EDUC6005

Social Justice and Early Childhood Education

10 Units 6000 Level Course

Available in 2014

Callaghan Campus Semester 2
WebLearn GradSchool Semester 2

Previously offered in 2013, 2012, 2011, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004

This course aims to engage participants to re-think their constructions of identity, difference and diversity, and social inequalities. By utisliing a host of theoretical approaches it aims to extend participants' understandings of differences related to race, gender, culture, poverty, disability, class, sexuality and the family to re-examine their philosophies, curriculum, pedagogy and practices in relation to these and for doing social justice education with children and their families for personal, institutional and social transformations.

Objectives This course provides students with the opportunity to:
1. engage with theories that offer understandings about and ways to work with difference;
2. critique theories, philosophy, pedagogy, curriculum and practices employed within the field of early childhood education;
3. challenge and re-consider aspects of early childhood environments and teaching materials;
4. resist stereotyping and discriminatory behaviour and to adopt a reflective practice;
5. engage in activism with young children and families and to build communities of practice with families; and
6. engage with ethics as a basis for social justice.
Content The following list indicates indicative course content:
- Engagement with theoretical perspectives for social justice.
- Gender, Aboriginality, culture, class, poverty, disability, race, sexuality and early childhood education.
- Ethics and early childhood.
- Local and global social relations and implications for early childhood.
- Developing an activist practice for personal, institutional, community and social transformation.
Replacing Course(s) NA
Transition NA
Industrial Experience 0
Assumed Knowledge Nil
Modes of Delivery Flexible Delivery / Student Centred Learning
Internal Mode
Teaching Methods Email Discussion Group
Forums
Integrated Learning
Workshop
Assessment Items
Essays / Written Assignments Option 1: Facilitation of study group in tutorials focussed on a particular social justice issue.
Option 2: Written discussion of literature selected by participants (3 literature reviews, each 1000 words long).
Projects 60%
Choose a social justice agenda or issue in early childhood and review the literature. Organise your work on the line of the following points:
1. Discuss what is known about this agenda or issue in the literature.
2. Identify how this agenda or issue plays out / or is possibly playing out in practice.
3. Identify possible theoretical aproaches to understand this agenda or issue.
3. Identify and elaborate on possible approaches to address this agenda or issue.
Contact Hours Workshop: for 5 hour(s) per Term for Full Term
Lecture: for 7 hour(s) per Term for Full Term
Tutorial: for 14 hour(s) per Term for Full Term
Timetables 2014 Course Timetables for EDUC6005