EUN661 Child Development in Context
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: | EUN661 |
|---|---|
| Equivalent(s): | EAN603 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| CSP student contribution | $578 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $3,216 |
| International unit fee | $4,344 |
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2025, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | EUN661 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Equivalent: | EAN603 |
| Coordinator: | Sasha Lynn | sasha.lynn@qut.edu.au |
Overview
Child development is an interdisciplinary field that takes account of psychological and sociological theories, as well as perspectives from the neurosciences and biology. Advancement of knowledge in the field comes through research, and the ability to mobilise knowledge in real-world applications. The unit will review a range of current perspectives that inform understanding about child development. The application of this knowledge to early childhood education and other professional contexts in which practitioners work with young children and their families will be a focus. Students will learn to apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings, develop research skills, and conduct independent research projects related to early childhood education. Through this course, students will enhance their ability to critically analyse developmental issues and contribute to the field through evidence-based practices.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- A body of knowledge including understanding recent developments in the field of early childhood development and the theoretical shifts that have occurred across recent decades (CLO1.1)
- Knowledge of research principles and methodological approaches used in developmental research (CLO1.2)
- Cognitive and critical reflection skills to demonstrate mastery of theoretical knowledge and professional practice or scholarship (CLO2.1)
- Technical and communication skills to design, evaluate, implement, analyse and theorise about developmental research and the design and conduct of research studies (CLO2.4)
- Application of knowledge and skills with creativity and initiative to new situations in professional practice and/or for further learning with high level personal autonomy and accountability (CLO3.1)
- Application of knowledge and skills to plan and execute a significant research based project focussed on child development and learning (CLO3.2)
Content
The provision of quality early childhood education and care involves an understanding of childhood developmental theory, research and the application of these in context. The ability to access research, evaluate ideas and mobilse knowledge empowers educators to tailor their practices to support the needs of young children in their care.
Core content covered in this unit includes:
Review of current theoretical perspectives on child development: Refreshing knowledge of key theoretical perspectives that inform research and practice in child development and education across cognitive, biospychosocial, ecological and cognitive domains.
Evaluating child develoopment theory and research for context: Understanding the impact of various contexts on early childhood development and education. Through exploring child development research and evaluating factors such as families, educators, peers, social and emotional wellbeing, transitions, geographical location and culture to thoughtfully evaluate outcomes and the applicability of findings to educators' own contexts.
Conducting research in everyday educational contexts: Making research accessible for educators, exploring how practitioner research is vital to support childhood education and care. Understanding how research is conducted, and developing skills in research design, development, and interpretation for educational settings.
Mobilisation of child develoopment research into professional practice: Looking at how educators can implement research and outcomes from research in meaningful ways for their own professional practice. Discerning the challenges of research implementation and ensuring that outcomes can have a meaningful impact on child development, education and care.
Learning Approaches
Discussions around set topics and issues will be an important aspect of the teaching-learning experiences for this unit. Online discussions and activities within the student group and with the lecturer will assist students to better understand the process of conducting research in early child development and mobilising knowledge into effective real-world practice. Professionalism and ethical practice in the conduct of teacher research is also a key issue for discussion.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Formative assessment will be provided through ongoing discussions and feedback in workshops, online discussion boards and assignment consultation.
Assessment
Overview
The assessments in this course are designed to develop skills in both designing and executing research projects within the field of early childhood development. Students will be required to demonstrate their ability to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical research skills through the development of a research proposal and analysing data, translating it to real-world application and supporting work in early childhood education settings.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Research proposal
Students will prepare a research proposal based on a hypothetical case study involving an area of early childhood development. Within the proposal, students will be asked to demonstrate their ability to critically analyse research literature, develop a rationale for a research project, consider ethical implications and anticipate potential findings, relevant to their professional context.
Relates to learning outcomes
CLO2.4, CLO3.2
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Research analysis and outcomes report
Based on the project proposal, data from the hypothetical scenario will be analysed and interpreted in the context of early childhood education settings. The findings will be written into a report that explores the methods used to analyse the data, the results found, and a brief discussion of findings and whether they were as predicted in Assessment Task 1. Students will be asked to critically analyse the findings, and evaluate the outcomes, looking at how they can be applied to their own professional context.
Relates to learning outcomes
CLO1.1, CLO1.2, CLO2.1, CLO2.4, CLO3.1, CLO3.2
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
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.
Resources
The following resource materials are recommended.
Resource Materials
Recommended text(s)
Clark, A., Kjørholt, A. T., & Moss, P, (2005). Beyond listening: Children's perspectives on early childhood services. Bristol, UK: Policy Press.
McNaugton, G., Rolfe, S., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2001). Doing early childhood research: International perspectives on theory and practices. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin.
Mueller, J. J., File, N., Stremmel, A. J., Iruka, I. U., & Whyte, K. L. (2024). Understanding Research in Early Childhood Education : Quantitative and Qualitative Methods. (2nd ed.). Taylor & Francis Group.
Penn, H. (2005). Understanding early childhood: Issues and controversies. Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press.
Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Muttock, S., Gilden, R. Bell, D. (2002). Researching effective pedagogy in the early years Research RR356. London: Department for Education and Skills.
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2025, Online
| Unit code: | EUN661 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Equivalent: | EAN603 |
Overview
Child development is an interdisciplinary field that takes account of psychological and sociological theories, as well as perspectives from the neurosciences and biology. Advancement of knowledge in the field comes through research, and the ability to mobilise knowledge in real-world applications. The unit will review a range of current perspectives that inform understanding about child development. The application of this knowledge to early childhood education and other professional contexts in which practitioners work with young children and their families will be a focus. Students will learn to apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings, develop research skills, and conduct independent research projects related to early childhood education. Through this course, students will enhance their ability to critically analyse developmental issues and contribute to the field through evidence-based practices.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- A body of knowledge including understanding recent developments in the field of early childhood development and the theoretical shifts that have occurred across recent decades (CLO1.1)
- Knowledge of research principles and methodological approaches used in developmental research (CLO1.2)
- Cognitive and critical reflection skills to demonstrate mastery of theoretical knowledge and professional practice or scholarship (CLO2.1)
- Technical and communication skills to design, evaluate, implement, analyse and theorise about developmental research and the design and conduct of research studies (CLO2.4)
- Application of knowledge and skills with creativity and initiative to new situations in professional practice and/or for further learning with high level personal autonomy and accountability (CLO3.1)
- Application of knowledge and skills to plan and execute a significant research based project focussed on child development and learning (CLO3.2)
Content
The provision of quality early childhood education and care involves an understanding of childhood developmental theory, research and the application of these in context. The ability to access research, evaluate ideas and mobilse knowledge empowers educators to tailor their practices to support the needs of young children in their care.
Core content covered in this unit includes:
Review of current theoretical perspectives on child development: Refreshing knowledge of key theoretical perspectives that inform research and practice in child development and education across cognitive, biospychosocial, ecological and cognitive domains.
Evaluating child develoopment theory and research for context: Understanding the impact of various contexts on early childhood development and education. Through exploring child development research and evaluating factors such as families, educators, peers, social and emotional wellbeing, transitions, geographical location and culture to thoughtfully evaluate outcomes and the applicability of findings to educators' own contexts.
Conducting research in everyday educational contexts: Making research accessible for educators, exploring how practitioner research is vital to support childhood education and care. Understanding how research is conducted, and developing skills in research design, development, and interpretation for educational settings.
Mobilisation of child develoopment research into professional practice: Looking at how educators can implement research and outcomes from research in meaningful ways for their own professional practice. Discerning the challenges of research implementation and ensuring that outcomes can have a meaningful impact on child development, education and care.
Learning Approaches
Discussions around set topics and issues will be an important aspect of the teaching-learning experiences for this unit. Online discussions and activities within the student group and with the lecturer will assist students to better understand the process of conducting research in early child development and mobilising knowledge into effective real-world practice. Professionalism and ethical practice in the conduct of teacher research is also a key issue for discussion.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Formative assessment will be provided through ongoing discussions and feedback in workshops, online discussion boards and assignment consultation.
Assessment
Overview
The assessments in this course are designed to develop skills in both designing and executing research projects within the field of early childhood development. Students will be required to demonstrate their ability to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical research skills through the development of a research proposal and analysing data, translating it to real-world application and supporting work in early childhood education settings.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Research proposal
Students will prepare a research proposal based on a hypothetical case study involving an area of early childhood development. Within the proposal, students will be asked to demonstrate their ability to critically analyse research literature, develop a rationale for a research project, consider ethical implications and anticipate potential findings, relevant to their professional context.
Relates to learning outcomes
CLO2.4, CLO3.2
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Research analysis and outcomes report
Based on the project proposal, data from the hypothetical scenario will be analysed and interpreted in the context of early childhood education settings. The findings will be written into a report that explores the methods used to analyse the data, the results found, and a brief discussion of findings and whether they were as predicted in Assessment Task 1. Students will be asked to critically analyse the findings, and evaluate the outcomes, looking at how they can be applied to their own professional context.
Relates to learning outcomes
CLO1.1, CLO1.2, CLO2.1, CLO2.4, CLO3.1, CLO3.2
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
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.
Resources
The following resource materials are recommended.
Resource Materials
Recommended text(s)
Clark, A., Kjørholt, A. T., & Moss, P, (2005). Beyond listening: Children's perspectives on early childhood services. Bristol, UK: Policy Press.
McNaugton, G., Rolfe, S., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2001). Doing early childhood research: International perspectives on theory and practices. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin.
Mueller, J. J., File, N., Stremmel, A. J., Iruka, I. U., & Whyte, K. L. (2024). Understanding Research in Early Childhood Education : Quantitative and Qualitative Methods. (2nd ed.). Taylor & Francis Group.
Penn, H. (2005). Understanding early childhood: Issues and controversies. Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press.
Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Muttock, S., Gilden, R. Bell, D. (2002). Researching effective pedagogy in the early years Research RR356. London: Department for Education and Skills.
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.