Child-oriented Activity in Early Childhood Education and Care (10cr)

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 (varhaiskasvatuksen sosionomi).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 and care social pedagogue (varhaiskasvatuksen sosionomi).

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. The course requires active participation and commitment to interactive studying. You will receive individual feedback for assignments from the teacher, and peer feedback may also be utilized.

The course includes three modules:

1) Child's growth, development and learning (4 cr)
2) Application of pedagogical and social pedagogical understanding (1 cr)
3) Planning, implementation and evaluation of a child-oriented project (5 cr)

Learning materials and recommended literature

- National Core Curriculum for Early Childhood Education and Care (2022): https://urly.fi/3vLb
- Convention on the Rights of the Child https://www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention/convention-text#
- Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (FINEEC / KARVI) https://karvi.fi/en/early-childhood-education/

Other materials and literature to be used are announced at the start of the course in the course's Canvas workspace.

All materials will be available online.

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 henna.jalasmaki@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 henna.jalasmaki@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

The student has the opportunity to plan a creative, integrative and phenomenon-based project (5 cr) related to the course with a pair in an operating environment that suits them in cooperation with a work life partner.

Students obtain their project place themselves from a private or municipal early childhood
education services or an open early childhood education service, such as club activities, residents' and playgrounds, open daycare centers and open early childhood education activities. Students can also do the project at an internship or at their own workplace.

Important dates

The course starts on
22.10.2025 (14-17) online at Zoom. The first lesson is compulsory to everyone.

You will get the Zoom link and more information one week before the course starts (by email).

Other online lessons:
6.11.2025 (14-17)
13.11.2025 (14-17)
3.12.2025 Volunteer: SoSECE Erasmus seminar
4.12.2025 (14-17)
11.12.2025 (14-17) project presentations, compulsory

In addition to the online lessons you will have meetings with your study peers online (you can set up the dates and times by yourself in connection with the assignment due dates).

Based on the degree regulations (2024), the student accepted for the implementation is required to confirm their participation by showing activity at the start of the study in the following way:

In order to demonstrate activity, the student must be present at the first contact lesson or notify the teacher in charge of their absence to confirm their participation in the study. Registration will be rejected if the student does not report their absence at the start of the study or the reason for the absence cannot be considered justified. Another student can be taken in their place. The first contact lesson is 22.10.2025.

Forms of internationality

The study unit is suitable for exchange students.

Student workload

The scope of the course is 10 credits and means for the student 270 hours spent studying. It is important that you write down the due dates of the assignments in your calendar and reserve enough time to study the themes and issues. The course has both individual and group assignments and the modules rhythm the progress of the studies.

The structure of the course:
1) Child's growth, development and learning (4 cr)
2) Application of pedagogical and social pedagogical understanding (1 cr)
3) Planning, implementation and evaluation of a child-oriented project (5 cr)

In the third module of the course, it is good to reserve enough time for planning and implementing a child-oriented project.

Content and scheduling

The course is completed online by participating in the Zoom online meetings according to the schedule of the course and completing tasks related to the course. 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. The first and the last lesson are compulsory. Participation in the lectures is recommenced because the assignments and tasks are related to the topics of the lecture.

The study course consists of three entities, which involve online meetings via zoom, independent work, online assignments and project work. The course uses the Canvas workspace for communication and assignment feedback. Instructions for the assignments will be available at Canvas workspace a week before the course start. The study requires activity and commitment to interactive learning. In online meetings, the possibility to use a camera and a microphone is required.

Further information

The study unit corresponds to the requirements of Bachelor's level education.

The prerequisite for participation is always that the possible competence prerequisites according to the curriculum (previous study or similar competence) are fulfilled. The student is responsible for taking into account the prerequisite conditions.

The quality of the study unit implementation has been assessed and the self-evaluation report is available for example in Canvas.

Evaluation scale

H-5

Evaluation methods and criteria

The evaluation of competence is based on the descriptions of objectives in the curricula, and the level of competence is assessed according to the evaluation criteria listed in the implementation plan for the studies (Laurea degree regulations 2024).

You demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes set for the study unit/project by completing the tasks (e.g. project work, exercises, exams or demonstrations) according to the implementation plan. Instructions are given at the beginning of the study unit/project. Various self-, peer and group evaluations or their combinations are used in evaluation.

In this study unit the assessing of the competences will be done by using the criteria set for requirement level II.

Professional knowledge basis, information searching and reporting

To achieve grade 5 student must be able to
- analyse the acquired information, draw conclusions and combine theoretical knowledge with experiential knowledge

To achieve grade 3 student must be able to
- critically evaluate information and justify their actions with science-based knowledge

To achieve grade 1 (or pass) student must be able to
- use professional concepts in a consistent manner and demonstrate their familiarity with the knowledge basis
- report and communicate in a professional manner

Professional practice and workplace development

To achieve grade 5 student must be able to
- evaluate the applicability of produced knowledge, skill or idea to other contexts as well as their impact
- anticipate needs of customers and/or co-operation partners

To achieve grade 3 student must be able to
- propose creative solutions at work
- promote professional co-operation and enhance customer and partner relationships

To achieve grade 1 (or pass) student must be able to
- act independently taking into account the operating environment
- take responsibility for interaction with customers and/or co-operation partners and for responding to their needs

Teamwork, skills, leadership, and responsibility

To achieve grade 5 student must be able to
- evaluate and develop the team’s entrepreneurial and responsible approach to work
- evaluate the possibilities for utilising competence and plan their personal development and development of the team

To achieve grade 3 student must be able to
- act in a manner that promotes the team’s entrepreneurial and responsible approach to work
- describe the development of their competence in relation to the learning outcomes

To achieve grade 1 (or pass) student must be able to
- describe the significance of their actions for successful co-operation
- describe their competence in relation to the learning outcomes

“Students who have failed to demonstrate their competence in accordance with the approved level must supplement or retake their study attainment in a manner and schedule defined by the teacher of the study unit. If the student does not pass the assessment despite the opportunity to complete their study attainment, they must complete the study unit in question in full as specified by the teacher.” (Degree regulations 2024.)

All staff and students of Laurea are expected to adhere to good scientific practices, which includes appropriate referencing. Familiarise yourself with the practices and, if needed, ask for more information. If Tournitin is used when assignments are checked, the lecturer will inform the students of this.

Assessment criteria, fail (0)

All the tasks of the course must be successfully completed in order to receive a performance mark.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

The student can
- consistently uses professional concepts and demonstrates familiarity with the knowledge base
- report and communicate professionally
- act independently, taking into account the operating environment
- takes responsibility for working with the customer and/or partner and responding to their needs
- 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

Assessment criteria, good (3-4)

The student can
- critically evaluate information and justify their actions with the help of researched information
- present solutions to professional tasks using creativity
- promote professional cooperation and develop customer or partner relationships
- 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

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

The student can
- analyze the acquired information and draw conclusions and connect theoretical and experiential information to each other
- evaluate the applicability and effectiveness of the produced knowledge, skill or idea in other contexts
- anticipate the needs of the customer and/or partners
- 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