EUB402 Early Childhood Research and Evaluation
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | EUB402 |
|---|---|
| Equivalent(s): | EAB516 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| CSP student contribution | $592 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $3,816 |
| International unit fee | $4,932 |
Unit Outline: Flexible Period - 03A 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal (Start Date: 19 Jan 2026)
| Unit code: | EUB402 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Equivalent: | EAB516 |
| Coordinator: | Sonia White | sl.white@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This unit focuses on research and evaluation for diverse early childhood education settings. Research and evaluation skills are important for educators as they enable them to take a scholarly approach to researching topics of interest in the field. This also enhances contemporary early childhood professional practice in the area of evaluating and improving teaching and learning programs. These skills and knowledge allow educators to use rigorous data collection and analysis approaches, high level research literacy skills, and ethical approaches to answer questions such as 'what works, for whom, and how?'
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Select appropriate research methods and strategies to plan for research and evaluation in early childhood settings.
- Retrieve, critically evaluate, and synthesise a range of published empirical research.
- Conduct and report on an early childhood research or evaluation project.
- Discuss the role of research as a method to inform policy and practice.
Content
This unit covers research and evaluation design, implementation and reporting for diverse early childhood education settings.
Content includes:
- The purpose, value, and role of educational research and evaluation;
- The similarities and differences between research and evaluation;
- Advanced research literacy: evaluating educational research evidence;
- Research and evaluation questions, paradigms and designs;
- Ethics and integrity in research and evaluation;
- Data collection: quantitative and qualitative;
- Data analysis: quantitative and qualitative;
- Research and evaluation reporting approaches; and
- Research pathways for educators.
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will learn through engaging in the following:
- Workshops;
- Readings;
- Online activities;
- Individual and small group workshop activities related to the application of the skills needed for assessment and the unit learning outcomes;
- Large-group discussion; and
- Individual and group consultations with academic staff related to assessment.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will gain feedback in this unit through participation in weekly workshops with academics and peers. You will receive written feedback on your summative assessment from teaching staff. Opportunities for formative feedback on the development of your research proposal will be available at points throughout the unit. Feedback to you is provided through opportunities for reflection, discussion and peer-feedback in workshops and in online activities.
Assessment
Overview
You will complete two pieces of assessment:
- Research Proposal - This will draw on your understanding of research literature and methods to develop your skills in planning for research/evaluation projects.
- Research paper - This will enable you to demonstrate data analysis techniques, produce research findings and discuss these in relation to existing research literature.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Research Proposal
Research Project Plan, including a Literature Review
You will plan a research project or evaluation that is based on a topic relevant to early childhood settings. Your research project plan will include two sections:
a) a literature review of existing research evidence in your topic area; and
b) identify a research question and propose a research / evaluation plan to address the research question.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Assessment: Research Paper
You will analyse data to address your research question identified in Assessment 1. You will then report your research findings and discuss them in relation to existing research, as well as the implications for early childhood education and practice.
You will submit your work as a research paper that combines Assessment 1 and the work you have done in Assessment 2. This will be a combined total word count of 3200 words.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with the general conduct of this unit. Workplace Health and Safety protocols associated with computer use will apply.
Standards/Competencies
This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
3 Professional Practice: Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning
- Evaluate and improve teaching programs
Relates to: Research Proposal, Research Paper
6 Professional Engagement: Engage in professional learning
- Engage in professional learning and improve practice
Relates to: Research Paper
7 Professional Engagement: Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community
- Meet professional ethics and responsibilities
Relates to: Research Proposal
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.ED39 Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood)
- Knowledgeable: Apply professional knowledge to learning areas, learning and learners.
Relates to: ULO1, Research Proposal - Scholarly: Consider the ways in which educational theory and research inform and impact teaching practice.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Research Proposal - Inclusive: Plan for culturally secure, supportive, caring, inclusive and positive learning environments.
Relates to: ULO3, Research Paper - Reflective: Reframe challenges into opportunities for capacity building and learning.
Relates to: ULO4, Research Paper - Communicative: Engage and communicate effectively and professionally.
Relates to: ULO3, Research Proposal, Research Paper
Unit Outline: Flexible Period - 03A 2026, Online (Start Date: 19 Jan 2026)
| Unit code: | EUB402 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Equivalent: | EAB516 |
Overview
This unit focuses on research and evaluation for diverse early childhood education settings. Research and evaluation skills are important for educators as they enable them to take a scholarly approach to researching topics of interest in the field. This also enhances contemporary early childhood professional practice in the area of evaluating and improving teaching and learning programs. These skills and knowledge allow educators to use rigorous data collection and analysis approaches, high level research literacy skills, and ethical approaches to answer questions such as 'what works, for whom, and how?'
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Select appropriate research methods and strategies to plan for research and evaluation in early childhood settings.
- Retrieve, critically evaluate, and synthesise a range of published empirical research.
- Conduct and report on an early childhood research or evaluation project.
- Discuss the role of research as a method to inform policy and practice.
Content
This unit covers research and evaluation design, implementation and reporting for diverse early childhood education settings.
Content includes:
- The purpose, value, and role of educational research and evaluation;
- The similarities and differences between research and evaluation;
- Advanced research literacy: evaluating educational research evidence;
- Research and evaluation questions, paradigms and designs;
- Ethics and integrity in research and evaluation;
- Data collection: quantitative and qualitative;
- Data analysis: quantitative and qualitative;
- Research and evaluation reporting approaches; and
- Research pathways for educators.
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will learn through engaging in the following:
- Workshops;
- Readings;
- Online activities;
- Individual and small group workshop activities related to the application of the skills needed for assessment and the unit learning outcomes;
- Large-group discussion; and
- Individual and group consultations with academic staff related to assessment.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will gain feedback in this unit through participation in weekly workshops with academics and peers. You will receive written feedback on your summative assessment from teaching staff. Opportunities for formative feedback on the development of your research proposal will be available at points throughout the unit. Feedback to you is provided through opportunities for reflection, discussion and peer-feedback in workshops and in online activities.
Assessment
Overview
You will complete two pieces of assessment:
- Research Proposal - This will draw on your understanding of research literature and methods to develop your skills in planning for research/evaluation projects.
- Research paper - This will enable you to demonstrate data analysis techniques, produce research findings and discuss these in relation to existing research literature.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Research Proposal
Research Project Plan, including a Literature Review
You will plan a research project or evaluation that is based on a topic relevant to early childhood settings. Your research project plan will include two sections:
a) a literature review of existing research evidence in your topic area; and
b) identify a research question and propose a research / evaluation plan to address the research question.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Assessment: Research Paper
You will analyse data to address your research question identified in Assessment 1. You will then report your research findings and discuss them in relation to existing research, as well as the implications for early childhood education and practice.
You will submit your work as a research paper that combines Assessment 1 and the work you have done in Assessment 2. This will be a combined total word count of 3200 words.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with the general conduct of this unit. Workplace Health and Safety protocols associated with computer use will apply.
Standards/Competencies
This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
3 Professional Practice: Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning
- Evaluate and improve teaching programs
Relates to: Research Proposal, Research Paper
6 Professional Engagement: Engage in professional learning
- Engage in professional learning and improve practice
Relates to: Research Paper
7 Professional Engagement: Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community
- Meet professional ethics and responsibilities
Relates to: Research Proposal
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.ED39 Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood)
- Knowledgeable: Apply professional knowledge to learning areas, learning and learners.
Relates to: ULO1, Research Proposal - Scholarly: Consider the ways in which educational theory and research inform and impact teaching practice.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Research Proposal - Inclusive: Plan for culturally secure, supportive, caring, inclusive and positive learning environments.
Relates to: ULO3, Research Paper - Reflective: Reframe challenges into opportunities for capacity building and learning.
Relates to: ULO4, Research Paper - Communicative: Engage and communicate effectively and professionally.
Relates to: ULO3, Research Proposal, Research Paper