Early Childhood Focus

Welcome to the Early Childhood Focus!

This page provides the following information: 

Leadership in Early Childhood Education

Young children learn best through structured, engaged play. This focus area emphasizes implementing evidence-based practices that bring together the latest research in neuroscience and child development to support young students.

Faculty Advisor

Dr. Jennifer Adams

Early Childhood Focus Courses - 9 credit hours

855.603  The Early Childhood Learner 

ED.855.603.  The Early Childhood Learner.  3 Credits.  

This course focuses on the growth and development of the young child, including current theory and practice in child development and neuroscience. Early childhood educators will analyze the diversity of learner characteristics in young children, including growth and development in the cognitive, physical, and social-emotional domains.

855.608  Comparative High-Quality Practices in Early Education 

ED.855.608.  Comparative High Quality Practices in Early Education.  3 Credits.  

This course presents research-based content on high quality, developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood education. Early childhood educators will incorporate tenets of learning theory into proposed lesson planning that reflects developmentally appropriate and inclusive practices for young children. Early childhood educators will demonstrate strategies for professional development and coaching of peers and families in developmentally appropriate practices.

855.630  Authentic Assessment and Measuring Child Outcomes and School Readiness

ED.855.630.  Authentic Assessment and Measuring Child Outcomes and School Readiness.  3 Credits.  

This course presents foundational concepts of authentic assessment in early childhood, including the types and purposes of assessments for young children and accompanying requisite skills in their administration. Early childhood educators will learn interpretation of assessment data and apply assessment data results to program planning in the implementation of early childhood programs.

Core Requirements - 24 credit hours

887.615  Explorations in Mind, Brain, and Teaching

ED.887.615.  Explorations in Mind, Brain, and Teaching.  3 Credits.  

During the past decade, the learning sciences have produced a vast frontier of knowledge on how the brain processes, stores, and retrieves information. Educators have increasingly recognized a role as consumers of this emerging knowledge. Participants in the course will review this research, examining how it intersects with the correlates of a model of research-based effective teaching including the teaching of the arts across content areas. Topics of study will include the brain’s memory systems, the impact of emotions on learning, the processes involved in higher order thinking and learning, and issues related to child development. Participants will apply course studies to the creation of learning units that emphasize application of knowledge and the integration of the arts. ( 3 credits)

855.609  Introduction to Entrepreneurship in Education

ED.855.609.  Introduction to Entrepreneurship in Education.  3 Credits.  

This course provides students with the foundational skills necessary to think and behave entrepreneurially within educational systems and organizations in order to solve intractable problems. Students will formulate an understanding of themselves as entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs, evaluate entrepreneurial opportunities around them, and develop a method for solving a problem relevant to them. Further, students will learn the role of capital and socially conscious capitalism in creating sustainable ventures.

855.619  Global Leadership

ED.855.619.  Global Leadership.  3 Credits.  

This course explores the nature of leadership in the current global society. Students will analyze the behaviors, practices, characteristics and qualities of effective global leaders across a variety of sectors. Students will understand global competence and learn how to become a globally competent leader.

813.652  Introduction to Global Education Policy and Analysis

ED.813.652.  Introduction to Global Education Policy and Analysis.  3 Credits.  

The course provides an introduction to international comparisons of education systems as it reviews the history, comparisons and the educational systems in Europe, Asia and the OECD countries. International education systems and policies are examined on the local and national levels. Methodologies for comparison are explored. Education leaders will become knowledgeable of the systems in competitor countries in order to make their schools academically competitive in the global economy.

881.622  Advanced Instructional Strategies

ED.881.622.  Advanced Instructional Strategies.  3 Credits.  

Students review recent research on effective instruction and explore advanced classroom strategies and techniques designed to enhance their effectiveness in meeting the needs of diverse populations of learners. Examples include direct instruction, cooperative learning, dimensions of learning, creative problem solving, and applications of technology to thinking and learning. Students develop expert teaching skills and learn to diagnose and deliver instructional strategies that are most appropriate in specific circumstances.

881.611  Action Research for School Improvement

ED.881.611.  Action Research for School Improvement.  3 Credits.  

Students explore the role of the educator as an action researcher, with special emphasis on formulating and refining research questions as well as on selecting appropriate methodologies for classroom or school-based research. Students review research as a tool for assessing and improving teaching/learning environments.

855.610  Seminar in Teacher Leadership

ED.855.610.  Seminar in Teacher Leadership.  2 - 3 Credits.  

Students in the final year present and evaluate their projects and plans for implementing change in their work environments. In addition, participants examine selected topics and current issues in educational leadership.

855.600  Extended Learning

ED.855.600.  Extended Learning.  O Credit Learning Experience 

Students will participate in a variety of informal educational experiences, from guest lectures and one-on-one mentor conversations, to exploring how the use of museums, cultural institutions, and other real-world scenarios can be leveraged to promote learning. Students will both learn from these experiences as well as gain exemplars to implement in their own educational systems.

Course Sequence

Fall 

855.603 The Early Childhood Learner

887.615 Explorations in Mind, Brain, and Teaching

855.609 Introduction to Entrepreneurship in Education

855.610 Seminar in Teacher Leadership

855.600 Extended Learning I

Spring

855.608 Comparative High Quality Practices in Early Education

855.619 Global Leadership

813.652 Introduction to Global Education Policy and Analysis

881.622 Advanced Instructional Strategies

855.610 Seminar in Teacher Leadership

855.601 Extended Learning II

Summer

855.630 Authentic Assessment and Measuring Child Outcomes and School Readiness

881.611    Action Research for School Improvement

855.610   Seminar in Teacher Leadership