TEDU305 new assignment

There is a new stage 3 Education paper this year that looks at the history of early childhood education. There are about 60-70 students doing the paper (including distance).
They have three options for the assignment and I have put this information below (Click on Read More ). We might start getting a few questions about this assignment on AskLive. Students have had a brief one hour library session covering some of the material they might need to locate.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with Kathryn, Kim or Glen 🙂

ASSIGNMENT
o This task involves: The preparation of a written report on an early childhood policy and provision (including background, context, philosophy, foundations, and expected outcomes) of ONE out of the following THREE options:

Option One:
Overview:
A country included in the OECD thematic reviews on early childhood education and care from the OECD country profiles 2000, 2001, 2004 (accessed via http://www.oecd.org/document/34/0,3746,en_2649_39263231_1941794_1_1_1_1,00.html).
Preparation:
Preparation for this option would begin by accessing the Early Childhood Education and Care homepage from www.oecd.org.documents. Read the background to the thematic reviews. Download and/or read Starting Strong (2001) and Starting Strong II (2006), which provide summaries of the OECD reviews 1999-2004.
Task:
Choose one country from either the first or the second research review, and read (a) the Background Report written by the country, and (b) the OECD Country Report by the OECD rapporteur.
In your report, you are expected to:
i. Write a brief overview of the Early Childhood Education and Care policy in your chosen country in terms of its political context and policy provision. A brief historical perspective may be relevant. Where appropriate, you may be able to consult other documents.
ii. Provide a critical overview of the key issues identified in the review.
iii. Make any links to issues in the current strategic directions in the New Zealand early childhood scene.
A handout of no more than two pages that contains an abstract of your presentation should be prepared for the rest of the class and submitted with your report. This handout should be available electronically (as a PDF) so once grading is finalised this file can be uploaded onto the course LEARN site for others in the class to access.
Option Two:
Overview:
Choose a significant national early childhood policy. Trace its background, development, and anticipated outcomes. Compare the intent of the policy with any actual reported outcomes.
Preparation:
Preparation for this option would begin by accessing the significant early childhood policy documents. You may choose a historical policy document or a current policy document. Historical examples could include: Education to Be More; Before Five; Early Childhood Code of Ethics; Pathways to the Future. Current examples could include: Twenty-hours ‘free’ early childhood education; Amazing Children; Teacher Registration. [Note: these examples will change and be made appropriate closer to the time]
Task:
Become familiar with the policy document, or concepts, and follow all the references and links that the policy provides to its own construction and background. Identify and find these supporting documents and resources. Make a sweep of the literature published around the policy document also (NB: you will need to look at New Zealand resources predominately for this– including Australian ECE journals).
In your report, you are expected to:
i. Write a brief overview of the Early Childhood Education and Care policy in terms of its political context and policy provision. A brief historical perspective may be relevant.
ii. Provide a critical overview of the key issues identified in the policy itself, and support your overview with other literature around the policy (i.e., published articles, critiques, etc).
iii. Make any links to issues in the current strategic directions in the New Zealand early childhood scene.
A handout of no more than two pages that contains an abstract of your assignment should be prepared for the rest of the class and submitted with your report. This handout should be available electronically (as a PDF) so once grading is finalised this file can be uploaded onto the course LEARN site for others in the class to access.
Option Three:
Overview:
Trace an early years historical philosophy with its associated provision in a service or pedagogy in New Zealand. For example: Froebel and New Zealand kindergartens; Montessori and Montessori early childhood; Marie Clay and the New Zealand Reading Recovery programmes.
Preparation:
Preparation for this option would begin by accessing historical publications and articles around the philosophy (and its associated person) and tracking the philosophical influence to New Zealand. You will find that most of the main philosophers and early childhood thinkers have much written about them. The challenge will be to track their influence in New Zealand. Look to New Zealand databases for these articles. If the thinker/philosopher has a strong presence in a service provision, also look to the websites of these services, as they may have information around their ‘founder’ also.
Task:
In your report, for this option, you are expected to:
i. Write a brief overview of the philosophy and significant person (or people) in your chosen philosophy and service. Sketch out a brief historical overview leading to the establishment, or significant influence in New Zealand.
ii. Provide a critical overview of the key issues and ideas within the thinking and the resulting service based on the philosophy.
iii. Make any links to issues in the current strategic directions in the New Zealand early childhood scene.
A handout of no more than two pages that contains an abstract of your assignment should be prepared for the rest of the class and submitted with your report. This handout should be available electronically (as a PDF) so once grading is finalised this file can be uploaded onto the course LEARN site for others in the class to access.