Category: Academic Artifacts

ECE 309 Course Description & Academic Artifact

Toddler Care and Curriculum

Course Description:

This course is a continuation of ECE 209, focusing on the theories, methods and materials of early childhood education for toddlers (ages eighteen months to thirty-six months). The following topics are explored in depth: social, emotional, cognitive, physical and self-help development of toddlers; basic principles of toddler care giving, including providing culturally sensitive and consistent care; arrangement of the learning environment and developmentally and culturally appropriate experiences to promote toddler growth and learning; the role of parents and establishing partnerships with families.

Artifact: Toddler Classroom Model Project

ECE 311 Course Description & Academic Artifact

Early Childhood Practicum I: Observing and Recording

Course Description:

This is a fieldwork course focusing on the observation and assessment of young children. It requires supervised participation in an assigned early childhood setting (preschool to second grade) and attendance at a weekly seminar. Students will learn the appropriate use of assessment and observation strategies to document the development, growth, play and learning of young children; and how authentic assessment methods can be used to tailor curriculum to promote children’s success. Recording strategies, rating systems, child studies/portfolios, and various assessment tools are explored. Students spend a minimum of 60 hours in the field.

Artifact: Developmental Domains Child Case Study

ECE 312 Course Description & Academic Artifact

Curriculum for Young Children II

Course Description:

This course is a continuation of ECE 211, focusing on the theories, methods and materials of curriculum planning in early childhood education (preschool to second grade). The emphasis in this course is on providing developmentally and culturally appropriate learning environments and experiences that encourage foundational social scientific, mathematic and scientific thinking and skills in young children. The following topics are explored in depth: social studies as a lens by which young children can explore our diverse ethno-cultural society and their place in it; the use of materials and play-based techniques to facilitate ways of constructing everyday mathematical ideas; the creation of environments and experiences that stimulate children’s scientific curiosity and playful exploration of our natural and human-made world; the use of block/construction and cooking experiences for the integration of social studies, mathematics, science, literacy and the arts. Course work includes workshops in planning and implementing inquiry/play-based experiences for young children.

Artifact: Learning Experiences Unit

ECE 409 Course Description & Academic Artifact

Infants and Toddlers Practicum II: Pedagogy for Infants and Toddlers

Course Description:

This is a capstone fieldwork course that enables students to demonstrate their competencies teaching infants and toddlers. It requires supervised participation in an assigned early childhood education setting (birth to thirty-six months) and attendance at a weekly seminar. Students will utilize practical classroom experiences to make connections between theory and practice, develop professional behaviors, and build a comprehensive understanding of children and families. Child centered, play-oriented approaches to teaching, learning and assessment; and knowledge of curriculum content areas will be emphasized as student teachers design, implement and evaluate experiences that promote positive development and learning for infants and toddlers with diverse learning styles and needs. Students spend a minimum of 90 hours in the field.

Artifact: Intentional Teaching Capstone Project

ECE 410 Course Description & Academic Artifact

Educational Foundations and Pedagogy for The Exceptional Child

Course Description:

This course examines the education of children (birth to eight years) with special needs, along with the historical, social, cultural, and legal foundations of special education in the U.S. It explores the causes and effects of various exceptionalities, including: emotional, intellectual, physical, visual, auditory, orthopedic, speech and/or language and giftedness. Techniques for differentiated learning and universal design are analyzed; issues of ethno-cultural diversity are explored, including methods for working with the families of children with special needs in respectful, non-biased ways. This course requires 30 hours of fieldwork.

Artifact: Identifying and Assessing a Focus Child

ECE 411 Course Description & Academic Artifact

Early Childhood Practicum II: Pedagogy for Young Children

Course Description:

This is a capstone fieldwork course that enables students to demonstrate their competencies teaching young children. It requires supervised participation in an assigned early childhood education setting (preschool to second grade) and attendance at a weekly seminar. Students will utilize practical classroom experiences to make connections between theory and practice, develop professional behaviors, and build a comprehensive understanding of children and families. Child centered, play-oriented approaches to teaching, learning and assessment; and knowledge of curriculum content areas will be emphasized as student teachers design, implement and evaluate experiences that promote positive development and learning for young children with diverse learning styles and needs. Students spend a minimum of 90 hours in the field.

Artifact: Intentional Teaching Capstone Project