Department Education Studies

Level Undergraduate Level 1

Module leader Dr Emma Langley

Credit Value 15

Module duration 10 weeks

Assessment 100% Coursework

Study location University of Warwick main campus, Coventry

Introduction

Experiences in the early years and at the start of the learning and development journey can have a lasting impact upon the individual. We consider what this means in terms of early childhood care and education.

Principal Module Aims and Outcomes

• To develop an understanding of the importance of early years for children’s long-term outcomes.
• To explore how children develop holistically and in different domains (physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and language) and how these domains interlink.
• To study the influence of key microsystems (such as the family and the school) on children’s learning and development.
• To critically consider the issue of poverty and how it impacts the lives of children and their families.
• To identify and interrogate national and international initiatives and research studies that have focused on improving life chances of young children.
• To understand how child development is situated in, and influenced by, context and culture.

Syllabus

• What is early childhood and why is it important?
• Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) policies and practice.
• The developing child (physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and language development).
• The role of culture and context (ecological systems theories).
• The home and the family.
• Early years settings and schooling.
• Poverty and social disadvantage.
• Early intervention.

Study Time

Type	Required	Optional
Lectures	15 sessions of 1 hour (10%)
Seminars	15 sessions of 1 hour (10%)
Tutorials	(0%)	2 sessions of 15 minutes
Private study	120 hours (80%)
Total	150 hours

Assessment

	Weighting
Report	100%
The assessment will take the form of a report, 2000 words in length. Students will be required to choose a topic from the syllabus and write a report for an early childhood professional. The report structure will include: an introduction to the topic/background to the issue; theoretical perspectives; a critical review of the research evidence, and a conclusion with clear implications for practice.