Study Guide

Learning outcomes

The student is able to
- describe the theoretical starting points of a child’s growth, development and learning and use methods that support them in accordance with the child’s needs
- apply the pedagogical understanding of early childhood education and care and the social pedagogical approach in their activities
- utilise the possibilities of pedagogical documentation in child-oriented activities
- plan, implement and evaluate pedagogical, creative, integrative and phenomenon-based activities

Teaching methods

The course is part of the qualification of an early childhood education and care social pedagogue / teacher (varhaiskasvatuksen sosionomi / opettaja).

The lessons and workshops will take place online via Zoom. Attendance requirement at online lessons and workshops will be 80% / 100% to achieve the versatile theoretical and practical skills required for an early childhood education social pedagogue / teacher.

The course includes individual, paired and small group assignments, working life cooperation, home study and knowledge sharing seminars. Instructions for the assignments will be available at Canvas workspace a week before the course start.

Learning materials and recommended literature

Core Curriculum for Early Childhood Education and Care (2018)
https://laurea.finna.fi/Record/3amk.89982
Recommended to buy (you will need it throughout your studies and work in early education) online from National Agency for Education, price 20 €:
https://verkkokauppa.oph.fi/EN/page/product/national-core-curriculum-for-early-childhood-education-and-care-2018/2555301.

Other literature is openly available online - will be informed when the course starts.

Alternative completion methods of implementation

1) RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING
Any competence that corresponds to the learning outcomes of the course can be included in it through recognition and accreditation of prior learning. The starting point is competence-based thinking: what matters is your competence itself, not how and where you acquired it. The procedures for the recognition and accreditation of prior learning are Recognition of prior studies and Demonstration of competence.
Where to start:
At first you would need to go carefully through the objectives, contents and assignments of the course to evaluate if there would be some entity / several entities where you already have know-how and competence? If yes, think how you can demonstrate your competence (e.g. earlier certificates, individual essay, short research or development project at your workplace, report, portfolio). Within one week of the start of the course contact the responsible teacher kati.rintakorpi@laurea.fi to arrange a Zoom meeting where we will discuss and identify your competence and agree on the method of demonstrating your competence.

OR

2) RECOGNITION OF WORK-BASED LEARNING
If you are working in ECEC at the same time that studying it would be possible to find an alternative way to complete the course or some part of it by recognizing what information and skills you can learn (or have already learned) at your workplace.
Where to start?
At first you would need to go carefully through the objectives, contents and assignments of the course to analyze if there would be some entity / several entities which you can learn at your work place?
If yes, think how you can learn those things in practice and how you can demonstrate your competence (e.g. essay, short research or development project at your workplace, report, portfolio).
Within one week of the start of the course contact the responsible teacher kati.rintakorpi@laurea.fi to arrange a Zoom meeting where we will discuss and identify your work situation, general and personal goals and agree on the method of learning and demonstrating your competence.

Co-operation with working life and/or RDI

Child-oriented project in day care (kindergarten / open day care / family day care) in private or public sector. The practical project is carried out in pairs. The assignment consists of planning, implementing, evaluating, reporting and presenting the project.

Students workload

The course requires attendance on 5 x 3 hour online lessons via Zoom > active participation required.
Other parts of the course can be studied & implemented freely by the students in the given course timeline. Project work should be implemented 3–5 times in daycare, about 0,5–1 hour per time. For pair works (essay, project) the students need to fix their schedules to fit with each other.
The total scope of the course is 270 hours of student's work.

Content and scheduling

Module 1: Theoretical cornerstones on child-oriented activities (2 cr)
Lectures and an individual essay
Module 2: Creativity, play and participation in early childhood education (4 cr)
Lectures and a pair essay
Module 3: Child-oriented project (4 cr)
Planning, implementating, evaluating, reporting and presenting a practical project, pair work (4 cr)

Grading scale

H-5

Evaluation methods and criteria

Module 1: Individual essay (2 cr) (grade: fail–1–5)
Module 2: Pair essay (3 cr) (grade: fail–1–5)
Module 3: Planning, implementating, evaluating, reporting and presenting a practical project, pair work (5 cr) (grade: fail–1–5)

Competence assessment focuses on the goal descriptions of the curricula, and the level of competence is assessed based on the evaluation criteria stated in the Study Implementation Plan (Laurea's degree regulations).

Assignments have a return period until the end of March 2023, and evaluations will be done in April 2023..

A student who has not completed the tasks or exams set to pass the course must supplement or renew his/her performance in the manner specified by the teacher of the study course and within the time specified by the teacher. A failed exam or other performance can be renewed twice. Not participating in the actual exam is counted as one performance. (Laurea degree rules.)

Students are expected to follow good scientific practices, which includes proper referencing of sources. Familiarize yourself and ask about practices if necessary. Study assignments are done as individual work, in pairs or small groups (instructed in each assignment separately).

In the evaluation of the study, the criteria according to requirement level II of the competence evaluation framework for a master's degree student are used:

PROFESSIONAL DATABASE, INFORMATION SEARCH AND REPORTING

At grade 5 level, the student can:
- analyze the acquired information and draw conclusions and connect theoretical and experiential information to each other

At grade 3 level, the student can:
- critically evaluate information and justify their actions with the help of researched information

At grade 1 (H) level, the student can:
- consistently uses professional concepts and demonstrates familiarity with the knowledge base
- report and communicate professionally

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY AND WORKING LIFE DEVELOPMENT

At grade 5 level, the student can:
- evaluate the applicability and effectiveness of the produced knowledge, skill or idea in other contexts
- anticipate the needs of the customer and/or partners

At grade 3 level, the student can:
- present solutions to professional tasks using creativity
- promote professional cooperation and develop customer or partner relationships

At grade 1 (H) level, the student can:
- act independently, taking into account the operating environment
- takes responsibility for working with the customer and/or partner and responding to their needs

TEAMWORK SKILLS, LEADERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY
At grade 5 level, the student can:
- evaluate and develop the group's entrepreneurial and responsible working approach
- evaluate the possibilities of utilizing skills and plan your own and the group's development

At grade 3 level, the student can:
- promotes the group's entrepreneurial and responsible working approach with its activities
- describe the development of one's own competence in relation to the competence objectives of the Study

At grade 1 (H) level, the student can:
- describe the importance of their own activities for the success of the cooperation
- describe their competence in relation to the competence objectives of the Study

A student who has not demonstrated his competence at the accepted level required by the evaluation criteria must supplement or renew his performance in the manner specified by the teacher of the course and within the time specified by the teacher. A failed exam or other performance can be renewed twice. Not participating in the actual exam is counted as one performance. (Laurea degree rules.)