Early childhood education

Structure Type:	Course
Code:	KF08CPS0610
Level:	Bachelor
Credits:	3.0 points
Responsible Teacher:	Hemminki, Tiina
Language of Instruction:	Finnish

Course Implementations, Planned Year of Study and Semester

Curriculum	Semester	Credits	Start of Semester	End of Semester
SOSALA-2013	2 autumn	3.0	2014-09-01	2014-12-31
SOSALA-2014	2 autumn	3.0	2015-08-01	2015-12-31

Learning Outcomes

Students will understand the significance of assessment in supporting children's growth, development and learning and as a foundation for goal-oriented early childhood education. They will see how the system of primary carers, small group activities and community-based perspective are essential parts of educational partnership. Students will learn to plan, implement and evaluate activities for children.

Student's Workload

Lectures, field visits, learning diary and activity-based assignment 32 h, independent study 46 h.

Prerequisites / Recommended Optional Courses

No previous studies are required.

- Expertise of the educator, partnership in education and child participation
- The system of primary carers as a part of educational partnership
- Possibilities of small group activities
- Collaborative practices in day care centres
- Managing groups and setting limits to children
- Planning, implementation and evaluation of activities for a group of children

Mode of Delivery / Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

Lectures, exercises, activity-based assignment, visiting lecturer, reflection

Assessment Criteria

Grades 1-2: Students recognise and are able to name several methods of assessing children's growth and development in early education. They know how to explain and define the system of primary carers, small group pedagogy and community spirit from the perspective of early education. Students understand the concept of educational partnership. With help of supervision, they know how to plan and implement activities for groups of children and how to evaluate their own and other people's action.
Grades 3-4: Students know how to apply several methods of assessing children's growth, development and learning. They are able to reflect on, compare and gain further knowledge of the system of primary carers, small group pedagogy and community spirit from the perspective of early education. They contemplate what educational partnership involves in early education settings. Students know how to plan and implement a variety of age-specific and child-centred activities for groups of children. They also contemplate and reflect on their own and other people's action in groups and independently.
Grade 5: Students know how to extensively apply a variety of methods of assessing children's growth, development and learning. They are able to analyse, justify and evaluate extensively and critically the system of primary carers, small group pedagogy and community spirit from the perspective of early education. They examine educational partnership in early education settings from multiple perspectives. Students know how to integrate their plans for activities with plans previously defined for groups of children. Students have courage to test their personal limits and to venture out into managing child groups. They are also able to evaluate their own and other people's action critically and from multiple perspectives and know how to realistically develop the action.

Assessment Methods

Exam (50%), activity-based assignment (50%) and active participation in the course.

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