TCHR5003: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
ASSESSMENT 1: Critical Review
Summary
Title Assessment 1: Critical Review
Due Date Monday 20th November 11:59pm AEDT (Week 4)
Length 1500 words
Weighting 50%
Submission 1 word document submitted to Turnitin
Unit Learning Outcomes You will demonstrate the following Unit Learning Outcomes on the successful completion of this task:
• ULO 1: Describe and apply the key principles and practices of the Early Years Learning Framework (AGDE, 2022).
• ULO 2: Understand and analyse the importance of relationships and how to build and foster them with children, families, staff and the community respecting the diversities of their histories and backgrounds.
• ULO 3: Develop the knowledge and skills regarding setting up learning environments for children that are flexible and sustainable both indoors and outdoors.
Task Description
Students are required to develop a professional response to the three (3) scenarios described below that have occurred in early childhood settings making reference to the unit materials, the National Quality Standard (ACECQA, 2020) and the EYLF (AGDE, 2022).
Rationale
The scenarios are based on real life events in early childhood settings and relate to the early childhood principles and practices that have been explored over the first three weeks of the unit.
Task Instructions
Develop a professional response to each scenario below (500 words each) to demonstrate your knowledge of relationships and the environment, by referring to the EYLF, the NQS and unit materials to support your points.
Scenario 1:
You are the early childhood teacher in the toddler room. You notice some of your staff do not believe the toddlers are capable of making choices and completing routines on their own.
a) What do you say to the staff about why children’s agency is important in the toddler room and how will you communicate this to staff?
b) Provide staff one way they could allow the children to have more agency in the room.
Justify your response with reference to one NQS Quality Area (ACECQA, 2020), one EYLF Principle and one EYLF Practice (AGDE, 2022).
Scenario 2
You are the early childhood teacher responsible for the four-year-old room in a long day care centre that provides food. You are wanting to implement a healthier eating program within your room. You have diverse family groups from a wide variety of cultures and food preferences (including families who are vegan).
a) What is one way you could involve the children in developing and implementing the healthier eating program?
b) What is one way you could involve the families and community in developing and implementing the healthier eating program?
Use one NQS Quality Area (ACECQA, 2020), one EYLF Principle and one EYLF practice (AGDE, 2022) to justify your changes.
Scenario 3
You are the educator in the 0–2-year-old room. You have a number of new families who do not understand why the children are so upset at drop off time. You want to ensure that parents are aware that this is common for many children.
a) Explain a strategy you could use to help the children build trust and settle each morning.
b) Outline what information you would share with families about this issue.
Use one NQS Quality Area (ACECQA, 2020), one EYLF Principle and one EYLF Practice (AGDE, 2022) to justify why your actions are important for the child and family.
Follow the steps below to complete this task:
• Create a new Word Document and save it with your surname and initial and the assessment task’s name. E.g: MillsA_TCHR5003_assessment1_criticalreview
• Create a cover page with the following details:
o Student name
o Student ID
o Unit code
o Unit Assessor and Tutor names
o Date submitted
• Complete one reference list for the entire assessment task.
• Once complete, submit task via the Turnitin link in the Assessment and Submission section of the unit site.
• Adhere to APA7 formatting guidelines
Referencing Style
APA 7th referencing format is required in Faculty of Education assessment tasks – link to SCU Libguide here: APA 7 Referencing.
Task Submission
Assessments should be submitted using the Turnitin activity titled “Assessment 1: Critical Review” in the Assessments Tasks & Submission section on the Blackboard site. Only Microsoft Word documents submitted via the Turnitin portal on Blackboard will be accepted.
Special Consideration
Students wishing to request special consideration to extend the due date of an assessment task must submit a Request for Special Consideration form via their MyEnrolment page as early as possible and prior to the original due date for that assessment task, along with any accompanying documents, such as medical certificates.
Late Submissions & Penalties
Except when special consideration is awarded, late submission of assessment tasks will lead automatically to the imposition of a penalty. Penalties will be incurred as soon as the deadline is reached.
• a penalty of 5% of the available marks will be deducted from the actual mark at one minute after the time listed in the due date
• a further penalty of 5% of the available mark will be deducted from the actual mark achieved on each subsequent calendar day until the mark reaches zero.”
Grades & Feedback
Assignments that have been submitted by the due date will receive an SCU grade and written feedback. Grades and feedback will be posted to “Grades & Feedback” section on the Blackboard unit site. Please allow 7 working days for marks to be posted.
Academic Integrity
At Southern Cross University academic integrity means behaving with the values of honesty, fairness, trustworthiness, courage, responsibility, and respect in relation to academic work.
The Southern Cross University Academic Integrity Framework aims to develop a holistic, systematic, and consistent approach to addressing academic integrity across the entire University. For more information see the SCU Academic Integrity Framework
NOTE: Academic Integrity breaches include poor referencing, not identifying direct quotations correctly, close paraphrasing, plagiarism, recycling, misrepresentation, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, fabricating information.
1. GenAI May Not be Used
Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools, such as ChatGPT, may not be used for this Assessment Task. You are required to demonstrate if you have developed the unit’s skills and knowledge without the support of GenAI. If you use GenAI tools in your assessment task, it may result in an academic integrity breach against you as described in the Student Academic and Non-Academic Misconduct Rules, Section 3.

Assessment Rubric
Marking Criteria and % allocation High Distinction
+ (100%) High Distinction
(85-99%) Distinction
(75-84%) Credit
(65-74%) Pass
(50-64%) Marginal Fail
(35-49% Fail
(1-34%) Not addressed
0%
Demonstrated understanding of building and fostering relationships with
- Children
- Families
- Community
- Staff
15 marks Achieves all the criteria for a high distinction to an exemplary standard, without any errors. Outstanding understanding of building and fostering relationships with
- Children
- Families
- Community
- Staff Very good understanding of building and fostering relationships with
- Children
- Families
- Community
- Staff Good understanding of building and fostering relationships with
- Children
- Families
- Community
- Staff Satisfactory understanding of building and fostering relationships with
- Children
- Families
- Community
- Staff Little understanding of building and fostering relationships with
- Children
- Families
- Community
- Staff No understanding of building and fostering relationships with
- Children
- Families
- Community
- Staff
Professional reflective response to each scenario justifying response with reference to relevant EYLF Principles and Practices
15 marks Achieves all the criteria for a high distinction to an exemplary standard, without any errors. Outstanding reflective professional response to each scenario justifying chosen response with reference to relevant EYLF Principles and Practices Very good reflective professional response to each scenario justifying chosen response with reference to relevant EYLF Principles and Practices Good reflective professional response to each scenario justifying chosen response with reference to relevant EYLF Principles and Practices Satisfactory reflective professional response to each scenario justifying chosen response with reference to relevant EYLF Principles and Practices Poor reflective professional response to each scenario justifying chosen response with limited reference to relevant EYLF Principles and Practices Reflective professional response to each scenario is incomplete with no reference to EYLF Principles and Practices
Professional reflective response to each scenario justifying chosen response with reference to National Quality Standard
15 marks Achieves all the criteria for a high distinction to an exemplary standard, without any errors. Outstanding reflective professional response to each scenario justifying chosen response with reference to the National Quality Standard Very good reflective professional response to each scenario justifying chosen response with reference to the National Quality Standard Good reflective professional response to each scenario justifying chosen response with reference to the National Quality Standard Satisfactory reflective professional response to each scenario justifying chosen response with reference to the National Quality Standard Poor reflective professional response to each scenario justifying chosen response with limited reference to the National Quality Standard Reflective professional response to each scenario is incomplete with no reference to the National Quality Standard
Academic Literacy
5 marks Demonstrates a publishable, comprehensive understanding and application of correct writing conventions, including accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation. The reference list contains all the required information in the correct APA 7 format. Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding and application of correct writing conventions, including accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation. The reference list contains all the required information in the correct APA 7 format. Demonstrates a thorough understanding and application of correct writing conventions by correctly using spelling, grammar, and punctuation throughout with very minor inaccuracies.
The reference list contains all the required information in the correct APA 7 format, with very minor errors. Demonstrates a good understanding and application of correct writing conventions by correctly using spelling, grammar, and punctuation, with minor inaccuracies.
The reference list contains all the required information, but some items may be in an incorrect format or have more than five minor errors.
Demonstrates a satisfactory understanding and application of correct writing conventions by mostly using correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation, with some inaccuracies.
The reference list provides most of the required information, but there are some errors. Poor understanding and application of correct writing conventions, including accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation that impact readability. The reference list is incorrectly formatted or there are an inadequate number of references. Poor understanding and application of correct writing conventions, including accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation, that significantly impact readability. The reference list is incomplete or missing.
Description of SCU Grades
High Distinction:
The student’s performance, in addition to satisfying all of the basic learning requirements, demonstrates distinctive insight and ability in researching, analysing and applying relevant skills and concepts, and shows exceptional ability to synthesise, integrate and evaluate knowledge. The student’s performance could be described as outstanding in relation to the learning requirements specified.
Distinction:
The student’s performance, in addition to satisfying all of the basic learning requirements, demonstrates distinctive insight and ability in researching, analysing and applying relevant skills and concepts, and shows a well-developed ability to synthesise, integrate and evaluate knowledge. The student’s performance could be described as distinguished in relation to the learning requirements specified.
Credit:
The student’s performance, in addition to satisfying all of the basic learning requirements specified, demonstrates insight and ability in researching, analysing and applying relevant skills and concepts. The student’s performance could be described as competent in relation to the learning requirements specified.
Pass:
The student’s performance satisfies all of the basic learning requirements specified and provides a sound basis for proceeding to higher-level studies in the subject area. The student’s performance could be described as satisfactory in relation to the learning requirements specified.
Fail:
The student’s performance fails to satisfy the learning requirements specified.