Bachelor of Early Childhood and Primary Education

2021 Deakin University Handbook

Year	2021 course information
Award granted	Bachelor of Early Childhood and Primary Education
Course Map	This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2021. Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
Campus	Burwood (Melbourne) Cloud (Online) with on campus requirement in intensive mode for conferences (2 per trimester)
Duration	4-years full-time or part-time equivalent
CRICOS course code	102807A Burwood (Melbourne)
Deakin course code	E334
Approval status	This course is approved by the University under the Higher Education Standards Framework.
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7.
Note: New course commencing Trimester 1, 2021. This course is pending accreditation with the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) and accreditation with the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT).

Course sub-headings

• Course overview
• Indicative student workload
• Professional recognition
• Career opportunities
• Participation requirements
• Mandatory student checks
• Pathways
• Alternative exits
• Fees and charges
• Course Learning Outcomes
• Course rules
• Course structure
• Work experience

Course overview

If you’re passionate about children’s education, Deakin’s Bachelor of Early Childhood and Primary Education opens the door to a range of inspiring career opportunities. Spanning the early childhood and primary education sectors, our dual-accredited degree focuses on contemporary issues in children’s learning and development, curriculum theories and pedagogies, discipline knowledge and the changing work context within early childhood and primary education. 

Through our Professional Experience Program you’ll not only gain key practical knowledge and skills, but invaluable insight into the classroom environment. With the option to combine your personal interests with a range of curriculum areas, you’ll undertake placements in early childhood and primary school settings that enrich and solidify your studies so that you graduate with the confidence and aptitude to meet the significant growth of the Australian early childhood education sector. 

Are you ready to launch an exciting and rewarding career teaching children? 

Deakin maintains close links with the education sector to ensure our courses are developed and reviewed with professional input. You’ll be taught by staff members who have teaching experience and who are recognised as leaders and innovators in their fields. This means you can be confident that what you learn with us will be relevant to your future teaching career.

Primary teaching specialisations include:

• literacy
• science
• mathematics
• language other than english.

The Professional Experience Program is a key part of every Deakin teaching student’s course experience. Working with more than 1400 schools and early childhood settings across Australia, we’ll arrange at least 115-days of placements for you in early childhood education and care settings, and schools where you’ll learn from experienced teachers.

Students also have access to specialised teaching spaces on campus to prepare for teaching.

Choose to study at our award-winning Cloud Campus and have the additional flexibility to balance work, life and study. Studying online is collaborative and engaging, while still allowing you to complete your studies when and where it suits you.

Students may be eligible for an attractive scholarship offered by the Victorian Department of Education and Training for pre-service teachers enrolled in early childhood teaching courses.

Additionally, the Bachelor of Early Childhood and Primary Education provides students with an approved pathway from the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care (previously Diploma of Children’s Services offered through TAFE. Eligible students may receive up to 8 credit points of recognition for prior learning towards their degree.

Before beginning your degree, prospective teaching students need to successfully complete the Casper test – an online, video scenario-based test that lets you demonstrate your suitability for a teaching career.

*This course is currently undergoing approval by the Victoria Institute of Teaching (VIT) and Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) as an early childhood and primary teaching qualification in Australia. Graduates of this course who are intending to apply for registration in Victoria or interstate may be required to provide further information.

Indicative student workload

Students will on average spend 150-hours over the teaching period for each credit point undertaking required teaching, learning and assessment activities.

Professional recognition

This course will undergo accreditation by the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) as an initial teacher education program against the Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) program standards and the Australian professional standards for graduate teachers. Graduates of this course who are intending to apply for registration in Victoria or interstate may be required to provide further information. Applicants are advised to check the registration requirements in their state or territory, carefully.

This program will also undergo approval by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) as an early childhood teaching qualification in Australia. Again, applicants should check the requirements for early childhood teacher registration in their state or territory for more specific requirements.

Career opportunities

There is an increasing demand for qualified early childhood teachers, with the workforce set to double in the next 10-years. In both early childhood and primary school education settings there is a strong demand for qualified teachers and graduate starting salaries for teachers are high compared to the graduate average. As a graduate of this course you may find employment as a teacher within the private or public education sectors.

You might also find employment in a range of other education related fields including:

• policy
• consultancy
• NGOs
• research or community-based organisations (e.g. museums, outdoor education, arts institutions, etc)

For more information go to DeakinTALENT

Participation requirements

Professional Experience Placements are a compulsory component of the course and a requirement for registration as a graduate teacher. Placement can occur at any time, including during the standard holiday breaks listed here: https://www.deakin.edu.au/courses/key-dates.

Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements may be made for students with a disability or further needs. Click here for more information.

Students are required to check the placement calendars published on the Professional Experience Office website each year. Placement takes priority over employment and placement periods are generally block placements of 5 full time days per week over 2-5 weeks.

Course delivery is blended and students are required to dedicate time to weekly engagement with located or cloud teaching and learning activities and resources. This is recommended at combined total 8-10 hours per week per unit including active learning/engagement either face to face or online, and independent study. Cloud students enrolled in the Bachelor of Early Childhood and Primary Education are required to attend conferences at a campus location twice a trimester.

Some units will require students to attend early childhood settings or institutions for site-based learning and teaching experiences. Some units will require students enrolled in cloud based learning to attend on campus activities.

Mandatory student checks

Teacher Education Graduation requirements

Students undertaking an initial teacher education course must pass an approved literacy and numeracy test in order to be eligible to graduate and apply for teacher registration. Learn more about the literacy and numeracy test.

Working with Children Check

Successful Applicants are required to hold a valid Working with Children (WWC) Check prior to undertaking professional experience placements in education settings, as part of this course. Learn more about Working with Children Checks.

Interstate applicants must check the requirements and meet all conditions for undertaking professional experience in schools for their state or territory before undertaking professional experience placements as part of this course.

The Working with Children Check (Check) and a Police Check are different checks. Under the Working with Children Act 2005 (the Act) if you are doing child-related work and are not exempt, you must have a Check even if you already have a Police Check. The Police Check is not an assessment by a government agency. https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/organisations/victorian-teacher-information 

Pathways

Pathways for credit are available for this course. Details of institutional credit agreements are published in the RPL database. International students can apply for packaged offers for some of these pathways.

Applicants who have completed a Diploma of Early Childhood Education (or equivalent) are eligible to receive 8 Credit Points, gaining entry into the course in the second year.

Applicants who have completed at least 2 units in the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (E333) at Deakin University are eligible to receive Credit for the units they have completed. Entry into the course is dependent on the following:

• A minimum WAM of 65
• Completion of an additional selection tool for non-academic attributes. Deakin University is using the Casper test. Casper is an online, video-scenario based situational judgement test, designed to measure non-academic suitability for teaching.

The Bachelor of Early Childhood and Primary Education provides a pathway into the Graduate Certificate in Educational Research.

Guaranteed pathways

Entry is dependent on the completion of the Casper test. Casper is an online, video-scenario based situational judgement test, designed to measure non-academic suitability for teaching.

Alternative exits

Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (E333)

Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies (E320)

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on your course, the type of fee place you hold, your commencement year and your study load. To find out about the fees and charges that apply to you, visit the Current students fees website or our handy Fee estimator to help estimate your tuition fees.

Course Learning Outcomes

Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline specific knowledge and capabilities	Analyse and apply principles and practices relevant to curriculum, policy and regulations in early childhood and primary school education with in-depth knowledge and evaluation of theoretical underpinning.
Communication	Effectively evaluate and select communication skills (oral, written, digital and nonverbal) to professionally transmit knowledge and ideas with diverse individuals and groups (such as children, families, parents and caregivers, colleagues and other professionals, community organisations).
Digital literacy	Critically evaluate and apply a range of technologies to collect, analyse, synthesise, evaluate, generate and transmit information for the purposes of appropriate teaching and learning in a rapidly changing global environment.
Critical thinking	Analyse and evaluate contemporary issues, policies and research in educational and societal contexts to generate and transmit informed judgements to complex situations relating to teaching and learning.
Problem solving	Use analytical and practical skills to make well developed judgements, generate and transmit creative, innovative and authentic solutions to real-life and complex problems encountered when working with diverse individuals and groups (such as children, families, parents and caregivers, colleagues and other professionals, community organisations).
Self-management	Critically reflect on planning, problem-solving and decision making in teaching and learning contexts. Use initiative and autonomy to apply analytic knowledge and critical reflective skills to demonstrate responsibility for own learning and professional practice (and in collaboration with others).
Teamwork	Actively and collaboratively participate in learning communities, involving learners, families, community members, colleagues and the broader profession.
Global citizenship	Adapt and apply knowledge and skills that support the diversity of Australian society in the professional context. This includes influences of Indigenous and intercultural issues, family contexts, gender and disability on development, learning and teaching.
Approved by Faculty Board 2020

Course rules

To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Early Childhood and Primary Education, students must complete 32 credit points comprising:

• 30 credit points of core units;
• 2 credit points of Primary Teaching Specialisation in either: i) Science; or ii) Literacy, iii) Mathematics; iv) Languages
• AAI018 Academic Integrity (0-credit-point compulsory unit)
• A maximum of 10 credit points at Level 1
• A minimum of 10 credit points at Level 3 or above

This course includes 115-days of supervised professional experience, and students must successfully complete the Deakin Teaching Performance Assessment (DTPA)*.

Students are also required to complete below two zero (0) credit point units ELN010 and ELN011 as part of the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) in order to graduate from their course.

* Students who do not pass the DTPA must seek advice from the course director.

Course structure

Year 1

ELN010

Australian Literacy Test

ELN011

Australian Numeracy Test

ECE110

Child Development 1

ECE111

Curriculum 1: Pedagogies and Play

ECE120

Contemporary Perspectives of Education

ECE140

Creative Arts 1: Young Children and the Arts

ECE112

Curriculum 2: Planning and Assessment for Teaching and Learning

ECE116

Promoting Health, Wellbeing and Nutrition

ECE130

Partnerships with Families and Communities

ECP128

Professional Knowledge (0-2 Years)

Year 2

ECE211

Mathematical Learning in the Early Years

ECE212

Curriculum 3: Planning and Assessment for Teaching and Learning

ECE220

Science 1: Science and Environmental Awareness for Young Children

ECE230

Language and Literacy Development in Early Childhood

ECE241

Creative Arts 2: Music and Visual Arts

ECL101

Understanding Early Reading Development

ECP228

Professional Practice 2 (3-5 Years)

IND202

Australian Indigenous Education: Recognition, Relationships and Reconciliation

Year 3

ECE330

Multiliterate Learners in Early Years and School Environments

ECE352

Supporting Emerging Mathematical Skills for Infants and Toddlers

ECE360

Protective Education and Child Well-Being

ECE370

Guiding Engaged, Resilient Learners

ECE380

Inquiry Into Science Curriculum

ECE404

Inclusive Education for Young Children

ECE420

Supporting Children Making Transitions

1 credit point from primary teaching specialisation (Unit 1)

Year 4

EST400

Primary Technology Education: Creativity and Design

ETP400

Assessment: Ways of Knowing Learners

ESM310

Teachers and Mathematics: Creating An Effective Classroom

EEO410

Learners Inquiring in and About Their World: Human Disciplines

ECL310

Multiliterate Learners in Middle Years Environments

ETP403

University-To-Work Transition

ECE340

Creative Learning Through the Arts

1 credit point from primary teaching specialisation (Unit 2)

Primary Teaching Specialisations

Select one of the following four primary specialisations:

Primary Specialisation	Unit 1	Unit 2
Language	Completion of Diploma^	ECL306Teaching and Learning Languages in Primary Contexts
Literacy	ALL153Literature for Children and Young Adults OR ALL230Re-Imagining Literature for Young People	ECL351Diversity, Language and Literacy
Mathematics	SIT176Mathematical Reasoning and Investigation OR SIT106Fundamental Concepts of Mathematics	ESM303Primary Mathematics Lesson Study
Science	SLE123Physics for the Life Sciences	EES300Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education

^ Deakin has four options for languages study: Arabic, Chinese, Indonesian, Spanish:
Concurrent enrolments in A221 Diploma of Arabic or A222 Diploma of Chinese, or A223 Diploma of Indonesian, or A224 Diploma of Spanish or equivalent with RPL given upon completion. Enrolment in one of A221, A222, A223 or A224 courses and one associated co-requisite unit are required for ECL306. The Diploma can be undertaken concurrently with another course and is of 3-years part time duration with eight credit points. There are two options for each Diploma: i) for students with no background in the language; or ii) an advanced study for those with Year 12 level (or equivalent) in the language.

Work experience

Professional Experience Placement

Successful Applicants are required to hold a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) prior to undertaking professional experience placements in education settings, as part of this course. For more information see: http://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/ 

Students will satisfactorily complete 115-days of professional experience placement in a wide range of education and care settings, as outlined below:

Year 1: 5-days in infant and toddler education and care settings

Year 2: 2 x 20-days (40-days in total) in kindergarten settings

Year 3: 20-days in infant and toddler education and care settings and 15-days in kindergarten or foundation (primary school) settings

Year 4: 35-days in primary school settings

The School of Education Professional Experience Office makes all arrangements for PST placements. The number of professional experience days align with requirements of external regulatory authorities (VIT and ACECQA).

For further information contact the School of Education, Professional Experience office.

Course duration - additional information

Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing placements.

International students are required to study full-time to complete their course within the duration registered on CRICOS.

Further information

Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.

• Contact Student Central