Early Childhood Education Courses
Courses
Early Childhood Professionalism and Program Evaluation: This course provides an examination of professional and ethical codes of conduct in the field of Early Childhood Education. It focuses on the components of developmentally appropriate and culturally sustaining programming for young children, as well as the roles and responsibilities of caregivers and educators in these settings. Students will explore legislation and public policy related to the education of young children, analyze various Early Childhood programs according to state and national standards, and articulate their emerging identity as an early childhood education professional.
Department: Early Childhood Education
3 Credit Hours
8 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
5 Other Hours
Major Restrictions:
Restricted to majors of BSED
Infant Care and Education: This course focuses on the theories, methods and materials of early care and education for infants (children birth to eighteen months) in diverse educational settings. The following topics are explored in depth: social, emotional, cognitive and physical development of infants; basic principles of infant care giving, including providing culturally sensitive and consistent care; arrangement of the environment and developmentally appropriate experiences to promote infant growth and learning; and establishing respectful and responsive partnerships with families.
Department: Early Childhood Education
3 Credit Hours
6 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
3 Other Hours
Classification Restrictions:
Restricted to class of JR,SO,SR
Toddler Care and Education: This course focuses on the theories, methods and materials of early care and education for toddlers (children eighteen to thirty-six months) in diverse educational settings. The following topics are explored in depth: social, emotional, cognitive and physical development of toddlers; basic principles of toddler care giving, including providing culturally sensitive and consistent care; arrangement of the environment and developmentally appropriate experiences to promote toddler growth and learning; and establishing respectful and responsive partnership with families.
Department: Early Childhood Education
3 Credit Hours
6 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
3 Other Hours
Classification Restrictions:
Restricted to class of JR,SO,SR
This course will explore, identify and analyze the Fine Arts Curriculum Standards (Art, Music and Theater) required for the EC-6 Certificate in the Educator Preparation Program. Emphasis will be placed on the understanding of the concepts and applying this understanding to the instructional process in the elementary classroom (Early Childhood - 6th grade, EC-6).
Department: Early Childhood Education
2 Credit Hours
2 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
2 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Child Development Applied to Early Childhood Practice: This course will provide an examination of the psychological and psychosocial bases of early childhood as they relate to educational practice with young children, birth to age 8. It focuses on young children's physical, cognitive, communicative, social and emotional development--both as contributors to, and as consequences of, early learning experiences. Early learning will be examined in relation to biological factors, child and family factors, program/ schooling factors and social factors, particularly in diverse bilingual education settings.
Department: Early Childhood Education
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Approaches to Early Childhood Care and Education: This course provides a comprehensive exploration of the historical, philosophical, sociological, and political bases for the care and education of young children. It covers historical and contemporary approaches to early childhood education; multicultural and social ecological factors in early care and schooling, particularly for diverse bilingual settings; advocacy and current issues in early childhood education practice.
Department: Early Childhood Education
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
The Arts in the Early Years: This course prepares participants to integrate the Arts (visual arts, creative writing, music, theatre and dance) across the early childhood/elementary curriculum. It covers art content; theories, methods and materials of instruction; lesson planning and classroom management techniques for Arts-based teaching, with a particular emphasis on engaging diverse students in personally and culturally meaningful self-expression. Students will explore developmentally appropriate practices that nurture artistic development and experience the creative process through hands-on study of the Arts.
Department: Early Childhood Education
3 Credit Hours
3.25 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
.25 Other Hours
Major Restrictions:
Restricted to majors of APLE, BSED, IDST
Classification Restrictions:
Restricted to class of JR,SR
This course serves as an introduction to the field of Early Childhood Education focusing on historical perspectives, current issues, types of curricula, and developmental practices.
Department: Early Childhood Education
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
This course addresses the design of Early Childhood learning environments, including classrooms, areas for caregiving routines, play spaces, outdoor areas and playgrounds. It looks at the linkages between physical organization, Universal Design, aesthetics (beauty), material/toy availability and developmentally responsive and culturally sustaining rituals and routines, along with how these shape infants, toddlers, and preschoolers' behaviors and engagement as learners. Students will explore strategies for creating spaces that foster a sense of belonging and promote competence in all children. Keywords: Early Childhood Education; Developmentally and Culturally Appropriate Practices; Learning Environments.
Department: Early Childhood Education
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
This course focuses on the appropriate use of assess/observation strategies to document the development, growth, play and learning of young children; and how authentic assessment methods can be used to guide experiences to meet differentiated needs. The course will aid undergraduate ECCE students in being able to better perform systematic observations and assessments in the classroom. ECED faculty will develop content exploration and synthesis for this course at a 3000/junior level (replaces 2000-level course) to align with the new program progression and national accreditation standards.
Department: Early Childhood Education
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
This course provides an examination of the design, implementation and evaluation of activities and environments for young children to encourage learning related to STEAM [Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics] in diverse bilingual contexts. It covers how environmental interactions, socio-cultural relationships, STEM process skills/practices and artistic expression interact to form the basis of early inquiry, problem solving, critical and creative thinking, and STEAM conceptual development in young children. Students will gain knowledge of state and national teaching standards. Keywords: Early Childhood Education; Developmentally and Culturally Appropriate Practices; STEM/STEAM Education.
Department: Early Childhood Education
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Responsive Class Management: This course adopts an encompassing view of classroom management, including: positive child guidance strategies, inclusive social organization strategies and the design of engaging learning environments. It covers the psychosocial foundations of current child guidance strategies and practical approaches to promoting effective child-teacher, peer-peer and large group interactions. Emphasis is placed on ways teachers can foster respectful and responsive relationships with and between students, as well as techniques for nurturing self-regulation, self-motivativion and self-esteem in children.
Department: Early Childhood Education
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Major Restrictions:
Restricted to majors of BSED
Classification Restrictions:
Restricted to class of JR,SR
This course investigates how the human brain develops during early childhood, including the structure and function of key brain regions. Emphasis is on the rapid brain development that takes place in the first three years of life and connections to observed behaviors, language and socioemotional development and early learning. Students will explore how early experiences affect the architecture of the developing brain and associated developmental outcomes, as well as teaching practices and strategies designed to support positive brain development. Keywords: Early Childhood Education; Developmentally and Culturally Appropriate Practices; Brain Development.
Department: Early Childhood Education
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Language and Literacy in The Early Years: This course focuses on the knowledge, skills and abilities young children develop for oral language use, emergent reading and emergent writing. Current research and educational practices; the role of sociocultural influences and children's literature; and the components of literacy-rich classrooms will be analyzed in relation to theoretical views of early literacy development. Students will explore developmentally appropriate practices that nurture the early language and literacy development of diverse learners through the selection and development of curricula for early elementary grades.
Play and Learning in the Early Years: This course focuses on promoting and guiding children's play as a fundamental learning mechanism within culturally and linguistically diverse early elementary classrooms. It covers research and theories of play; strategies, materials, and activities that support and encourage play and creativity; and the role of play-based instructional approaches in fostering learning across all academic content areas. Students will design learning experiences that emphasize play, multi-sensory engagement and active, hands-on problem-solving to promote early learning and growth in all developmental domains.
Department: Early Childhood Education
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Classification Restrictions:
Restricted to class of JR,SR
This course examines management and leadership models within programs serving infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their families. It covers leadership perspectives which mirror Early Childhood teacher roles, including creating a culture of responsive care, coaching, mentoring, and reflective supervision. Students will explore supervisory practices from culturally and individually appropriate lenses to address leadership initiatives in such areas as organizational management and mission alignment, teacher performance assessment and professional development. Keywords: Early Childhood Education; Developmentally and Culturally Appropriate Practices Early; Early Childhood Program Management/Leadership.
Department: Early Childhood Education
3 Credit Hours
3 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
0 Other Hours
Internship in Early and Primary Grades I (3-0-10) As part of the internship, students enroll in Internship I of the field-based program. They are grouped in cohorts, assigned to early or primary grades (EC-4), and scheduled all morning or all afternoon throughout the semester. In addition to classroom teaching duties, interns are enrolled in university classes and Internship Seminars that help them apply their theoretical understandings to actual practice. The fieldwork consists of assisting in student-centered classroom instruction mostly through tutorial duties and small group work. Prerequisites: Admission to Teacher Education and department approval.
Department: Early Childhood Education
3 Credit Hours
13 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
10 Other Hours
Internship in Early and Primary Grades II (3-0-30) A continuation of ECED 4393. Students enroll in Internship II of the field-based program and participate in student-centered classroom instruction as members of the instructional team. In addition to classroom teaching duties, interns are enrolled in university classes and Internship Seminars that help them apply their theoretical understandings to actual practice. Interns demonstrate that they can synthesize the knowledge, values, and experiences of earlier semesters in developing an effective professional style. Interns are scheduled 3 times a week throughout the semester. Prerequisites: ECED 4393 and department approval.
Department: Early Childhood Education
3 Credit Hours
23 Total Contact Hours
0 Lab Hours
3 Lecture Hours
20 Other Hours
Prerequisite(s): (ECED 4393 w/S or better)