Hello, Kia ora, Talofa, Kumusta, Malo’etau lava, Kia Orana.
Nĭ hăo, Fakalofa Atu, Namaste, Bula, Sata srī akāla, Marhaba.
Welcome to the exciting world of Early Childhood Education and Care at Level 5! We hope you have a wonderful time studying with NZMA.
This diploma will enable you to start a career in early childhood education. Throughout this course, you will develop the knowledge and skills required to become a proficient early childhood educator and will gain an understanding of:
- Early childhood practices which reflect te Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi and the place of Māori as tangata whenua.
- Applying knowledge of key early childhood teaching, learning and development theories and approaches, and historical influences to inform and guide practice in Aotearoa New Zealand.
- Implementing the philosophy, principles and practices embodied in te Whāriki, and supporting resources to promote children’s learning.
- Providing a healthy, safe and inclusive environment for the protection, care, wellbeing and education of children/mokopuna as guided by legislative and regulatory requirements and children’s rights (UNCROC)
- Communicating effectively and including cultural protocols, whanaungatanga and manaakitanga concepts to develop and maintain inclusive and collaborative relationships with a wide range of people in an early childhood education and care community.
- Managing personal wellbeing and engaging in the personal, professional, ethical and reflective practice required of an early childhood educator.
- Supporting children’s language, culture and identity, through the application of emerging knowledge of cultural competence, with consideration of diverse families and aspirations for children’s learning.
- Use knowledge of philosophies, perspectives and contexts of early childhood education in Aotearoa New Zealand, including contemporary Māori and Pasifika education developments and implications for practice, to inform an emerging personal philosophy of practice.
As part of your study, you will have the opportunity to undertake 210 hours of work placement, which allows you to gain hands-on skills to perform routine work activities under supervision and within clearly defined guidelines.
On completion of this course, you will have a strong foundation to commence work in early childhood education.
| Module Name | Assessment* | Learning Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Context of Early Childhood Education in Aotearoa New Zealand |
01A1 01A2 01A3 01A4 |
300 |
| Communities of Aotearoa New Zealand |
02A1 02A2 02A3 02A4 |
300 |
| Human development and learning theories |
03A1 03A2 03A3 03A4 |
300 |
| Professional practice |
04A1 04A2 04A3 04A4 |
300 |
How will you learn?
* All assessments will be handed out and completed in person on campus.
Learning hours are blended. This means that you will complete some of them on campus and some of them in your own time. You are encouraged to interact with other students/ākonga through forums and group messaging in the online learning part of the course. Keep in mind that not everyone likes to study when you do, so you may need to wait for a response.
Total learning hours per week are approximately 30 hours. This is made up of 12 hours per week on campus with our tutor and classmates; 8 hours of online learning content; with an additional 10 hours per week of self-directed learning and/or work placement.
The learning hours include:
- reading, watching, and completing the activities on the online campus.
- completing assessments.
- self-directed practicals.
Assessments/Aromatawai
A total of 120 credits are awarded for the programme.
There are 16 assessments to complete, four for each of the four modules that make up this course. Assessments will be awarded an achieved or not-achieved result. All learning outcomes must be met to obtain an achieved result. All assessments must be completed in full, with all answers correct, for an achieved result.
Assessments are recorded as follows:
- Achieved – all work/unit has been achieved to the standards set in the assessment and performance criteria.
- Not Achieved – the student/ākonga has yet to complete the relevant work to be awarded the assessment or unit.
Assessment Submission
Full-time Study
Work placement
You will complete a minimum of 210 hours across the programme as part of your study hours. The work placement allows you to be exposed to supervised practice/placement in an ECE setting with the goal of linking the practical components of the programme to the theoretical content learned. The practical hours are valuable since they give you a taste of the industry and also help you to become job-ready.
Studying at Level 5
A diploma at level 5 qualifies individuals with theoretical and/or technical knowledge and skills within a specific field of work or study.
Graduates of this qualification will be able to:
- Engage in early childhood education practices which reflect Te Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi and the place of Māori as tangata whenua.
- Apply knowledge of key early childhood teaching, learning and development theories and approaches, and historical influences, to inform and guide practice in Aotearoa New Zealand.
- Implement the philosophy, principles, and practices embodied in Te Whāriki, and supporting resources, to promote children's learning
- Provide a healthy, safe, and inclusive environment for the protection, care, wellbeing, and education of children/mokopuna as guided by legislative and regulatory requirements and children's rights (UNCROC).
- Communicate effectively and include cultural protocols, whanaungatanga, and manaakitanga concepts, to develop and maintain inclusive and collaborative relationships with a wide range of people in an early childhood education and care community.
- Manage personal wellbeing and engage in the personal, professional, ethical, and reflective practices required of an early childhood educator.
- Support children's language, culture and identity, through the application of emerging knowledge of cultural competence, with consideration of diverse families and aspirations for their children's learning.
- Use knowledge of philosophies, perspectives and contexts of early childhood education in Aotearoa New Zealand, including contemporary Māori and Pasifika education developments and implications for practice, to inform an emerging personal philosophy of practice.
A graduate of a Level 5 certificate is able to:
- demonstrate broad operational or technical and theoretical knowledge within a specific field of work or study
- select and apply a range of solutions to familiar and sometimes unfamiliar problems
- select and apply a range of standard and non-standard processes relevant to the field of work or study
- demonstrate complete self-management of learning and performance within defined contexts
- demonstrate some responsibility for the management of learning and performance of others.
We’re here to help
If you're ever unsure about something or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact your tutor. You can send them a message via email or via the 💬 messages feature on the top right corner of the online campus.