ENG 090 and RED 090 or their equivalence as measured by placement test scores. This addition of prerequisites has also been forwarded to the Curriculum Committee for consideration. It is our goal to implement this change by fall 2013.
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Criterion 4: Quality of Teaching
The teaching strategies used by program faculty reflect the characteristics, instructional methods, and evaluation strategies that are likely to promote student learning in relation to the NAEYC standards and supportive skills. They reflect the current professional knowledge base and are responsive to the characteristics of the program’s students.
Rationale: Today, we know a great deal about how to promote the learning of students in associate degree programs. Teaching-learning experiences in strong programs reflect that knowledge base and are responsive to the characteristics of the program’s students.
Indicators of strength:
NOTE: Indicators should be evident whether faculty are full-time or adjunct, and whether courses are offered in day or evening, in distance or other formats, on- or off-campus.
The teaching-learning experiences offered in the associate degree program are consistent with the program’s conceptual framework and the NAEYC standards and supportive skills.
The content of the program’s teaching-learning processes reflects the early childhood field’s current knowledge base derived from research on early development and education and other professional sources.
Teaching reflects current research about the role of faculty in associate degree programs as facilitators of student learning and about learner-centered education that uses a variety of methods and strategies.
Teaching reflects knowledge about and experiences with diverse populations of adults and is based on knowledge of cultural and individual adult approaches to learning.
The program continuously evaluates the quality of its teaching-learning processes and uses the results to improve the program and to promote all students’ learning in relation to the NAEYC standards and supportive skills.
Sources of evidence:
3) Report:
a) A one page summary of the program’s teaching-learning processes.
b) A one-page description of plans to address challenges and build on current strengths in this area.
4) Site Visit: Discussions with faculty and students; visits to representative classes.
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Narrative description of teaching-learning experiences:
Teaching-learning experiences in the ECE program are diverse in methodology and presentation with many opportunities directly related to course content. Observation as a teaching tool is extremely
important in the ECE program as evidenced through assessments and assignments students are required to complete as part of their program of study. Our belief that students learn best by being actively engaged and involved in their learning is supported through observation opportunities. As we strive to meet local, state and national standards required of the ECE program, we utilize multiple teaching techniques in our classrooms, both online and face-to-face. Techniques include, but are not limited to, lecture, case studies, group activities, role plays, debates, observations, oral and written presentations, readings, field
experiences/trips, portfolios, discussion forums, chat sessions, Smart Board presentations, hands-on activities, and community service opportunities.
One way that our belief that students learn best in a learner-centered environment is evidenced through our implementation of activities in our classrooms that require students to work together for a common goal, such as completion of a thematic unit that incorporates multiple disciplines. Each student may have his/her own ideas about how a particular unit should be developed and by working together, ideas are shared, expounded upon, and discarded. Eventually, plausible solutions are reached. Thus, students learn how to collaborate in order to reach a common goal. To further promote the learner-centered
environment, classroom debates, chats, and online discussion forums are great methods in which students take center stage in the learning process. Students are able to demonstrate their knowledge of a particular educational topic and support that topic with research or by citing required and supplemental readings.
Due to the diversity found within our program, faculty often find themselves spending additional time in preparation and instruction to meet the needs of all students. One area in which this is obvious is in technology enhanced instruction. Many students struggle with current technological requirements for courses. To ensure that each student has the opportunity to be successful, the ECE faculty are available both before and after class for students to get additional help as needed. Faculty also provide in class demonstrations for those students requiring additional explanation. In addition, the ECE program has access to a 25 count computer lab housed in our building for students and faculty to utilize during instruction upon request.
As evidenced by our enrollment data, we serve an increasing number of non-traditional college students.
Many of these students are displaced workers who lost their jobs and found themselves with the opportunity to come back to school to learn a new trade. Due to this fact, many of our students enter college with a very outdated idea of what college is all about and thus experience a culture shock. Faculty work diligently to meet the needs of these individuals through targeted identification and the offering of additional resources and advisement outside of the regular classroom hours. Many faculty also administer learning style inventories which allow them to develop instructional strategies to meet the needs of the diverse populations of adult learners found in the ECE program.
Each semester, ECE courses are evaluated to ensure the quality of their teaching-learning processes and to ensure that strategies and instructional support promote the NAEYC standards as well as the supportive skills. Once evaluations are completed, the results are utilized for improvement of the teaching-learning processes being utilized by faculty. If deficiencies are noted, action plans are put in place to address the deficiencies in a timely manner. In addition, successes are celebrated and shared with other faculty members as a means of collaborating with the intent of providing students with the best teaching-learning experiences possible. Another facet of this collaboration includes part time and full time faculty being afforded opportunities to work together on curriculum and instructional concepts to use in their various courses.
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Narrative description of challenges, strengths and plans:
Challenges: At the present time the ECE program employs three full-time faculty members, one of which we were fortunate to be able to bring on board recently during August 2012, and a full-time program director. Due to the volume of students enrolled in our program and the need to offer multiple sections of the same course, full-time faculty are averaging 6 preps per semester. This poses a challenge for faculty as they work meticulously to adequately prepare for all their classes and the many other obligations placed on them as faculty members (committee meetings, extracurricular activities, etc.).
An additional challenge currently being experienced by the ECE program is a lack of full-time clerical support. At the present time we receive part-time clerical support for a total of 19 hours a week. This support is provided in the afternoon which makes any need for clerical assistance in the morning unattended. Due to budget restraints, this situation will most likely not change in the near future.
Another challenge faced by the ECE program is related to the economic downturn that we are
experiencing as a nation. For the past several years, our local educational entities have been faced with the daunting task of functioning at a similar capacity with less monetary funds to do so. Reversions of funds have been required at the state level for several years and this has had a direct impact upon our local school district which employs many teacher assistants that are Early Childhood students at RCC. Last school year our county laid off over 200 teacher assistants due to cuts in funding. The teacher assistants who were not laid off saw their hours cut from 40 to 30 hours a week. Sadly, this situation proved frustrating to many of the teacher assistants who became disenchanted with the field of early childhood.
These teacher assistants opted to discontinue their education in the area of early childhood and to pursue another degree. A minimal decline in our enrollment occurred.
Probably one of the most profound challenges being faced by the ECE program is students entering college unprepared for collegiate level work. This proves to be a daunting task when trying to teach all the state competencies, program outcomes, student learning outcomes and general education outcomes required.
Strengths: A definite strength for our program is the range of educational backgrounds and experiences brought to the table by both our full-time and adjunct faculty. Many of them have worked numerous years in early childhood settings as teachers and administrators. These experiences are assets to the quality of teaching that they bring to their classrooms. They also know how important it is to be a reflective practitioner and take full advantage of opportunities that allow them to improve their instruction.
Plans: At the present time, our department is actively engaged in developing an ECE student club with bylaws and mission statements. We are awaiting approval from our Academic Student Affairs
Department. Through this club, we hope to encourage and support students as they grow and develop into early childhood providers with a variety of guest speakers, advocacy opportunities and community service events. Additionally, we pride ourselves in being able to provide opportunities that allow our students to be at the forefront of research and pedagogy. In support of this, we have been able to take ECE students to our state NAEYC conference in what we hope is the beginning of many other educational opportunities for them.