Good, Better, Best
Professional Development Resources
That Support Each Young Learner
The Presentation Team
Patricia M. Blasco
Camille Catlett
Laurie Dinnebeil
Tracey West
Western Oregon University (OR)
FPG Child Development Institute (NC)
University of Toledo (OH)
FPG Child Development Institute (NC)
Introductions
Introductions
Overview of 325N
The programs under this focus area must
enhance or redesign their curricula by: (1)
incorporating evidence-based and competencybased practices and content in special education
into each course; and (2) providing at least one
practicum experience in a program that serves
children with disabilities ages birth through five
and their families.
Required Competencies to be Developed
(i) Collaborating and working effectively with licensed
and certified professional practitioners, as appropriate.
(ii) Implementing social-emotional and behavioral
interventions and classroom management practices.
(iii) Implementing instructional strategies to support
early development and learning or academic
achievement.
(iv) Using technology to enhance children’s
development and access to natural learning
opportunities or improve student achievement and
participation in the general education curriculum.
Required Competencies (continued)
(v) Observing and collecting data for progress monitoring.
(vi) Communicating effectively with children and families.
(vii) Assisting in the implementation of transition plans and
services across settings from EI to preschool, preschool to
elementary school, elementary school to secondary school, and
secondary school to postsecondary education or the workforce,
as appropriate.
(viii) Working with children and families from diverse cultural
and linguistic backgrounds, including English learners with
disabilities and high-need children with disabilities and their
families.
Pooling Data to Answer Questions
• Needs assessment was
adapted from federally funded
Crosswalks project
• Data pooled among 5 grantees
• Northampton Community
College
• Tacoma Community College
• University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill
• University of Toledo
• Western Oregon University
• 2 programs administered a 36item survey while the other 3
administered a 28-item survey
Overview of Needs Assessment
• Survey has 3 sections: EC and EI Content Areas, Instructional
Strategies and Demographics
• EC and EI Content: Using a scale of 1 (Low) -5 (High),
respondents indicated their current level of knowledge,
emphasis on ECSE content in the courses they teach,
knowledge of where to access resources related to ECSE
content, and comfort teaching the content with regard to the
statements
• Instructional Strategies: Using a scale of 0 (None) – 5 *High),
respondents indicated their skills and emphasis on ECSE
content and skills in the courses they teach
Who were the Participants?
• 116 early childhood faculty from 12 community
colleges in North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania,
and Washington
• #s of faculty respondents in each of the CCs surveyed
ranged from 3 to 51
• The demographics of the faculty were similar to
findings from national surveys (Early & Winton, 2001;
Maxwell, Lim & Early, 2006)
Faculty Knowledge and Skills:
Top Areas of Need
• Using AT to enhance children’s development and access
to natural learning opportunities
• Using AT to enhance children’s participation in the
general curriculum
• Implementing transition plans Knowledge of relevant
state and federal regulations
• Using EBPs in EI and ECSE
• Embedded intervention strategies
• Using data from progress monitoring
• Implementing IFSPs and IEPs
• Implementing social/emotional intervention strategies
• Implementing instructional intervention strategies
Research Question
What is the relationship between faculty
members' knowledge, skills and comfort
level related to ECSE topical areas and the
degree to which they are addressing those
areas in Community College program
coursework in ECE ?
Using AT to Enhance Children’s Access to Natural
Learning Opportunities
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Current level of
knowledge & skill
Current level of
comfort
Current level of
emphasis
• Levels of emphasis in courses taught were correlated to knowledge
and skills (r(113) = .56, p <.01) as well as to comfort level (r(95) =
.37, p<.01) .
Using EBP in EI & ECSE
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
Current level of
knowledge & skill
Current level of
comfort
Current level of
emphasis
0
• Levels of emphasis in courses taught were correlated to knowledge
and skills (r(86) = .60, p<.01) as well as to comfort level (r(85) = .59,
p<.01)
Lessons Learned About
Associate Degree Programs
Articulation…articulation
…articulation!
Lessons Learned continued
Inconsistent emphasis on knowledge acquisition and
knowledge acquisition + knowledge application
Lessons Learned continued
Preparing ECE
professionals for
diverse positions
Lessons Learned continued
• Workload of
community college
faculty members
• Resources (or lack
thereof) available to
community college
faculty members
Lessons Learned continued
Nature of the typical
student enrolled in an
associate degree
program
An effective teacher can have a stronger
influence on student achievement than
poverty, language background, class size, or
minority status
The Real Early Learning Challenge:
Meeting the Needs of Each & Every Child
Setting the Stage
• Meeting the needs of each and every
child
• Knowledge acquisition and
knowledge application
• Evidence-based practices
• Cultural and linguistic diversity
Our Work is Guided by…
SCRIPT-NC
Supporting Change and Reform in Preservice Teaching in North Carolina
Using Familiar Resources in More Explicit Ways
SCRIPT-NC
Supporting Change and Reform in Preservice Teaching in North Carolina
Areas of Targeted Change
Program
Practices
Coursework
Practica
Capturing a Vision
Identify knowledge,
skills, and dispositions
you want future
graduates to have
Deconstructing/Reconstructing Courses
• Overview of Course
• Course Description
• Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
• Assignments
• Required Materials/Texts
• Course schedule/outline
Student Learning Outcomes
Assign
ment
1234-
1
2
3
4
5
6
Course Title
Introduction to Early Childhood
Education
Child, Family, and Community
Child Development I
Child Development II
Child Guidance
Children with Exceptionalities
Language and Literacy Experiences
Early Childhood Capstone Practicum
Alignment with DEC &
NAEYC standards
(22,24)
Culturally and
Linguistically Diverse
Children and Families
Transitions (21)
Communicating
Effectively with Children
and Families (19, 20)
Observing and Collecting
Data (13, 14)
Use of Technology (9, 10)
(7)
Early Development/
Academic Achievement
(5)
Collaboration with
special education
colleagues (4)
Social-emotional/
Behavioral Interventions
EC Special Education
Content (6, 8, 11, 15, 16, 27)
Evidencebased/Competencybased Practices (1)
Areas of Emphasis in Redesigned Syllabi
Areas of Emphasis in Course
Practica Site Inventory
Identifying PD Needs
Two Components of Evidence-Based
Professional Development
The PD content
focuses on specific
research-based
teaching and
intervening practices
SCRIPT-NC
Supporting Change and Reform in Preservice Teaching in North Carolina
The PD delivery focuses on
evidence-based methods for
building practitioners’
knowledge and application of
evidence-based practices
Resources to Support the Process
CONNECT
The Center to Mobilize Early Childhood Knowledge
http://connect.fpg.unc.edu/
National Center on Quality
Teaching and Learning
15-Minute In-Services
Expansions
Thick and Thin
Conversations
Asking Questions
Engaging Children
in Conversations
15 Minute In-Services
Collecting and
using work
samples
Expansions
Engaging Children in
Conversations
Fostering
Children’s
Thinking Skills
Zoning: Staffing
to Maximize
Learning
Asking
questions
National Professional Development
Center on Inclusion

ACCESS

PARTICIPATION

[SYSTEMIC]
SUPPORTS
Early childhood inclusion embodies the values, policies,
and practices that support the right of every infant and
young child and his or her family, regardless of ability, to
participate in a broad range of activities and contexts as
full members of families, communities, and society. The
desired results of inclusive experiences for children with
and without disabilities and their families include a sense
of belonging and membership, positive social
relationships and friendships, and development and
learning to reach their full potential. The defining features
of inclusion that can be used to identify high quality early
childhood programs and services are access, participation,
and supports.
Landing Pads
A sampling of evidence and resources, related
to each feature, to support your learning and
professional development needs
Find them online at
http://npdci.fpg.unc.edu/resources/qualityinclusive-practices-resources-and-landingpads
NPDCI
CONNECT
8 EBP Landing Pads Available
NPDCI
CONNECT
Heartland Equity & Inclusion Project
SCRIPT-NC
Supporting Change and Reform in Preservice Teaching in North Carolina
Landing
Pads
http://scriptnc.fpg.unc.edu/resource-search
SCRIPT-NC
CONNECT
Supporting Change and Reform in Preservice Teaching in North Carolina
EDU 144
Landing
Pad
SCRIPT-NC
CONNECT
Supporting Change and Reform in Preservice Teaching in North Carolina
After 2 years, what’s changed?
Change and the Need for Transfer
• PD involves change
• Transfer - implementing
skills occurs in the
setting
• Transfer does not
automatically happen
• New skill has to be
changed to meet needs
in the setting
Use of Persona
• Faculty developed persona of a typical
scholar in their program:
• Provides project team with clear
understanding of comprehension level
of scholars
• Provide materials that are appealing
and appropriate for reading level and
knowledge acquisition
Action Plans to Go
• Faculty completed action plans:
• Intended outcomes
• Activities to achieve outcomes
• Timeline
• Person responsible
Practicum Checklist
Intentional Assignments
• Make sure that every
component of the course
syllabus is aligned and
consistent with goals and
objectives of the course
• Be specific about course
assignments—make sure
that they reflect the course
goals and objectives
• Instead of adding new
goals and objectives to a
course, embed EI/ECSE
content into existing course
components
Designing a Follow-up Support Plan
• Provides opportunity to:
• answer question about
implementation
• address problems
• collect implementation data
• Use evaluation measures,
instruments, procedures on-going
during the year