Theories And Practice Of Early Childhood Education
- Education
- 300 level
- 2 credit units
- 105 pages
- 14 units
This course introduces students to the theories and practices of early childhood education. It explores the historical and philosophical foundations of early childhood education, emphasizing the stages of child development from birth to eight years. Students will examine physical, cognitive, socio-emotional, moral, and language development, as well as types and causes of developmental anomalies. The course also covers contemporary early childhood models and their contributions to the field.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 208 hours
- Maths
- None
- Content
- Theoretical
- Practical work
- No
- Assignments
- Tutor Marked Assessments
- Final Examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of ECE313, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
ECE313 · Unit 1: Historical Background of Early Childhood Education
Society's ideas about childhood shift over time, and research has led to new understandings of the development that takes place in each stage. Childhood period has been universally acknowledged as a period when development of an individual is most crucial.
What you should be able to do
- Explain the historical and philosophical foundations of early childhood education.
- Apply major theories of child development to understand children's growth.
- Identify and describe physical, cognitive, socio-emotional, moral, and language development stages.
- Recognize types and causes of developmental anomalies in early childhood.
- Evaluate the contributions of Montessori and Reggio Emilia approaches to early childhood education.
- Develop strategies to meet the educational needs of children with developmental disabilities.
What it prepares you for
- Early Childhood Educator
- Preschool Teacher
- Childcare Provider
- Special Education Teacher
- Curriculum Developer
- Education
- Childcare
- Social Services
- Healthcare
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 1: Nature and Context of Child Development
Unit 5: Theories of Child Development
Theories of child development require critical thinking and comparative analysis skills to differentiate and apply various theoretical perspectives.
- Module 3: Developmental Anomalies and Contemporary Early Childhood Model
Unit 2: Causes of Developmental Anomalies
Understanding the complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors requires a nuanced understanding of biological and social influences.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 26 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Nature and Context of Child Development
Unit 1: Historical Background of Early Childhood Education · 1.5 hours
Read the unit introduction and objectives.. Define childhood, early childhood, and early childhood education.. Trace the changing views of childhood from the medieval period to the present.. Explain the origin of early childhood education..
- Week 2Module 1: Nature and Context of Child Development
Unit 2: Philosophical Basis for Early Childhood Education · 1.5 hours
Discuss the general aims and objectives of early childhood education.. Examine the aims and objectives of early childhood education as expressed in the National Policy on Education.. List and describe three types of early childhood education institutions..
- Week 3Module 1: Nature and Context of Child Development
Unit 3: Concepts of Growth and Development · 1.5 hours
Define growth and development.. Distinguish between growth and development.. Reflect on personal experiences to differentiate between growth and development..
- Week 4Module 1: Nature and Context of Child Development
Unit 4: Principles of Growth and Development · 1.5 hours
Discuss factors influencing growth and development.. Explain the basic principles of growth and development.. Analyze how heredity and environment interact to influence child development..
- Week 5Module 1: Nature and Context of Child Development
Unit 5: Theories of Child Development · 2 hours
Identify and explain seven major theories of child development.. Compare and contrast any two of the theories of child development.. Evaluate the relevance of each theory to early childhood education..
- Week 6Module 2: Stages of Child Growth and Development
Unit 1: Physical Development at various stages of early childhood years · 2 hours
Define physical development.. Identify and describe the physical development of the child at various stages of early childhood years from birth to eight years.. Explain the educational implications of physical development for early childhood education..
- Week 7Module 2: Stages of Child Growth and Development
Unit 2: Cognitive Development at various stages of early childhood years · 2 hours
Define cognitive development.. Identify and describe the cognitive development of the child at various stages of early childhood years from birth to eight years.. Explain the educational implications of cognitive development for early childhood education..
- Week 8Module 2: Stages of Child Growth and Development
Unit 3: Socio-emotional Development at various stages of early childhood years · 2 hours
Define socio-emotional development.. Identify and describe the socio-emotional development of the child at various stages of early childhood years from birth to eight years.. Explain the educational implications of socio-emotional development to early childhood education..
- Week 9Module 2: Stages of Child Growth and Development
Unit 4: Moral Development at various stages of early childhood years · 1.5 hours
Define moral development.. Identify and describe the moral development of the child at various stages of early childhood years from birth to eight years.. Explain the educational implications of moral development to early childhood education..
- Week 10Module 2: Stages of Child Growth and Development
Unit 5: Language Development at various stages of early childhood years · 1.5 hours
Define language development and the importance of language to children in early years.. Identify and describe the language development of the child at various stages of early childhood years from birth to eight years.. Explain how caregivers can foster language development in children..
- Week 11Module 3: Developmental Anomalies and Contemporary Early Childhood Model
Unit 1: Types of Developmental Anomalies · 2 hours
Explain with examples the meaning of the terms: impairment, disability, handicap.. List and discuss the various types/dimensions of physical disabilities in early childhood years.. List and describe the various types, degrees and classifications of mental disabilities..
- Week 12Module 3: Developmental Anomalies and Contemporary Early Childhood Model
Unit 2: Causes of Developmental Anomalies · 1.5 hours
State the genetic factors that cause physical disability, mental disability, socio-emotional disability.. State the environmental factors that cause physical disability, mental disability, socio-emotional disability.. Analyze the interaction between genetic and environmental factors in developmental anomalies..
Unit 3: Characteristics of Children with Developmental Anomalies · 1.5 hours
Mention five characteristics of children with physical disability.. List and explain five characteristics of children with mental disability.. Mention five characteristics of children with socio-emotional disability..
- Week 13Module 3: Developmental Anomalies and Contemporary Early Childhood Model
Unit 4: Contribution of Maria Montessori to Early Childhood Education · 2 hours
Narrate Maria Montessori's life history.. Describe the basic ideas in Maria Montessori's model of early childhood education.. Explain the contribution of Maria Montessori in the development of early childhood education..
Unit 5: Contribution of Reggio Emilia to the Development of Early Childhood Education · 2 hours
Trace the evolution of Reggio Emilia early childhood education model.. Describe the basic ideas and principles of Reggio Emilia educational philosophy.. Explain Reggio Emilia's model of early childhood education..
Preparing for the exam
- Create a timeline of key events and figures in the history of early childhood education (Unit 1).
- Develop concept maps linking different theories of child development (Module 1, Unit 5).
- Use flashcards to memorize the stages of physical, cognitive, socio-emotional, moral, and language development (Module 2).
- Practice identifying developmental anomalies based on case studies (Module 3, Units 1-3).
- Compare and contrast the Montessori and Reggio Emilia approaches using a table (Module 3, Units 4-5).
- Review all Tutor Marked Assignments (TMAs) and focus on areas where you had difficulty.
Questions students ask about this course
What is ECE313 about?
This course introduces students to the theories and practices of early childhood education. It explores the historical and philosophical foundations of early childhood education, emphasizing the stages of child development from birth to eight years. Students will examine physical, cognitive, socio-emotional, moral, and language development, as well as types and causes of developmental anomalies. The course also covers contemporary early childhood models and their contributions to the field.
How many units does ECE313 have?
ECE313, Theories And Practice Of Early Childhood Education, has 14 units across 3 modules, over 105 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is ECE313?
ECE313 carries 2 credit units, at 300 level in Education.
Is ECE313 hard?
ECE313 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical work.
How long does ECE313 take to study?
About 208 hours of study, spread across its 14 units.
How is ECE313 assessed?
ECE313 is assessed by Assignments, Tutor Marked Assessments and Final Examination.
What can I do with ECE313?
Early Childhood Educator, Preschool Teacher, Childcare Provider, Special Education Teacher and Curriculum Developer.