Professional Development

Throughout the year we will be organising professional development sessions of particular relevance to professionals working in the area of early childhood intervention. See below for details of sessions.

2009

ECA/ECIA Victorian State Conference
Date: Friday 16th October 2009
Updated - Pre-conference workshop proposed for Thursday 15th October 2009.
Flyer: Download the flyer (pdf - 281 KB)
*** Updated - Conference Program: Download the Final Conference Program (pdf - 378 KB)
*** Updated - Pre-conference Program: Download the Final Pre-conference Workshop Program (pdf - 358 KB)
Registration Form: Download the Registration Form (doc - 55 KB)

ECA/ECIA Victorian State Conference Keynote Speaker Lillian Holt
Lillian Holt has had a long and formal career in Indigenous education spanning over three and a half decades.
She was appointed a University of Melbourne Fellow in 2003-2005 and prior to that from 1998-2002, she was the Director of the Centre for Indigenous Education, University of Melbourne.
Her substantive position before taking up her appointment(s) at Melbourne University, was Principal of Tauondi (pronounced Town-dee) an Aboriginal Community College in Port Adelaide. She worked there for sixteen years, the last seven as the first Aboriginal Principal.
She has a BA with majors in English and Journalism (University of Queensland) and an MA from the University of Northern Colorado, USA and was formerly enrolled in a PhD at Melbourne University on Aboriginal Humour.
Lillian has travelled extensively, both within Australia and overseas and has also spoken at a diverse range of conferences, nationally and internationally. In 2004 she was awarded the Gandhi, King, Ikeda peace medal from Morehouse College, Atlanta, the Alma Mater of Martin Luther King, for her work in the area of Reconciliation.
In 2005, she was appointed to membership of the World Wisdom Council (Club of Budapest) and in 2006, she was appointed an Honorary Fellow of Melbourne University.
Her passionate interests (as opposed to hobbies) are: People and Words! She regards her best asset to be her humour and is passionately interested in the healing of race relations in Australia.

2nd March 2009, 9.00am - 1.10pm

"The Early Years: From Research to Policy to Practice Seminar"
Infant crying: causes, challenges and long-term outcomes

Rydges on Swanston
701 Swanston Stree, Carlton
Cost $66 incl GST

I am pleased to be able to invite you to this upcoming seminar, the first seminar of 2009 presented by the Centre for Community Child Health with funding from The R.E. Ross Trust. This seminar will focus on early infant crying. Around 20% of Australian parents report a problem with their baby’s crying in the first few months of life and such crying is associated with family stress, postnatal depression, and in rare cases, child abuse. This seminar will focus on the possible causes of prolonged infant crying, management options and pitfalls, service challenges for infant crying, and long-term outcomes.

Registration: Please return ECIA Registration Form by 23rd February 2009 - Click here to get the registration form
For further information, please contact Cathy Archer on (03) 9345 6337 or email Catherine Archer

Thursday 26th March 2009, 9.30am - 12.30pm followed by lunch from 12.30-1.30pm

ECIA(VC) together with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development are pleased to invite ECI managers, Specialist Children's Services team leaders, SDS Principals and staff in relevant roles to a half day forum addressing

"The place of authentic assessment in EC services / systems"
Presented by Prof Stephen Bagnato & Assistant Professor Kristie Pretti-Frontczak

Rydges Melbourne
186 Exhibition Street (Cnr Little Bourke)
Subsidised fee: No charge for staff in DEECD funded services
Full fee: $50 (incl GST)

Forum overview:
Prof Steve Bagnato (University of Pittsburgh) and Assistant Professor Kristie Pretti-Frontczak (Kent State University) champion the use of measurement techniques that systematically capture authentic portraits of the competencies of young children with additional needs in everyday settings and routines - the natural developmental ecology of children. In addition to delivering the full day workshop on “Authentic Assessment in Practice” on 27 March, Steve and Kristie have accepted an invitation to conduct a half day forum directed at a management level. They will share their insights and facilitate discussion on the place of authentic assessment in early childhood services / systems, and the processes necessary to implement change in assessment for eligibility and intervention and in evaluation of individuals and programs.

RSVP by 20th March to Michelle Harvey, ECIA(VC) Executive Officer
Phone (03) 9489 2477 or email exec@eciavic.org.au

Friday 27th March 2009, 9.00am - 4.00pm

"Authentic Assessment In Practice Workshop"
Presented by Prof Stephen Bagnato & Assistant Professor Kristie Pretti-Frontczak

Telstra Dome
Subsidised fee: $50 (GST incl) (for staff who work in DEECD funded services)
Full fee: $120

Workshop overview:
Prof Steve Bagnato (University of Pittsburgh) and Assistant Professor Kristie Pretti-Frontczak (Kent State University) champion the use of measurement techniques that systematically capture authentic portraits of the competencies of young children with additional needs in everyday settings and routines - the natural developmental ecology of children. They will teach the techniques and strategies used in authentic assessment for many purposes in early intervention including for eligibility, individual progress, program evaluation and service outcomes. Assessments which are representative of functioning in daily life, sensitive to atypical individual progress and readily communicable to families have many potential advantages. Authentic assessment may be used for transition assessments and progress reports between different education sectors. It can honour effort, be empowering of families and promote their ongoing collaboration with staff in the interests of children’s progress. The proposed workshop will be relevant to ECIS Agency and SCS staff, PSFOs, ISFs, Early Education, Program for Students with Disabilities and early primary school staff.

Workshop content:

the purposes for assessment in early childhood intervention;
issues related to existing testing practices;
eight standards for professional "best practices";
a rationale and examples of the process and methods for authentic assessment;
and guide points for implementing authentic assessment in action.

Registration: Please return ECIA Registration Form by Friday 20th March 2009 - Click here to get the registration form
For further information, please contact ECIA(VC) on (03) 9509 5584 or email exec@eciavic.org.au

2nd & 3rd April 2009, 9.30am - 4.00pm

"Strengths Approach Training"
Presented by Bernadette Glass

Treacy Conference Centre
126 The Avenue, Parkville (accommodation available - contact Michelle Harvey at ECIA(VC) for further details)
Cost $360 incl GST (Lunch and notes provided)

Registration: Please return ECIA Registration Form by 20th March 2009 - Click here to get the registration form
For further information, please contact ECIA(VC) on 9509 5584 or email exec@eciavic.org.au