Course Student Learning Outcomes
Education
EDU 100- Introduction to Early Childhood Education
- Analyze the roles, responsibilities, and requirements of those who work in early childhood settings.
- Examine the evolution of the field of EEC through historical and cultural contexts and through the lens of various developmental theorists.
- Evaluate current issues that have implications for children, families, society, and early childhood professionals.
- Survey the age-related developmental milestones of young children in each of the developmental domains.
- Identify strategies that foster EEC, family and community partnerships.
- Identify the role of assessment and documentation as tools to inform curriculum development and improve teaching, learning outcomes, and EEC program quality.
- Define and evaluate the role of professionalism in the field of EEC, including professional practice, advocacy, and social justice.
EDU 101- Curriculum in Early Childhood Programs
- Analyze defining aspects, such as historical perspectives, philosophy, program structure, approaches to learning, teachers’ roles, assessment, materials and environments of major curriculum models.
- Apply principles of developmentally, individually, and culturally appropriate practice.
- Design, plan, and evaluate comprehensive, integrated learning experiences supportive of children’s learning and metacognitive skills utilizing guidelines from state and national standards.
- Identify the value of play and its relationship to developmentally appropriate practices.
- Identify elements of developmentally appropriate indoor and outdoor learning environments.
- Review the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment.
EDU 102- Child Guidance and Classroom Management
- Analyze the relationship among social-emotional development, developmentally appropriate practice, and children’s behavior and outcomes.
- Recognize the importance of promoting equity, accessibility, diversity, belonging, security, and independence in the classroom.
- Evaluate how the classroom climate, environment, curriculum, and materials affect children’s behavior.
- Evaluate strategies for establishing developmentally appropriate rules and routines that are consistent, clear, and develop children’s self-regulation.
- Recognize the implications of acting as a positive role model, modelling meaningful interactions, developing positive relationships with all children, and actively listening and responding to children’s needs, ideas, and questions.
- Identify strategies for collaboration with parents or guardians, colleagues, and administrators to develop consistent approaches to positive guidance.
- Identify and evaluate positive guidance strategies for children, and aspects of the learning environment, both direct and indirect, that affect children’s behavior and outcomes.
- Develop strategies to incorporate MA Standards for Preschool and Kindergarten Social and Emotional Learning, and Approaches to Play and Learning into daily classroom practices.
- Identify the factors that may indicate a family is in need of outside, professional support.
EDU 103- Infant and Toddler Care and Program Planning
- Analyze theory and research relating to the first three years of life.
- Examine the physical, sensory, motor, language, social-emotional, and cognitive development of infants and toddlers, and how to implement appropriate practices to facilitate that development.
- Analyze the role of attachment in learning and development.
- Identify the components of a safe and stimulating early learning environment and evaluate various environments according to MA Early Education and Care Licensing Regulations and the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale.
- Define what is meant by developmentally appropriate curriculum for infants and toddlers as outlined by the MA Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers.
- Explore strategies for engaging families in developing and implementing individualized learning experiences for infants and toddlers.
- Review the Early Intervention process and how Individualized Family Service Plans can support the learning, development and inclusion of infants and toddlers with exceptional needs.
- Identify resources for caregivers and families working with infants and toddlers.
EDU 104- Exceptional Learners
- Explore, define and learn to identify a range of exceptionalities that may affect children: sensory, communication, learning, intellectual, physical, emotional, neurological, special health care needs.
- Articulate the difference between general learning difficulties and specific learning disabilities.
- Apply knowledge of accommodation and inclusion strategies to integrate goals from Individual Education Plans or Individual Family Service Plans into daily activities and routines.
- Develop and practice skills related to objective observation and documentation of children’s abilities, strengths, needs, interests, learning styles, participation and progress.
- Examine processes for screening, assessing and referring children with potential exceptionalities.
- Identify community resources that assist individuals and support families with exceptionalities.
- Analyze significant legislation in special education and community integration including IDEA, and the ADA.
- Explore and evaluate the use of assistive technologies to ensure an inclusive environment.
- Acknowledge the effect of exceptionality categorizations on children, families and others.
EDU 107- Child Growth and Development for CDA
- Interview a family about prenatal care, family values and traditions, giving birth, and postnatal experiences and summarize the experiences in a five-page paper using predetermined prenatal terminology.
- Observe and interpret the results of two different age groups of children using the Running Record and Checklist Observation Tools and reflect by comparing and contrasting the two different tools.
- Recognize and know the signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect, analyze a case study to determine if you would file a 51A and prepare to defend your decision based on established 51A criteria, and discuss how it is a moral and social responsibility to protect children and relevance of mandated reporter law.
- Discuss the early childhood theorists and their role in child development by watching a child in a YouTube video, then choose two child development theorists as a basis to analyze the child's behavior.
- Demonstrate CDA Competency Standards 1.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.2, 5, 6.1, 6.2 & CDA Professional Philosophy Statement for CDA Professional Portfolio by composing paragraphs using specific ECE terminology.
- Choose CDA Resource Items IV, V, VI-2, VI for CDA Professional Portfolio
EDU 109 - Early Childhood Education Supervised Practicum and Seminar I
- Develop an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of early childhood educators and explore which roles may be best suited for individuals’ goals and strengths.
- Demonstrate introductory competence of National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators.
- Recognize and demonstrate through seminar assignments, understanding of various individual learning styles and dispositions, cultural influences, and behavioral dynamics within groups of young learners.
- Identify and engage in effective practices for serving as valuable members of educational teams and building positive, collaborative relationships with colleagues, families, and communities.
- Identify and demonstrate research-based best-practices for the care of young children, and those that optimize developmental outcomes.
- Reflect on practicum experiences and engage in professional, informed discussions about best-practices in early childhood education.
EDU 110- Teaching Young Children Who Experience Trauma
- Become knowledgeable of the inherent complexity of trauma experiences.
- Identify different types of trauma and examine how trauma affects typical developmental milestones, brain development and classroom behavior.
- Acknowledge the importance of collaboration with agencies that provide trauma-informed practices.
- Identify and recognize potential signs and symptoms of trauma and the wide range of reactions to trauma and loss.
- Identify systems that support trauma effected families via timely, quality, and effective trauma focused interventions.
- Identify strategies for conferring with families around sensitive trauma topics.
- Recognize how interactions and interventions with trauma-exposed children and adolescents impact the practitioner in working with these populations.
- Explore the protective and promotive factors that can mitigate the adverse impacts of trauma exposure.
- Recognize the manner in which trauma often generates secondary adversities, life changes and distressing reminders in children’s daily lives.
- Become knowledgeable of the process of reporting cases of suspected abuse or neglect by completing the Online Mandated Reporter Training by the Middlesex Children’Advocacy Center.
EDU 122- Child Growth and Development
- Analyze major theories of development and learning.
- Describe major developmental milestones for children from conception through adolescence in the areas of physical, cognitive, language, and social-emotional development.
- Explain the relationship between biology, maturation, environment, and culture in terms of their impact on typical and atypical growth, development, and learning.
- Explore the major themes and perspectives that shape the field of child development.
- Explain the impact of early experiences on healthy development and learning and describe strategies to optimize outcomes.
- Apply knowledge and insights of expected development and developmental theories to systematic observations of children in order to add depth and breadth to students’ understanding.
- Expand insights of students’ own development.
- Become knowledgeable of the process of reporting cases of suspected abuse or neglect by completing the Online Mandated Reporter Training by the Middlesex Children’s Advocacy Center.
EDU 150- Discover Teaching
- Analyze the roles, responsibilities, and experiences of those who work in educational settings.
- Trace the evolution of American public education, identify pivotal points in history and analyze the rationale behind key developments.
- Evaluate current issues that have implications for children, families, society, and educational professionals.
- Explore the attributes of professionalism in the field of education, including professional practice, advocacy, and social justice.
- Analyze the nature of students’ own educational experiences and demonstrate the ability to be objective in doing so.
- Become oriented to the resources, supports, and processes involved in obtaining licensure in the state of Massachusetts.
EDU 153- Planning Programs and Environments for Children
- Recognize the current and historical research and theories of various program models of early childhood education and demonstrate how to incorporate the major theories of learning when planning programs.
- Apply knowledge of curriculum development to planning and scheduling activities.
- Design indoor and outdoor spaces that are healthy, safe, accessible, diverse, and developmentally appropriate; engage all of children’s senses; support and promote children’s growth, development, and curiosity; and provide opportunities for children to solve problems and make decisions.
- Analyze the role of play in learning and development and structure opportunities for meaningful play.
- Identify strategies to integrate technology for children equitably, accessibly and effectively.
- Evaluate strategies to create a positive program climate through encouraging and supporting positive interactions between children and their peers and between children and educators.
EDU 154- Health, Safety, and Nutrition in Early Childhood Education
- Identify elements of environments and curriculum that are developmentally, individually and culturally appropriate to the health, safety, and nutritional needs of the “whole child”.
- Review nutrition and safety policy, guidelines, regulations and quality standards, including preventive health care measures and exclusion policies.
- Evaluate the interrelationship among the health, safety and nutritional needs of the young child within the contexts of family, culture, community and early childhood programs.
- Analyze the factors that influence children’s health and safety, including stable and supportive relationships, stress, infectious diseases, poison control, oral health, and behavioral health.
- Explore and identify community agencies and referral options that support the diverse and sensitive health and safety needs of young children and families.
- Know how to access information from state and federal consumer product safety agencies.
- Identify essential elements of emergency planning.
- Become knowledgeable of the process of reporting cases of suspected abuse or neglect by completing the Online Mandated Reporter Training by the Middlesex Children’s Advocacy Center.
EDU 251- Early Childhood Education Supervised Practicum and Seminar II
- Demonstrate proficiency in applying the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educator
- Plan, design, and deliver developmentally appropriate, play-based learning experiences for children that align with classroom curriculum, accepted local, state, and national standards and guidelines, and in collaboration with mentors and supervisors.
- Demonstrate understanding of effective integration of curriculum content and pedagogy, by designing learning experiences that reflect developmentally appropriate practice, differentiation of instruction, and scaffolding.
- Demonstrate understanding of responsible and effective assessment by using practices that reflect a strengths-based approach, as well as cultural, linguistic, and developmental sensitivity.
- Develop appropriate individual and holistic learning goals and instructional strategies based on assessment data and in collaboration with mentors and supervisors.
- Identify and demonstrate effective strategies for supporting children’s development of executive function, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
- Identify and demonstrate effective strategies for applying principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
- Identify and demonstrate effective strategies for communicating clearly, effectively, and professionally with families.
- Reflect on experiences, insights, personal strengths, areas for improvement, and implications for future practice.
EDU 252- Administration of Early Childhood Program
- Identify practices for compliance with laws and regulations, including health and safety standards.
- Become knowledgeable of licensing standards and practices in Early Education and Care, including MA Early Learning Standards.
- Characterize administrative and managerial responsibilities of a successful Early Education and Care program.
- Survey the development and maintenance of an appropriate business infrastructure, including recruitment and retention of staff, and educator qualifications and credentials.
- Identify and select appropriate curriculum, assessment tools, and other program materials.
- Identify strategies to develop and maintain an appropriate work environment that supports quality practice and children’s development.
- Analyze practices for supervision, staff development and program evaluation.
- Characterize the value of family involvement and review parental rights.
- Identify services and resources available within the community to support families.
- Evaluate available technology to support program management and administration.
- Identify the role of Early Education and Care programs within communities.
- Review the Strengthening Families Protective Factors and implementation of the Strengthening Families Self-Assessment for program improvement.