TCHR5001 Assessment Brief 2

Assessment Details

Assignment Rationale

As an Early Childhood Teacher, a critical part of your role is to create learning environments that are inclusive of diverse perspectives, responsive to children's interests and needs, and provide play experiences that support the learning, development, and wellbeing of all, no matter their circumstances. Your decisions and actions should be underpinned by relevant early childhood research, theory, and policy documents. This assessment task offers an opportunity for informed decision-making.

This assignment aligns with the following Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs)

• ULO1: identify and analyse the role of play in learning and examine the challenges pertaining to play and pedagogies.
• ULO2: discuss the diversity of approaches to pedagogies utilised in early childhood education and care, and how they position children, teachers, and parents/carers.
• ULO3: analyse the relationships between philosophy, theory, and pedagogy to the learning environment for all young children (birth – 5 years).
• ULO4: critically reflect on personal philosophy to play and pedagogies for learning and teaching as an early childhood professional.

Task Description

This task requires students to reflect on key issues presented in Modules 1-6 and design a learning space, a play-based learning experience and a play-based resource, for children aged 0-5 years. Each design will be supported by a written statement. A template will be provided.

Instructions

Part A: Play Space Design

You are asked to design an entire indoor or outdoor play space for an age group of your choice (0-1 year, 1-2 years, 2-3 years, or 3-5 years) or one corner of the outdoor or indoor space.  Consider elements such as the layout and available resources, how they are used, and their purposes. You may use any computer program to create the design, or it can be hand-drawn. Your design must be inserted into the template provided on the Blackboard site and clearly labelled. Provide a 250-word written statement explaining how your personal philosophy on play-based pedagogy has informed your design for this particular age group.

Part B: Learning Experience Plan 
Using the provided learning experience plan template, plan a small group play-based learning experience for your chosen age group (0-1 year, 1-2 years, 2-3 years, or 3-5 years) that will take place in your designed play space. Ensure your learning experience includes objectives based on the Early Years Learning Framework Learning Outcomes. Then, write a 250-word statement explaining the theoretical perspectives that underpin your learning experience. 

Part C: Play-Based Resource Design 
Desing a resource that engages the chosen age group of children (0-1 year, 1-2 years, 2-3 years, or 3-5 years) in play-based learning. The resource should encourage learning through play and can take various forms, such as a toy, game, activity kit, or interactive digital resource. It can be something you create yourself or build on an existing resource (Please ensure you appropriately acknowledge, reference, and cite the resource you drew upon). Then, write a 250-word statement explaining the resource’s intended use and how it supports children’s learning, development, and wellbeing. 

Your task must be supported and informed by: 

• A range of theoretical perspectives presented in Module 2 
• Academic sources (readings, journal articles, book chapters, etc.) 
• Professional sources and ECEC policies (Early Years Learning Framework, National Quality Standard, United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Code of Ethics, Developmental Milestones, etc.)

Formatting

• APA 7 formatting is required for this task. 
• Assessment 2 Template already includes the Southern Cross University cover page, but it is your responsibility to indicate if and how you have used GenAI in the assessment and provide a copy/screenshot of special consideration approval  
• For the written statements, please use an easy-to-read font (e.g. Arial 12, Times New Roman 12) and a 1.5-space  

Referencing

APA 7 Referencing style is required to be used for this task. Please refer to the APA 7th edition. Referencing Guide for this task - https://libguides.scu.edu.au/apa

You must:

• Create a reference list on the last page of the Assessment 2 Template with a minimum of 6 references, although you may use more. References are not counted in the overall word count  
• Literature needs to include the unit textbook, accompanied by peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and other authoritative sources. At a minimum, your sources for this task will include the unit required text, unit readings, EYLF (AGDE, 2022) and broader literature. 
• If you have used an AI tool or technology in completing your assessment (for example, brainstorming, understanding concepts, generating examples, summarising readings), acknowledge how you have used AI tools or technologies is required.
• You can create this acknowledgement by adding a declaration at the end of your reference list. For example, I acknowledge the use of ChatGPT to brainstorm concepts ------- for this assessment as a starting point for initial research before writing my assessment.

Submissions

Follow the steps to complete the task: 

• Download the Assessment 2 Template provided on the Blackboard site.
• Save the document with your surname, initials, and the assessment title. For example KamenaracO_TCHR5001designtask
• Insert your play space design, learning experience, resource and three (3) written statements into the template.
• Add one reference list to the end of the template. Ensure your reference list is in alphabetical order and adheres to APA7th Referencing Guidelines
• Once complete, submit the Word document via the Turnitin link in the Assessment and Submission section of the Blackboard site.

Generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) use Policy

You are permitted to use generative AI (Gen AI) tools responsibly and ethically to complete components of this assignment. 

Please do not post confidential, private, personal, or otherwise sensitive information into Gen AI tools. If you use these tools, you must be aware of their limitations, biases, and propensity for fabrication.

Below are the details of permitted and prohibited uses of Gen AI for this assignment:

Permitted use

Students are permitted to use Generative AI to:  

• clarify concepts, theories, ideas, etc., discussed in class 
• generate preliminary ideas for writing 
• edit a working draft of the assessment 
• read and summarise research and supporting evidence for the assessment

Prohibited use

Students are not permitted to use Generative AI to:  

• generate definitions or writing used in their final submission. 
• produce arguments or refine thinking on their final submission

Any of these actions will constitute and be treated as a breach of academic integrity.

Gen AI Acknowledgement

Your use of AI tools must adhere to the SCU Academic Integrity Framework, which includes upholding honesty, ethics, professionalism, and academic integrity. All use of Gen AI must be explicitly documented and acknowledged in your submission. If you use generative AI tools without acknowledgment, it may result in an academic integrity breach against you, as described in the Student Academic and Non-Academic Misconduct Rules, Section 3.  To find out how to reference generative AI in your work, consult the referencing style for your unit via the library referencing guides.

Referencing 

You must use APA citation style for in-text citations and a reference list. Remember to cite all sources used, including generative AI tools, to acknowledge their contributions to your work. The reference list is not included in the word limit. Refer to the SCU (Southern Cross University) Library Guides for detailed instructions on APA formatting, and to ensure your referencing is accurate, refer to the SCU Library Guides.

To find out how to reference generative AI in your work, consult the referencing style for your unit via the library referencing guides. If you use generative AI tools without acknowledgement, it may result in an academic integrity breach against you, as described in the Student Academic and Non-Academic Misconduct Rules, Section 3. 

Academic Integrity

Adherence to SCU's academic integrity policies is mandatory. Breaches may result in severe penalties, including failing the assessment or the unit. Examples of academic misconduct include plagiarism, collusion, and the use of unauthorised tools or materials. Refer to SCU’s academic integrity policies and guides for detailed information on what constitutes a breach, and the consequences involved.

Special Considerations 

Students wishing to request special consideration 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. 

Late Submissions & Penalties   

Except when special consideration is awarded, late submission of assessment tasks will lead automatically to the imposition of a penalty. Penalties will be incurred as soon as the deadline is reached. A penalty of 5% of the available marks will be deducted from the actual mark at one minute after the time listed in the due date. A further penalty of 5% of the available mark will be deducted from the actual mark achieved on each subsequent calendar day until the mark reaches zero.  

Grades & Feedback

Assignments submitted by the due date will receive an SCU Letter Grade, a Turnitin originality report, an assessment rubric evaluating performance against specified criteria and standards, and written feedback from the assignment marker. Grades and feedback will be posted to the ‘Grades & Feedback’ section on the learning site. Please allow up to seven business days for marks to be posted.

Grading Criteria & Standards

Works submitted by the due date will be evaluated against the grading criteria and standards outlined below and summarised in the ‘Assessment Rubric’. For more information regarding SCU grades and standards, visit Final Grades.

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Assessment Rubric

DESCRIPTION OF SCU GRADES

High Distinction:

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.

Distinction:

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.

Credit:

The student’s performance, in addition to satisfying all of the basic learning requirements specified, demonstrates insight and ability in researching, analysing and applying relevant skills and concepts. The student’s performance could be described as competent in relation to the learning requirements specified.

Pass: 

The student’s performance satisfies all of the basic learning requirements specified and provides a sound basis for proceeding to higher-level studies in the subject area. The student’s performance could be described as satisfactory in relation to the learning requirements specified.

Fail: The student’s performance fails to satisfy the learning requirements specified.