精东传媒app

In Semester 3, 2023 this course will be delivered as a Transition (9 week) semester, commencing on 13 November 2023 and concluding on 12 January 2024.

Dynamic early childhood contexts are essential to meet the demands of diverse twenty first century communities. Knowledge of effective leadership is vital for early childhood educators to manage accountability requirements, address day to day challenges and communicate a futures-focus. Awareness of historical and comparative perspectives and current issues and trends in the early childhood field enable early childhood professionals in leadership roles to make informed choices in adapting to changing policy environments and undertaking advocacy for young children and parents and carers. Effective leadership is a key driver for the provision of quality early childhood programs and positive outcomes for children and their families across diverse settings.
Understanding engagement in continued professional learning as an approach to improve effective professional practice is vital.

This course will introduce preservice teachers to the historical and comparative theory and practices associated with effective leadership and management with emphasis given to contextually relevant notions of leadership.

It will incorporate leadership knowledge and skills for early childhood teachers working with children, families, staff and community, responding to policy change and maintaining procedures which reflect current legal and ethical requirements.

Preservice teachers will engage with research, the National Quality Framework and professional standards as sources of professional learning and collaborate as a collegial team to explore issues relating to current trends that will impact their future roles as leader practitioners in early childhood contexts.

How leadership knowledge and skills inform advocacy for the early childhood field will be explored along with effective ways to facilitate critical dialogue.

On successful completion of this course preservice teachers should be able to:

1. investigate historical and comparative perspectives, theories of leadership, and principles in ethics, curriculum, literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in all teaching areas, professional conduct and legislative requirements and their application in early childhood contexts (Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) 2.5, 7.1, 7.2);
2. critically reflect upon the role of leader in evaluating legislative requirements, administrative systems, organisational policies and processes and program practices, inclusive of a range of strategies that support safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT, in learning and teaching, student wellbeing and safety, and advocacy within the early childhood sector and broader community (APST 4.4, 4.5, 7.2);
3. research the rationale for continued professional learning and appraise the application of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and the National Quality Standard for identifying and guiding continued professional learning for leadership and management in early childhood contexts and implications for improved student learning (APST 6.1, 6.4);
4. critique a range of strategies, informed by external community and professional collaborations, for developing knowledge and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages, and for working sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers, and community representatives in ways which broaden teacher鈥檚 professional knowledge and practice (APST 2.4, 7.3, 7.4);
5. interrogate the relevance, appropriateness and effectiveness of professional organisations as a source of professional learning for leadership practices and the implications for improved learning and engagement of children (APST 6.2, 6.4);
6. demonstrate competence in and appropriate use of language and literacy, including spelling, grammar, punctuation and bibliographic referencing.