Procedures for interpreting the assessment information in educa- tional terms.
Techniques and Procedures for successful evaluation.
Preliminary reading: Gearheart, B. R. Learning Disabilities: Educa- tional Strategies. The C. V. Mosby Co., 1973.
ISSUES IN SPECIAL EDUCATION (prescribed) (2 units — 20 contact hours).
The central question in this component comprising twenty hours will be how a society can justify giving more educational resources
— manpower and facilities — to one group in the community in preference to others. Attempts to justify such a decision will involve an examination of the notion of children's rights, Including their right to education. It will also involve an exploration of the concepts of need, of deprivation and of equality of opportunity.
Preliminary reading: D'Cruz. J. V. and Sheehan, P. J. (ed.). The Renewal of Australian Schools. Primary Education, Melbourne, 1975.
RESEARCH EVALUATION (elective) (2 units — 20 contact hours).
Aim
Students are expected to
(1) Acquire a knowledge of terminology, and procedures basic to understanding research in early childhood development and education.
(2) Develop an introductory knowledge of research methods, design and statistics used for description and inference.
(3) Develop a critical and questioning attitude towards research.
(4) Acquire skills necessary to undertake evaluation of research reports both as separate entities and in relation to other re- lated research.
Content
Topics to be introduced and discussed include the different methods and levels of research, research design, methods of measurement, sampling techniques and methods of collecting data; an introduction to certain descriptive and Inferential statistics and points to be con- sidered in evaluating research.
Preliminary reading: Millman, J. and Gowln, D. B. Appraising Educational Research. Prentice-Hall, N.Y., 1974.
Course Structure
Two types of inter-disciplinary study will be undertaken within the course. Firstly, lectures in the core course (Early Childhood) will present some of the material in an inter-disciplinary manner through lectures and discussions. Second, as the students will come from varying back- grounds and professional training, discussion of integration of concepts, methodology, procedures, epistemology, terminology and data will also cross disciplines.
Content of the Course
The course will comprise four main sections, namely:
(1) five introductory subjects
(2) the core subject, "Early Childhood"
(3) a selection of three components from a wide range of elective subjects
(4) an individual project with either theoretical or practical orientation.
The Introductory subjects Include:
Research Evaluation
Theories of Child Development Interpersonal Relationships
Philosophical Issues in Child Development Sociology of Childhood within the Family.
The "Early Childhood" component Is planned as an Inter-disciplin- ary study in which an attempt will be made to integrate concepts, methods and philosophical considerations drawn from the sciences and humanities which have relevance to the growth, development and upbringing of children 0-6 years.
Course Details
Brief outlines for the prescribed and elective components are:
RESEARCH EVALUATION (prescribed) (2 units — 20 contact hours).
The role of research and the empirical tradition in science.
The meaning of statistical concepts: measures of central tendency, standard deviation, correlation probability, significant difference, sample, population.
Research design: experimental approach, hypothesis testing and drawing conclusions from statistical data, surveys, "n = 1" research, reliability and validity.
Sources of research literature in the study of the child, an intro- duction to reading research articles.
Representative reference: Ary, D., Jacobs, L. C. and Razavlch, A.
Introduction to Research In Education. Holt, Rienhart and Winston, NV., 1972.
THEORIES OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT (prescribed) (2 units — 20 con- tact hours).
The Inter-relationship between different areas of development:
cognitive, physical, social and emotional. The relationship between theory, observation and interpretation.
Some psychological theories relating to child development to include consideration of a selection from—
Freud — the influence of the unconscious, personality theory, defense mechanisms, psycho-sexual stages;
Adler — individual psychology;
Erikson — psycho-social stages;
Gesell — maturation and learning in development — the nature- nurture controversy;
Skinner and social learning theory;
Piaget — cognitive growth;
Bruner — modes of representation, cognition and perceptual- motor development and language acquisition.
Students will be given the opportunity to contribute to planning the lectures and discussions in order to meet the needs of the group.
Representative reference: Maler, H. Three Theories of Child De- velopment. Harper and Row, N.Y., 1969.
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS (prescribed) (3 units — 30 contact hours).
The course will consist of a number of group sessions involving Instructional activities to develop concepts such as openness in human relationships, co-operation and competition in problem solving. Features of effective communication will be considered.
Parent-child Interaction, congruence between verbal and non-verbal messages In this Interaction, and the implications of humanistic psychology for child development, will be discussed.
Factors affecting relationships between people in professional situations will be studied through practical work, role playing and simulation techniques.
Students' own strengths and limitations in human relationships will be examined, particularly as they relate to children, families and co- workers.
Representative reference: Argyle, M. The Psychology of Inter- personal Behaviour. Penguin, 1976.
PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT (prescribed) (1 unit
— 10 contact hours).
The following issues will be discussed:
Ambiquities in the notion of development, Justification of inter- vention, Children's needs and Interests. Legal and moral rights of children, Philosophical background to learning theories — Skinner, Kohlberg.
Representative reading: Stevenson. L. Seven Theories of Human Nature. Oxford Uni. Press, 1975.
SOCIOLOGY OF CHILDHOOD WITHIN THE FAMILY (prescribed) (2 units
— 20 contact hours).
The meaning of socialisation, models of the socialisation process and application of these.
An analysis of life style, role definition and child-rearing practices of Australian families of different social class; of different ethnic origin and of different geographic location.
Alternative family situations and structures (i.e., the communal family, the single parent family, the dual-worker family) from the per- spective of childhood in these various situations.
The parenthood role, its definition, socialisation for the role. The marital relationship, its definition. Socialisation for the roles will be examined in order to take a sociological analysis of breakdown In parental and marital role-performance.
Representative reference: Krupinski, J., and Stoller, A. The Family in Australia. Pergamon, 1974.
EARLY CHILDHOOD (prescribed) (14 units — 140 contact hours).
A thorough examination will be undertaken of children at seven levels of development between birth and the sixth birthday.
Approximately two units will be spent in considering each of these levels of development. The seven levels of development to be examined are:
(I) The "Neonatal Period" (0 to 1-2 months)
(il) The "Babe-in-Arms" Period (1-2 months to 5-9 months) (iii) "Mobile Babies" (5-9 months to 11-15 months) (iv) "Toddlers" (11-15 months to 24-30 months)
(v) "Runabout Children" (2-21h years to 31/2-4 years) (vi) "Pre-School Children (31/2-4 years to 41h-5 years) (vii) "School Beginners" (41-5 years to 6 years).
At each level, Inter-relationships between the physical, affective and intellectual aspects of development will be considered in the context of the Interactions between genetic factors and environmental factors, both human and non-human.
Techniques for assessing developmental progress will be studied, and reference will be made to current and recent research, as well as to classical studies drawn from several disciplines in an endeavour to identify the principle factors which Influence development.
Developmental Issues of particular relevance to each age group will be considered with special reference to the practical Implications of these issues to child-rearing practices and methods of working with parents and parent surrogates.
The Influence on developing children of stable patterns of experi- ence will be considered, and an attempt will be made to determine the origins of some of the most significant of these patterns In the complex Interaction of such factors as family constellation, social and economic status and the physical environment with the personal styles, attitudes, beliefs and expectancies of parents and others.
A-typical development will be considered at each level with par- ticular reference to the management of a-typical children, at home and in group care.
Representative references: Bax, Martin and Bernal, Judy, Your Child's First Five Years. London, Heinemann Health Books, 1974.
Pringle, Mia Kellner. The Needs of Children. Hutchinson of London, 1974.
INDIVIDUAL PROJECT (prescribed) (6 units).
The Individual project can take a number of forms. The student may choose to undertake a theoretical project up to the value of 6 units, a practical project up to the value of 6 units, or a combination of a theoretical and practical project up to the value of 6 units. The choice will be made following consultation with the course co-ordinator in the light of the students' needs and background experience.
ELECTIVE SUBJECTS (6 units — 60 contact hours).
The remaining units of the course will be completed by under- taking 6 units from a wide variety of offerings from one of the other post graduate courses, such as Special Education. Not all of these elective subjects will necessarily be offered In any one year. It is anticipated, however, that the following list of elective subjects will be available:
Intellectual Retardation (2 units) Language Development (2 units) Language Disabilities (2 units)
Deviations in Auditory/Visual Functioning (2 units) Physical Development (2 units)
Deviations in Development — Social/Emotional (2 units) Multicultural Education (3 units)
Cultural Foundations of Education (2 units)
Current Issues and Controversies In Education (2 units) Genetic Bases of Handicap (2 units)