EER304 Research & Practice (8)

CSU Discipline Area: Education Studies (EDSTD)

Duration: One session

Abstract:

This subject will introduce students to the growing body of research carried out in Australian early childhood contexts. The importance of policy and practice being informed by research will be explored through reviewing current research in practice and discussing various ways these findings are disseminated to the early childhood field and the wider community. Students will complete a situation based research project. The successful completion of this subject will lead into the final semester subject Windows to the Community.

+ Subject Availability Modes and Locations

No offerings have been identified for this subject in 2013.Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details prior to contacting their course coordinator: EER304

Where differences exist between the handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Enrolment restrictions:

Bachelor of Teaching (Birth - 5 years) - pilot pathway

Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:

- discuss the importance of children's services policy and practice being informed by research;
- read some selected reports of research done in early childhood practice;
- review some research methods useful in teachers' action research in their own early childhood practice, eg., participant observation, interviews, surveys;
- collect a media file of current research findings in children's services, eg., newspapers, magazines, Internet;
- document their reading of research in practice in a variety of ways, eg., log of readings, annotated bibliography;
- complete a small situation based research project in their practice;
- distinguish between practices based on research and those based on culture, values, family choice.

Syllabus:

The subject will cover the following topics:

The subject will cover the following topics:
- Reports of research in early childhood practice.
- Situational learning.
- Research methodology: Participant observation, interviewing, surveys, longitudinal studies, recording strategies.
- Reporting, distorting and not reporting research findings.
- Data to conclusions various processes.
- Collaboration between early childhood practitioners and other researchers.
- Current research interests in early childhood practice.
- Developing a research policy for your service.
- A situation based approach to research.

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