experience'>http://www.ecu.edu.au/schools/education/professional-experience/before-professional-experience</a>
Generally host Schools and Centres require that the Pre-Service Teachers attend the placement on a full time basis or otherwise meet their specific attendance requirements of the particular placement. There is limited scope for ECU to negotiate any deviations from these requirements.
During the placement, it is imperative that Pre-Service Teachers always demonstrate professionalism and respect for industry partners. Pre-Service Teachers must abide by the professional standards set out in the ECU Student Code of Conduct and comply with the applicable University policies and rules. The Student Code of Conduct can be found at: <a href='http://policysearch.ecu.edu.au/PolicySearch/Record/767/file/document'>http://policysearch.ecu.edu.au/PolicySearch/Record/767/file/document</a> The host School/Centre has absolute discretion to terminate the Pre-Service Teacher's placement prior to completion of the placement. Situations where this discretion has been exercised are typically where the School/Centre has had concerns about the Pre-Service Teacher's conduct or performance. ECU may also withdraw a Pre-Service Teacher from placement in certain circumstances. Early termination or withdrawal from the professional experience placement may result in a Fail grade for this unit.
The Professional Experience units are designated as a fundamental course requirement and may only be attempted once unless otherwise determined by the Progression Panel. Failure to pass these units may result in exclusion from the course.
This course has been Accredited by: Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA).
This course has been Accredited by: Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia (TRBWA).
Students will need to graduate to be eligible to register with the Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia (TRBWA). Registration with the Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia (TRBWA) is required to practice in the profession.
Graduates must meet the Teacher Registration Board of WA (TRBWA) English language proficiency requirements for teacher registration in Western Australia. Further information is available at <a href='http://www.trb.wa.gov.au'>http://www.trb.wa.gov.au</a>
International students must attain an IELTS Academic with an average level of 7.5 or more, across the four components of listening, speaking, reading and writing; no score below level 7.0 in any of these components; and a score of 8.0 or more in the components of speaking and listening. Internationally schooled applicants may also be required to meet this requirement.
English competency requirements may also be satisfied through completion of one of the following:
All applicants are required to have a discipline-specific bachelor or equivalent qualification relevant to the Australian Curriculum or other recognised areas of school provision. Professional experience cannot be accepted as an alternative to completion of the bachelor degree. These course-specific requirements supersede the minimum academic admission requirements for Band 6. All applicants are required to satisfy non-academic criteria, in addition to satisfying academic entry criteria. Applicants' non-academic capabilities will be assessed based on completion of a Non-Academic Requirements for Teacher Entry (NARTE) online questionnaire.
This course has been accredited by ECU as an AQF Level 9 Masters Degree (Coursework) Award.
This course does not follow the standard ECU academic calendar. Please check the School of Education calendar for start dates and practicum dates. Students have the opportunity to complete a fast-tracked final year and achieve eligibility for employment in schools from Term 4 of that year. International students considering a post-study visa application should be aware of the Department of Home Affairs Australian study requirements before choosing to take the FastTrack delivery option.
All nationally accredited Initial Teacher Education courses require students to undertake the LANTITE tests, as set by ACER, and meet the Standard in personal literacy and personal numeracy to be eligible to graduate. The Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia requires all students who enrol in an Initial Teacher Education course (undergraduate and graduate) from 1st January 2017 to have successfully met the set Standard, as set by ACER, for personal numeracy and literacy to be eligible to graduate, and therefore, be eligible for registration as a teacher. Students will be able to resit each component of the test two additional times if not successful on the first attempt (three opportunities in total). Students will be required to re-register and pay to sit the test each subsequent time. On successful completion of the test students will be given advanced standing for the above two units LIT1200 and NUM1200.
| Unit Code | Unit Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| LAN6120 | Language and Literacy Birth to 5 Years | 15 |
| AED6160 | Visual Arts and Music Education in Early Childhood | 15 |
| ECE6140 # | Investigating Young Children's Holistic Learning and Development | 15 |
| MSC6110 | Mathematics and Technologies for Young Children | 15 |
| Unit Code | Unit Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| SCE6120 | Science for Young Children | 15 |
| LAN6130 | Early Literacy 5-8 Years | 15 |
| ECM6130 | Mathematics in the Early Years of School: 5 to 8 Years | 15 |
| ECE6180 # | Early Childhood Practice and Pedagogy for Children 5-8 | 15 |
| Unit Code | Unit Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| ECE6320 | Physical Education, Health and Wellbeing for Young Children (Healthy, Active and Safe Children) | 10 |
| HSS6180 | Humanities and Social Sciences Birth to 8 Years | 10 |
| ECE6145 | Inclusive Early Childhood Environments | 15 |
| ECE6160 # | Effective Pedagogy and Practice in Early Childhood Contexts | 15 |
| TPA6120 # | Teaching Performance Assessment | 10 |
| Unit Code | Unit Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| EDF6201 | Aboriginal Contexts in Early Childhood Education | 15 |
| ECE6150 | Contemporary and Comparative Perspectives in Early Childhood Education | 15 |
| AED6150 | Dance, Drama and Media Arts Education in Early Childhood | 15 |
| ECE6170 | Leading and Managing in Early Childhood Contexts | 15 |
# Designated Unit - a Unit or Unit of Competency which a School has designated as a fundamental course requirement and may only be attempted once unless otherwise determined by the School Progression Panel.
For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.
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