PP7005 - Critical Childhoods

On this module you are supported by a series of lectures seminars specific to the study of Childhood and Early Years. Indeed, the aim of this module is to provide you with advanced knowledge, appreciation, and understanding of key issues around academic research, policy and practice and this will be achieved through interactive lectures and seminars discussing key texts. You will be expected to do the specified reading and other tasks in preparation for the discussions and presentations during taught sessions. You will also be expected to undertake independent study, drawing on and exploring the wider reading indicated for the module reading list. To support this learning a range of activities and learning materials are available on the VLE.

The taught sessions act as a scaffold to support your skills and knowledge development throughout the module. There will also be opportunities during each session for discussion with the teaching staff, about both the taught elements and also the assessment. During your study of the module, you will be working closely with a team of academic staff who are keen to support your academic and personal development needs. Through a well-placed support system, we will collectively ensure that you have a successful academic learning journey. The module content and assessment are designed by experienced and research active academic staff whose area of expertise is reflected in the subject specific focus. The academic members of staff responsible facilitates the student-led discussion seminars for each module and is also responsible for grading and providing feedback on formative and summative assessments.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:
MLO1. You will demonstrate a theoretical understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of childhood in different social, cultural educational contexts around the world.
MLO2. You will apply the relevant theory to current policy and practice within organisations working with children and young people.
MLO3. You will demonstrate a critical understanding of childhood as social constructions and children and young people as social actors.


Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
MLO4. You will produce a well-presented critical reflection on disciplines relating to childhood and early years studies.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

MLO5. You will demonstrate curiosity and critical analysis in relation to global and cultural awarenesss of childhood and young people.

Formative assessment will take place in seminars where students will present and lead discussions on module topics. This will be assessed by peers and tutors who will provide feedback to support student learning in relation to the summative assessment and MLO1, 2 and 5.

The summative assessment will comprise two components: firstly, a 20 minute presentation constituting 75% of the mark and secondly, a 1000 word written component constituting 25% of the overall mark. Both components combined will be equivalent to 4,500 words overall critically reflecting on the disciplines relating to childhood and early years studies. A learning journal encourages you to reflect on your learning in relation to specific activities. In this module this will be in relation to learning connected to essential reading for the module and its application to policy and practice. You will be given an assessment brief which will provide detailed instructions.

All five learning outcomes will be covered in the summative assessment. Feedback, with grade and comments will be provided electronically via the virtual learning portal.

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Critical Childhoods will look at the conceptual, political, and social contexts children and young people experience paying particular attention to their voice and rights. You will be encouraged to take a critical and reflective approach to analyse the ways in which these broader contexts shape childhoods. The module is interdisciplinary drawing from Social Sciences, Humanities and Law. This module will help you understand children and young people as social actors within their lives and within the context of organisations, policy and practice. Throughout the module you will be engaging in interdisciplinary learning about different aspects of childhood which will form your summative assessment which will enable you to critically reflect on theoretical underpinnings of childhood. You will develop a critical understanding of children and young people from different perspectives which will enable you to work creatively and openly with young people and children.