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EEP400 Research Skills Guide: Assessment 1

How to start

Before starting your research, it's important to first read all of the assessment information in the Subject Outline carefully including the task, the rationale and the marking criteria.

Research can be extremely time-consuming so it is important to plan your approach carefully. You will need to break down the requirements to:

  • determine what the assignment is asking you to do
  • identify the instruction words, qualifying words, and key concepts
  • ascertain which information resources you will need.

If you are confused or unsure about the assignment topic, do contact your lecturer.

Part A: Critical readings & short essay

To successfully complete PART A of Assessment 1, you need to: 

  • Write a short essay in which you examine why cultural safety is important for Indigenous children and their families in an early childhood setting. 

  • Define your understanding of cultural safety in your own words.

  • Explain and examine how cultural safety benefits Indigenous students and their families in an early childhood setting. 

  • Explain and analyse the interconnections between cultural safety and community involvement in an early childhood setting and how this influences knowledge and practice. 

* Please check your subject outline for the full requirements for this assessment task.

Topic analysis

Part A: Topic analysis

Let's start thinking about what terms you will use when searching for information. To do this:

  • Identify the instruction words.Charles Sturt University has a list of explanations for common instruction words.
  • Identify the key concepts of your topic; and then
  • Brainstorm as many synonyms and similar terms/phrases as you can.

This is a useful exercise because the language used to describe your topic may vary from source to source, and you don't want to miss out on a good source because it uses a different term to the one you are searching on.

 

Let's use our identified key concepts as an example:

Keyword Synonym / Similar term or phrase
cultural safety cultural competence, cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, cultural security
early childhood setting preschool, children, child, students
Indigenous Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Indigenous Australian

Part B: Poster & explanation

To successfully complete PART B of Assessment 1, you need to: 

  • Design a diagram, which would be on display in an early childhood centre to parents and community members. Your diagram will illustrate multiple ways the centre supports cultural safety for Indigenous children and their families.
     
  • Provide a succinct explanation for one of your chosen strategies to demonstrated how and why your diagram reflects:
    • A strategy that is effective in creating a culturally safe environment for Indigenous children
    • One EYLF outcome, principle or practice

* Please check your subject outline for the full requirements for this assessment task.

LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is a video based learning tool that offers a suite of training tutorials on a range of topics including communication, productivity, presentation skills and more.

Sign-in to LinkedIn Learning with your CSU credentials to view more videos about visual communication.

 

What other types of visual communication exist? from Learning Infographic Design by Amy Balliett

Create visual content online

Below are a few free online tools that can help you design visual content.

Activity 1: Keyword activity (Part A)

Write down the key concepts from your topic and have a go at brainstorming as many alternative keywords and phrases as possible.

Thinking about your topic in this way forces you to describe your topic in "other words", which will provide you with some useful keyword alternatives as well as help you to cement your understanding of the topic.

Charles Sturt University acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands on which its campuses are located, paying respect to Elders, both past and present, and extend that respect to all First Nations Peoples.Acknowledgement of Country

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