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  2. STEM in Early Childhood: A Creative Integrated Approach [ECS4160]

School: Education

This unit 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.

Please note that given the circumstances of COVID-19, there may be some modifications to the assessment schedule promoted in Handbook for Semester 1 2020 Units. Students will be notified of all approved modifications by Unit Coordinators via email and Unit Blackboard sites. Where changes have been made, these are designed to ensure that you still meet the unit learning outcomes in the context of our adjusted teaching and learning arrangements.

  • Unit Title

    STEM in Early Childhood: A Creative Integrated Approach

  • Unit Code

    ECS4160

  • Year

    2020

  • Enrolment Period

    1

  • Version

    1

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online

  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Patricia Ruth COLLINS

Description

This unit introduces students to the interdisciplinary approach of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in early childhood. The unit will extend on the knowledge already gained in the undergraduate units of mathematics and science. Students will explore how to teach creatively, integrating learning across the curriculum through inquiry and project-based teaching. Opportunities will be provided for students to plan, implement, assess and evaluate an integrated STEM curriculum to foster critical thinking, problem solving, exploration, inquiry and reasoning.

Prerequisite Rule

To enrol in this elective, students must have completed and passed ALL: SCE2240: Early Childhood Science and Technology Education ECM2260: Early Childhood Mathematics 1 ECM3260: Early Childhood Mathematics 2

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Demonstrate a range of knowledge, understanding, skills and dispositions related to STEM content areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in an early childhood setting.
  2. Select and provide appropriate content, experiences and materials to support the learning of STEM processes for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in early childhood.
  3. Demonstrate effective management, organisational, planning and assessment strategies to integrate and document learning across STEM curriculum areas.
  4. Apply an integrated programme that meets the needs of young students within the learning areas of STEM.

Unit Content

  1. Identification of the key concepts underpinning the development of children's understanding of STEM: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
  2. Planning of meaningful learning experiences for the development of critical thinking, problem solving, reasoning, inquiry, deep learning and intellectual skills.
  3. Identification of the source and use of appropriate resources, materials and equipment to support planned experiences for both indoor and outdoor environments.
  4. Examination and development of organisational and management strategies most appropriate to integrating the curriculum including inquiry approach and project approach.
  5. Examination of the teacher's role in planning and preparing an active learning environment and strategies to promote discovery, enquiry and questioning.
  6. Strategies for planning, assessing and reflection using integrated webs and documentation.

Learning Experience

ON-CAMPUS

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU Blackboard.

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 18 x 4 hour seminarNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

ONLINE

Students will engage in learning experiences through ECU Blackboard as well as additional ECU learning technologies.

Additional Learning Experience Information

A combination of lectures, workshops, guest speakers, videos, required readings and group and individually assigned work are used to achieve the unit outcomes. Students are required to become independent learners, contributors in workshops and competent team members.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Reflective PracticeWeekly Reflection Task40%
ProjectImplementation and presentation60%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
Reflective PracticeWeekly Reflection Task40%
ProjectImplementation and presentation60%

Core Reading(s)

  • Moomaw, S. (2013). Teaching STEM in the early years : activities for integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. St Paul, MN: Redleaf Press. Retrieved from https://ecu.on.worldcat.org/oclc/849937011?databaseList=638

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

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.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

ECS4160|1|1

School: Education

This unit 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.

Please note that given the circumstances of COVID-19, there may be some modifications to the assessment schedule promoted in Handbook for this unit. All assessment changes will be published by 27 July 2020. All students are reminded to check handbook at the beginning of semester to ensure they have the correct outline.

  • Unit Title

    STEM in Early Childhood: A Creative Integrated Approach

  • Unit Code

    ECS4160

  • Year

    2020

  • Enrolment Period

    2

  • Version

    1

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online

  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Patricia Ruth COLLINS

Description

This unit introduces students to the interdisciplinary approach of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in early childhood. The unit will extend on the knowledge already gained in the undergraduate units of mathematics and science. Students will explore how to teach creatively, integrating learning across the curriculum through inquiry and project-based teaching. Opportunities will be provided for students to plan, implement, assess and evaluate an integrated STEM curriculum to foster critical thinking, problem solving, exploration, inquiry and reasoning.

Prerequisite Rule

To enrol in this elective, students must have completed and passed ALL: SCE2240: Early Childhood Science and Technology Education ECM2260: Early Childhood Mathematics 1 ECM3260: Early Childhood Mathematics 2

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Demonstrate a range of knowledge, understanding, skills and dispositions related to STEM content areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in an early childhood setting.
  2. Select and provide appropriate content, experiences and materials to support the learning of STEM processes for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in early childhood.
  3. Demonstrate effective management, organisational, planning and assessment strategies to integrate and document learning across STEM curriculum areas.
  4. Apply an integrated programme that meets the needs of young students within the learning areas of STEM.

Unit Content

  1. Identification of the key concepts underpinning the development of children's understanding of STEM: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
  2. Planning of meaningful learning experiences for the development of critical thinking, problem solving, reasoning, inquiry, deep learning and intellectual skills.
  3. Identification of the source and use of appropriate resources, materials and equipment to support planned experiences for both indoor and outdoor environments.
  4. Examination and development of organisational and management strategies most appropriate to integrating the curriculum including inquiry approach and project approach.
  5. Examination of the teacher's role in planning and preparing an active learning environment and strategies to promote discovery, enquiry and questioning.
  6. Strategies for planning, assessing and reflection using integrated webs and documentation.

Learning Experience

ON-CAMPUS

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU Blackboard.

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 18 x 4 hour seminarNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

ONLINE

Students will engage in learning experiences through ECU Blackboard as well as additional ECU learning technologies.

Additional Learning Experience Information

A combination of lectures, workshops, guest speakers, videos, required readings and group and individually assigned work are used to achieve the unit outcomes. Students are required to become independent learners, contributors in workshops and competent team members.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Reflective PracticeWeekly Reflection Task40%
ProjectImplementation and presentation60%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
Reflective PracticeWeekly Reflection Task40%
ProjectImplementation and presentation60%

Core Reading(s)

  • Moomaw, S. (2013). Teaching STEM in the early years : activities for integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. St Paul, MN: Redleaf Press. Retrieved from https://ecu.on.worldcat.org/oclc/849937011?databaseList=638

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

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.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

ECS4160|1|2