Module ECE 006 - Cooperation and Collaboration in Early Years Settings
Early childhood education and teaching as a profession require constant development and learning from the teachers themselves. In this course, you will become familiar with reflective development and create pathways for ongoing professional development. You will be introduced to self-reflective tools and methods. The main emphasis is on professional development plans. The course also focuses on the stakeholders of EY, which is particularly explored through the participation of families and parents.
Goals:
· set life-long learning goals for personal and professional development
· understand the basic methods for reflective development
· understandsthe role of parents in EY education
· recognise children’s and parents’ roles in the evaluation and development of practices
· able to implement reflective development process in the local premises
Practices:
· consider parents’ and other stakeholders’ role in assessment practices
· plan the use of assessment tool(s) in practice for parental co-operation
· consider the continuous development practices
· practice the use of reflective development tools for developing the ECE quality
· practice the use of dynamic assessment tools for pedagogical quality
· identify development needs and opportunities for ongoing professional learning
Module ECE 005 Learning Design through Inquiry Based and STEM in Early Years
This course empowers teacher learners to design and facilitate meaningful learning experiences in early childhood settings through an inquiry-based approach integrated with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Teacher learners will explore how to teach STEM concepts to young children by engaging in inquiry themselves—mirroring the process they will later guide children through.
Special attention is given to teaching in mixed-age classrooms, where children with diverse developmental stages and learning needs learn together. The course highlights the importance of nurturing the child’s natural curiosity and their relationship with the environment, supporting exploration and observation through multiliteracy and hands-on STEM practices.
Through a blend of theoretical frameworks and practical tools, teacher learners will explore effective lesson planning, instructional strategies, and assessment methods. For example, in programming education, the course emphasizes the development of young children’s technological thinking, problem-solving skills, and early coding abilities, laying a strong foundation for future STEM learning.
Theoretical Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, teacher learners will be able to:
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Understand and articulate key pedagogical principles of inquiry-based learning.
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Apply theoretical knowledge of STEM education in early childhood settings.
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Design and adapt STEM learning experiences that are developmentally appropriate and inclusive of diverse learning levels.
Practical Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, teacher learners will:
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Demonstrate the ability to plan and facilitate inquiry-based STEM activities in early years classrooms.
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Recognize and support child-initiated STEM inquiries, fostering curiosity and self-directed learning.
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Confidently implement place-based and contextually relevant STEM learning in local environments, connecting children’s everyday experiences to foundational scientific and technological concepts.
Module ECE 004 - Playful Pedagogy of Early Childhood Education
In this module, the focus and aim is on pedagogy. The module explores the historical and theoretical starting points and basic concepts of the early childhood pedagogy, including the different levels of the curricula and pedagogical approaches. Also, the approaches of play and playful learning with multimodal pedagogical practices are examined. You will gain knowledge and professional skills to design, implement, observe, document, and evaluate classroom activities and plan assignments for high-quality learning in early childhood education. The special focus is on supporting children’s self-initiated learning through playful pedagogy. You will become familiar with the curricula and learn to develop, implement, and assess pedagogical plans. You will build on their professional identity as early childhood education pedagogues.
Play is examined as a cultural, developmental, and pedagogical phenomenon, and as a site of politics. You will become acquainted with different theories and playful environments, as well as narrative learning and the observation, planning, and guidance of the play. They will learn how to use play in different contexts of education and support children’s learning in playful ways. This module will include a practice period.
Learning Goals:
● Recognises the pedagogical frames of national and local ECE services
● Builds personal professional practices based on pedagogical models
● Understands the nature of play in early learning
● Learns methods for observing learning in play-based activities in class
● Is able to support learning through playful teaching methods
● Get tools for supporting and planning playful activities based on the curriculum
Practice Outcomes:
● Familiarize themselves with the concept of pedagogy as a teaching method and the professional competence of teachers in ECE
● Develop and plan their personal professional pedagogical skills
● Develop their professional curricular understanding
● Familiarize themselves with play and playful learning
● Get tools to use playful practices in class
● Explore and practice playful pedagogy
● Design a playful learning environment for local premises
● Learn methods for observing learning in play-based activities in class
Module ECE 003 - Special Education in Early Years
This course aims to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of special education and inclusive practices within early childhood education. The course combines theoretical knowledge with practical application, fostering an environment where you can critically analyze, reflect, and implement strategies to support children with special educational needs.
Objectives
To understand the fundamental concepts of special education and inclusion.
To explore various observation methods and their application in early childhood education.
To develop skills for documenting and interpreting children's developmental milestones and needs.
To foster critical thinking and reflective practices in supporting special education.
Apply theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios in diverse educational settings.
Course Structure
The course is divided into weekly sessions, each focusing on different aspects of special education. Each week includes a combination of video lectures, readings, discussion assignments, practical exercises, and reflective learning diary entries.
Ethical Considerations
Maintain confidentiality and ethical standards when conducting observations and documenting findings.
Focus on objective observations, avoiding interpretations or diagnoses.
Module ECE 002 Phenomenon-Based Learning in EY and Transversal Competencies
The module focuses on the development of transversal competencies and skills in lifelong learning in early years education. Transversal competencies are examined through the knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, and dispositions that form the basis for lifelong learning and social participation. The future orientation and the nature of developing practices of EY are focused.
In the module, you will study the professional identity of early childhood education and care teachers. You will focus on curriculum implementation and compare and evaluate different local curriculums. You will learn how to plan, implement and evaluate teaching and learning activities in different curriculums. You will also study the formation of professional interaction, and your professional expertise, required in cross-sectoral work communities, will be developed. You will practice methods to develop education during the school year in an ECE centre through your role as a facilitator. You will build on your knowledge of learning and development through transversal competencies and through phenomenon-based learning approach. You will deepen your understanding of the teaching tools and methods for scaffolding children’s transversal learning and study capacities in classroom activities and outdoor activities.
Goals:
• Understand the role of transversal competencies in EY
• Focus on active agency in learning
• Recognize the roles and responsibilities of different professionals working in the ECE team
• Understand the development of practices opportunities on the local premises
• Set lifelong learning goals for personal and professional development
Practices:
• Learn to plan and implement transversal learning activities through phenomenon-based approach
• Practice objective-oriented and scaffolding planning based on the curriculum
• Consider the continuous development practices
• Consider the roles of teaching personnel and practice leading classroom work
• Plan a future-oriented project implementation in local premises
Introduction to the Postgraduate Programme In Early Childhood Education 2025
Welcome to the Future of Early Childhood Education in the 21st Century!
In an era marked by rapid innovation and change, early childhood education is evolving to meet the unique needs of today's learners and tomorrow’s world. This programme invites you to embark on a journey that redefines educational approaches, nurtures professional growth, fosters leadership, and integrates cutting-edge research and methodologies within early childhood contexts.
This foundational course is designed to empower you as an early childhood educator with essential competencies for the 21st century. Through an in-depth exploration of social-emotional, psychological, and well-being dimensions, you’ll gain the skills to cultivate these critical abilities in young learners. Together, we will explore new learning paradigms, refine teaching strategies, and embrace emerging trends to ensure each child’s holistic development.
Welcome to a transformative learning experience that will prepare you to be a leader and advocate for the future of early childhood education. Let’s shape the future of learning, one step at a time.