Study Guide

Objectives

In this course, we delve deeper into the principles, customer processes, work orientations, phenomena, and special issues related to early childhood education.

Upon completing this course, the student will be able to:
• Deepen their awareness of educational practices and articulate the rationale behind their own decisions and actions
• Understand the societal significance of early childhood education, including knowledge of relevant laws and documents
• Apply key principles and foundations of early childhood pedagogy and didactics
• Design, implement, evaluate, and enhance pedagogically justified activities, taking into account the needs of each child
• Be familiar with the principles of educational collaboration and interdisciplinary cooperation

Content

• Societal Significance and Role of Early Childhood Education
• Understanding the laws and documents that guide early childhood education (e.g., the Early Childhood Education Act and the National Curriculum Guidelines for Early Childhood Education)
• Fostering children’s participation, agency, and peer relationships, as well as shaping our understanding of childhood
• Embracing cultural diversity and promoting sustainable lifestyles
• The Child as a Learner
• Recognizing individual learning styles and holistic learning experiences in diverse educational environments
• Comprehensive Competence and Learning Areas
• Planning, implementing, and documenting pedagogical activities
• Assessing and improving quality, including pedagogical documentation through observation
• Child’s Individualized Education Plan and Support
• Understanding the importance of play for well-being and learning
• Nurturing interaction and community within child groups, teams, and professional contexts

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

Student
• can describe phenomena related to goals, theory, and define fundamental concepts
• has not justified choices, solutions, or theoretical perspectives thoroughly; theoretical reasoning is straightforward

Assessment criteria, good (3-4)

Student
• can apply theory and concepts, and organize information in relation to each other
• can narrow down problems and tasks, as well as justify solutions and choices
• can evaluate matters and examine them from different perspectives

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Student
• can analyze information and actions, connecting them to a professional context
• can find improvement opportunities and justify various approaches and alternative solutions
• can creatively devise new solutions or combine existing ones