Advocating for Children’s Rights and Voices
Module Description
This module introduces course participants to the critical concepts of children’s voice, involvement, and agency within the framework of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC, 1989). It emphasizes the importance of respecting and promoting the rights of children to participate in decisions that affect their lives.
Key Learning Outcomes:
- Foundational Rights Framework: Participants will explore the UNCRC, focusing on the rights of children to be heard and participate in various aspects of their lives, including education, healthcare, and legal matters.
- Local and International Legislation: The course will cover how these rights are supported and implemented through Maltese legislation, policy documents, and international agreements, ensuring participants understand the legal obligations and protections for children.
- Promoting Participation: Discussions will delve into the UNCRC’s three pivotal sections—provision, protection, and participation. Participants will debate the benefits and challenges of advocating for children’s participation and agency in practical settings.
- Understanding Enforcement Mechanisms: The module also details the roles of key figures such as the Commissioner for Children in Malta, responsible for overseeing the implementation of the UNCRC, alongside relevant local laws such as the Civil Code and the Minor Protection (Alternative Care) Act.
Participants will leave this module with a comprehensive understanding of children’s rights, equipped to advocate effectively for these rights within their professional practices in ECE settings.
Entry Requirements
Candidates who apply for this course will possess:
- A full qualification at MQF level 4 in Early Childhood Education and SEC/Ordinary Level passes in Mathematics, English and Maltese.
OR
- 2 Advanced Level passes and 2 Intermediate Level passes including 2 subjects from Mathematics, English, Maltese.
A pass at SEC/Ordinary Level in the subject that is not presented at advanced/intermediate level from the 3 specified above. - In the case of students who do not possess all the formal required academic qualifications, then the RPL process could be applied such that if evidence of equivalent learning, related to the area of study of this programme, is found then the applicant could still be accepted in the course. Such RPL process will subject applicants to an interview held with a board of experts within the field, chosen specifically by IDEA Academy, so as to verify their experiences and prior learning.
IDEA Academy’s RPL policy can be accessed through this link
Furthermore, it will be advised to students at entry point that before going on placements, they will need to be in possession of:
- The POMA (Protection of Minors Application) certificate.
- A first-aid certificate prior to commening placement practice.
- A valid police conduct certificate.
Target Audience
This programme has the following target groups:
- Individuals who are approaching the field of Early Childhood Education.
- Individuals who have been working in the field as a means of capacity building.
- Individuals looking to advance to Kindergarten Educator III role.
Module / Unit Instructions
The proposed structure comprises a blended approach promoting the building of a community of practice via peer-to-peer learning. The structure uses primarily two dimensions of teaching-learning modes:
- Face to Face sessions
Face-to-face sessions include lectures, tutorials, discussions, presentations and workshop activities promoting peer-to-peer learning.
- Online Learning Activities
Online learning activities incorporate tutorials and asynchronous discussions. These may consist of active interaction, participation and contributions in fora discussions, sharing resources and self-reflection exercises. Learners also contribute to the building of the community of practice by providing feedback to their peers as critical friends, enhancing the learner’s critical engagement throughout the study period.
How you’ll be assessed
The course comprises:
- Evening classes for part-time courses.
- Classes held throughout the day for full-time courses.
- Guided learning, presentations, comprising synchronous online discussions, tutorials and/or videos.
- Self-study hours comprising research, reading and assignment work.
Assessment
Assessment is carried out via two mandatory components:
- Assessment 1
- Assessment 2
The programme includes different forms of assessment which allow for and promote students’ critical engagement. The assessment tasks may include an in-class assignment and/or a home-based written assignment using diverse assessment tools which may take the form of online and in-class discussions, examinations, case studies, reports, proposals, essays, and presentations, etc., as applicable to the diverse modules.
Module Intake Dates
October 2024
Learning Outcomes
Competences:
At the end of the module/unit the learner will have acquired the responsibility and autonomy to:
- Enable an understanding of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)
- Analyse the extent to which the rights of young children are respected and taken into account.
- Examine different tools, resources and approaches which respect children’s rights.
- Formulate an understanding of how to allow space for children’s voices within ECE settings.
- Prepare and present a learning environment which respects all children and allows for equity and inclusion.
- Conduct a review of the current local policy documents related to children’s rights.
- Promote an ECE learning environment where protection, provision and participation rights are respected.
- Explore the potential connections between inclusive learning and children’s voices.
- Reflect on their role as practitioners who need to observe and assess children’s rights and needs.
- Analyse how to integrate children’s participation within the day-to-day teaching and learning process.
- Carry out tasks, literature searches and desk research about ways how to promote children’s voices.
Knowledge:
At the end of the module/unit, the learner will be able to:
- Learn about the key proponents of children’s rights.
- Learn about various myths related to children’s rights.
- Be familiar with the UNCRC and its several articles.
- Consolidate knowledge about the main terminology and terms used in law and policy documentation to refer to children’s rights.
- Learn about ways how one can create connections between the UNCRC, legislation and policy documents.
- Put forward reasoning on how legislation and policy documentation related to children’s rights has an impact on the ECE’s practitioner’s practice.
- Identify and explain why the UNCRC is an important document.
- Develop knowledge of the main articles of the UNCRC especially those related to education and schooling.
- Be given opportunities to learn about how policy documents are directly related to the UNCRC.
- Demonstrate an understanding of how the UNCRC, policy documents and legislation have a direct impact on the young child.
- Describe various key debates and concepts about children’s rights.
- Discuss the importance of concepts such as voice, participation, and agency in childhood.
Skills:
At the end of the module/unit the learner will have acquired the following skills:
- Design learning environments which allow for genuine forms of child participation.
- Describe various tools which may be used to promote children’s voice in ECE.
- Design flexible pedagogical tools which reflect the UNCRC’s articles.
- Investigate how parents/guardians may support in ensuring children’s voice is also respected at home.
- Evaluate how the contextual and relational conditions enable or disable young children’s participation.
- Enable all young children to explore their role within the class and school community.
- Help young children participate in decisions affecting their reality.
Module-Specific Learner Skills:
At the end of the module/unit the learner will be able to:
- Find ways how to evaluate young children’s agency.
- Develop a personal range of vocabulary about children’s rights.
- Model ways how to put into practice the notions of child participation.
- Foster a positive attitude towards decisions which are child-inclusive.
- Explore ways how to give more importance to children’s voice in day to day decisions within the ECE setting.
- Develop a process of self-reflection in relation to work obligations, work ethic and professionalism in light of children’s rights.
Module-Specific Digital Skills and Competences:
At the end of the module/unit, the learner will be able to:
- Carry out academic research on websites (e.g. Google Scholar) or journals (e.g. EBSCO, Taylor & Francis, SAGE, etc).
- Navigate the internet for policy documents and other documents related to children’s rights and children’s voices.
- Navigate through the online learning platform to download and upload assignments, discussion boards, literature, tutorials etc.
- Use basic Microsoft office (or equivalent) applications in order to write and submit assignments.
- Use different digital tools to promote children’s voices.