B.Sc (ECE) Optional Electives

Overview

Up to 25% of three-year-olds are overweight or obese in Ireland (Growing up in Ireland, 2013). By the time Irish children reach nine years of age there is a rate of 30% overweight or obese in some socioeconomic groupings (Growing Up In Ireland – Overweight And Obesity Among 9-Year-Olds, 2011). The government requires pre-schools to have a written policy on healthy eating requirements that complies with the Childcare Act (2006). The pre-school manager is responsible for all the food eaten within the pre-school setting (Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Pre-School Services, 2004).

The course will investigate how nutrition and healthy eating are important aspects of early childhood education. The students will explore their own attitudes and beliefs to what constitutes a healthy diet. They will study key concepts of food and nutrition, appreciate the difference between nutrient intake and the cultural diversity of food. They will briefly learn about safe food handling. Students will be made aware of the relevant legislation and food polices recommended by the statutory agencies.

Overview

Almost all activities within any organisation have financial implications, and most staff are likely to acquire some level of financial or budgetary responsibility during their career.

For State-funded organisations, it is important to be familiar with the various sources of income available to the organisation, and with the regulations regarding management and control of This module will outline the mechanisms used to ensure value for money in relation to publicly-funded activities or projects. On successful completion of this module, students should be able to identify the requirements for the calculation, and legitimate expenditure of capitation grants; discuss the specific project grants available to schools, pre-schools and early childhood settings and the legitimate expenditure of same. Finally student will be examine the “Tendering Process” relating to the expenditure of state funds and develop an awareness of the requirements for Revenue compliance, where applicable, in the expenditure of funds.

Overview

Due to the significant number of parents who wish to give their children an education through the medium of Irish, there is a significant number of Irish Language preschools in Irish speaking and in non-Irish speaking areas, as the first stage on the continuum of education through Irish. Many people are interested in working in Irish language preschools. Irish language preschools bestow an advantage on children who go on to attend all Irish primary schools and primary schools in Irish speaking areas. Irish Language Preschools immerse children in Irish and as a consequence of that they enhance their understanding of the language and they give the children a start in speaking Irish. Irish Language Preschools complement the efforts of families who rear their children through Irish. Students should note that a good standard of communicative competence in Irish is necessary to be able to engage effectively with this module and required assignments will need to be completed in Irish.

This module helps students develop an understanding of immersion education in general in various countries when minority languages are in question. Through tracing the history of immersion education in Ireland from 1900 students will study the current state of the immersion education system in Ireland at preschool level in Irish speaking and non-Irish speaking areas, and the specific aims of Irish Language Preschools. They will investigate the importance of the link between Irish Language Preschools and Irish Language Primary Schools, study State Policy with regard to Irish Language Preschools and the roles of organisations which support the sector and analyse the particular traits of the curriculum for Irish Language Preschools and the methodologies which are used.

Finally, this module enhances the ability of the students in the Irish language.

Overview

People possess many different qualities, all of which are important in the workplace. An awareness of qualities, both in others and oneself is essential for the effective running of an organisation

Effective communication is necessary for effective leadership. This module explores strategies and techniques for effective communication that are deemed important as part of management and leadership. Self-awareness and effective communication enhance management and leadership skills. Motivation is an essential part of an effective workforce.

Effective management and leadership involves an awareness of motivation theories. Students will examine leadership styles and engage in self-reflection in the context of same Through a model of transformational leadership the motivation level of both the leader and the follower can be enhanced. This module explores a model of leadership: distributed leadership. The importance of effective communication in management and leadership, the leadership and management of change, and strategies and techniques for facilitating change will be discussed in this module

These skills are important in facilitating and implementing change in an early childhood setting.

Overview

A broad body of literature recognises ICTs as key enablers of innovation and creativity in education (cf. Brecko, Kampylis & Punie, 2014; Johnson, Adams Becker, Estrada, Freeman, Kampylis, Vuorikari & Punie, 2014; DES 2008). This course aims to identify, develop, apply and promote the digital skills and competencies required for early education in the 21st century using a broad range of creative technologies.

This module is designed to enable students use technology effectively in an early educational setting. Furthermore, through engagement in this module students will familiarise themselves with digital technologies; their use for teaching, and their application to digital literacy for 21st century learners. Finally, this module introduces and familiarises students with different pedagogical frameworks and their application to an ICT environment with particular focus on early year’s education.

Overview

This module equips students to become professionally effective in the way they communicate with those they work with: babies, children, parents, colleagues and others (Petrie, 2011).

Effective communication skills including written and oral presentations, as well as an ability to work with others, are essential to collaborate and professional team work as well as to effective partnerships with parents. For those working in an early years educational setting the ability to communicate effectively is an essential prerequisite for high quality early childhood education. Communication involves conveying your messages to other people clearly and unambiguously. It is also about receiving information that others are sending to you, with as little distortion as possible. Communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal, such as listening and responding, intercultural communication, presenting and facilitation in group settings, and understanding and responding to messages from babies, toddlers and young children will be evaluated, analysed and applied in this module. This course aims to equip students with an understanding of the process of communication and to help them develop and practice their own communication skills so that they themselves can become successful communicators in a variety of educational settings, and in particular in establishing meaningful and effective partnerships with parents, including especially those from disadvantaged or marginalised communities

Overview

This module is based on an Erasmus + research project that developed this module based on exchange of practice, creation of tools and resources for improvement and measurement of process quality, through a research team of academics, ECE educators and primary school teachers locally, nationally, and at European level. Holistic ECE values ‘the thinking and the feeling life’ and promotes a vision of children as active, competent, playful learners. The most up-to-date understandings of how children learn show the interrelatedness of domains of development, and the importance of drawing on children’s own talents, emotions, experiences, cultures and interests (Hayes et al., 2017). This module will translate these concepts into pedagogy through emphasising constructivist, participatory methodologies taking children’s voices into account.

This module gives students space to engage in the conceptual reflection necessary for true ‘expertise’ in constructivist-inspired practices (Olsen & Bruer, 1996). It is hoped to influence the thinking of students and to affect their practice, by engaging them in promoting creative, constructivist practices. Ryan & O’Toole (2013) refer to this as the development of ‘perspectives’ but note that support may be needed for theoretical & conceptual knowledge to be rendered ‘useful’ for education.

In addition the module will focus on the micro moments in curriculum such as, innovative practical measures including.

Overview

This module is based on an Erasmus + research project that developed this module based on exchange of practice, creation of tools and resources for improvement and measurement of process quality, through a research team of academics, ECE educators and primary school teachers locally, nationally, and at European level.

Inclusive ECE values children’s cultural, linguistic and social backgrounds. Research identifies cultural bias in standardised approaches to understanding children’s achievement (MacRuairc, 2009). This module highlights inclusive practices, welcoming sociocultural diversity, and opposing standardised, exclusive perspectives and methods that may feed into socially reproductive experiences for marginalised groups. The purpose of this module is to consider these issues through the lens of the UNCRC.

This module is innovative both in its conceptualisation of a rights based early education & in the practical responses identified. It draws its theoretical framework from Childhood Studies, in particular children’s rights (Percy-Smith & Thomas, 2010); children’s agency & voice (James, Jencks & Prout, 1998) & Critical Early Education Studies (Dahlberg & Moss, 2005).

Overview

This module is based on an Erasmus + research project that developed this module based on exchange of practice, creation of tools and resources for improvement and measurement of process quality, through a research team of academics, ECE educators and primary school teachers locally, nationally, and at European level. This module is an approach to quality early education that offers a powerful vehicle for social inclusion, supporting “provision that encourages participation, strengthens social inclusion and embraces diversity” (EC, 2014, p. 9). Relational ECE foregrounds relationships and interactions between early childhood educators and children, children and their peers, educators and parents, and settings and their communities. Positive interactions and relationships are more important for measuring quality in early education than narrow numerical indicators (O’Toole, 2016). This module will support learners to understand that a focus on relationships requires a reflective capacity. It will draw on psychodynamic ideas such as unconditional positive regard and cognitive analytic therapy to support students to explore how they conceptualise relationships with children in the early years while also identifying practical approaches for building such relationships.