Singapore University of Social Sciences

Independent Curriculum Project

Independent Curriculum Project (ECE599)

Synopsis

Building on ECE525 Investigating Curricular Content and Constructivist Pedagogies and ADL598 Learning Design Project, ECE599 Independent Curriculum Project offers students the opportunity to integrate their early childhood education (ECE) learning by designing a short line of inquiry into an ECE curricular and/or pedagogical topic of their choice. Students will have the opportunity to make this small-scale independent study relevant and meaningful to their daily work, and potentially contribute to the education of teachers and/or parents. Students will be supervised individually for this project. In order to complete the project, students will be required to apply their knowledge of andragogy and strategies for catering to diverse adult learning needs (e.g., novice and experienced teachers, parents). This course will have group seminars to serve as provocations for students’ thinking, including sessions with guest speakers discussing contemporary issues of curriculum and pedagogical leadership and/or educational dilemmas; and the course will draw on the Socratic method and design thinking principles to facilitate the students’ individual processes of inquiry. Students will need to identify their interests (i.e., specific questions, problems) in ECE curriculum and instruction, conduct a literature/resource review to inform their line of inquiry and the desired outcome of this independent study (i.e., what they hope to achieve or create). The scope of this independent study could include (but not be limited to) the following: designing a workshop or course on an identified topic of learning need; evaluating a set of educators’ resources; designing, implementing and reflecting on the usefulness of a set of teacher coaching resources.

Level: 5
Credit Units: 5
Presentation Pattern: EVERY JULY

Topics

  • ECE curriculum and pedagogical leadership: recap and review
  • Identifying one’s assumptions about curriculum and pedagogical leadership
  • Supporting teacher learning through multiple ways
  • Socratic method and principles of design thinking
  • Reviewing literature and legitimate sources to inform one’s work
  • Communicating research literature to practitioners
  • Educative curriculum materials: going beyond procedural steps
  • Analysing adult-child interactions
  • Identifying teachers’ learning needs and wants
  • Action research cycle
  • Document analysis
  • Evaluating curricular and pedagogical practices and resources

Learning Outcome

  • Examine contemporary issues of curricular and pedagogical leadership in educational settings.
  • Discuss the learning needs of ECE teachers in Singapore.
  • Draw upon their knowledge of Socratic questioning techniques and design thinking principles.
  • Evaluate available literature and/or resources to support teacher learning in ECE.
  • Critique one's independent study.
  • Create an end-product (e.g., workshop, resource) that will benefit adult learning in the area of ECE curriculum and pedagogy.
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