B-EDEC v.2 Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education)

This course is designed for people seeking to attain an Initial Teacher Education qualification in order to register as a teacher in Australia and any other countries that recognise an Australian teaching qualification. Specifically, this course provides a qualification for those intending to teach at the early childhood level of education from birth to eight years. Students will develop advanced critical skills, knowledge and understanding concerning best practice in education and in meeting the needs of children. Students will have four opportunities to engage in professional experience in schools, culminating in a final professional placement of 10 continuous weeks.

Course Accreditation

This course is recognised nationally as an initial pre-service teaching qualification.

Professional Recognition

This course is recognised nationally as an initial pre-service teaching qualification. Initial Teacher Education courses in Australia are accredited by the relevant authority in the state or territory in which the institution providing the qualification is based. Accordingly, the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education) course provided by Curtin University is fully accredited by the Teachers’ Registration Board of WA (TRBWA) and graduates of the course are able to register as practising teachers with the registration body in their home state or territory, based on the course accreditation provided by the TRBWA. The course is also recognised by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) as an approved early childhood teacher qualification.

Course Accreditation Status

This course is accredited by the Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia (TRBWA). As such, it is also recognised as an accredited initial teacher education program by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL). The Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education) is also recognised by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) as an approved early childhood teacher qualification.

Graduates of this degree will have the skills, knowledge and experience required to teach in early childhood education and care settings. Upon graduating with this degree you will be qualified to teach children from birth to eight years of age. Additional careers include Child Care Coordinator, education administrator or policy development officer.

Students may be expected to purchase a number of text books and other essential study materials. Students will also be required to meet costs associated with working with children checks and clearances and required assessments such as the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students (LANTITE).Additional expenses include fees associated with working with children checks and clearances.

Bachelor Degrees typically contain a series of units which may include compulsory (core), optional or elective units to cater for student preferences. They may contain a range of majors, streams and/or minors/specialisations for students to choose from to pursue learning in a specialised area of study. Students can take no more than 250 credit points of first year level units.

The program is sequential and developmental in nature and consists of core studies, professional experience units and option units catering for the specific needs of educators in the early childhood context. All students are required to successfully complete four compulsory professional experience placements as part of designated units throughout the course. These placements must be undertaken in registered schools or early learning centres where the language of instruction is English. Placements are undertaken on a full-time basis for the number of days shown in a continuous block and students need to plan carefully to ensure they are able to meet this commitment. The total number of days of professional experience in the course will satisfy all states' requirements for teacher registration. No more than 25% of professional experience days may be undertaken in schools or early learning centres outside Australia. Therefore, students will only be able to complete one 3 week placement outside Australia and will be required to complete all other placements within Australia. None of the four professional experience placements can be broken or split into shorter periods.

Course Learning Outcomes

A graduate of this course can:

1. apply high-level discipline knowledge, principles and concepts associated with effective teaching of children from birth to 8 years

2. draw from theory and research to apply knowledge of the needs of students from diverse backgrounds and across the full range of abilities to enhance learning

3. assess student learning and analyse diverse sources of data to support valid judgements of student learning

4. plan and deliver effective teaching and learning experiences with demonstrated impact

5. use technologies appropriately for learning and teaching

6. engage in professional learning and demonstrate capacity for leadership; demonstrate personal literacy and numeracy competencies to the required accreditation standard

7. engage in critical and reflective practice based on local, national and international research

8. create and manage positive learning environments for all students, including those from diverse cultural backgrounds

Duration and Availability

This course is four years’ full-time or equivalent part-time study. Students based in Kalgoorlie are able to enrol fully online through this regional campus.

Location and delivery Mode

The information displayed above refers to study periods and locations where the course is available for first time entry. Students are normally only offered or admitted to a course once.

* The course itself may not be available either solely internally or externally but individual units may be offered in either or both of those modes. Prospective students should contact the Course Coordinator for further information.

^ Course and associated units are offered in this mode permitting International Onshore student enrolment.

# Course and associated units are offered in this online only mode and DO NOT permit International Onshore student enrolment.

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OPTIONS (NO YEAR LEVEL SPECIFIED)

Applicants for a Bachelor Degree are required to meet University academic and English language entry standards; details are provided at http://study.curtin.edu.au/ and include flexible entry pathways. Any specific course entry and completion requirements must also be met.

Applicants need to have an Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR). Alternatively, the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) elements considered are Written English (WE) and Verbal and Quantitative (MC). Applicants will also be required to meet non-academic entry requirements. The non-academic suitability requirements will be assessed through the completion of an online questionnaire. This questionnaire is completed as part of the entry process, and you will need to demonstrate that you possess the key attributes and motivations associated with effective teaching. This is because all graduates from Initial Teacher Education courses are required to meet competencies associated with these attributes as outlined by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL). For further information and access to the questionnaire, please see https://students.curtin.edu.au/essentials/managing-your-course/non-academic-entry-requirement/. The level of English language proficiency required for admission to this course is higher than the University’s standard. This is because students will be required to teach English to others during professional experience placements throughout the course. If applicable, admission requires an overall International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic) score of 7.5, with a score no less than 7 in Writing and Reading and a score no less than 8 in Speaking and Listening. Please refer to https://futurestudents.curtin.edu.au/english-proficiency/course-list/ for further information. A current and valid Working with Children clearance (as required in the state or country of residence) is compulsory. Due to the specialist nature of the teaching profession, and the professional experience placements within this course, all successful applicants will be required to have a current Working with Children clearance and any other relevant State requirements at the commencement of units in this course and always before engaging in any work with children and professional experience. If students have any doubt about their eligibility to acquire these clearances they should contact the local Teacher Registration Authority.

Credit for Recognised Learning

Applications for credit towards a course are assessed on an individual basis. Credit reduces the amount of learning required to complete the course and may be granted for formal education qualifications, non-formal learning from non-award programs of study and informal learning through work experiences. Further information can be found at http://futurestudents.curtin.edu.au/non-school-leavers/rpl.cfm

CRL

Please note: Credit is rarely given on the basis of professional experience only in Initial Teacher Education degrees as graduates must meet registration requirements set by the accrediting bodies in each state/territory.

Pathway to Further Study

Graduates may qualify for entry to a Bachelor Degree with Honours and some Graduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas and Master degrees. For further details, see the University website http://curtin.edu.au.

Specific Course Completion Details

Students are required to provide evidence of successful completion of the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education students (LANTITE) prior to completing their course. The test is managed by ACER and details of the test (for example, sample questions, the Test Window dates, and registration) can be found at: https://teacheredtest.acer.edu.au/. Students are responsible for meeting the costs associated with taking these tests, which are a national requirement applicable to all teaching graduates. Students are expected to have successfully completed the LANTITE between the first and third professional experience units in their course. Students will be required to have current and valid Working with Children clearance as required in the state or country in which the placement provider is located. They will also need to meet any other relevant State requirements before engaging in any work with children or professional experience. If students have any doubt about their eligibility to acquire these clearances they should contact the local Teacher Registration Authority.