Key facts

UNE unit code: EDEC376

*You are viewing the 2026 version of this unit which may be subject to change in future.

Start
  • Trimester 1 - Online
  • Trimester 2 - Online
24/7 online support
  • Yes
Intensive schools
  • No
Supervised exam
  • No
Credit points
  • 6

Unit information

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In this unit, you will learn how neural development shapes a child’s development from conception to five years of age, and apply previously gained knowledge to plan, enact and reflect on strategies for guiding children’s learning and development.

While building and sustaining partnerships with families during a professional experience placement, you will reflect on the contribution of theories of learning and development to your practice.

Assessment tasks will support you to apply knowledge of learning and development to develop a child profile and share new knowledge with families, contributing to the quality of the home learning environment.

This unit includes 15 days of professional placement in an ACECQA-approved centre-based early childhood education setting.

Offerings

For further information about UNE's teaching periods, please go to Principal Dates.

Teaching period
Mode/location
Trimester 1Online
Trimester 2Online

*Offering is subject to availability

Intensive schools

There are no intensive schools required for this unit.

Enrolment rules

Pre-requisites
candidature in BEd(ECEC) (Rule a and Rule c): EDEC313 and EDEC314, or EDEC313 and EDEC300, or EDEC314 and EDEC300, or EDEC366; or candidature in BEd(ECEC) (Rule b)

Notes

This unit requires 15 day placement in an ACECQA approved centre-based early childhood education setting with a four year degree qualified supervising teacher and children aged birth to 5 years. Before entering the setting, all students must have completed online anaphylaxis training, an online Child Protection module, and have obtained a valid Working with Children Check clearance (for those students wishing to complete their placement in NSW) or equivalent (for those students wishing to complete their placement outside NSW).

Students must also comply with current placement centre vaccination rules.

Please see the Office for Professional Learning Important Information webpage for more information.

This module/unit addresses ACECQA's Curriculum requirements, referred to as Curriculum Specifications (CS).

Please refer to the student handbook for current details on this unit.

Unit coordinator(s)

profile photo of Yoo Mi Byun
Yoo Mi ByunLecturer - Faculty of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Education; School of Education

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:

  1. compare and analyse theories about child development and their application in early childhood settings (CS: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 3.1, 3.6, 3.8, 5.2);
  2. describe how nerves develop, form connections and respond to stimuli, and the ways in which this development shapes a child’s cognitive and emotional development from conception to five years of age (CS: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3);
  3. describe strategies for guiding children’s social and emotional development (CS: 3.1, 3.6, 4.1, 4.4, 5.2); and
  4. reflect upon learning and development theories to inform partnering with families (CS: 4.1, 4.4, 5.2).

Assessment information

Assessments are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.

TitleMust CompleteWeightOfferingsAssessment Notes
Assessment 1Yes40%All offerings

Write a newsletter article for families to explain how to support children’s learning.

Relates to CS: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 3.1, 3.6, 4.1, 4.4

No. Words: 1600

Assessment 2Yes60%All offerings

Develop a developmental profile as a single case study.

Relates to CS: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 3.8, 5.2

No. Words: 1600

Professional Experience - Assurance TaskYes All offerings

Professional Experience.

This unit requires a 15 day placement in an ACECQA approved centre-based early childhood education setting with a four year degree qualified supervising teacher and children aged birth to 5 years.

  • 5 days of professional experience with infants and 5 days of professional experience with toddlers (to satisfy the ACECQA mandated requirement of 10 days in total with children aged from birth to 35 months).
  • 5 days of professional experience will be with 3-5 year olds.

Students must receive a satisfactory report from their supervisor(s) in order to successfully pass this unit. 

Relates to CS: 1.1, 1.4, 1.7, 1.8, 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 3.1, 3.9, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5

Learning resources

Textbooks are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.

Note: Students are expected to purchase prescribed material. Please note that textbook requirements may vary from one teaching period to the next.

Child Development and Education

ISBN: 9781488615689

McDevitt, T., Ormrod, J., Cupit, G., Chandler, M., and Aloa, V., Pearson Education 2nd 2019

Note: https://www.pearson.com/en-au/resource-centre/resource/?isbn=9781488615689 Text is also available as eBook (48-month access): ISBN: 9780655707929

Text refers to: All offerings

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