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Title / Demonstrate knowledge of children’s learning and how learning theories influence practice in an ECE service
Level / 4 / Credits / 6
Purpose / People credited with this unit standard are able to: demonstrate knowledge of ways in which children learn; describe how learning experiences for children relate to learning theories; and demonstrate knowledge of howlearning theories influence practice in an ECE service.
This unit standard is an introduction to education and care of children in an ECEservice. It is designed for people who intend to work, or are working with, children in an ECE service. People working in the wider education sector may also be interested in this unit standard. This unit standard will prepare people to advance to a higher level of study in ECE.
Classification / Early Childhood Education and Care > Early Childhood: Educational Theory and Practice
Available grade / Achieved
Explanatory notes
1An early childhood education (ECE) service may include a centre-based service, hospital-based service, or home-based service. The home-based service may be nominated by the child’s parent, be the child’s own home, or the home of the educator.
Evidence of one service is required.
2Three 'broad age groups' are defined in Te Whāriki for children. These are overlapping age categories and aredefined as:
infant – birth to 18 months;
toddler – one year to three years;
young child – two and a half years to school entry age.
Evidence in this standard is for children as a whole group. Each of the age categories are not intended to be assessed individually.
3Candidates for this unit standard should be familiar with the intent of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, which informs guidelines, procedures, and practices in the ECE sector.
4Definition
Reciprocal and responsive relationshipis defined as a relationship involving mutual, or complementary reactions and responses between two parties, where one party (often the adult) reacts quickly and sensitively to the interests,observations, or experiences of another party (often the child).
3Legislation includes but is not limited to:
Education Act 1989
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008
Vulnerable Children Act 2014
and subsequent amendments.
4References
Ministry of Education, Te Whāriki: He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa. Early Childhood Curriculum (Wellington, Learning Media, 1996); available at
Education Council New Zealand, The Education Council Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers; available at
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which children learn.
Evidence requirements
1.1Learning experiences are explained in terms of how they influence children’s learning.
Rangechildren’s learning experiences include but are not limited to – individual activities, social activities, play, routines.
1.2Reciprocal and responsive relationships are explained in terms of how they influence children’s learning.
Outcome 2
Describe how children’s learning experiences relate to learning theories.
Evidence requirements
2.1The relationship between children’s learning experiences and learning theories is described.
Rangetheories include but are not limited to – cognitive, ecological, socio-cultural.
Outcome 3
Demonstrate knowledge of howlearning theories influence practice in an ECE service.
Rangeevidence of three learning theories is required.
Evidence requirements
3.1The influence of learning theories on provision of learning opportunities in a specific ECE service is explained.
Rangegeneral ECE practice, candidate’s own practice.
Replacement information / This unit standard was replaced by unit standard 29872.This unit standard is expiring. Assessment against the standard must take place by the last date for assessment set out below.
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 26 March 1997 / 31 December 2016
Review / 2 / 25 January 2005 / 31 December 2016
Review / 3 / 17 December 2010 / 31 December 2017
Revision / 4 / 8 December 2011 / 31 December 2019
Rollover and Revision / 5 / 20 August 2015 / 31 December 2019
Review / 6 / 20 April 2017 / 31 December 2019
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference / 0135
This CMR can be accessed at
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
NZQA National Qualifications ServicesSSB Code 130301 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018 / / New Zealand Qualifications Aut