ECA Communities of Practice
An ECA Community of Practice (CoP) is a vibrant online community designed for early childhood professionals at all stages of their careers to come together and connect around a particular topic. The CoP is an opportunity for early childhood professionals to learn with and from each other.
In each CoP, you will seek to identify, through action research and critically reflective dialogue, the role play-based learning plays in each child’s learning journey. Engaging in action research will allow you to focus on the unique experiences of the children in your own context, creating a plan for meaningful support, change or learning within the environment.
Each CoP contains carefully curated professional learning resources to support and expand your knowledge base on the chosen topic area. Choosing to be part of a CoP will take your adult learning experience to the next level. You will also engage with specially selected professional learning materials, chosen to expand thinking and facilitate conversation about pedagogy and practice. Through your involvement in this CoP, you can expect to:
- engage in a number of online forums and Zoom sessions
- be constructively challenged by your peers and facilitator
- experience the opportunity to cultivate ongoing professional relationships with other learners
- be actively involved in critically reflective dialogue
- design and implement an action research project
- shift your pedagogical practices as they relate to play-based learning in early childhood
- participate in and engage with ECA Learning Hub resources that will enhance and extend your thinking.
Elements of Communities of Practice include:
- professional learning materials
- online learning modules
- ECA publications
- live events
- an action research project
- online forums through the ECA Learning Hub online portal.
Diverse Learners
In this Community of Practice, you will understand what it means to be a diverse learner and how we as early childhood professionals can support each child on their own unique learning journey. You will seek to identify, through action research and critically reflective dialogue, the role individual culture plays in each child’s learning journey, and create a plan for meaningful support, change or learning within your own environment.
Starting Monday 29 August 2022
Enrolment now closed
Literacy and Language
In this Community of Practice, you will reflect on and identify the practical ways literacy and language can be woven into everyday moments and rich environments. As children come to ECEC settings with a range of experiences—some may know and speak multiple languages—it is important educators understand the process and can support young children in learning language.
Starting Monday 29 August 2022
Enrolment now closed
STEM
In this Community of Practice, you are invited to explore the integration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in the early years curriculum. Fostering enjoyment of STEM, extending learning dispositions and developing future-focused skills are important for young learners today. You will seek to explore the ways in which problem-solving, communication, risk-taking, curiosity and other such skills and processes currently exist and can be cultivated through play.
Starting Monday 5 September 2022
Enrolment now closed
Play-based Learning
In this Community of Practice, you will understand what play and play-based learning are, what this looks like within a curriculum and the importance of play for children in the early years. You will have the opportunity to discover and explore different avenues of research and ideas to develop your understanding of play and play-based learning.
Starting Monday 12 September 2022
Enrolment now closed