Task Description:

By the end of Week 2, students will be prepared to undertake their first Assessment Task [AT1]. This individual, formative assessment task involves the completion of a compulsory Online Quiz to measure students’ current levels of engagement and understanding related to key unit topics covered in Module 1.

The AT1 Quiz is structured into a series of selected response items, (e.g., ‘True/False’ and ‘Multiple Choice’ questions); and should take approximately 20 minutes to complete. However, there is no set time limit and multiple attempts are permitted. Students must complete this Quiz to progress to the next Modules of the unit.

Information regarding the assessment and grading process for this task is located in the Assignment section in MyLO.

Completion of this Assessment Task relates to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APSTs): 1.2, 2.1, 3.2, 5.1, 6.1, 6.2.

Task Length:

Due Date:

Week 3

Weight:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

Task Description:

Students will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the Early Years Learning Framework [EYLF] for Australia. The task involves a critical interpretation of the curriculum, assessing its effectiveness and relevance for diverse learner contexts. It will include an exploration of ‘silences’, such as elements of the ‘null’ and ‘hidden’ curriculum. Students will also critically analyse how these factors influence inclusivity and diversity, reflecting on the implications for their own approaches to teaching and learning with young children.

When developing this report, students should be guided by the structure below:
1. Introduction (200 words): Briefly describe the chosen curriculum framework, outlining its intended purpose and audience.
2. Relevance for Diverse Learner Contexts (500 words): Evaluate the curriculum's applicability across varied learner contexts, considering factors such as cultural diversity, linguistic diversity and learning abilities. Discuss how the framework may support and/or hinder inclusivity.
3. Critical Evaluation of Silences (500 words): Identify and analyse the ‘null’ and ‘hidden’ curriculum. Discuss potential impacts on diverse learners and consider what significant elements may be missing or implied.
4. Reflective Analysis (500 words): Reflect on how the curriculum's characteristics align and/or conflict with your own professional context and perspectives. Consider how insights from this curriculum evaluation could influence your teaching strategies to better support diverse young learners.
5. Conclusion and Recommendations (300 words): Summarize key findings, propose recommendations for enhancing curriculum design, and suggest strategies for addressing identified silences and diverse learner needs.

Additional Requirements and Information:
Utilise support from relevant unit materials, academic research and literature throughout the discussion, with appropriate use of APA (7th Edition) referencing conventions.

This assignment should be saved as a Word/PDF file in accordance with University file-naming conventions, e.g., Smith_John-EDP708-AT2. Students should also ensure that their name, student ID, word count and page numbers are included within the assignment file.

Standard descriptors for the assignment criteria are included in the AT2 assessment rubric, located in the Assignment section in MyLO.

Completion of this Assessment Task relates to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APSTs): 1.1, 1.3, 2.1, 2.4, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 6.2.

Task Length:

Due Date:

Week 8

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

Task Description:

The final Assessment Task [AT3] task enables students to demonstrate their ability to design and justify an authentic, inclusive and engaging learning experience, using real-world observations and the Early Years Planning Cycle to guide their professional decisions.

This individual, summative assessment task involves developing a presentation suitable for an audience of peers enrolled in this unit and/or colleagues from an Early Years learning context which integrates the following components.

1. Observation and Analysis:
Select and conduct an observation of a young learner aged between 3 and 8 years (vignettes/cases/video clips to be provided). Conduct an in-depth analysis of your observation to identify the child’s key learner characteristics.
2. Early Years Planning Cycle:
Utilise the Early Years Planning Cycle to structure your approach, ensuring a cohesive and responsive curriculum design.
3. Learning Objective and Outcomes:
Develop one clear learning objective and select relevant learning outcomes/content descriptors from a relevant curriculum framework.
4. Learning Experience:
Design an age-appropriate and engaging learning experience that aligns with your learning objective, outcomes and learner context.
5. Curriculum and Pedagogies:
Identify the approaches to curriculum and pedagogy reflected in the design of your learning experience. Consider diversity, inclusivity, and engagement in your decisions.
6. Assessment Strategies:
Identify suitable assessment strategies to measure the effectiveness of the learning experience and their potential impact on learner engagement, achievement, and ideas for next steps.
7. Integrated Justification:
Provide a comprehensive justification for your curriculum decisions and design, with reference to key unit concepts and relevant scholarly literature to substantiate your approaches in curriculum design, pedagogy, and assessment.

Additional Requirements and Information:
For this Assessment Task, students can select their own presentation format (e.g., PowerPoint, Canva, Prezi, etc.). When developing the presentation, it is important to include a written script (with references included) to submit along with a copy of their recorded presentation.

Students must submit two files for this Assessment Task:
1. An MP4 video recording of the presentation [15-20 minutes]
2. The original presentation file with access to the written script.

It is recommended that these files be Saved in accordance with University file-naming conventions, e.g., Smith_John-EDP708-AT3. Students should also ensure that their name and student ID are listed clearly within their presentation file.

Standard descriptors for the assignment criteria are included in the AT3 assessment rubric, located in the Assignment section in MyLO.

Completion of this Assessment Task relates to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APSTs): 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.3, 3.2, 3.3, 5.1, 6.2.

Task Length:

Due Date:

Week 13

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION