Departmental Assessment Update - Education Report

Department: Curriculum Studies
Program: M.Ed. Early Childhood
Level: Graduate

1. Has your program developed learning outcomes? If yes, please list.

The program aims to prepare leaders in early childhood education who can work collaboratively to design and implement inclusive programs for all young children between birth and age five.

Its goals are to:

Increase the number of qualified professionals for leadership roles in infant/toddler programs, preschool programs, early intervention programs, parent education programs, and agencies working in child/family policy,

Improve the quality of programs for young children and their families, by expanding the knowledge and skills of early childhood educators, and through fostering the application of new knowledge in work settings,

Prepare early childhood educators who can work effectively with children who have disabilities ad with those who are not disabled and who can draw upon the knowledge base of both regular and special education,

Increase early childhood educators' skills in interprofessional collaboration,

Increse professionalism in the field of early childhood education.,

Raise the level of intellectual activity in the early childhood education field through enhanced training and research, and

Provide opportunities for individuals from a range of backgrounds to prepare for leadership  leadership positions in early childhood education and care which will in turn benefit their communities

2. If your program has learning outcomes, where are they published (e.g., department web page)?

These are published in a program handbook, Professional Standards for Early Childhood Educators.

3. Do your faculty list course learning outcomes on their syllabi?

All course syllabi list standards and benchmarks relevant to selected goals of the program.

4. Does your program have a curriculum map that links course outcomes to program outcomes? If so, please include.

The organizing element of the program is the Portfolio, which while labeled as a culminating activity is actually developed over the entire program. The portfolio is the device that links course and program outcomes.

There are ten program standards:

I:     Child development                                      

       Possible exemplars: A paper or teaching module

       Related coursework: FAMR 491

II:    Early childhood education and care

       Possible exemplars: Review of literature, evidence of political action, advocacy materials

       Related coursework:  EDCS 667B

III:   Early childhood special education

        Possible exemplars: Paper, a case study, a professional development module

        Related coursework: SPED 631        

IV:   Professionalism

       Possible exemplars: Written reflection, analysis of an ethical dilemma

       Related coursework:SPED 605

V:    Research

       Possible exemplars: Research critique, grant proposal

       Related coursework: EDCS 632

VI:   Curriculum/pedagogy

       Possible exemplars: Design of a learning environment and documentation of its use, written analysis of a video of candidate's teaching

       Related coursework: EDCS 622B

VII:  Work with families

        Possible exemplars: Course paper on theories, documentation of work with diverse families

        Related coursework: EDCS 451, FAMR 444

VIII: Policy/advocacy

        Possible exemplars: Journal documenting impact of a public initiative in early childhood ed

        Related coursework: EDCS 622B

IX:   Program management

       Possible exemplars: Development of an operating budget for an early childhood program 

       Related coursework: EDEA 601      

X:    Adult development and learning

       Possible exemplars: Preparation of a sullabus, description of effective learning activities for working with adults

       Related coursework: EDEA 745

Students address seven of the standards with portfolio entries. Each standard is further divided into a number of benchmarks. Courses address selected benchmarks. Within courses students address benchmarks by choosing from among a set of exemplars with the advice of course instructors and an advisor. Each exemplar may address several different benchmarks.

 

5. Does your program benchmark or have goals for student performance? (e.g. 70% students will graduate within 5 years)

Not applicable. Almost all students move through the program together--it is cohort-based with very low attrition.

6. Other than GPA, what data/evidence is used to determine that graduates have achieved stated outcomes for the degree? (i.e. capstone project, class assignment)

As mentioned in t he curriculum map above, the capstone project is a Portfolio developed over the course of the program. Students must address seven of the ten standards with portfolio entries. Each standard is further divided into a number of benchmarks.

7. Who interprets the evidence of student learning?

Individual instructors in each course; program advisors assigned to each student monitor student progress as students develop the portfolio. The final assessment of the portofolio is carried out by the program advisor and a second reader.

8. How are the assessment data/results used to inform decisions concerning the curriculum and administration of the program?

The program is overseen by the Teacher Education Committee for Early Childhood Education, which has representatives from Family Resources, Curriculum Studies Institute for Teacher Education, State Department of Education and community representatives. The committee works to collect data  annually and use it to implement changes in course content and ongoing program design.

9. What attempts are made to monitor students’ postgraduate professional activities?

We rely on a college-wide exit survey of graduates as a first step. Plans are not yet formalized to survey local preschools and other early childhood locations.