Introduces many of the fundamentals of sociology: how sociology is defined; the sociological perspective; and the core concepts and dominant perspectives in sociology
Explains sociology of ECE concepts such as understanding learning, pedagogy and care and how these are embedded within, and reflective of, a society’s culture, values and policies
Examines how we understand children’s learning, its function and how more traditional ideas are being challenged in the transition to more ‘child as an agent in their own learning’ understandings
Introduces concepts such as culture, the family and health with reference to ECE as well as inequality and social issues in society and their implications for ECE
Defines the perspectives of social constructionism, social structuralism, ethnography and the child standpoint approach
Discusses the issue of ‘agency’ against the backdrop of the UNCRC and a ‘rights vs needs’ approach
