MA International Education (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion)

This unit is designed to support those interested in developing their understanding of Early Years Education, from learning about playful pedagogies and rich environment learning experiences, to child agency and nurturing home/school relationships. Students will develop an understanding of early childhood philosophies and theory, as well as practice and curricula design from a global perspective. Facilitated by lecturers who are experts in early years education theory and practice, both internationally and the UK, students will have an opportunity to share and reflect on their own experiences to refine and develop their knowledge and skills through engagement with practical activities, oral seminar discussion and analysis of current research and debates in the field.

This unit aims to:

• Provide an introduction to the key philosophies of Early Years Education
• Provide an introduction to the key practices of Early Years Education
• Offer an overview of critical issues in the field of Early Year Education

• Knowledge and understanding of the theories and philosophies that underpin early childhood education. This knowledge is informative for all early years contexts. but is also applicable to sound intellectual understanding of the concepts associated with early years education and the importance of a socio-cultural learning perspective. This understanding can support future expectations of collaborative practice in employment.
• Practical skills in the evaluation of information input. Students will learn to evaluate observational evidence and to reflect on knowledge transmission during group discussion. 
• Transferable skills of reflecting on knowledge presented in collaborative discussion through visual and aural means, as well as written means. Having the individual confidence to evaluate and challenge information presented by others and to interrogate source reliability is integral to working in a multi-source information environment.
• Develop confidence in oral expression which is transferable to wider contexts in other organisations where collaboration and communication contributes to effective group working.
• Practical understanding of early years education which would beneficial if applying for roles in early years settings such as kindergartens or early years classrooms. It would also offer key transferable knowledge and skills for those wishing to study for a teaching qualification in the early years aged phases.

Syllabus (indicative curriculum content):

Areas covered:

• Early childhood philosophies and theories
• The early years environment
• The role of play in early childhood education
• Developing home/school partnerships
• Developing early mathematics
• Developing early literacy 
• Developing awe and wonder though science, technology, engineering and mathematics
• Supporting inclusion in the early years
• Linking theory to school practice
• Reviewing global curricula, planning from learning outcomes to learning opportunities

12 weeks of 2 hour long taught sessions, comprising a combined seminar/workshop (2 hours) introducing the core content or skills and theoretical/practical applications to contextualise the content or skill in a specific instance. 
One of the allocated taught sessions is reserved for an organised school visit to a school to observe Early Years practice in context. In addition, video content of Early Years practice in kindergartens and schools from countries around the world will be viewed and analysed.

• Explain a range of approaches to early years education
• State how different approaches to early years education are informed by theories of teaching and learning.

• Develop critical thinking skills in relation to the challenges of early years education in a range of contexts
• Reflect on early years education in international contexts
• Critically examine diverse approaches to early years education

• Select appropriate Early Years Curriculum from country of choice, plan a set of activities for a half semester suitable for children aged between 2-5 years old.

•     Develop conceptual and analytical skills
•     Make effective use of electronic and other sources of information
•     Develop personal confidence in contributing to reflective and analytical seminar discussion

Individual feedback on Tii 15 days after submission 

Arnott, L. (2018) Children’s negotiation tactics and socio-emotional self-regulation in child-led play experiences: the influence of the preschool pedagogic culture. Early child development and care. 188 (7), 951–965. 
 

Baker, S.T., Le Courtois, S. & Eberhart, J. (2021) Making space for children’s agency with playful learning. International journal of early years education. 1–13. 
Borkett, P. (2018) Cultural Diversity and Inclusion in Early Years Education . First edition. London :, Taylor and Francis.
 

Bubikova-Moan, J., Næss Hjetland, H. & Wollscheid, S. (2019) ECE teachers’ views on play-based learning: a systematic review. European early childhood education research journal. 27 (6), 776–800. 
 

Cochran, M. (2011) International Perspectives on Early Childhood Education. Educational Policy. 25 (1), 65–91. doi:10.1177/0895904810387789.
 

Cohen, L.E. (2017) Theories of Early Childhood Education : Developmental, Behaviorist, and Critical. London; London, Taylor and Francis; Taylor and Francis.
 

Conkbayir, M. & Pascal, C. (2015) Early Childhood Theories and Contemporary Issues: An Introduction. London, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
 

Cremin, T., Burnard, P. & Craft, A. (2006a) Pedagogy and possibility thinking in the early years. Thinking skills and creativity. 1 (2), 108–119. doi:10.1016/j.tsc.2006.07.001.
 

Cross, A. (2016b) Curious learners in primary maths, science, computing and DT. First edition. Los Angeles, CA :, SAGE Publications Inc.
 

Fleer, M & Bert. van Oers (eds.) (2018) International Handbook of Early Childhood Education . 1st edition.. Dordrecht :, Springer Netherlands 
 

File,N., McMullen, M.B. & C.P. Brown (eds.) (2019) The Wiley handbook of early childhood care and education . Hoboken, NJ, USA :, Wiley-Blackwell/John Wiley & Sons Inc.
 

Kinnear, V., Lai, M.-Y. & Muir, T. (2018) Forging Connections in Early Mathematics Teaching and Learning. Singapore, Springer Singapore Pte. Limited.
 

Lee, F.L.M., Yeung, A.S., Tracey, D. & Barker, K. (2015) Inclusion of Children With Special Needs in Early Childhood Education: What Teacher Characteristics Matter. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education. 35 (2), 79–88. 
 

McLeod, N., & Giardiello, P. (Eds.). (2019). Empowering early childhood educators : international pedagogies as provocation . Routledge.
 

MacBlain, S. (2022) Learning theories for early years practice . 2nd edition. London ; Los Angeles :; London ; Los Angeles :, SAGE.
 

Macintyre, C. (2015) Identifying additional learning needs in the early years . Second edition. London :, Routledge.
 

McInnes, K., Howard, J., Crowley, K. & Miles, G. (2013) The nature of adult-child interaction in the early years classroom: Implications for children’s perceptions of play and subsequent learning behaviour. European early childhood education research journal. 21 (2), 268–282..
 

Owen, K. (ed.) (2021a) Play in the early years . London ; Thousand Oaks, California :; London ; Thousand Oaks, California :, SAGE Publications Ltd.
 

Phillips, D.A.  & K. McCartney (eds.) (2006) Blackwell handbook of early childhood development . Oxford :; Malden, MA ;, Blackwell Pub.
 

Rodger, R. (2016) Planning an appropriate curriculum in the early years : a guide for early years practitioners and leaders, students and parents . Fourth edition. New York :; London ;, Routledge.
 

Samuelsson, I.P. & Carlsson, M.A. (2008) ‘The Playing Learning Child: Towards a pedagogy of early childhood.’ Scandinavian journal of educational research. 52 (6), 623–641. doi:10.1080/00313830802497265.
 

Slentz, K.L. (2017) Early childhood development and its variations . London:Routledge.
Tan, G., Gupta, A.