Master of Teaching (Birth to Five Years)
TEA01MOUA
• GPA of 4.50 (out of 7.00)
| Minimum number of units | 16 |
| Minimum number of units at 600 level | 4 |
| Minimum number of units at 800 level or above | 12 |
| Completion of other specific minimum requirements as set out below |
In order to graduate students must ensure that they have satisfied all of the general requirements of the award.
Specific minimum requirements:
Units of study
800 level
600 level
TOTAL UNITS OF STUDY REQUIRED FOR THIS PROGRAM
| AQF Level | Level 9 Masters by Coursework Degree |
| Overview and Aims of the Program | The aim of the Master of Teaching (Birth to five Years) is to provide an accredited program of study and professional experience to prepare students for the role of a university-qualified early childhood teacher/leader working in a prior to school setting. In keeping with Macquarie University’s vision to promote research-intensive learning and teaching, critical, analytical and integrative thinking skills are incorporated into all units in this degree. Course content draws on contemporary research-based expertise in child development, curriculum and pedagogy, and leadership and management. Students apply their understandings, skills and specialist early childhood knowledge through engagement with children across the birth to five years range in a variety of early childhood environments. As a postgraduate degree, upon successful completion of this degree, it is expected that graduates will be ready to work as ethical, autonomous and critically reflective teacher leaders, capable of working effectively with children, parents and other professionals in their local communities. |
| Graduate Capabilities | The Graduate Capabilities Framework articulates the fundamentals that underpin all of Macquarie’s academic programs. It expresses these as follows: Interpersonal or social capabilities |
| Program Learning Outcomes | By the end of this program it is anticipated you should be able to: 1) Critically review and analyse specialist knowledge of children’s development and learning during birth to five years at an advanced level. (K T) 2) Appraise and critically reflect on advanced theory and practice in child development, health and well-being, curriculum, pedagogy, leadership and management. (K T) 3) Systematically document and critically analyse pedagogy and practice in designing early childhood programs. (K T C J) 4) Critically examine ideas, issues and principles connected with professional decision-making as a teacher/leader in early childhood settings. (K T P J) 5) Communicate effectively as ethical, reflective and informed practitioners when working with colleagues, children, families, and other early childhood stakeholders. (K C E J) 6) Use a range of communication media and technologies effectively in designing, evaluating and implementing innovative early childhood programs and research projects. (K C J) 7) Articulate a personal philosophy of professional practice which reflects advocacy for children’s rights. (K C E J) 8) Identify abilities, interests and needs of children and families to develop inclusive programs which reflect an understanding of the diversity of Australian society. (K T C E J) 9) Apply knowledge of educational research principles and methods to critically evaluate early childhood programs and policies. (K T P C) 10) Investigate complex information, problems, concepts and theories when working in diverse early childhood contexts by applying high order analytical and integrative thinking skills. (K T P C E |
| Learning and Teaching Methods | This program is available essentially as an online program offered in collaboration with Open Universities Australia (OUA). As this is a teacher education program, students are required to undertake field visits and be on placement in an early childhood centre for a set number of days in four units. During these Professional Experience Placements, centre staff and a university advisor provide students advice and mentoring support, and also assess the student’s understanding of relevant skills and knowledge to work as an early childhood teacher with young children, staff and families within prior to school settings. Throughout the program, online learning and teaching activities incorporate a variety of methods to facilitate student engagement with the unit content. Using an online learning platform – iLearn, in each unit, a range of educational resources are used including: • Recorded lectures with video capture content • Weekly readings based on local and international research • Audio-visual resources of children’s play and inquiry • Variety of assignments • Reflective learning activities, including online discussion forums and reading journals |
| Assessment | Assessment in all units is designed to support learning and equip you with the skills, knowledge and values that characterize teachers of young children. Across the program, assessment includes a variety of tasks. When taken together, these tasks provide students opportunities to achieve the capabilities postgraduates are expected to apply at the completion of Macquarie University’s Master of Teaching (Birth to Five Years) degree. A variety of assessment tasks are presented in all units to achieve the learning outcomes in different ways, and include • Development of research proposals, including practitioner inquiry projects involving literature reviews and identification of research questions and methodologies for data collection and analysis. • Essays and case studies analysing issues and trends in Early Childhood matters • Individual and group presentations involving collaborative team work and peer assessments • Online discussions, blogs, and social media engagement through individual postings and reflections to create learning communities online • Online quizzes comprising short answer and multiple choice questions to assess and monitor your understanding and progress in the units • Professional experience placements and portfolios, comprising observation records, programme plans, teaching resources and documentation of children’s learning, growth and development. • Reading journals and teaching practice journals to document thinking and learning both for the purposes of self reflection and engagement with peers • Use of pedagogical documentation to provide insights into children’s interactions, dispositions, and behaviour for the purposes of monitoring children’s learning as a shared experience with families We provide formative and/or summative feedback on individual and group work. These assessment tasks have been designed to scaffold learning and support you in achieving a high standard of academic writing appropriate for a master teacher in the early childhood sector. |
| Recognition of Prior Learning | Macquarie University may recognise prior formal, informal and non-formal learning for the purpose of granting credit towards, or admission into, a program. The recognition of these forms of learning is enabled by the University’s Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Policy (see www.mq.edu.au/policy) and its associated Procedures and Guidelines. The RPL pages contain information on how to apply, links to registers, and the approval processes for recognising prior learning for entry or credit. Information can be found at: https://mq.edu.au/rpl |
| Support for Learning | Macquarie University aspires to be an inclusive and supportive community of learners where all students are given the opportunity to meet their academic and personal goals. The University offers a comprehensive range of free and accessible student support services which include academic advice, counselling and psychological services, advocacy services and welfare advice, careers and employment, disability services and academic skills workshops amongst others. There is also a bulk billing medical service located on campus. |
| Program Standards and Quality | The program is subject to an ongoing comprehensive process of quality review in accordance with a pre-determined schedule that complies with the Higher Education Standards Framework. The review is overseen by Macquarie University's peak academic governance body, the Academic Senate and takes into account feedback received from students, staff and external stakeholders. |
| Graduate Destinations and Employability | The Master of Teaching (Birth to Five years) degree is designed to enable graduates from diverse disciplines or professions to obtain an approved early childhood teacher qualification. This degree aligns well with the increasing professionalisation of the early childhood sector and the growing demand for early childhood educators with university qualifications. It will support students to develop practical teaching skills underpinned by a sound multidisciplinary knowledge base of early childhood studies, essential for employment and career growth as an early childhood specialist. All students complete three practicum placements in early childhood settings covering the birth to five years age range. In particular, during ECEX829 – the internship unit, students are scaffolded to demonstrate their capacity to work at an advanced level expected of early childhood teachers with a masters degree qualification. Upon successful completion, graduates from this degree can seek employment with a range of government agencies, non-government organisations as well as private and community owned early childhood settings, based within Australia or overseas. High performing graduates can also gain access to higher degree research training programs at Macquarie University through the Master of Research degree. |
| Assessment Regulations | This program is subject to Macquarie University regulations, including but not limited to those specified in the Assessment Policy, Academic Honesty Policy, the Final Examination Policy and relevant University Rules. For all approved University policies, procedures, guidelines and schedules visit www.mq.edu.au/policy. |
| Accreditation | This is an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) accredited qualification. |
Inherent requirements are the essential components of a course or program necessary for a student to successfully achieve the core learning outcomes of a course or program. Students must meet the inherent requirements to complete their Macquarie University course or program.
Inherent requirements for Macquarie University programs fall under the following categories:
Physical: The physical inherent requirement is to have the physical capabilities to safely and effectively perform the activities necessary to undertake the learning activities and achieve the learning outcomes of an award.
Cognition: The inherent requirement for cognition is possessing the intellectual, conceptual, integrative and quantitative capabilities to undertake the learning activities and achieve the learning outcomes of an award.
Communication: The inherent requirement for communication is the capacity to communicate information, thoughts and ideas through a variety of mediums and with a range of audiences.
Behavioural: The behavioural inherent requirement is the capacity to sustain appropriate behaviour over the duration of units of study to engage in activities necessary to undertake the learning activities and achieve the learning outcomes of an award.
For more information see https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/inherent-requirements