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[Title]

[Name]

[Date]
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Question 1

Part A: In your own words, write a short definition (2-3 sentences) for proximal

processes.

Answer: According to Bronfenbrenner, the term proximal processes is defined as the

dealings between children and their carers. Carers can be anyone who looks after

children and provides care such as a nanny, guidance counselors, parentage,

antecedents, or instructors. It is also defined as the relations of children with material

things. These include graphics tablets, toys, video games, sports equipment, or

educational equipment. Activities are the most helpful and efficient in the progress and

growth of children if they are steady towards their activities for a long tenure (Beasley et

al., 2022).

Part B: Think about the aspects that influence children’s lives today and how this has

changed over the last twenty years. With reference to the unit content discuss how

contemporary life may enhance or hinder proximal processes and outcomes compared

to how life influenced them in the past. Frame your answer using the levels in

Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model.

Answer: In the era of digitalization, effective microsystems are focal perspectives that

present children as connected in the processes of proximal. From the past 20 years to

the present time development has changed broadly. Many children through the use of

technology are able to connect with their families and peers. They connect to them

without leaving their place to talk on a landline. They are mostly influenced by their
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environment. According to Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model, the use of technology

affects children’s proximal processes by shaping how they communicate, socialize, and

learn. They are primarily affected by their natural environment. At the microsystem

level, the use of technology helps them to interact at home, with peer groups, and at

school. It helps them to shape their learning experiences and relationships. In addition,

primary educators have taken important measures regarding the integration of the

utilization of technology in daily attempts (Dwyer, Jones, and Rosas, 2019). It is

apparent that the use of technology among children in education and at home is

common in daily practices. In the mesosystem, the technology is used among

educators, parents, and other investors for the purpose of communication and

cooperation to stay connected and share information related to the progress of a child

(Davis et al., 2021). Moreover, in the exosystem, technology has impacted children’s

lives on a larger scale and has influence directly on different platforms, such as media,

community groups, and policies made by the administration that will help in shaping

their social standards, norms, morals, values, and prospects. As technology has

surrounded the social and cultural perspectives through which children evolve, it

influences their beliefs, practices, and values related to socialization, education, and

learning as a whole lies at the macrosystem level. The effect of technology at the

chronosystem level is changing over time. With time to time evolution of technology, it

brings new challenges and opportunities for children to develop according to them.

However, with the advancement of technology, many hindrances are faced in the

proximal process of children. Online gaming is one of the factors that is affecting

children’s behavior where they spend most of their leisure time playing games Zhu,
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Zhuang, Lee, Li, and Wong, 2021). Their social life and daily routines have also been

affected due to gaming. Many families still have dinner tables set at dinner time, but

they look different from the past 20 years. One of the pediatricians, Dr. Natasha Burgert

said that nowadays children while sitting at the table are more involved in their mobiles

rather than sharing stories at the table (Murphy, 2019).

Question 2

The extent to which victims of bullying suffer negative outcomes is partly determined by

how they cope with being bullied. In your future practice as an early childhood teacher,

how can you ensure the children in your care have the skills and strategies to overcome

bullying incidents with reference to the unit content. Make links to the Early Years

Learning Framework (DET, 2022) where relevant.

Answer: Bullying is a planned form of hostile activity or aggressive behavior. It is not as

much of well-known in early childhood settings. Physical aggression related to early

childhood was an issue of public health and a predecessor to the development of

psychological and physical ill-health in later years of life (Mehta et al., 2021). The

government of Australia is entrusted to assist children to avoid being the victim of bully

and is building a National Agenda for Early Childhood to assist with this objective

(Olusanya et al., 2022). One research has recommended that children with permanent

and challenging behavior difficulties in preschool times exhibit adverse long run impacts

in subjects of community abilities and interaction with peers (Tripathi et al.,2021). Early

education related to bullying can be outlined using four methods that include

knowledge, competence or attitude, abilities, and actions (Tripathi et al.,2021). This can

be done by early childhood teachers through discussion about what bullying is and what
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different types and steps are taken to bully, what a harmful bully causes impact, what

bullying behavior is not adequate, and what should be needed to end this (Jeffrey, and

Stuart, 2019). Competence, attitudes, and importance could be built y educating

children so that they can sense sympathy for individuals who have faced bullying from

others, telling them the sensitivity of hatred for people who bully individuals. Expertise

and abilities must be heightened and trained by teachers that must comprise the

capability to defend children from individuals who bully, the capability to control adverse

feelings such as irritation, the capability to encounter bullying behavior used for others

and fight determination abilities that can be hired to support children to solve variances

peacefully (Tripathi et al.,2021). Teachers need to promote those behaviors that resist

from bullying people, behaviors that provide assistance to solve quarrels that promote

bullying, and behaviors that limit or deter people who bully other people, and give

assistance, support, and recognition to those people who face bullying (Tripathi et

al.,2021). As preschool students face problems in identifying bullying, so teachers need

to teach children about bullying at the initial stage so that they can be able to detect

what bullying is and what incidents promote bullying. Preschool children address their

problems more positively to teachers if their teachers address them about what situation

leads to bullying. The method to prevent bullying comprises of some activities as a part

of education and training to help children in their development ( Axford et al., Tredinnick-

Rowe et al., Rybcyznska-Bunt et al.,2023). Moreover, teachers should create

awareness about people who are bullying and who are doing harmful bulling. Through

this recognization techniques, children will be able to encounter these problems of

bullying.
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Question 3 and the incident related to bullying

You are working at a long daycare centre where a new family has enrolled. You have

planned a cooking experience with the children when the boy (aged 4) states, “cooking

is the girl’s job, boys should not cook!” Discuss the following points with reference to the

unit content:

o What language and actions would you use to handle this situation?

o How can you teach gender equality as part of the Australian culture to children

aged 3-5 years?

o What are the strategies you could implement to work towards social justice and

equity?

Answer:

o To handle the situation, a reply will be given to his statement in an inclusive and

respectable manner. First, speak to the child from where he gets to know about

this knowledge. After knowing their view share some experiences about the

statement that many famous chefs are male and in many homes cooking is done

by the father and brothers often. Cooking is not a gender-specific task, but it is a

skill, and every individual whether male or female must know how to cook.

Cooking is a family activity and parents who cook for their child is an act of love

and that love is one main ingredient that goes into every single meal. Every

individual in the family no matter what the gender is must contribute to the

household chores because it creates a welcoming atmosphere of a home.

o First, do not limit the activities of children based on their gender. Allow them to

play with whatever toy they want to play with. As children quickly absorb and

reproduce behavior they see and experience in their daily lives, show them the

division of domestic work between men and women. Expressions speak more

than words, so show them that household chores can be done by anyone.

Provide them an environment of open conversation even if they are raised in an

environment with no gender stereotypes at home, but sometimes the experience

through TV, and other social media platforms, so that they can express their

feelings of what they experience of feel. Moreover, teach them to respect each

other and their differences and not body shame or show racism, as many black

people are seen through the lens of racism, showing children that the history of

black people is made up of queens, princesses, and heroes.

o Social justice and equity promote fairness in society. Some important strategies

are needed to work toward social justice and equity. One important strategy is to

actively challenge and address inequalities systematically through the

involvement of policies made for the promotion of equal rights and opportunities

for everyone. Another important strategy is to provide support to disregarded

communities and associations that fight for justice and equal rights. Moreover,

promotes inclusiveness and diversity in actions and interactions in contribution to

creating an equitable world.

In addition, the best method of advocating social justice and fairness is to learn

from the different perceptions and experiences of communities, partners, fellow

workers, and clients by listening to them attentively, validating, understanding,

and empathizing with the experiences they face, issues, and objectives.

Moreover, looking for and connecting with various resources of knowledge

including paper works, web blogs, podcasts, or online or physical seminars which

help to increase awareness, knowledge, and alertness of social justice and

equity issues in career development. Another way to work for the promotion of

social justice and equity is to encounter unfair organizations and procedures that

are limiting the prospects, and opportunities, and consequences of the people,

communities, and clients.

REFERENCES

A RESOURCE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT. (n.d.). Creating gender equity in the early

years - MAV. MAV website.

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Creating-Gender-Equity-in-the-Early-Years-A-Resource-for-Local-Government.pdf

Axford, N., Tredinnick-Rowe, J., Rybcyznska-Bunt, S., Burns, L., Green, F., &

Thompson, T. (2023). Engaging youth at risk of violence in services: Messages

from Research. Children and Youth Services Review, 144, 106713.

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Parenting challenges and opportunities among families living in poverty. Social

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Dwyer, A., Jones, C., & Rosas, L. (2019). What digital technology do early childhood

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