| Title | Assessment Task 1: Professional Philosophy and Critical Reflection |
|---|---|
| Due Date | Sunday 25th of January 2026 at 11:59PM AEDT (Beginning of Week 3) |
| Length | 1500 words |
| Weighting | 50% |
| Academic Integrity | Descriptor Level 2 – Students are permitted to use GenAI only for specific assessment tasks or purposes (outlined under Academic Integrity heading). |
| Submission | Submit Template word document form to Turnitin. The submission link can be found in the Assessment Tasks and Submission Tab in the Blackboard site. |
| Unit Learning Outcomes | You will demonstrate the following Unit Learning Outcomes on the successful completion of this task:<br><br>1. Understand and apply historical and contemporary theoretical perspectives of infant and toddler learning and development including contexts of infant and toddler Early Childhood Education and care<br><br>2. Critically reflect on the philosophies of learning and teaching for infants and toddlers in early childhood settings to develop your approach to working with infants and toddlers<br><br>3. Demonstrate the ability to engage in the planning cycle that includes to observe, document, develop, implement, evaluate and reflect upon an appropriate early childhood educational program for infants and toddlers to understand children's learning<br><br>4. Critically analyse the role of the environment, teacher attributes and capabilities, and regulations in enhancing quality education and care for infants and toddlers. |
This task allows students to reflect on theoretical perspectives and practice to develop a professional philosophy for teaching infants and toddlers. By engaging with topics such as attachment, routines, and responsive environments, students will connect research and theory to their beliefs about quality early childhood learning. Through critical reflection, students will explore how their philosophy may be translated to practice, identify potential challenges and propose strategies for overcoming them.
As an Early Childhood Teacher, you are to develop a philosophy statement outlining your beliefs and values that will inform your practice with infants and toddlers in an early childhood education and care setting.
In the development of your philosophy statement:
The topics you choose should be ones that you most value, reside with you as an Early Childhood Teacher and you feel passionate about. Topics could derive from Modules 1-6 of the unit.
At Southern Cross University academic integrity means behaving with the values of honesty, fairness, trustworthiness, courage, responsibility and respect in relation to academic work. The Southern Cross University Academic Integrity Framework aims to develop a holistic, systematic and consistent approach to addressing academic integrity across the entire University. For more information see the SCU Academic Integrity Framework.
Students are permitted to use GenAI only for specific assessment tasks or purposes as identified in the below table for this assessment task. There are no restrictions on using grammar, spelling, and referencing GenAI tools. Students must uphold the principles of the Student Academic and Non-Academic Misconduct Rules, Section 3. You are responsible for ensuring that any content generated with the assistance of these tools is accurate, properly referenced where appropriate, and demonstrably your own work. Misrepresentation of GenAI generated work as entirely your own without appropriate oversight, editing, or critical engagement may constitute a breach of academic integrity.
| Permitted | GenAI Use Case | Comments/Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| ☒ | Brainstorming ideas or ideating | Ask questions to clarify your understanding, brainstorm preliminary ideas, practices |
| ☐ | Drafting or refining content | |
| ☒ | Editing grammar, tone, or clarity | Grammarly Premium |
| ☒ | Editing document formatting | |
| ☒ | Summarising content | |
| ☒ | Formatting references or citations | |
| ☒ | Providing feedback | Feedback on your ideas and clarify concepts |
| ☐ | Data analysis | |
| ☐ | Generating images or figures | |
| ☐ | Other: ________________ |
Academic Integrity breaches include poor referencing, not identifying direct quotations correctly, close paraphrasing, plagiarism, recycling, misrepresentation, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and fabricating information.
You cannot include content generated by AI in your assessment (even if you have paraphrased, summarised or quoted the output). You are only permitted to use Grammarly Premium to help edit and improve the quality of your written work. If you choose to use this, you must provide a draft of your task before it was entered into Grammarly. Attach your draft as an appendix.
If you opt to use GenAI as defined as acceptable for this assessment, you must keep evidence of how it was used and acknowledge how you used it in the process of completing your assessment appropriately. To help understand what to do, consult the Learning Zone's resources.
If you use GenAI tools in your assessment task beyond the acceptable limits, it may result in an academic integrity breach against you as described in the Student Academic and Non-Academic Misconduct Rules, Section 3.
Students wishing to request special consideration to extend the due date of an assessment task must submit a Request for Special Consideration form via their MyEnrolment page as early as possible and prior to the original due date for that assessment task, along with any accompanying documents, such as medical certificates.
Proof of Special Consideration Approval letter must be supplied to avoid delay in grades being released. Proof must be provided in Template document.
Please refer to the Special Consideration section of Policy https://policies.scu.edu.au/document/viewcurrent.php?id=140
Except when special consideration is awarded, late submission of assessment tasks will automatically lead to the imposition of a penalty. Penalties will be incurred as soon as the deadline is reached.
Please refer to the Late Submission & Penalties section of Policy https://policies.scu.edu.au/view.current.php?id=00255
Assessments that have been submitted by the due date will receive an SCU grade. Grades and feedback will be posted to the 'Grades and Feedback' section on the Blackboard unit site. Please allow 7-10 days for marks to be posted.
The student's performance, in addition to satisfying all of the basic learning requirements, demonstrates distinctive insight and ability in researching, analysing and applying relevant skills and concepts, and shows exceptional ability to synthesise, integrate and evaluate knowledge. The student's performance could be described as outstanding in relation to the learning requirements specified.
The student's performance, in addition to satisfying all of the basic learning requirements, demonstrates distinctive insight and ability in researching, analysing and applying relevant skills and concepts, and shows a well-developed ability to synthesise, integrate and evaluate knowledge. The student's performance could be described as distinguished in relation to the learning requirements specified.
The student's performance, in addition to satisfying all of the basic learning requirements specified, demonstrates proficiency in relevant skills and concepts. The student's performance could be described as good in relation to the learning requirements specified.
| Marking Rubric | High Distinction (85-100%) | Distinction (75-84%) | Credit (65-74%) | Pass (50-64%) | Marginal Fail (35-49%) | Fail (0-34%) | Not Attempted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articulation of professional philosophy and Critical Reflection on Practice (30%) | Achieves all the Professional philosophy statement has shown exceptional, thoughtful and comprehensive professional philosophy of early years teaching practice. Articulates sophisticated responses that support infant and toddler practice and wellbeing. The philosophy statement provides superior vision of working with the infant and toddler learning environment. Philosophy demonstrates that the student has a strong understanding of infants and toddlers. | Professional philosophy statement has superior writing. The philosophy statement shows exceptional vision of working with the infant and toddler learning environment. Philosophy demonstrates that the student has excellent understanding of infants and toddlers, and toddler practice. | Professional philosophy statement provides the student has good understanding of the infant and toddler learning philosophy statement provides sound philosophical beliefs and wellbeing. The philosophy statement shows clear vision of working with the infant and toddler learning environment. Philosophy demonstrates that the student has good understandings of philosophical beliefs and strategies are demonstrated clearly. | Professional philosophy statement has shown student has basic vision of working philosophy statement provides satisfactory philosophical wellbeing. The philosophy statement provides vision of working with the infant and toddler learning practice in the infant and toddler learning environment. Philosophy demonstrates basic understandings of infants and toddlers. | Professional philosophy statement has shown student has attempted to engage in or state a professional philosophy statement provides poor evidence of early years learning, development, and wellbeing. The philosophy statement provides limited vision of working with the infant and toddler learning environment. Philosophy is poorly justified. | Professional philosophy & wellbeing. The student shows no or very limited vision of working with the infant and toddler learning, and wellbeing. The philosophy statement provides inadequate statements and practice, and an inadequate philosophical reflection. | N/A |
| Critical reflection on philosophies, challenges and justification of practice and strategies (10%) | Achieves all the criteria for a high distinction between philosophy and demonstrates in practice. Each challenges a clearly articulated. Strategies have been well explained and well justified. | The critical reflection shows a good link between philosophy and practice. Each challenge is clearly articulated. Strategies are clearly explained and justified. | Critical reflection shows a good link between philosophy and practice. Both challenges are identified and strategies are articulated and partially relevant. Strategies are partially explained and partially supported through justification or application. | Critical reflection shows a limited link between philosophy and practice. Strategies are very brief or basic and partial justification or strategies are articulated partially. | Shows limited reflection limited in the link between philosophy and practice. Discussion of challenges has limited or basic relationship. Limited or inappropriate justification of strategies. | Limited to no link between philosophy and practice. Limited or no discussion of challenges. Limited or no justification of strategies. | N/A |
| Reference to evidence-based research and NQF & National Quality Standard and Early Years Learning Framework (10%) | Achieves all the Thoroughly evidenced all of the below- philosophy statement is underpinned by 1. High quality, current and relevant evidence (i.e. journal articles, books) 2. ACECQA's National Quality Framework (NQF) and National Quality Standard 3. Early Years Learning Framework. | Evidenced all or most of the below-philosophy statement is underpinned by 1. High quality, current and relevant evidence (i.e. journal articles, books) 2. ACECQA's National Quality Framework (NQF) and National Quality Standard 3. Early Years Learning Framework philosophy and critical reflection. | Evidenced some or most of the below-philosophy statement is underpinned by 1. Quality, current and relevant evidence (i.e. journal articles, books) 2. ACECQA's National Quality Framework (NQF) and National Quality Standard 3. Early Years Learning Framework philosophy and critical reflection. | Evidenced some of the below-links to be discussed in the document by 1. Evidence (i.e. books, journal articles, guides) 2. ACECQA's National Quality Framework (NQF) and National Quality Standard 3. Early Years Learning Framework philosophy and critical reflection. | Limited links to no and/or 1.Not to be, high quality and relevant evidence (i.e. journal articles, books) 2. ACECQA's National Quality Framework (NQF) and National Quality Standard 3. Early Years Learning Framework philosophy and critical reflection. | Little or no links to set standard 1.Not to be, high quality and relevant evidence (i.e. journal articles, books) 2. ACECQA's National Quality Framework (NQF) and National Quality Standard 3. Early Years Learning Framework and critical reflection. | N/A |
| Academic Literacy (50%) | Achieves all the Eloquent outstanding Academic Literacy, including all of the following: Engaging and sophisticated use of vocabulary and phrasing throughout. Writing is clear, concise, and coherent. Consistently formatted APA7th in text citations and reference list. | Displayed comprehensive Academic Literacy, including all of the following: Proficient and sophisticated vocabulary and phrasing. Writing is concise and coherent. Mostly formatted APA7th in text citations and reference list. | Displayed sound Academic Literacy, including all of the following: Coherent writing and basic comprehension. Some display of vocabulary and phrasing. Some writing concessions, correctly formatted APA7th in text citations and reference list. | Displayed satisfactory Academic Literacy, including all of the following: Basic attempts made to comprehensively display vocabulary and phrasing. Some writing concessions, correctly formatted APA7th in text citations and reference list. | Limited Academic Literacy. Poorly attempts made in all of the following: Limited display of vocabulary and phrasing. Poorly formatted APA7th in text citations and reference list. | Non limited to the following: Limited attempts made in all Academic Literacy skills: Limited text readability, poorly formatted APA7th in text citations and reference list. | N/A |
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