CHEV026 Group Podcast Assignment: Emerging Issues in Irish Early Childhood Education

Assignment: Group Podcast

Deliver a podcast in a group, presenting a contemporary issue of your choice that is developing in the Irish early childhood education and care sector, demonstrating the fulfilment of LOs 1 – 5.

Submission Date:

Thursday, 8^th May 2025 @ 3.30pm

‘Exploring the Landscape of Early Childhood Education and Care: An Irish perspective’

Assignment Requirements:

• Introduction of the issue you have chosen (2-3 minutes)
• Main Body:
  • Critically examine both national and international research on the issue and use your examination to determine the current impact of the issue on the early childhood education and care agenda (LO 2) (5-6 minutes)
  • Analyse national developments and debates on the issue, including government policy, to determine the positive and negative impact of these developments on the issue (LO 1, LO 3) (6-7 minutes)
  • From your research on this or similar international/national issues, predict the future implications for early years educators and the early childhood education and care sector arising from the issue (LO 5) (5-6 mins)
  • Propose and evaluate strategies at micro and macro levels to address this issue, outlining a clear rationale for the strategies suggested (LO 4) (5-6 minutes)
• Concluding commentary (2-3 minutes)

The podcast should be created using Microsoft Teams in which all participants are visible on screen. Each participant should have clear opportunities to engage in a critical dialogue addressing each of the brief elements above (guidelines on creating podcasts and recording on Microsoft Teams can be found in the support module on Moodle).

All areas of the assessment should include the elements above and be supported through understanding of the issue and its position in research.

Time frames per LO are approximate.

Word Count: 25-31 minute group podcast

Weighting: 100%

Module learning outcomes achieved

• LO 1 Identify and analyse the current developments and debates influencing the early childhood agenda from an Irish perspective.
• LO 2 Critique current research in relation to early childhood education and care from a national and international perspective.
• LO 3 Review and reflect on the varied government policies pertaining to the provision of ECEC to date.
• LO 4 Evaluate methods of alternative practice in Early Childhood Education and Care.
• LO 5 Identify potential issues which could impact the ECEC sector in the future and the implications on the role of the early years educator.

The Assignment should:

• Include an introduction and conclusion.
• Demonstrate engagement with module concepts and readings.
• Demonstrate in-depth independent academic research and strong academic writing skills.
• Meet the specified learning outcomes.
• Be submitted by the specified due date.

Group Podcast Presentation

• The recording should be recorded in Microsoft Teams as a group of maximum number of three people, with all participants visible on screen and discussion clearly audible.
• Font size, style and layout should be appropriate for any PowerPoint slides (as per guidelines available).

Layout:

• Self-Report Form and Self-Assessed Rubric can be uploaded in one document. The recorded podcast can be uploaded separately.

Assessment methods that enable students to demonstrate the learning outcomes for the module:

Module Learning Outcomes

1. LO 1 Identify and analyse the current developments and debates influencing the early childhood agenda from an Irish perspective.
2. LO 2 Critique current research in relation to early childhood education and care from a national and international perspective.
3. LO 3 Review and reflect on the varied government policies pertaining to the provision of ECEC to date.
4. LO 4 Evaluate methods of alternative practice in Early Childhood Education and Care.
5. LO 5 Identify potential issues which could impact the ECEC sector in the future and the implications on the role of the early years educator.