Reference no: EM133926316 , Length: word count:800

Contemporary Issues, Social Contexts of Learning and Social Justice

Assessment - Storybook critique

Purpose

To apply philosophical perspectives in a critical review of a children's picture story book.

The learning outcomes assessed are:

LO 1: Critically review the influence of historical, philosophical, global, political and social factors on contemporary issues in early childhood education;

LO 2: Critique how social, cultural and philosophical perspectives inform individual and collective understandings of childhoods and pedagogy, and shape professional practice and the role of the teacher;

Task Details
You are required to choose one of the children's picture story books that you borrowed or purchased during Week 1 and critically review the book.

You must include in-text citations and a reference list in APA7 format, including if you have used any Generative AI tools (see below). Only reference readings and other content in Collaborate Week One should be used for this task. Get expert-level assistance in any subject with our assignment help services.

AI Considerations:
Your final submitted assessment must show that you can develop and refine ideas independently of GenAI. GenAI should not provide complete, ready-to-submit assignment answers. Instead, GenAI may offer guidance on understanding the concepts.

Additional Information
To help you complete this task successfully, the following resources are provided:
Assessment Instructions: Storybook Critique - follow the checklist carefully to guide you through the report writing process.
Marking Rubric - refer to this to understand how you will be assessed
Academic referencing - refer to this for VU Library Guides on how to cite key early childhood documents and for the APA referencing guide.
Assessment Instructions: Storybook Critique
You may wish to copy + paste this checklist into the Notes section in Cadmus and tick off items as you complete them.

Step 1: Select A Book (Hard Copy)

Choose one of the children's picture story books that you borrowed from the local library or purchased during Week 1. This must be a physical book - no e-books are allowed.

Take a 'selfie' of yourself holding the book and include the image in this submission to confirm you read the book. Follow this guide on how to include an image in Cadmus.

Step 2: Critical Reading

Read and critically review the book by:
Engaging with the different theories and perspectives you have explored in Week 1.
IMPT: Week One focused explicitly on poststructuralist and critical theories and perspectives. Do NOT use socio-cultural (eg Vygotsky, Bronfenbrenner), developmental theories (eg Piaget), or socio-behaviourist theories (eg. Skinner, Pavlov, Bandura) for your analysis in AT1. You will FAIL Criteria 2 and 3 of this assignment if you do not use critical or poststructuralist theory in your analysis.
Analysing the book's themes, concepts and representations, including ideas and messages communicated explicitly or implicitly in texts and pictures.
Making connections between the book and your personal experience.

Step 3: Plan and Write a Storybook Critique (word limit: 800 words)

Introduction:
State the name of the book being critiqued and the author.
Introduce the themes, concepts, and representations (e.g., cultural, gender, power representations) that you will include in your critique.
Do not offer a book summary.

Body:
Organise your thoughts into 3-4 paragraphs that will demonstrate:
your critical engagement with the theories and perspectives introduced in Week One.
your ability to apply these theories and perspectives to critically analyse the book's themes, concepts and representations.
your ability to draw meaningful and insightful connections between the book and your personal experience (e.g., ideas, concepts, images and narratives).
Include images and page numbers from the book (photos that you have taken yourself) that show the elements you are referring to in your writing.

Conclusion:
Summarise the key points of your critique and why they support your evaluation.

References:
Include a reference list in APA 7th style
Minimum 3 references from unit readings.