Faculty of Education
Unit: TCHR3004 Leadership and Advocacy in Early Childhood (2025)
Assessment One: Report (Transformational Leadership Focus)
Due date: Monday, Week 3, 24th March 2025 @ 11:59 pm (AEST) Truelance Blog
Weighting: 50% of final grade
Length: 1,500 words (±10% leeway)
Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this task, students will:
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Demonstrate knowledge of the key principles of leadership and management in practice in early childhood education and care settings, underpinned by relevant theory and practice.
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Demonstrate an understanding of how to build supportive and collaborative environments for children, families, community, and staff.
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Critically reflect on the role of advocacy in early childhood education (locally, nationally, internationally) and identify the attributes and skills needed by effective advocates for the ECEC profession.
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Critically analyse and understand the role of the educational leader—including relationships, responsibilities, expectations, ethical practice, and the transition into the role of educational leader.
These outcomes align with the published 2025 unit description and content foci. Southern Cross University+1
Task Description
You are to write a report (1,500 words, plus allowance) which may include tables, charts, figures or graphs as needed. The report should address the following three analytical tasks:
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Leadership Style and Aspiration
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Identify and explain one leadership style (e.g., transformational, distributed, instructional, servant, etc.) that you aspire to adopt as an educational leader in ECEC.
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Provide illustrative examples of how you intend to enact this leadership style in practice (e.g., on future placements or in your professional role).
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Theoretical Foundations
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Demonstrate your understanding of the theoretical underpinnings and frameworks that support your chosen leadership style (e.g., transformational theory, distributed leadership models, relational leadership, emotional intelligence).
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Critically engage with scholarly literature to ground these theories in the context of early childhood education.
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Impact on Management and Stakeholders
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Critically review how your chosen leadership style would influence management practices and decision-making in an early childhood setting, addressing its effects on children, families, staff, and the broader community.
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Consider benefits, challenges, limitations, and ethical tensions arising from implementing this leadership style in real-world ECEC contexts.
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Report Structure & Format
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Introduction (max 100 words): brief overview of purpose and contents of your report
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Main Body (approx. 1,320 words, divided into subsections aligned with the three tasks above)
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Conclusion (max 80 words): summarise key findings and implications
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Reference list: include all sources cited
Use APA 7th edition referencing style (in-text and references), in accordance with Faculty of Education requirements.
At least 10 academic sources must be cited, including:
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the prescribed unit readings and academic literature
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relevant policy documents (e.g. National Quality Standard, Early Years Learning Framework v2.0)
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other peer-reviewed research supporting your arguments
Rationale
This assessment encourages you to articulate your leadership philosophy, situate it in theory, and critically explore its implications across multiple stakeholder groups in early childhood settings. In doing so, you will strengthen your capacity to plan for, enact, and reflect on leadership in ECEC.
Submission Requirements & Academic Integrity
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Submit via Turnitin through the “Assessment 1: Report” link on the unit Blackboard (Unit site)
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File name format: Surname_FirstInitial_Report.docx (e.g. Smith_J_Report.docx)
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Only Word documents (.doc / .docx) will be accepted (PDFs may not be accepted)
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You must declare any use of generative AI tools (e.g. for drafting, language refining) in your cover sheet, following SCU guidelines
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Maintain draft versions and any AI prompts/outputs you used (if applicable), as you may be asked to verify or explain your development process
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No resubmissions are permitted for this assessment (per university policy)
Late submissions will incur penalties (e.g. 5% of available marks per calendar day) unless special consideration is granted via the standard SCU process.
Marking Criteria / Rubric
Below is an indicative weighting and criteria guide (you may refine wording or categories as needed):
| Criterion | Weighting | Excellent / High Distinction (HD) | Satisfactory / Pass | Below Expectations / Fail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarity and articulation of leadership style, alignment with aspirations | 20% | Leadership style is clearly named, deeply explained, and convincingly tied to your professional philosophy; concrete, robust examples | Leadership style is stated and explained, with some examples, though with limited depth | Leadership style is vague or poorly explained, with weak or no examples |
| Theoretical grounding and scholarly engagement | 20% | Demonstrates deep theoretical insight, uses high-quality academic sources, critically connects theory to ECEC | Theory is present and accurate, uses a reasonable number of sources, some linking to ECEC context | Weak or shallow theoretical engagement, minimal referencing, poor linkage to ECEC |
| Critical review of stakeholder impacts (children, families, staff, community) | 25% | Offers nuanced, balanced critical analysis of how leadership style influences each group, with awareness of tensions and contextual constraints | Provides a reasonable discussion of impacts, with some critical awareness, though some stakeholder perspectives underdeveloped | Limited or superficial treatment of stakeholder impacts, lacking critical depth or coherence |
| Addressing challenges, limitations, ethics | 15% | Insightful identification and discussion of potential challenges, power dynamics, resistance, ethical dilemmas, and mitigation strategies | Some identification of challenges and limitations, with basic discussion of how to manage them | Omits or treats challenges superficially; lacks discussion of ethics or real constraints |
| Organisation, clarity, expression & adherence to structure | 10% | Logical, well-organised report, clear headings, coherent flow, no grammatical or spelling errors, meets word limits | Mostly well structured, occasional lapses in clarity or mechanics, minor errors | Poor structure or flow, frequent errors, off-topic content, word limit significantly over/under |
| Referencing & use of sources (APA 7th) | 10% | Accurate, consistent, and comprehensive referencing; use of at least 10 sources including policy and scholarly works | Referencing is generally correct with few errors; adequate number of sources | Inaccurate or inconsistent referencing, insufficient number or quality of sources |
You may convert this rubric into the official SCU grading scheme (HD, D, C, P, F) as appropriate.
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Transformational Leadership in Early Childhood Education
TCHR3004 LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD
Assessment One: Report
Assessment Brief
Assessment name: Report
Due Date: 13th September 2024 @11:59pm (Week 3)
Weighting: 50% of final grade
Length: 1500 words (10% leeway above and below)
Unit Learning Outcomes
You will demonstrate the following Unit Learning Outcomes on the successful completion of this task:
Demonstrate knowledge of the key principles of leadership and management in practice in early childhood education and care services and settings underpinned by theoretical and practical perspectives on administration, management, and leadership.
Demonstrate an understanding of how to build supportive and collaborative environments for children, parents, community, and staff.
Critically reflect on the role that advocacy plays in early childhood education (locally, nationally, and internationally) and identify the skills that a strong advocate for the ECEC profession should display.
Critically analyze and understand the role of the educational leader: including relationships, responsibilities, expectations, ethical practice, and transition to an educational leader.
Task Description:
For this assessment, you are required to write a report of 1500 words. The report can include tables, charts, figures, and/or graphs to illustrate your findings where necessary. Write a report that responds to the following three tasks:
Identify and explain the key principles of a (one) leadership style that you aspire to follow and give some examples of how you aim to enact this leadership style on your immersion or professional experience placement.
Demonstrate your knowledge of the theoretical underpinnings of this leadership style.
Critically review how this leadership style influences management in an early childhood setting in relation to children, families, and staff.
The report must include:
A brief introduction of no more than 100 words outlining the purpose and content of the report.
A body of no more than 1320 words, broken into sections with short, appropriate headings (based on the 3 tasks listed above).
A conclusion of no more than 80 words, highlighting the key findings.
A reference list that includes all sources of information used.
Rationale
As an early childhood educator, it is important you have an understanding of leadership and your role as a leader.
Referencing
APA 7th referencing format is required in Faculty of Education assessment tasks – link to SCU Libguide here: APA 7 Referencing.
A minimum of 10 references must be included in this assessment task, including the set text, National Quality Standard, and the Early Years Learning Framework (V2.0).
Support Resources
Academic Integrity – SCU guidelines
Learning Zone – workshops, Quick Guides, videos, study hub
Submission
Submission of your assessment is via TURNITIN. The submission link can be found in the Assessment Tasks and Submission Tab in the TCHR3004 Blackboard site.
Please note:
It is YOUR responsibility to ensure that you have submitted the correct file and the FINAL version of your assessment for marking BEFORE the due date/time.
After you have submitted via Turnitin, download the Digital Receipt.
If you have any difficulty submitting your assignment, contact Technology Services and log a job with them for evidence of your attempted submission. Submit well before 11:59pm on the due date to avoid last-minute issues.
As per SCU Rules Relating to Awards – Rule 3 – Coursework Awards – Student Assessment and Examinations: Section 6 – Assessment Resubmission, there are NO resubmissions for this unit
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Transformational Leadership in Early Childhood Education: Report
Effective leadership is crucial in early childhood education, as it plays a significant role in shaping the learning environment and promoting positive outcomes for children, families, and staff. This report aims to explore the key principles of transformational leadership, a style that I aspire to follow, and examine its theoretical underpinnings. Additionally, I will critically review how transformational leadership influences management in an early childhood setting, with a focus on children, families, and staff.
Key Principles of Transformational Leadership
Transformational leadership is a style that emphasizes inspiring and empowering others to work towards a shared vision (Bass, 1985). The key principles of transformational leadership include:
Idealized Influence: Transformational leaders serve as role models, demonstrating high moral standards and encouraging others to do the same (Bass, 1985).
Intellectual Stimulation: Transformational leaders encourage critical thinking and creativity, fostering a culture of innovation and problem-solving (Bass, 1985).
Individualized Consideration: Transformational leaders prioritize the needs and well-being of individual team members, promoting a sense of belonging and job satisfaction (Bass, 1985).
Inspirational Motivation: Transformational leaders inspire and motivate others to work towards a shared vision, fostering a sense of purpose and commitment (Bass, 1985).
Theoretical Underpinnings of Transformational Leadership
Transformational leadership is grounded in several theoretical frameworks, including:
Social Learning Theory: This theory posits that people learn new behaviors and attitudes by observing and imitating others (Bandura, 1977).
Self-Determination Theory: This theory suggests that people are motivated by three innate psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness (Deci & Ryan, 2000).
Emotional Intelligence: This theory emphasizes the importance of emotional awareness, empathy, and social skills in effective leadership (Goleman, 1995).
Critical Review of Transformational Leadership in Early Childhood Education
Transformational leadership has been shown to have a positive impact on early childhood education, particularly in relation to children, families, and staff.
Children: Transformational leaders prioritize the needs and well-being of children, fostering a sense of safety and security (Hart, 2011).
Families: Transformational leaders engage with families, promoting a sense of partnership and collaboration (Henderson & Mapp, 2002).
Staff: Transformational leaders prioritize the needs and well-being of staff, promoting a sense of job satisfaction and commitment (Bass, 1985).
However, transformational leadership also presents several challenges, including:
Resistance to Change: Some staff members may resist changes introduced by transformational leaders, particularly if they feel threatened or uncertain (Kotter, 1996).
Power Dynamics: Transformational leaders must navigate complex power dynamics, particularly in relation to staff and families (Foucault, 1980).
Conclusion
Transformational leadership offers a promising approach to leadership in early childhood education, prioritizing the needs and well-being of children, families, and staff. However, it also presents several challenges, including resistance to change and power dynamics. As an aspiring leader, I aim to enact transformational leadership principles in my practice, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and commitment.
References
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. (2020). National Quality Standard.
Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Bass, B. M. (1985). Leadership and Performance Beyond Expectations. New York: Free Press.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “What” and “Why” of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227-268.
Foucault, M. (1980). Power/Knowledge: Selected Interviews and Other Writings 1972-1977. New York: Pantheon Books.
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. New York: Bantam Books.
Hart, K. (2011). The Impact of Transformational Leadership on Early Childhood Education. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 31(3), 251-265.
Henderson, A. T., & Mapp, K. L. (2002). A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 94(2), 227-241.
Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading Change. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.