ObjectivesOn completion of this course graduates will have the knowledge, skills and understanding to enable them to: * Be highly-skilled teachers, with the theoretical frameworks and practical ability to produce effective learning for each individual student. * Be engaged intelligently and passionately in the educational venture, and have the ability not only to adapt to, but also to lead change. * Articulate a coherent set of beliefs about learning and teaching, based soundly on leading-edge theory and evidence-based research. * Display a solid understanding of discipline knowledge and knowledge about education, and of how they interact in effective pedagogy. * Understand the links between planning, teaching and evaluating for learning. * Plan for students' teaching and learning bringing to bear an informed awareness of child and adolescent development. * Generate and interpret the classroom data to enable individualized programming of developmental learning for each student. * Respond flexibly in catering for the different learning needs of individual students, including those with special needs. * Utilise a range of teaching approaches that foster both independent and cooperative learning. * Structure their teaching to provide rich and creative learning environments. * Develop in their students the capacity for vigorous but respectful critique and for curiosity in learning. * Demonstrate an awareness of cultural diversity and its implications for society and education. * Demonstrate an understanding of the significance of written and spoken language as fundamental to education. * Utilise a variety of technologies in the classroom to assist learning. * Function effectively across the various relationships involved in the professional life of a teacher. * Demonstrate the level of competency in literacy and numeracy expected of the teaching profession. * Be leaders and advocates in education, responsive to legislation, policy and the global human rights issues of participation, access and inclusion.
Practical experienceThere is an internship option associated with this program.
Academic titleMaster of Teaching (Early Childhood)
Course descriptionSubject Semester Credit Points
460-518 Professional Practice and Seminar EC 1a
The professional practice and seminar program provides an integrated focus on the subjects in each semester and addresses the teacher candidates' developing understandings of professional knowledge, professional practice and professional engagem... Semester 1 18.75
460-519 Complexity and Diversity in Development
This subject engages teacher candidates in contemporary issues, questions and debates on human development from which an understanding of the complexity and diversity of children’s development is based. Candidates will employ various para... Semester 1 12.50
460-520 Early Childhood Development
This subject helps teacher candidates understand interrelated domains of development – physical, cognitive, communicative, creative, social, emotional and spiritual - during the early childhood period. Developmental progress within domain... Semester 1 12.50
460-521 Investigating Curricula and Programs
This subject examines a range of theoretical perspectives and models influencing the design and pedagogical approach to early childhood curricula. The relationships between conceptualisations of early childhood curricula, perspectives of children&... Semester 1 12.50
460-522 Professional Culture, Dynamics & Change
This subject develops teacher candidates’ knowledge and understanding of the professional contexts of early childhood organisations and their impact on management styles and professional relationships. Topics include a historical perspect... Semester 1 12.50
460-601 Management, Leadership and Policy
Teacher candidates engage with research-based studies of the diverse roles of early childhood professionals in local programs and contexts. Using specific analytic frames, the candidates both review and devise case studies of selected policy, governa... Semester 1 6.25
Subject Semester Credit Points
460-524 Professional Practice and Seminar EC 2a
This subject further deepens teacher candidates’ professional knowledge about early childhood services including Maternal & Child Health and the Early Years of Schooling. Teacher candidates refine and reflect on their professional pra... Semester 2 18.75
460-525 Individualising Learning
This subject prepares teacher candidates to identify and support the diversity of individual learning abilities and needs that are typically encountered within early childhood groups, while developing an awareness of relevant issues and debates. Cand... Semester 2 12.50
460-526 Language and Literacy in EC
This subject introduces paradigms in emergent and early literacy, and articulates the relationship between theory and practice in supporting children’s language and literacy development. Content includes: the function of symbols and print... Semester 2 12.50
460-527 Science and Mathematics in EC
The focus of this subject is how to develop children’s awareness of science and mathematics concepts in the world around them. Topics are centred on children’s everyday lives and the natural world, and draw on research on chi... Semester 2 12.50
460-602 Ethics and Professionalism
Teacher candidates engage with an international selection of the studies that focus on system level dimensions of the profession (eg. ethics, rights of the child, quality aspects, global indicators, equity, investment strategies, codes of practice, p... Semester 2 6.25
460-661 The Creative and Expressive Child
This subject engages teacher candidates in extended practical and theoretical studies based on learning about and through visual arts, drama, movement and music in early childhood. Topics focus on how to design, implement and evaluate an arts-centred... Semester 2 12.50
Professional Development Option
Students may undertake 50 points of further specialist study in Early Childhood in a standard 50-point specialist program eg. Postgraduate Certificate in Educational Studies (Special Education, Inclusion and Early Intervention), or they may choose individual subjects for Early Childhood according to their interests and needs.
Induction Option
Subject Semester Credit Points
460-551 Professional Portfolio
The subject focuses on supporting effective personal professional development in the initial stages of teaching. With assistance from a designated faculty mentor, graduate teachers collate and present evidence of practice against the standards for te... Year Long 37.50
460-553 Investigating Practice (Induction)
A study that addresses the immediate needs of teachers within classrooms and locates their teaching within the context of the school or early childhood centre. The study develops graduate teachers’ reflective dialogue through the use of e... Year Long 12.50
Internship Option
Subject Semester Credit Points
460-529 Internship (Early Childhood)
The intern assumes teaching duties within a kindergarten program in collaboration with an appropriately qualified mentor, approved by the host early childhood service and the School. The intern attends the centre for four days a week and has a teachi... Semester 1 37.50
460-552 Investigating Practice (Internship)
A study that addresses the immediate needs of beginning teachers within classrooms and locates their teaching within the context of the school or early childhood centre. The study develops graduate teachers’ reflective dialogue through th... Semester 1, Semester 2 12.50
Research Option
Subject Semester Credit Points
460-557 Education Research Methodology
This subject will guide the student through the structure and design of an education research study including; critical evaluation of the literature; the purposes and characteristics of qualitative and quantitative methodologies and descriptive and s... Semester 1, Semester 2 12.50
460-558 Research Project
Students negotiate an individual project relating to education with an individual supervisor. The project includes a critical review of relevant academic and research literature and a research project relating to educational practice. Semester 1, Semester 2 37.50
460-730 Research Project
Students negotiate an individual project relating to education with an individual supervisor. The project includes a critical review of relevant academic and research literature and a research project relating to educational practice. Year Long 37.50
Early Years Option
This option prepares Early Childhood teacher candidates to teach in the early years of primary schooling. It leads to provisional registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching as a primary teacher.
Subject Semester Credit Points
460-535 Professional Practice and Seminar (EY)
The professional practice and seminar program provides an integrated focus on all subjects across the semester and addresses teacher candidates’ developing understandings of professional knowledge, professional practice and professional e... Semester 1 12.50
460-536 Literacy in the Early Years
This subject will build on teacher candidates’ knowledge of school students’ language acquisition and emergent literacy in early childhood to support understandings of literacy development in the early years of schooling. Tea... Semester 1 12.50
460-537 Numeracy in the Early Years
This subject focuses on teaching mathematics in the first years of school. It examines the curriculum in the early years, specific early numeracy programs, the early diagnosis of mathematics learning difficulties and intervention strategies. Teacher ... Semester 1 12.50
460-538 Integrated Curriculum (Early Years)
This subject will explore ways in which young school-aged children come to understand their world through the diverse dimensions of society (including race, gender, ethnicity, culture and class), in particular curriculum which explores how and why na... Semester 1 6.25
460-539 Professional Contexts (Early Years)
This subject investigates socio-political contexts of schooling and the changing roles and responsibilities of teachers in complex and diverse school communities. The professional identity of teachers will be explored in relation to professional stan... Semester 1 6.25
Reduced Mode Students who commenced studies in 2009
Subjects undertaken in the first semester of the reduced mode of delivery
Subject Semester Credit Points
460-531 Professional Practice and Seminar EC 1r
The professional practice and seminar program provides an integrated focus on the subjects in each semester and addresses the teacher candidates’ developing understandings of professional knowledge, professional practice and professional ... Semester 1 6.25
460-520 Early Childhood Development
This subject helps teacher candidates understand interrelated domains of development – physical, cognitive, communicative, creative, social, emotional and spiritual - during the early childhood period. Developmental progress within domain... Semester 1 12.50
460-521 Investigating Curricula and Programs
This subject examines a range of theoretical perspectives and models influencing the design and pedagogical approach to early childhood curricula. The relationships between conceptualisations of early childhood curricula, perspectives of children&... Semester 1 12.50
460-601 Management, Leadership and Policy
Teacher candidates engage with research-based studies of the diverse roles of early childhood professionals in local programs and contexts. Using specific analytic frames, the candidates both review and devise case studies of selected policy, governa... Semester 1 6.25
Reduced Mode Students who commenced studies in 2009
Subjects undertaken in the second semester of the reduced mode of study
Subject Semester Credit Points
460-532 Professional Practice and Seminar EC 2r
The professional practice and seminar program provides an integrated focus on the subjects in each semester and addresses the teacher candidates’ developing understandings of professional knowledge, professional practice and professional ... Semester 2 12.50
460-525 Individualising Learning
This subject prepares teacher candidates to identify and support the diversity of individual learning abilities and needs that are typically encountered within early childhood groups, while developing an awareness of relevant issues and debates. Cand... Semester 2 12.50
460-526 Language and Literacy in EC
This subject introduces paradigms in emergent and early literacy, and articulates the relationship between theory and practice in supporting children’s language and literacy development. Content includes: the function of symbols and print... Semester 2 12.50
460-602 Ethics and Professionalism
Teacher candidates engage with an international selection of the studies that focus on system level dimensions of the profession (eg. ethics, rights of the child, quality aspects, global indicators, equity, investment strategies, codes of practice, p... Semester 2 6.25
Reduced Mode Students who commenced studies in 2009
Subjects undertaken in the third semester of the reduced mode of study
Subject Semester Credit Points
460-533 Professional Practice and Seminar EC 3r
This subject further deepens teacher candidates’ professional knowledge about early childhood services. Teacher candidates refine and reflect on their professional practice and take responsibility for planning, implementing and evaluating... Semester 1 12.50
460-519 Complexity and Diversity in Development
This subject engages teacher candidates in contemporary issues, questions and debates on human development from which an understanding of the complexity and diversity of children’s development is based. Candidates will employ various para... Semester 1 12.50
460-522 Professional Culture, Dynamics & Change
This subject develops teacher candidates’ knowledge and understanding of the professional contexts of early childhood organisations and their impact on management styles and professional relationships. Topics include a historical perspect... Semester 1 12.50
Reduced Mode Students who commenced studies in 2009
Subjects undertaken in the fourth semester of reduced mode of study.
Subject Semester Credit Points
460-534 Professional Practice and Seminar EC 4r
This subject further deepens teacher candidates’ professional knowledge about early childhood services including Maternal & Child Health and the Early Years of Schooling. Teacher candidates refine and reflect on their professional pra... Semester 2 6.25
460-527 Science and Mathematics in EC
The focus of this subject is how to develop children’s awareness of science and mathematics concepts in the world around them. Topics are centred on children’s everyday lives and the natural world, and draw on research on chi... Semester 2 12.50
460-661 The Creative and Expressive Child
This subject engages teacher candidates in extended practical and theoretical studies based on learning about and through visual arts, drama, movement and music in early childhood. Topics focus on how to design, implement and evaluate an arts-centred... Semester 2 12.50