The Expertise of a Social Pedagogue in Early Childhood Education and Care – Applying The Skills in Practice (1cr)

Evaluation methods and criteria

The course unit will be assessed on a pass/fail (to be completed) basis. Assignments will be completed during the course unit and assessed on a pass/fail (to be completed) basis. The assessment criteria for the assignments are available on Moodle. The overall assessment of the course unit requires that all learning assignments are submitted by no later than 31 July 2026. The course unit may be studied between 1 December 2025 and 31 July 2026, but students may complete the course unit according to their own schedule, more quickly if they wish. Assessment takes place every two months (February, April, June, and August). Student achievements will always be processed in the next assessment period, depending on the submission of assignments.

Evaluation scale

Hyväksytty/Hylätty

Objective

After completing the course, the student will: - understand the role of a social worker in early childhood education as part of a multidisciplinary team, work community, and everyday life - understand the role of a social worker in early childhood education in promoting the participation and well-being of children and families - know and understand the qualification requirements for social workers in early childhood education - know about the different tasks of social workers in early childhood education in other operating environments

Content

The course introduces students to the job description, eligibility requirements, and training of early childhood education social workers. During the course: - The role of a social worker in early childhood education as part of the early childhood education community and multidisciplinary work will be examined. - The special expertise of a social worker in early childhood education as a promoter of the participation and well-being of children and families will be examined. - We will familiarize ourselves with the different operating environments in which early childhood education social workers can work. - We will consider how the importance of the expertise of early childhood education social workers can be made visible in early childhood education.

Location and time

The course takes place entirely online.

Materials

The course will be implemented in Finnish. The study materials are provided in the Metropolia Moodle learning environment.

Teaching methods

The course unit is studied independently, regardless of time and place, online in Metropolia’s Moodle learning environment from 8 December 2025 to 31 July 2026. Continuous enrolment is available for the course unit from 1 December 2025 to 30 June 2026. Moodle will be opened for students on 8 December 2025. The online course does not include any compulsory meetings scheduled for specific times. Moodle assignments are to be completed in the given order; however, students may progress at their own pace. Teachers will review submissions every two months: in February, April, June, and August. The working methods consist of independently studied learning materials and associated learning assignments. The materials and reflective tasks include reading, listening, and writing.

Exam schedules

The course does not include an exam, but a passing grade requires the completion and submission of assignments in accordance with the instructions.

Student workload

1 credit corresponds to approximately 27 working hours.