Unit aim
Requires students to think sociologically about childhood and education. It takes a particular interest in the diverse social and cultural contexts in which children live their lives and explores the implications for teachers and carers working in early childhood and primary school settings. Emphasis is placed on issues related to equity, disadvantage and diversity. Requires students to develop skills in investigating and reporting in depth on contemporary issues affecting children, families, schools and communities.
Unit content
The following is a set of topics that will be covered in this unit:
- Frameworks for thinking critically about children, schools, family, society and culture.
- Children, education and social justice
- Gender, schools and early childhood services
- Ethnicity and education and care
- Aboriginality and education and care
- Social class and education and care
- Family issues, schools and early childhood services
- Children's welfare and resilience
- Curriculum, pedagogy and the UN Convention on the rights of the Child
- Developing the transformative teacher and/or early childhood professional.
Learning outcomes
Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.
Learning outcomes and graduate attributes
| On completion of this unit, students should be able to: | GA1 | GA2 | GA3 | GA4 | GA5 | GA6 | GA7 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Explain how a sociological approach can enhance the knowledge and skills of early childhood and primary teachers and professionals | Intellectual rigour | ||||||
| 2 | Analyse the changing nature of both childhood and education in contemporary society, having regard to issues related to gender, ethnicity. Aboriginality, social class, family influences, peer culture and the attainment of social justice | Ethical practice | Cultural competence | |||||
| 3 | Reflect critically on a range of social and cultural issues affecting children and their learning | Ethical practice | Cultural competence | |||||
| 4 | Identify organisations and services in the community that assist children and families in addressing some of these issues | Ethical practice | Cultural competence | |||||
| 5 | Investigate in depth a contemporary issue affecting children and identify how teachers, early childhood professionals, early childhood services and schools can respond effectively | Ethical practice | Cultural competence | |||||
Prescribed texts
Session 1
- Carl, JD, Baker, S, Robards, B, Scott, J, Hillman, W & Lawrence, G, 2012, Think sociology, Pearson , Frenchs Forest.
Teaching and assessment
Coffs Harbour
| Teaching method |
| Lecture on-site 1 hour (10 weeks) |
| Tutorial on-site 2 hour (10 weeks) |
| Assessment | |
| Presentation | 20% |
| Report | 40% |
| Reflective writing | 40% |
Gold Coast
| Teaching method |
| Lecture on-site 1 hour (10 weeks) |
| Tutorial on-site 2 hour (10 weeks) |
| Assessment | |
| Presentation | 20% |
| Report | 40% |
| Reflective writing | 40% |
Lismore
| Teaching method |
| Lecture on-site 1 hour (10 weeks) |
| Tutorial on-site 2 hour (10 weeks) |
| Assessment | |
| Presentation | 20% |
| Report | 40% |
| Reflective writing | 40% |
Fee information
Domestic
Commonwealth Supported courses
For information regarding Student Contribution Amounts please visit the Student Contribution Amounts.
Commencing 2015 Commonwealth Supported only. Student contribution band: 1
Fee paying courses
For POSTGRADUATE or UNDERGRADUATE full fee paying courses please check Domestic Postgraduate Fees OR Domestic Undergraduate Fees
International
Please check the international course and fee list to determine the relevant fees.