ECY311 - Philosophy of Early Childhood Education Seminar

Subject Title
Philosophy of Early Childhood Education Seminar

Subject Description
This course includes an exploration of different educational traditions, in order to understand the philosophical foundations of Early Childhood Education. It also involves the examination and questioning of our own beliefs about education and the "creation" of our own personal philosophies.

Credit Status
ECY 311 is an Early Childhood Diploma program prescribed subject.

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this subject the student will be able to:

GENERAL OUTCOMES

1. Demonstrate the ability to link E.C.E. philosophy with standard psychological and sociological theory
2. Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the practical implications of educational philosophy
3. Clearly articulate their own personal philosophy of education and child care
4. Recognize the contribution to educational philosophy by specific philosophers within the different educational traditions
5. Compare and evaluate different educational philosophies
6. Examine the influences that these theories have had on preschool education today
7. Examine the influences that these theories have on the different "areas" of preschool programming: block centre, dramatic play centre, etc.
8. Become aware of the philosophical roots of observation based programming
9. Be aware of the problems that arise when a philosophy is "put into practice"
10. Understand the value of re examining and questioning his/her own "personal philosophy"




SPECIFIC OUTCOMES

1. The ability to develop and articulate her/his own personal philosophy by successfully completing the "personal philosophy" project
2. The ability to examine the influences that the educational traditions have had on his/her own educational experiences through participation in class discussions, small group activities and the "personal philosophy"
3. An understanding of various issues that are important to early childhood education today such as the "superbaby syndrome", "environmental education", "war toys", "television" and "multicultural education" through class discussions, small group activities and the various assignments
4. The ability to make use of the various educational traditions in class discussions
5. That they are in the process of answering the question, "what are child care centres/schools for" and thereby developing an understanding of the social function of child care/schooling through class discussions, small group activities and the various assignments
6. The ability to develop practice from sound philosophical reasoning
7. The ability to recognize how specific theories are implemented in the classroom by presenting their demonstrations or "school visit" to the class
8. A thorough understanding of and the ability to compare the theories presented in two of the books from the list provided and the class demonstrations by successfully completing the assignments (see below)
9. A thorough understanding of one of the topics from the list provided by participating in a group seminar demonstration project in which the student presents what s/he has learned
10. A basic understanding of the topics presented by other student groups by attending and participating in the seminars

Academic Integrity
Seneca upholds a learning community that values academic integrity, honesty, fairness, trust, respect, responsibility and courage. These values enhance Seneca's commitment to deliver high-quality education and teaching excellence, while supporting a positive learning environment. Ensure that you are aware of Seneca's Academic Integrity Policy which can be found at: http://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/academic-integrity-policy.html Review section 2 of the policy for details regarding approaches to supporting integrity. Section 2.3 and Appendix B of the policy describe various sanctions that can be applied, if there is suspected academic misconduct (e.g., contract cheating, cheating, falsification, impersonation or plagiarism).

Please visit the Academic Integrity website http://open2.senecac.on.ca/sites/academic-integrity/for-students to understand and learn more about how to prepare and submit work so that it supports academic integrity, and to avoid academic misconduct.

Discrimination/Harassment
All students and employees have the right to study and work in an environment that is free from discrimination and/or harassment. Language or activities that defeat this objective violate the College Policy on Discrimination/Harassment and shall not be tolerated. Information and assistance are available from the Student Conduct Office at student.conduct@senecapolytechnic.ca.

Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
The College will provide reasonable accommodation to students with disabilities in order to promote academic success. If you require accommodation, contact the Counselling and Accessibility Services Office at ext. 22900 to initiate the process for documenting, assessing and implementing your individual accommodation needs.

Camera Use and Recordings - Synchronous (Live) Classes
Synchronous (live) classes may be delivered in person, in a Flexible Learning space, or online through a Seneca web conferencing platform such as MS Teams or Zoom. Flexible Learning spaces are equipped with cameras, microphones, monitors and speakers that capture and stream instructor and student interactions, providing an in-person experience for students choosing to study online.

Students joining a live class online may be required to have a working camera in order to participate, or for certain activities (e.g. group work, assessments), and high-speed broadband access (e.g. Cable, DSL) is highly recommended. In the event students encounter circumstances that impact their ability to join the platform with their camera on, they should reach out to the professor to discuss. Live classes may be recorded and made available to students to support access to course content and promote student learning and success.

By attending live classes, students are consenting to the collection and use of their personal information for the purposes of administering the class and associated coursework. To learn more about Seneca's privacy practices, visit Privacy Notice.