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University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Office of Continuing Education
Course Syllabus
Title:
Course 4: Designing Environments for Learning
The Capstone Experience
Number:
Semester:
Credits/Contact Hours:
3-Undergraduate Credits Only / 45 Contact Hours
Days and dates:
Times:
Location:
TBD
Online
Instructor:
Office Address:
City/State/Zip
Office Phone:
E-mail Address:
Office Hours:
Linda Hurst
llhurst51@yahoo.com
Course Description:
This is the fourth course in the program development series and includes the capstone experience.
Environments are both physical and cultural and are an important part of producing excellent quality
programs. They are a reflection of program philosophy and either assist or hinder children’s learning.
Course Objectives:
Students will demonstrate:

Understanding of the philosophy and culture of learning environments and how to develop
environments that enhance student performance

Competency in assessing environmental design and design impact on learning goals – both
indoors and outdoors

Understanding of the concept of environment as “the assistant teacher”

Knowledge of regulatory requirements for environments

Ability to design and equip age appropriate indoor and outdoor spaces including:
o Creating a Welcoming Program Environment
o Promoting a Developmentally Appropriate Learning Environment
o The Effect of Environment on Behavior (self-regulation)
o Healthy Environment for Adults in the Program: Staff & Families
o Cultural Competence within environments
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Readings
Bloom, P. (1988).A Great Place to Work.Washington, DC: NAEYC.
Carlson, F. (2011).Big Body Play.Washington, DC: NAEYC.
Greenman, J. (2005). Caring Spaces and Learning Places: Children’s Environments That Work. Redmond,
WA: Exchange Press.
Greenman, J. (1998). Places for Childhood: Making Quality Happen in the Real World. Redmond, WA:
Exchange Press.
Jensen, E.(2009). Super Teaching.Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks, CA.
Keeler, Rusty (2008).“Natural Playscapes: Creating Outdoor Environments for the Soul.” Redmond, WA:
Exchange Press.
Nelson, E. (2012). Cultivating Outdoor Classrooms. St. Paul, MN: Red Leaf Press.
Articles
Meeting Adult Needs Within the Classroom by Eileen Eisenberg (Child Care Exchange)
Classroom Environment and How it Affects Behavior by Judith Colbert, PhD:
http://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/designingenvironments/classroomdesign.html
Duncan, S. (2011). Breaking the code: changing our thinking about children’s environments. Child Care
Information Exchange, July/Aug, pp. 13-16.
Eisenberg, E.Meeting Adult Needs Within the Classroom. (Child Care Exchange)
Haugen, K. (2003). Beyond ramps: outdoor environments to welcome all children. Child Care Information
Exchange, Mar, pp. 53-55.
Keeler, R. (2003). Designing and creating natural play environments for young children. Child Care
Information Exchange, Mar, pp. 43-45.
Marigliano, M.L. & Russo, M. J. (2011).Moving bodies, moving minds.Young Children, Sept. pp. 24-49.
McHenry, J.D. &Buerk, K.J. (2008). Infants and toddlers meet the natural world. Young Children, Jan, pp. 1Young, M.H. (2003). Trust, the earth and children: birth to three. Child Care Information Exchange, Mar, pp.
49-50.
Williams, A.E. (2008). Exploring the natural world with infants and toddlers in an urban setting.Beyond the
Journal - Young Children on the Web, Jan, pp. 22-25. Retrieved from
http://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200801/BTJNatureMcHenry.pdf
Reference Tools
Harms, T., Clifford, R.M. &Cryer, D. (2005).Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale, Revised Edition. New
York, NY: Teachers College Press.
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Harms, T., Cryer, D. & Clifford, R.M. (2006).Infant Toddler Environment Rating Scale, Revised Edition. New
York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Harms, T., Cryer, D. & Clifford, R.M. (2007). Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale, Revised Edition.
New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Harms, T., Vineberg Jacobs, E. and Romano, D. (1995).School-Age Care Environment Rating Scale.New
York, NY: Teachers College Press.
In addition to the text, you will utilize online resources including;

Child Care Exchange: Wisconsin Resource Package
Home Page:https://www.childcareexchange.com/
Wisconsin Resource Package: www.childcareexchange.com/wisconsin

Group Child Care Licensing Regulations for the State of Wisconsin
Home Page: http://www.dcf.wi.gov/
Licensing Manual With Commentary:
http://dcf.wisconsin.gov/childcare/licensed/CommManuals/dcf251.HTM

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Accreditation Standards
Home Page: http://www.naeyc.org/
NAEYC Accreditation Standards: http://www.naeyc.org/academy/primary/standardsintro

Strengthening Families: Building Protective Factors
Home Page: http://www.cssp.org/
The Protective Factors Framework: http://www.cssp.org/reform/strengthening-families/basic-onepagers/Strengthening-Families-Protective-Factors.pdf
Growing and Sustaining Parent Engagement Tool Kit:
http://www.cssp.org/publications/growingandsustainingparentengagementtoolkit.pdf

Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards
Home Page: http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/
WMELS Standards: http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/wmels-documents.php

Wisconsin Pyramid Model for Social Emotional Competence
Home Page: http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/
SEFELS Pyramid: http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/social-emotional-competence-sefel-pyramid.php

YoungStar
Home Page:
http://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/
Evaluation Criteria for Group Child Care:
http://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/pdf/evaluation_criteria_group.pdf
Evaluation Criteria for Family Child Care:
http://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/pdf/evaluation_criteria_family.pdf
Evaluation Criteria for School Age/Youth Development Programs:
http://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/pdf/evaluation_criteria_schoolage.pdfhttp://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar
/pdf/evaluation_criteria_schoolage.pdf
These texts will be supplemented with additional material and articles. Students will participate in the
Wisconsin Exchange package and will utilize “Articles on Demand” from Exchange Magazine.
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Course Requirements
Reflective Journals
There will be four 1-2 page journal assignments. Each journal should include evidence that the
student is reflecting and thinking about the presentations and assigned readings. Each journal should
include a section on the WMELS and how the unit information can be used to bring WMELS alive in
their work with teachers and with children. Develop content logically and systematically. Paper
should be double-spaced using 12pt font. Write in a style that is easy to read and communicates
clearly. Journals should be free of gender and cultural bias, and grammatical, spelling and
punctuation errors.
Small Group Activities
Small Group Activity # 1:
Program Observation – gather descriptions and evidence of welcoming environments
Small Group Activity # 2:
Gather Articles from Exchange and from websites on Indoor Environments
Small Group Activity # 3:
Go to community playthings site and download indoor environments for various age groups
http://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/designingenvironments/index.html
Work with the Community Playthings environment planning materials to design a classroom for the
age group that you teach.
http://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/RoomPlanning/ActivityAreas/CPRoomPlanne
r.pdf#search=room%20arrangement
Capstone Program Improvement Project and Presentation
This project gives you a chance to do the following:

Provides an opportunity for you to apply the comprehensive knowledge gained from the four
Program Development Credential courses.

Gives you a chance to reflect on your general beliefs and attitudes regarding your experience
in program development.

Offers you an opportunity to start, continue, or complete a portfolio that is relevant to your work
in program development in the field of Early Care and Education.
The Capstone Project: A Program Improvement Project:This is your plan of action for
implementing an innovative and substantive quality change project in your program.
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Develop a program improvement initiative (project) that substantially increases your program’s ability
to meet high quality standards.
Project Elements:
elements:






Your written project description must include and address each of following
Assessment of Need for the Program
Implementation
Environment
Staff Development
Defined Outcomes for Children, Families and Staff
Methods of Assessing & Evaluating Effectiveness of Change in Program
Your Project Description must:
 Address Cultural Competence as relates to project
 Integrate related WI Model Early Learning Standards
 Identify specifically how the project substantially increases your program’s ability
to meet high quality standards.
Project Components: Your written project presentation will include:
 Abstract (1-2 pages double-spaced)
 Identification of the Problem or Question
 Program Improvement Implementation Plan
 Reference Section
Project Presentation
Your project will be presented to the class and the Registry Commission at the end of Course Four:
Designing Environments.
For detailed instructions of The Registry Program Development Credential and the Capstone
Program Improvement Project, see The Registry Program Development Credential Guide:
http://www.the-registry.org/Credentials/XXXXX Link to be provided once Registry page is created.
Course Topics
Unit 1
Philosophy & Culture of Learning Environments
(Bloom) Jensen Cpt. 3
Unit 2
Environment as Teacher
(Greenman)
Unit 3
Regulatory Requirements for Environments
(WMELS, Environment Rating Scales, WI DCF Wisconsin.gov)
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Unit 4
Creating a Welcoming Environment
Greenman, Jensen Chpt 3)
Unit 5
DAP Learning Environments
(Greenman, NAEYC, WMELS)
Unit 6
Designing & Equipping Age Appropriate Indoor Environments
(Greenman)
Unit 7
Designing & Equipping Age Appropriate Indoor Environments Part 2
(Greenman)
Unit 8
Designing & Equipping Age Appropriate Outdoor Environments
(Keeler, Nelson)
Unit 9
Designing & Equipping Age Appropriate Outdoor Environments Part 2
(Keeler, Nelson)
Unit 10
Nature Environments
Cultivating Outdoor Environments Nelson Chpt 1
Unit 11
Effects of Environment on Behavior
Nelson, Carlson Chpt 1
Jensen, p. 17
Classroom Environment and How it Affects Behavior by Judith Colbert, PhD:
http://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/designingenvironments/classroomdesign.
html
Unit 12
Healthy Environments for Children
Nelson, Carlson- chpt. 2-3
WMELS
Unit 13
Healthy Environments for Adults: Staff
Meeting Adult Needs Within the Classroom by Eileen Eisenberg (Child Care Exchange)
Unit 14
Healthy Environments for Adults: Families
Supporting Families: Building Protective Factors (cssp)
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Unit 15
Cultural Competence within Environments
Unit 16
Capstone Project Presentations
Student Progress:
Grading criteria
A = 92-100; completion of all requirements; exceptional quality of work.
B = 81-91; completion of all requirements; very high quality of work.
C = 70-80; completion of all requirements; acceptable quality of work.
D = 60-69; work not completed satisfactorily.
F = Below 60; substandard
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT CREDENTIAL
CAPSTONE PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
Upon completing the four courses within the Program Direction Credential, the student will complete a
project and participate in a commission. The project and commission process is explained in detail in
The Registry Program Direction Credential: Preparing Your Portfolio Project Guide at http://www.theregistry.org/credentials/program
In this Program Development Credential experience, each participant will complete a Capstone
Program Improvement Project that integrates your learning across the courses and implements your
learning within your program. The seeds of this project will begin in Course One: Introduction to
Program Development; as you progress through the four courses, your ideas will become more
defined. Consulting with your instructor about your project early on will guide you in this process.
This project gives you a chance to do the following:
Provides an opportunity for you to apply the comprehensive knowledge gained from the four Program
Development Credential courses.
Gives you a chance to reflect on your general beliefs and attitudes regarding your experience in
program development.
Offers you an opportunity to start, continue, or complete a portfolio that is relevant to your work in
program development in the field of Early Care and Education.
The Capstone Project: A Program Improvement Project: This is your plan of action for implementing
an innovative and substantive quality change project in your program.
Develop a program improvement initiative (project) that substantially increases your program’s ability
to meet high quality standards.
Project Elements: Your written project description must include and address each of following
elements:
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Assessment of Need for the Program
Implementation
Environment
Staff Development
Defined Outcomes for Children, Families and Staff
Methods of Assessing & Evaluating Effectiveness of Change in Program
Your Project Description must:
Address Cultural Competence as relates to project
Integrate related WI Model Early Learning Standards
Identify specifically how the project substantially increases your program’s ability to meet high quality
standards.
Project Components: Your written project presentation will include:
Abstract (1-2 pages double-spaced)
Identification of the Problem or Question
Program Improvement Implementation Plan
Reference Section
Project Presentation
Your project will be presented to the class and the Registry Commission at the end of Course Four:
Designing Environments