Date of Revision Date of Previous Revision Programme Specification A programme specification is required for any programme on which a student may be registered. All programmes of the University are subject to the University s Quality Assurance and Enhancement processes as set out in the DASA Policies and Procedures Manual. Programme Title Foundation Degree Early Childhood Studies FT Programme Code ECS-FND-S UCAS Code Criteria for Admissions (Please see General Regulations) Final Award (exit route if applicable for Postgraduate Taught Programmes) LX53 JACS Code Foundation Degree X310 2 A levels normally grades CC/CD or Irish leaving certificate normally BCCC at Higher (must have English and Mathematics Ordinary Level Grade D or better) or Access Course normally minimum of 55% average or BTEC National Certificate or Diploma in Early Years or Appropriate Cache Diploma in Child Care and Education or NVQ level 3 Qualification CCLD/EYCE or Classroom Assistant or Teaching Assistant provide evidence of their ability in appropriate skills and knowledge to undertake the programme. Guidance is available for such candidates from the Further Education College and any evidence submitted will be assessed by subject specialists who will determine the applicant s suitability for the course. Applicants may be required to attend for interview. Credit may be given to a maximum of 80 CATS points. Credit transfer will not be permitted for study undertaken earlier than three years prior to entry. Mode of Study (Full-time, Part-time, other) Full Time Type of Programme Singe subject Foundation Degree Length of Programme 2 years Total Credits for Programme 240 Awarding Institution/Body Teaching Institution Queens University, Belfast F.E. Colleges (five) in Northern Ireland BMC, SRC, SERC, NWRC, SWC 1
School/Department Framework for Higher Education Qualification Level http://www.qaa.ac.uk/publications/informationan dguidance Stranmillis University College Level 5 QAA Benchmark Group http://www.qaa.ac.uk/assuringstandardsandqualit y/subject guidance/pages/subject benchmarkstatements Collaborative Organisation and form of Collaboration (if applicable) Accreditations (PSRB) ATAS Clearance N/A N/A External Examiner Name: Andrew Sanders Foundation Degree Early Childhood Studies Foundation Degree in F.E. Colleges (five) in Northern Ireland BMC, SRC, SERC, NWRC, SWC Date of next scheduled accreditation visit External Examiner Institution/Organisation University of Derby Does the Programme have any approved exemptions from the University General Regulations No (Please see General Regulations) Programme Specific Regulations Students with protected characteristics Are students subject to Fitness to Practise Regulations (Please see General Regulations) Length of Programme N/A No Fitness to Practise programmes are those which permit students to enter a profession which is itself subject to Fitness to Practise rules 2 years 2
Educational Aims of Programme On completion of the programme the student will be able to: Please list below the overarching aims and objectives of the programme. The Foundation degree aims to provide the field of early years with qualified professionals who will be competent in their undertaking of the complex roles inherent in the variety of contexts, which constitute employment opportunities for the resulting graduates. The Foundation degree aims to: Respond to the local and national requirement for a course which will meet the need for high quality training to a graduate qualification for a range of professionals in the field of 'Educare'; Break down barriers between professionals thus reducing the risk that the needs of children and their families will not be fully met; Meet the needs of the client group by providing a wide range of knowledge, skill, experience and expertise drawn from relevant professional perspectives which they require; Provide a structure which will be sufficiently flexible to meet client needs but also provide a degree of coherence and cohesiveness that is supportive of its members and gives the group its identity; Recognise and build on the richness and variety of the experience, knowledge and skills course members will bring as a valuable resource, and to acknowledge this formally by accrediting prior learning; Strengthen the links between theory and practice and through work experience develop the concept of the reflective practitioner by building in support and opportunities for reflection on and analysis of practice; Provide core modules which all students will take and which will enable students to develop a cohesive group identity and to understand the issues central to working with young children in a variety of contexts; Employ a range of teaching methods which will include lectures, seminars, projects, discussion, video, visits, research and practice placements in order to supply students with a stimulating learning experience which will develop their analytical, oral and written skills; Encourage the reflection and recording of the students' professional development by means of the Personal/Professional Development Portfolio, hereafter identified as the PP/DP, enabling students to become self-critical and reflective practitioners; Place high status on practical placements and professional roles undertaken by course members linking assessment to workplace and 3
practical placements thus enabling students to be given credit for the application of their knowledge and the demonstration of their competence in varied professional settings. Engage with a wide variety of students from non-traditional backgrounds and with a variety of entrance qualifications and professional experience; Capitalise on the experience which exists within the existing bodies of Early Years professionals working in fields of education, welfare and health; Encourage each student to be an advocate for children. Learning Outcomes: Cognitive Skills On the completion of this course successful students will be able to: On completion of their Foundation Degree Early Childhood Studies degree programme students will have: Exercised analytical, critical and problem solving skills in the context of theory within the discipline, methods of enquiry, applications and interventions; Directed their own learning and thinking and developed the capacity to think independently and to collaborate within a critical community of learning; Developed research skills and engaged with information retrieval, small-scale research design, data collection and analysis; Displayed the capacity to communicate information in an accessible and understandable manner through both the written and spoken word, to different audiences and for Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies A number of supportive structures within teaching, learning and assessment methods form the basis of students developing cognitive skills in the area of Early Childhood Studies. Both teaching and learning methods actively encourage students to develop their analytical and critical thinking skills. Students are frequently required to consider aspects of both practice and theoretical perspective. Problem solving activities, for example in the shape of case study considerations, form the basis of a significant number of seminar activities. Through these, students learn to apply their knowledge and understanding to situations, both real and imaginary, thus requiring the Methods of Assessment Assessment methods are focused across the pathway on the requirement to communicate information in an accessible form which can be understood by different audiences, and allow the students to demonstrate their developing specialist cognitive skills. 4
different purposes; Exercised analytical and problem solving skills in the context of professional placement. use of their cognitive abilities applied to the practical context. In these situations, students increasingly direct their own learning and demonstrate their capacity to think both independently and collaboratively. Teaching places heavy emphasis on the acquisition of research skills, including information retrieval, smallscale research design, data collection and analysis, and seeks to utilise these techniques across the levels to progressively build a student s capacity to engage with this skill. Learning Outcomes: Transferable Skills On the completion of this course successful students will be able to: On completion of their Foundation Degree Early Childhood Studies degree programme students will have developed the ability to demonstrate the following transferable skills: Level 1 Observe and evaluate/ identify Work collaboratively Use dialogue skills effectively to engage in discussion and debate Prepare and deliver oral presentations Effectively use and develop skills in I.C.T. Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies The teaching, learning and assessment of the full range of transferable skills are integrated across Foundation degree programme. Teaching in subject specific contexts allows students to experience each of the transferable skills in a rotational and progressive way. Seminar activities in particular provide a context in which these skills can be fostered as students interact, debate, collaborate and discuss a range of issues pertinent to the module under study. Methods of Assessment The assessment methods employed across the range of modules affords the opportunity to examine and quantify each student s developing capacity in this area. For example, the initial and reflective accounts of student learning required in each section of their PP/DP confront students with the opportunity to monitor their own progress and set and evaluate targets in relation to their learning. 5
Successfully manage information Access and review literature from a variety of sources; Outline bodies of knowledge Engage in word processing Set and meet goals and personal targets Access, collate and review literature/data and cite references accurately in written tasks Communicate effectively in verbal, written and presentational form Develop personal competence in the use of ICT Develop methods, techniques and processes, which relate to confidentiality, data protection and security of information Level 2 Develop methods, techniques and processes which relate to confidentiality, data protection and security of information Work as a member of a team Study independently Critically reflect and analyse; Engage in practitioner enquiry; Be an effective team leader; Be an effective manager Successfully undertake research techniques and methodologies Submit bodies of knowledge to critical analyse Reflect upon and manage career development Engage in reflective thinking Learning Outcomes: Knowledge and Understanding 6
On the completion of this course successful students will be able to: On completion of their Foundation Degree Early Childhood Studies degree programme students will have: Engaged in in-depth investigations of the context and development of early childhood services in Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom and a variety of international contexts; Sought to gain knowledge and understanding of the processes of early childhood education and care from a variety of perspectives; Participated in a critical community of learning; Demonstrate their understanding of the critical role they undertake in professional context; Demonstrated their competence to plan, implement and evaluate their effectiveness of a range of activities within the work placement context: Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies The approach adopted to teaching, learning and assessment will provide students with experiences which are progressive as the pathway moves forward. Students will be encouraged to move to a position of independent learning through a series of guided teaching experiences. Learning at Level 1 will concentrate on providing a foundation to each students understanding of Child Development, the highly complex role of an Early Years practitioner and the reciprocal nature of the learning and exchange of knowledge occurring between adults and children. Learning at Level 2 will expand and build on the student s experience at level 1 and deepen their understanding of the role of the Early Years Practitioner. A blended learning approach will be adopted with regard to delivery, incorporating the virtual learning environment. At all times teaching will take account of the need to integrate theoretical perspectives with practice from settings providing services for young children and their families. Students will, therefore, be learning how to apply their enhanced knowledge Methods of Assessment Assessment will match the learning outcomes of the various modules and seeks to provide both formative and summative feedback to students at all stages. This includes direct assessment of the students workplaced-based professional practice. A variety of methods are chosen to allow for the broad base of learning outcomes to be examined and also the range of students backgrounds, interests and styles of learning. The course recognises the need to incorporate innovative and dynamic assessment techniques, including self-evaluation. Of particular importance for this course is the development of a PP/DP which systemically charts each student s developing thinking, understanding, and competence in the field of practice. The range of assessment methods used includes the PP/DP, oral presentations, selfreflective accounts, and essays, as well as a range of examination 7
base to a variety of placement/employed contexts. Their direct placement learning will provide the opportunity for this. Tutors will encourage this through discussion and seminar tasks related to modular content within taught sessions; they will use their visits to monitor this and will provide feedback to the students on placement in relation to their development in this regard. methods. Teaching will place a heavy emphasis on the growing body of literature which now underpins this area of study. At Level 1 students will guided through these sources, with teaching methods demonstrating to students how they gain increased independence in accessing and retrieving such information. At Level 2 students will be expected to take greater ownership of this process and use materials they have sourced to support the development of their thinking. This will also provide a means of supporting and underpinning the decisions students make with regard to practice in their professional settings. Teaching also takes place through the use of each students experience in the Placement/Employed context as a framework for exploration and learning. These are integral to the teaching 8
process and are used as the basis for group discussion, seminar activity, assessment activity and the overall developing competence of the students. Learning Outcomes: Subject Specific Skills On the completion of this course successful students will be able to On completion of their Foundation Degree Early Childhood Studies degree programme students will have: Engaged in a multi-professional approach as they understand and respond to the issues central to working with young children and their families in a variety of settings and communities; Liaised competently with a wide variety of agencies in the fields of education, social welfare and health and thereby effectively applied childcare policies and responded to legislative demands; Responded to the needs of children and families in relation to child care issues; Developed the capacity to be an advocate for children; Applied their knowledge and expertise to the learning context of children within placements Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies The developing subject specialism of Early Childhood Studies has created a context for specific skills to be developed among the range of professionals who interact with children and their families. Thus the degree course seeks to use teaching, learning and assessment methods which highlight for students how important their developing competence is. In relation to this subject area a number of issues can be highlighted which are specifically addressed to enhance the unique perspective which is presented by the degree course. Teaching methods seek to illuminate these issues for students and highlight the areas which can be best addressed through multi-disciplinary working practices. Thus, teaching takes account of a broad spectrum of expertise in the field, presenting a holistic picture of child development issues, education practices and care concerns. Teaching also utilises liaison with other fields of Methods of Assessment Assessment methods, especially the PP/DP, encourage students to evaluate the uniqueness of their learning in this developing field of study and to use skills of reflection and evaluation to challenge and expand their thinking and practice. 9
study and professionals through accessing a variety of perspectives on issues to present a rounded picture of the skills necessary to progress in this area. Teaching focuses heavily on how students can respond to the needs of children and on demonstrating how these needs can be assessed and analysed. In this way, the role of the students as advocates for children is emphasised and encouraged. Thus, the course seeks to help students in their learning as they progress from a position where they are developing their subject specific skills to one where they are demonstrating the capacity to plan and respond to professional challenges. The teaching on the programme, the learning experience of the student and their developing knowledge and understanding of this field of study culminates in the demonstration of their capacity to apply subject skills in a practical way for the benefit of children, families and communities. 10
Programme Requirements Module Title Module Code Level/ stage Credits Availability Duration Pre-requisite Assessment S1 S2 Core Option Coursework % Examination % Child Development SFD1031 1 20 1 12 weeks yes 60% 40% The Acquisition of Language and Communication Skills SFD1021 1 20 2 12 weeks yes 50% 50% Professional Practice 1 SFD1041 1 20 1 2 24 weeks yes 100% Learning Through Play SFD1071 1 20 2 12 weeks yes 40% 60% Quality Provision in SFD1061 1 20 2 12 weeks yes 50% 50% Early Years Shared Perspectives SFD1001 1 20 1 12 weeks Yes 50% 50% Historical Overview of the Development of Early Years Provision SFD1011 1 20 1 12 weeks yes 50% 50% Safeguarding Children SFD2031 2 20 1 12 weeks yes 50% 50% Developing Skills and SFD2021 2 20 1 12 weeks yes 50% 50% Strategies for Managing Children s Behaviour Professional Practice 2 SFD2041 2 20 1 2 24 weeks yes 100% Working with Children SFD2071 2 20 2 12 weeks yes 50% 50% with Additional Needs Anti Discriminatory SFD2061 2 20 2 12 weeks yes 50% 50% Practice and Inclusion in the Early Years Environment Working with Babies 0-3 SFD2001 2 20 1 12 weeks Yes 50% 50% years Science and Technology in the Early Years SFD2011 2 20 2 12 weeks yes 50% 50% Approved by Director of Education: Print Name:.. Signature: Date:.. 11