PMEDUECS - MA Education (Early Childhood Studies)

The MA Education/Early Childhood Studies course is a taught course. The programme is designed for both professionals and non-professionals, nationally and internationally, working within the wider early childhood workforce, including those who may not be working directly with children, such as managers, policy makers, lecturers and local authority advisers, also those with general interest in this subject area.

Our course is a high quality, contemporary and coherent programme that has been designed to meet a range of needs. The MA offers our students the opportunity to advance their knowledge, understanding and professional practice through engagement with current research and thinking in the early childhood arena, but also within Education more generally. It involves reflection on, and analysis of, students’ own experiences both personal and professional. A commitment to equality, diversity, social justice and advocacy are themes central to this programme.

The course is delivered face to face, taught by academics in the field of Education and Early Childhood Studies, and supported by individual academic tutors on a 1:1 basis. The students will have access to academic content, podcasts, videos, webinars by using collaborate, online discussions and links to identified reading via an interactive online platform.

The Early Childhood team has a long history of teaching in the field and developing accessible training routes for the early childhood workforce and was one of the first universities to offer an undergraduate programme designed for those working within the early childhood workforce.

The course perfectly fits in with the University’s Education for Social Justice Framework and Strategic Plan which seek to develop engaged citizens with emphasis on social justice with many modules addressing professionalism and issues of social justice head-on.
The course is designed to allow teachers, other early childhood professionals, and those with academic interest, to engage with diverse module content. This MA offers students an opportunity to advance their knowledge, understanding and professional practice through engaging with theories and current research and thinking in early childhood. It also involves students in reflecting on and analysing their own professional practice and individual learning.

The core course is taught face to face via a conventional evening and afternoon timetable, however, the approach to learning and teaching is blended by using the University Virtual Learning Environment.

The course fits into wider university initiatives with regard to student support and MA Early Childhood students are entitled to utilise all personal and learning support services.

Course Aims
This course aims to provide a high quality, contemporary and coherent programme of study leading to the award of MA Education/Early Childhood. It provides a programme of study to meet the needs of the professional and academic student.
• To offer students a multi-disciplinary and critical exploration of early childhood practices, policies, theory, key themes and institutions in the UK and beyond;
• To develop a comprehensive understanding of and commitment to issues of equality and diversity, social justice and advocacy in relation to the field of early childhood
• To explore critically those discourses of improvement, progress and transformation that have informed innovation and shaped policy changes for a generation;
• To allow students access to research methods and practices and require them to design, undertake and report on a research project that has the potential to contribute to the wider scholarly and academic community.
• To give students access to a range of theoretical discourses and languages through which to understand and interpret their practice and appreciate the contribution made by scholarship, research and researchers to them;
• To offer in person to international students, knowledge and understanding of the UK education system and the field of early childhood
• To extend students’ subject knowledge in their chosen area and offer opportunities for guided self-directed study and scholarship;
• To offer students opportunities to engage with the academic expertise, interests and specialisms of the academic team and build from their contributions to research and scholarship.

The following learning outcomes incorporate and depend on a systematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of the academic discipline, field of study or area of professional practice.
On successful completion of this course students will be able to:
1. Apply methods and techniques appropriate to their own research or advanced scholarship in Early Childhood

2. Apply knowledge with originality, based on a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in Early Childhood

3. Evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in Early Childhood

4. Evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses

5. Deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences

6. Exercise self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level

7. Advance their knowledge and understanding, and to develop new skills to a high level

8. Exercise initiative and personal responsibility, including decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations

9. Learn independently for the purposes of continuing professional development.

10. Demonstrate confidence, resilience, ambition and creativity and will act as inclusive, collaborative and socially responsible practitioners and / or professionals in their discipline

There are no existing benchmarks for PG Early Childhood

Course design follows closely QAA and university guidelines for master’s degrees, offering structured learning opportunities with optional pathways depending on experience and interest or professional development. The Early Childhood pathway has core and optional modules, a research methods module and a taught dissertation, by the MA Education team.
The course is assessed by coursework and there are no written examinations. Each module has been designed with an assessment strategy that seeks to synchronise process aspects of learning with content and to incorporate opportunities for formative feedback as well as summative assessment, where appropriate.
The strategy is designed to enable students to gain familiarity and fluency in established academic modes of critical discourse and the representation of arguments and deeper reflection. As students come from a range of countries, professional and academic backgrounds, modules including their assessment, are designed to allow access for all. For example, in-service teachers have opportunity to reflect on practice in a number of modules. Similarly, non-practitioners can demonstrate understanding through theoretical analysis of course content. International students can reflect on policy and practice in contexts outside the UK and are encouraged to use of other languages and non-English sources. Our international cohort and our students from a wide range of backgrounds will enable the courses to incorporate alternative perspectives, experiences and epistemologies. The examples of personal experience from our students’ varied backgrounds will allow us to democratise the learning space and involve our students as co-creators of critical knowledge.

The processes for marking assessments are transparent and made clear to all students throughout the course. Wherever possible there are opportunities to present draft submissions which will receive feed-forward comments prior to submission as well as feedback after submission, creating a dialogue between the tutor and student which aims to be personalized, supportive and developmental.

The choice, number and timing of assessments has been carefully considered for each module. Where possible, students have personal choice in the module assessments. For those students who may be working in educational practice they can benefit from doing assessment based on their specific work context, which in turn may be beneficial for their professional development, their workplace, their employers and their student outcomes. There is usually one summative assessment per module and other formative assessments are offered as a developmental opportunity. Students can gain feedback formatively prior to submission. Students are encouraged to reflect on feedback from assessments and develop action plans to use to improve further in future assessments.

Students are made aware of the learning outcomes of all modules and reminded to bear these in mind while they work on assessments. Marking criteria for each module are written against the learning outcomes so that students are able to see how well they met each of the module learning outcomes in each module’s assessment.

An introduction to the course is provided for students’ that explains assessment policies and procedures as well as expectations for engagement, including dialogue with staff and peers. Each module further discusses assessment with students, with information published in the Module Handbook. Each module has clearly identified Learning Outcomes that articulate with those of the course. Induction to the course also includes an introduction to library services with workshops on library use offered.

The MA Education provides extensive support for students both in and outside of class teaching time.
Examples of these include:
Pre-arrival support
International students joining the MA Education programmes have the opportunity to take part in a pre-departure online course to help them prepare for adaptation to life in the UK, the different Higher Education system here in the UK and to be aware of the expectations of Level 7 study. The online sessions are run before each postgraduate intake in August/September and in December/January .
Extra support sessions outside core teaching hours
Sessions are run throughout both semesters outside core teaching hours. The academic librarian for the subject area runs one or more sessions on how to make best use of the library, and how to search for sources. The academic mentor and other academic literacies specialists run a series of sessions on topics such as dissertation support, reading skills and critical thinking. These sessions are tailor made, based on class feedback on what students are finding difficult and need extra support with.
Academic skills support during core teaching hours
Modules are designed with inbuilt academic support inside the core teaching hours. Examples of this may include:
• Sessions on how to understand the assessment task
• Sessions on understanding the marking criteria
• Examples of previous submissions and peer marking
• Help with academic reading
• Help with structuring the assessment
• Draft submissions
• Tutorials
· Support via WebLearn
Each module has extra support built in on our VLE WebLearn platform
• Extensive reading list
• Information and guidance on assessment
• Links to library guides
• Discussion boards with guided interaction tasks for students
• FAQs – gathered in class and shared on weblearn
• Use of technology such as padlet to collect and share ideas
· Wider pastoral support
The university has a wide range of services to help students with non-academic issues
• Student services – one stop shop for advice on finance, accommodation, counselling, and adaptations and support for students with disabilities and dyslexia etc

There is no requirement for students to undertake a placement on the course though this may be beneficial and students can be supported in finding a placement if they so wish

Part-time students will study 80 credits in year 1 &100 credits in year 2
Year 1 they will study 4 x 20 credit modules
Year 2 they will study Research Methods and the Dissertation (80 credits) and one more 20 credit module

MA Education [Early Childhood]: 6 taught modules (120 credits – core & option) plus dissertation (60 credits)
PGDip Education [Early Childhood]: 6 taught modules (120 credits – core & options)
PGCert Education [Early Childhood]: 3 taught modules, normally to include two core ECS modules (60 credits)
Top Up MA [Early Childhood]: ACPL PGCE 60 credits – completes with 120 Credits including research methods and the dissertation (80 credits) plus two further core ECS modules (40 credits)

Reflection on learning is a key feature of this programme. Students are encouraged to continuously appraise current research and theory and reflect on the impact it has on approaches to provision and practice within early childhood contexts.

The modules’ content has been designed to facilitate a deep engagement with current theoretical and research-based knowledge. Assessments are designed to facilitate the transfer of this knowledge to students’ own practice through reflection, and critical analysis
Module tutors support students as part of the scheduled teaching and learning hours and specific matters are addressed as they arise.

This course enables you to advance your understanding of your experience as an early childhood professional and offers opportunities for career development into early childhood leadership and research, as well as support for professional education of colleagues and early-career professionals.
Career opportunities and potential continuing professional development include:
-    Advisers to local and national government
-    Further and higher education tutors in early childhood
-    Leadership roles within early childhood settings
-    Doctoral research
- Academic research and general interest
The design of the module content and the chosen pedagogy of this MA programme enables regular opportunities for reference to case studies, sharing examples of students’ own experiences and reflections of students’ own continuous professional development by those working in the field. The development of higher educational research skills in the dissertation and project and other assessments are also intrinsically linked to students’ own future career development in early childhood settings and other related careers.

This Education (Early Childhood Studies) MA benefits students whatever their interest in early childhood education, whether in management, supervisory or practitioner roles, or as a parent, teacher, researcher, community worker or administrator.

You will be required to have:

• a minimum of a lower second-class (2.2) honours degree in education or social sciences
• GCSE English at grade C (grade 4 from 2017) or higher (or equivalent)

If you need (or wish) to improve your English before starting your degree, we may be able to help with a pre-sessional course. Please contact courseenquiries@londonmet.ac.uk to see if we have something suitable.