module specification

This module provides students with the opportunity to begin to explore their professional identity and development. Students will describe what it means to be a professional in Early Years and explore a range of professions related to early years as options for potential career pathways. They will identify current skills and areas for improvement to initiate a plan to develop the skills needed for future progression.

They will reflect upon their strengths and skills, competencies and attributes and build on these through reflection, openness and self-awareness, enabling students to assess their abilities and confidently receive and give constructive feedback.

Aims

To become self-confident and recognise their own skills, competencies and attributes.
To reflect upon and adjust their personal development plan and setting targets to support professional identity growth in their chosen area.
To reflect, and be reflexive, in evaluating their professional identity progress.
To begin to develop some of the key professional attributes, including work ethic, dependability, adaptability, responsibility, accountability, maturity and technical skills.

No

In this module students will explore concepts of professionalism and consider how these relate to professionals in early years. Students will identify the skills and roles required of an early years professional, in order to inform students’ individual plans for further professional development. Students will evaluate their own skills, competencies and attributes and will be encouraged to become self-aware and reflexive. Students will be encouraged to engage in the process of reflection, openness and self-awareness, through target setting and professional development planning to form the basis of their professional identity development.

The aim is for the student to recognise how to become independent, resilient, responsible and pragmatic individuals and to relate this to their burgeoning sense of professional identity with a sense of pride. Throughout the module, tutors will encourage students to consider their sense of professional identity, as a student and early years professional, paying particular attention to issues of social justice.

Activities to develop key academic skills such as analysis, critical thinking, problem solving and research, individually or with others, begin to prepare them for a range of potential career opportunities.

In this core module, theoretical input will be through lectures and workshops, group work and discussion. You will benefit from a blended learning approach through the use of WebLearn for supplementary materials, links to E-books, research journals and videos. Reading, research, reflection and discussion are key to teaching for all students and this will be in the context of tutor-led sessions.

Teaching and learning strategies and methods also focus on students own experiences. Weekly tasks and reflective exercises will be provided to support increased knowledge and understanding for all students. For students in placement, reflection of work-related tasks, such as observations, action research, and the use of development planning tools support the growth of practitioners’ professional competence. 

The development of transferable skills in presenting evidence, arguments and points of view to a range of audiences, through a range of media, including the use of ICT also supports digital literacy learning.

1) To reflect upon their own skills, competencies and attributes.

2) To develop an initial plan of action of their identified skills, competencies and attributes and means by which to build and develop their professional identity in their chosen area.

3) To reflect and evaluate upon their progress and set targets for the next step in their professional identity development.

An e-portfolio of two diary entries (of 300-500 words each, in weeks 2 and 6) throughout the module, culminating in a 1,500- 2,000 word reflection of their progress, drawing on their diary entries and evaluating these in terms of their progress and other readings and research they have done. Finally setting targets for progression into Level 5.

https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/4E99F5FD-9676-F122-AA04-3529A3CAB22A.html?lang=en&login=1

Drew, S, & Bingham, R 2017 The Guide to Learning and Study Skills : For Higher Education and at Work, Taylor & Francis Group, Farnham

Hayes, C. (2017), Developing as a reflective early years professional : a thematic approach (2nd ed) , St Albans: Critical Publishing

Johnston, J, Nahmad-Williams, L, Oates, R, & Wood, V (2018), Early Childhood Studies : Principles and Practice, Taylor & Francis Group, Milton.

Lindon, J. and Trodd, L. (2016) Reflective practice and early years professionalism (3rd Ed), London: Hodder

McFarlane-Edmond, P. and Withers, C. (2023) Effective Practice in the Early Years. London: Sage

Moyles, J., Payler, J. and Georgeson, J. (2014) Early years foundations : critical issues (2nd ed.) Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Education

Musgrave, J (2017) Studying for your early years degree: skills and knowledge for becoming an effective early years practitioner, St Albans: Critical Publishing

Oates, R. (ed) (2021), The student practitioner in early childhood studies : an essential guide to working with children (2nd ed), Abingdon: Routledge

Trodd, L, & Trodd, L (eds) 2016, The Early Years Handbook for Students and Practitioners : An Essential Guide for the Foundation Degree and Levels 4 And 5, Taylor & Francis Group, London.