Task Aim:

The purpose of this assessment is for you to reflect on your understandings of the learning and development of children in the first three years of life.

Task Requirements:

Drawing on the course content, previous experiences with very young children and research, create a critically reflective piece of writing on the importance of relationships in the first three years of life. Your reflection is to be uploaded to the appropriate assessment section for Assessment Task 1 - Part A in the moodle shell.

The following criteria will be used to assess your reflective writing:

• Demonstrates how positive environments can promote children`s learning, development and wellbeing (4 Marks)
• Demonstrates engagement with class learning materials and is supported by relevant scholarly sources (4 Marks)
• Demonstrates academic conventions e.g., accurate grammar, spelling, sentence structure and use of APA 7th edition style referencing both in-text and reference (2 Marks)

A numerical mark will be awarded for each criterion depending on the extent to which the criterion is addressed.

For assessment tasks uploaded by the due date, feedback can be expected within 21 days in the assessment section of moodle.

Assessment Task 1 - Part B - Personal Philosophy Due Date: Friday September 3rd, 2021 11:55pm Weighting: 10%

Word Count: 600 words

Task Aim:

The purpose of this part of the assignment is to take your reflections from Part A and develop your personal philosophy on teaching infants and toddlers. This will become a foundation document which you will add to during this course.

Task Requirements:

Write a personal philosophy that articulates and justifies your personal beliefs and professional understandings about teaching infants and toddlers. Your philosophy should demonstrate an understanding of contemporary teaching practices, developmental needs of young children and their families and relevant early childhood curriculum frameworks.

Your philosophy is to be uploaded to the appropriate assessment section for Assessment Task 1 - Part B in the moodle shell.

The following criteria will be used to assess your personal philosophy:

• Demonstrates an understanding of the needs of young children and their families (4 Marks)
• Articulates personal beliefs and professional understandings about teaching young children (5 Marks)
• Demonstrates academic conventions e.g., accurate grammar, spelling, sentence structure and use of APA 7th edition style referencing both in-text and reference (1 Mark)

A numerical mark will be awarded for each criterion depending on the extent to which the criterion is addressed.

For assessment tasks uploaded by the due date, feedback can be expected within 21 days in the assessment section of moodle.

Assessment Task 2 - Presentation

Due Date: Friday October 29th, 2021 11:55pm

Weighting: 40%

Word Count: 2000 words (equivalent)

Task Aim:

The purpose of this assessment is to present a play-based learning experience, that you have planned to meet the learning needs of very young children based upon your professional observations of three children.

Task Requirements:

In order to complete this assessment task, you will observe three (3) infants/toddlers (under 3-years of age). If you are completing EDMAS 6130 Engaging Professionally 2 (Early Childhood) you can complete this as during your Professional Experience placement. If you are not completing EDMAS 6130 you may complete this assignment at work, if you are employed in a children's service OR you can approach a children's service OR if you have access to young children in your family or circle of friends. The children must all be under the age of three.

1. Appropriate written permission to observe must be provided to and completed by the parents/carers of your three focus children before you commence observations. These signed and dated permission forms are to be included with your Assessment task as an appendix. With the assistance of the teacher or room leader, choose three (3) children to observe (choose across the age range of the room where possible)
2. Using a range of observation techniques, observe, analyse and document the learning and development of your three (3) focus children (at least 3 observations per child).
3. Based on your observations, plan two (2) indoor and two (2) outdoor learning experiences using a learning experience template. Your learning experiences are to include inclusive teaching strategies, links to the Victorian Early Years Learning Development Framework (VEYLDF) Learning Outcomes, resources required, and a plan for assessment/evaluation. Across your four (4) plans you are to demonstrate how you have catered for the learning needs of your three (3) focus children.
4. Choose one (1) of your learning experiences as the basis for a class presentation
5. Prepare and upload to Moodle, a Kaltura Video presentation (voiced over PowerPoint presentation) that is 3-5 minutes in duration to present one of your learning experiences and assessment/evaluation plans. Your PowerPoint video presentation should explain your learning experience - rationale (why you planned what you did), resources, teaching strategies, links to VEYLDF Learning Outcomes and your plan for assessment of learning (what you expect babies/toddlers to learn) and evaluation of your teaching (what questions you will pose to self-evaluate) and how you would share information with families/carers.
6. Along with the video presentation you must submit a Word Document that contains the analysed observations, learning experience plan (highlight the one presented in your video)

Your video presentation and Word Document are to be uploaded to the relevant assessment portal in the Assessment section of Moodle.

The following criteria will be used to assess your presentation and accompanying Word Document:

• Incorporates current teaching approaches in planning for the needs of children, making links with the VEYLDF (8 Marks)
• Demonstrates an understanding of the needs of children (sets challenging but achievable goals for focus children) (8 Marks)
• Promotes the development and wellbeing of children (selects appropriate resources and teaching strategies that engage young learners, considers the role of the environment and maintains the safety of children) (8 Marks)
• Articulates how learning and development information will be shared with families/carers effectively, sensitively and confidentially (8 Marks)
• Demonstrates an understanding of aesthetics and audio quality in video presentation (4 Marks)
• Demonstrates academic conventions e.g., accurate grammar, spelling, sentence structure, supported by scholarly references and the accurate use of APA 7th edition style referencing both in-text and reference list (4 Marks).

A numerical mark will be awarded for each criterion depending on the extent to which the criterion is addressed.

For assessment tasks uploaded by the due date, feedback can be expected within 21 days in the assessment section of moodle.

Assessment Task 3 - Policy Document (Room Transition Policy)

Weighting: 40%

Word Count: 2000 words (equivalent)

Task Aim:

The purpose of this assessment is to create a centre-based policy and plan for implementation, evaluation and review of this policy.

Task Requirements:

Policy Document (1000 words)

Write a centre-based policy for the transition of babies into the toddler room (18mths - 3 yrs). The policy should include important elements of a policy document (Rationale, Aims, Strategies, Definitions, Evaluation and Review).

Implementation and Evaluation Plan (1000 words) (equivalent)

Accompanying the centre-based policy document is to be a detailed implementation and evaluation plan. The implementation and evaluation plan is to include:

• steps required to implement, evaluate and review the policy
• resources required for implementation, including human resources
• staff development and training requirements
• staff/family induction and orientation
• feedback and evaluation processes
• clear timeframes for implementation, evaluation and review
• statement about how the policy reflects your personal philosophy (please attach your personal philosophy as an appendix).

Your policy and implementation plan are to be uploaded to the relevant portal in the Assessment section of Moodle.

The following criteria will be used to assess your policy and implementation plan:

• Demonstrates understanding of the needs of infants/toddlers and families when undergoing transitions (6 Marks)
• Promotes the wellbeing, safety and developmental needs of infants/toddlers and families, including those with CALD backgrounds (6 Marks)
• Identifies a range of strategies and resources that allow for the effective implementation of centre- based policy (6 Marks)
• Identifies strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers (6 Marks)
• Demonstrates an understanding of administrative, legislative and organisational requirements (6 Marks)
• Incorporates relevant scholarly sources (5 Marks)
• Demonstrates academic conventions e.g., spelling, grammar, and accurate use of APA 7th Edition style referencing) (5 Marks)

A numerical mark will be awarded for each criterion depending on the extent to which the criterion is addressed.

For assessment tasks uploaded by the due date, feedback can be expected within 21 days in the assessment section of moodle.