EC201 Designing Early Learning Environments

Unit Code/Description

EC201 Designing Early Learning Environments

Course/Subject

Bachelor of Early Childhood Education

Semester

Semester 1: March 2025

Assessment Overview

Unit Learning Outcomes

Addressed

2, 3, 4

Assessment Objective

Pre-service teachers will reflect on their own life experiences of space and place. They will design two concept/mind maps that evaluate the extent to which they provoke interest (ULO2) and relate to principles of environmental design and learning theory (ULO4).

Map 1:

Aspects of buildings/spaces in building that are important to students and pay attention to responses to the environment.

Students go into an unfamiliar local public building and record their reactions to it: Colour scheme; Arrangement of furniture; Noise levels; The amount of space; What catches the students attention? How does the environment make the student feel.

Map 2:

Place identity

Pre-service teachers to identify a favourite place in a local city or town and indicate: How does the student feel in that place; What it is about the space that makes it special to the student; Identify other aspects of place that are important to the student.

In conclusion: pre-service teachers will list the aspects of space that are important to them and which might influence their design of early learning environments and awakening awareness of what provokes interest and responding to individual characteristics of adults

and children (ULO2, ULO3).

Assessment Title/Type

Assessment 1- Individual Assessment - Concept/Mind Maps

Due Date

Week 5, 13th April 2025, 23.55pm.

Weighting

20%

Instructions to Students

Pre-service teachers are required to design two concept/mind maps and provide written reflections that explain the ideas behind each map. Each mind map will reflect a different aspect of their experiences with space and place.

1. Map 1: Aspects of Buildings/Spaces

o Visit an unfamiliar public building and record your reactions to the space. Consider the following:

Colour scheme

Arrangement of furniture

Noise levels

Amount of space

What captures your attention?

How does the environment make you feel?

Reflection:

Write a short paragraph explaining your experience in the building, focusing on the specific aspects that stood out to you and how they made you feel. Highlight how these elements may influence your understanding of learning spaces.

2. Map 2: Place Identity

o Identify a favourite place in your local city or town. Reflect on:

How you feel in this space.

What makes the place special to you.

Other aspects of the space that are important to you.

Reflection:

Write a paragraph explaining why this place holds significance for you. Discuss how it reflects your personal identity and consider how these insights could apply to creating early learning environments.

Conclusion:

In a final reflective paragraph, list the key aspects of space that are important to you and explain how these insights could shape your approach to designing early childhood learning environments.

Format/Structure

Two concept/mind maps

Three written paragraphs

Ensure proper formatting, including clear and concise visual representation of the maps.

Word/Page limit

Equivalent: 1000 words, Font Calibri 12, and Word (.dock)

Referencing Style

American Psychological Association (APA) version 7

Submission Guidelines

No formal CIHE cover sheet is required. Instead, your name, student ID and group number must appear at the beginning of your report. This assessment must be submitted to Turnitin. Login to your Turnitin account, locate and click on the assignment submission link, carefully review the instructions, and then submit your assessment.

If you need to apply for an extension, please email the Unit Coordinator Chutima Pra Adissorn: Pra.adissorn@cihe.edu.au or your lecturer to explain the circumstances and attach all necessary supporting documentation.

Plagiarism and Academic Integrity

At CIHE, we take academic integrity seriously and expect all students to maintain the highest standards of honesty and ethical behaviour in their academic work. As a student, it is your responsibility to ensure that all your academic endeavors are conducted with integrity and in accordance with the principles of honesty, fairness, and respect for intellectual property. Please refer to CIHE Student Academic Integrity and Honesty Policy in the Moodle for details.

Late Submission Policy

Requests for extensions will be granted only for exceptional circumstances that are supported by credible evidence. Duration of the extension period is maximum 5 days. Late submissions are subject to 10% reduction in marks for each day of delay. Submissions

after the extended date will not be marked.

Marking Criteria

High Distinction

Distinction (D)

Credit (C)

Pass (P)

Fail (F)

Explanation factors, causes, reason and effect (5%)

Excellent explanation sequence

Good explanation sequence

Above average explanation sequence

Satisfactory explanation sequence

Unsatisfactory explanation sequence

A coherent reflective writing

(5%)

Excellent and insightful reflective writing with highly detailed, demonstrating a deep understanding space and place

Good and detailed reflective writing with strong analysis and connection to space and place

Above average reflective writing with clear analysis supporting and demonstrates a reasonable connection to space and place

Satisfactory reflective writing with surface analysis and demonstrates connection to space and place

Unsatisfactory or irrelevant reflective writing. No analysis and no demonstration

connection to space and place

Conclusion approach to designing early childhood learning environments (5%)

The conclusion effectively summarizes the key findings and recommendations. It provides a clear and insightful analysis of the

implications and

The report's conclusion mostly summarizes the key

findings and recommendations.

It provides

a generally clear analysis of

The report's conclusion is somewhat unclear or

incomplete in summarizing the key findings

and

recommendations.

The report's conclusion is unclear or absent in

summarizing the key findings

and recommendations.

No conclusion submitted.

limitations, and suggests

the implications and

limitations, and suggests some avenues for future research or action.

It may not provide a

fully clear analysis of

the report's

It does not provide a

clear analysis of the

report's implications

and limitations, or action

Organisation, Presentation, and Assignment Requirements (2.5%)

Excellent organisation, presentation, and following assignment

requirements.

Good organisation, presentation, and following assignment requirements

Above average organisation, presentation, and following assignment requirements

Satisfactory organisation, presentation, and following assignment requirements

Unsatisfactory organisation, presentation, and following assignment requirements

Academic Literacy (2.5%)

Excellent academic literacy with no spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors; Excellent adherence to referencing protocols.

Good academic literacy with minimal grammar, or punctuation errors; Good adherence to referencing protocols.

Above average academic literacy with few spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors; Above average adherence to referencing protocols.

Satisfactory academic literacy with some spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors; Satisfactory adherence to referencing protocols.

Unsatisfactory academic literacy with numerous spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors; Unsatisfactory adherence to referencing

protocols.