Historical Reflection on Dr. Fraser Mustard and the Early Years Study Assessment

Assessmnet

Background Information 

Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of you.” – H. Jackson Brown, American author 

A code of ethics is important for any profession. In Alberta, there isn’t an official code of ethics for ECEs. This means ECEs must rely on their own judgment, making it critical for us to examine what’s important to guide our work.

AI is a tool that can support you academically, but like all tools it needs to be used effectively and responsibly. Often when AI is given academic tasks the answers it gives are correct, but lack depth and detail. This is something to keep in mind, because however you choose to use AI, you should see it as a partner in learning, not a replacement for hard work. Within this assignment there are some specific ways that AI can support you and some ways that it should not be used; these are included throughout the assignment description/instructions. 

Learning Outcomes 

Here is what you will be able to do at the end of this assessment: 

• Examine the historical roots of ECED in Canada, including societal shifts, pedagogical approaches, and policy frameworks. 
• Contrast evolving curricular and pedagogical approaches, early learning frameworks and definitions of quality in ECED.
• Identify policies and regulations that govern ECED in Canada.

Part A: Creative Visual Submission

• Present the 4-6 W responses in a creative visual format. Examples include a poster, infographic, timeline, photo collage, graphic organizer- such as a table, chart or web or any other creative medium that effectively represents your research. Include intext citations for images and quotes.

Part B: Reflection

 Write a 3-4page reflection OR create a 6-8 slide PowerPoint presentation addressing the following: 

1. Introduction: Why did you choose this topic?
2. Connections to Course Content: Choose TWO of the following to explore in depth:
   • Image of the Educator: How did this history shape the role or perception of educators?
   • Image of the Child: What views of children were present or challenged during this time?
   • Role of Families: How were families involved or affected?
   • Ethical/Professional Values: What values or dilemmas emerged from this history?
   • Systems and Policies: how did this history shape policies then and now
3. Connection to Flight: Is this history reflected in the Flight framework? If not, why might that be?
4. Personal Connection: Share a personal story or experience that relates to your topic (e.g., as a child, volunteer, student, parent, or community member).
5. Conclusion: How does understanding this history help you grow as an early childhood educator?

Summary of Assessment Requirements

This assessment required students to explore the historical roots and ethical foundations of Early Childhood Education and Development (ECED) in Canada while reflecting on how historical, societal, and policy shifts have shaped the field today. Students were tasked with completing the assessment.

The overall goal of this assessment was to integrate research, reflection, and creativity to demonstrate critical understanding of ECED’s evolution and its influence on contemporary educational practices.

Mentor-Guided Step-by-Step Approach

The academic mentor guided the student through a structured, reflective, and creative process to ensure comprehensive coverage of the assessment requirements. The mentoring process unfolded as follows:

Step 1: Understanding the Assessment Scope

The mentor began by helping the student interpret the learning outcomes emphasizing the importance of examining historical roots, evolving pedagogical approaches, and policy frameworks within Canadian ECED. The mentor explained how the assignment encourages both research and personal reflection, merging academic knowledge with practical understanding.

Step 2: Topic Selection and Research Direction

The mentor guided the student in choosing a relevant historical focus (for example, the introduction of play-based learning or policy shifts such as the creation of early learning frameworks). The student was advised to gather credible sources, including academic journals, historical policy documents, and early childhood education frameworks, ensuring alignment with Canadian context and citation standards.

Step 3: Developing the Creative Visual (Part A)

The mentor suggested beginning with a concept mapping exercise to organize the 4–6 W responses identifying key historical events (When), educators or movements (Who), philosophical or pedagogical shifts (What and Why), and locations or contexts (Where).
Once organized, the mentor guided the student in designing a visual infographic using platforms like Canva or PowerPoint, ensuring clarity, balanced layout, and proper in-text referencing for visuals and quotations. The mentor emphasized creativity while maintaining academic rigor and factual accuracy.

Step 4: Structuring the Reflective Analysis (Part B)

The mentor then guided the student through the reflection section by outlining each part:

• Introduction: A brief rationale behind topic selection linking it to professional interest or experience.
• Course Connections: The mentor encouraged deep analysis of two elements (e.g., Image of the Child and Systems and Policies) and their transformation across time.
• Personal Connection: The student was supported in integrating a personal narrative linking academic insight with experience in community or classroom settings.
• Conclusion: The mentor helped synthesize the learning, highlighting how understanding ECED history enhances professional ethics, empathy, and effectiveness in modern educational practice.

Step 5: Review and Refinement

The mentor conducted a detailed review focusing on academic writing standards, correct citation (APA format), logical flow, and reflective depth. Feedback included enhancing transitions, strengthening critical connections between historical insights and contemporary frameworks like Flight, and improving visual-text integration.

Step 6: Final Submission Preparation

The mentor ensured that both components (visual and written reflection) complemented each other with the creative part illustrating historical understanding and the reflection demonstrating personal and professional interpretation. The final portfolio was checked for coherence, originality, and alignment with learning outcomes.

Final Outcome and Learning Objectives Achieved

Through this structured mentoring approach, the student successfully:

• Demonstrated understanding of the historical evolution of ECED in Canada, including pedagogical and policy transformations.
• Connected theoretical frameworks to modern practices, particularly through the Flight early learning framework.
• Applied ethical and reflective thinking, identifying the importance of fairness, integrity, and professionalism in early education.
• Enhanced digital and creative communication skills through the development of an engaging visual artifact.
• Strengthened academic writing and analytical reflection skills through structured feedback and revision.

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