Course

Introduction to Professional Practice - Teaching and Learning

Faculty
Applied Community Studies
Department
Child, Family & Community Studies
Course Code
CFCS 1160
Credits
3.00
Semester Length
Flexible delivery ranging over 2 to 15 weeks
Max Class Size
30
Method(s) Of Instruction
Hybrid
Lecture
Course Designation
None
Typically Offered
Fall

Overview

Course Description
This course provides an introduction to Early Childhood Education and Child and Youth Care practice. Students will examine the role of the early childhood educator and child and youth care counsellor in a broad range of settings. Students will develop observation skills including information gathering, reflection and interpretation. Individualized planning skills will be introduced and practiced in this course.
Course Content

The following global ideas guide the design and delivery of this course:

  • Early Childhood Education and Child and Youth Care Counsellor are professions which focus on direct work with children, youth and families in a broad range of settings.
  • Study and observation of skilled practitioners provide insight into roles, responsibilities and    contexts of practice.

  • The purpose of observation is to be more effective in responding to others.
  • Observation is dynamic and continuous, formal and informal.  Observation skills include observing, recording, interpreting and reporting.

  • Effective observers have clear focus, purpose and intention.  They conduct themselves in a legal, ethical and respectful manner. The manner in which observations are recorded, reported and used, influences interpretation of the material collected.  Choice of language needs careful consideration, as it influences perceptions and interpretations

  • Observation of and reflection on the self-in-action are integral to on-going practitioner development. Accurate observation requires awareness of personal values and filters, preconceptions and biases. The observer's presence and behaviour affects the situation being observed.

  • Competent practitioners consider different hypotheses when interpreting their observations.  Their conclusions are tentative, open to reflection, review and revision.

  • Context and events are linked, thus contextual factors need consideration when observing, recording and interpreting.

  • Positive change in the lives of children and youth happens with support, encouragement, planning, discussion, action and evaluation.

Learning Activities
  • Lecture
  • Discussions
  • Field visits
  • On-line
Means of Assessment

This course will conform to Douglas College policy regarding the number and weighting of evaluations. Typical means of evaluation would include a combination of:

  • Collaborative learning projects and presentations
  • Research essays and reports
  • Field research
  • Participation
  • Attendance
  • Examinations
Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

  1. Describe the profession of early childhood education and child and youth care, with specific reference to the broad range of settings in which early childhood educators and child and youth care workers work
  2. Observe and report on the role of the early childhood educator and child and youth care worker in specific child and youth care settings
  3. Describe human interactions verbally, separating observations from inferences
  4. Describe human interactions in writing using the skills of observation, recording, interpreting and reporting
  5. Write an individualized plan for an individual in an early childhood or child and youth care setting
  6. Discuss the legal and ethical issues in observing and reporting on the lives of others
  7. Discuss the role of the early childhood educator and child and youth care worker in writing records on the lives of others
  8. Demonstrate awareness of personal values and filters, preconceptions and biases
  9. Link context and events when observing, recording and interpreting
  10. Apply selected models of change in early childhood and child and youth care situations.
Textbook Materials

TBA

Requisites

Prerequisites

Enrollment in a CYCC or ECED Program or permission of Coordinator

Corequisites

Courses listed here must be completed either prior to or simultaneously with this course:

  • No corequisite courses

Equivalencies

 Students who have taken ECED 1121 or CYCC 1141 or CYCC 1142 will not receive additional credit for CFCS 1160.

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca

Institution Transfer Details for CFCS 1160
Langara College (LANG) LANG GNST 1XXX (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) No credit
Trinity Western University (TWU) No credit
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) No credit
University of Victoria (UVIC) No credit
Vancouver Island University (VIU) VIU CYC 1st (3)

Course Offerings

Summer 2024