Early Childhood Education
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Riverside Community College District
Early Childhood Education
Program Review: 2008
A. Mission and Relationship to the College(s)
The Mission Statement for Early Childhood Education: Early Childhood Education
is a composite of an academic and occupational program. The intent of its structure is
to provide knowledge of human development that can be implemented into practical
application as well as continued study in the discipline through articulation and
transfer agreements with local four-year institutions. High-level learning is achieved
through the support and cooperation of the children’s laboratory schools whose
programs interface with and demonstrate the premises of course content. Our
strength lies within the collaboration between the academic program serving our adult
students and the children’s laboratory schools where direct participation with young
children enables the acquisition of the A.S. degree, certificates in Early Childhood
Education and Early Intervention, and six levels of Child Development Permits
through the State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
The Riverside Community College District Mission Statement: The Riverside
Community College District is accessible and comprehensive, committed to providing
an affordable post-secondary education, including student services and community
services, to a diverse student body. The District provides transfer programs
paralleling the first two years of university offerings, pre-professional, career
preparation, and occupational and technical programs leading to the associate of
arts degree, the associate of science degree, and a variety of certificates. In the
tradition of general education, the liberal arts and sciences and the occupational and
technical programs and courses prepare students for intellectual and cultural
awareness, critical and independent thought, and self-reliance. Consistent with its
responsibility to assist those who can benefit from post-secondary education, the
District provides pre-college, tutorial and supplemental instruction for underprepared students. Through its three constituent colleges, Moreno Valley, Norco and
Riverside City, the District works in partnership with other educational institutions,
business, industry, and community groups to enhance the quality of life and the
internal harmony of the communities it serves. The District serves Western Riverside
County from three interrelated colleges in the cities of Riverside, Norco and Corona,
and Moreno Valley.
The activities and goals of Early Childhood Education closely align with the RCC
District Mission Statement by providing an “accessible and comprehensive”
program of study for the diverse population of ECE students on all three campuses.
Our students reflect our diverse communities through a variety of ages, ethnicities,
languages, abilities in intellectual frameworks, and span of professional
responsibilities.
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Early Childhood Education offers courses that transfer to local four-year institutions.
We provide “…pre-professional, career preparation, and occupational” programs
leading to the associate of arts degree, the associate of science degree, and state
approved as well as local certificates. We have established articulation agreements
with California State University of San Bernardino, University of California at
Riverside, California Baptist University, and La Sierra University.
ECE has developed partnerships “…with other educational institutions, business,
industry, and community groups to enhance the quality of life and the internal
harmony of the communities it serves.” The ECE program is the foremost trainer in
the Western Riverside region of early childhood practitioners in the local workforce.
The child care infrastructure is dependent on the ECE program for training personnel.
College credit is mandatory for private and public preschool and childcare personnel
in order to be compliant with state laws and local licensing regulations. Collaborative
efforts between ECE and childcare community leaders strive to improve the quality
and quantity of the early childhood workforce. ECE continues to unite with
community groups to brainstorm strategies that support our local childcare
infrastructure, advocate for children, and increase the overall quality of early
childhood programs.
In accordance with the Norco Campus mission statement, ECE is continuing to,
“…listen to our community, and respond to its needs while engaging in selfexamination and ongoing dialogue, planning, and improvement.” Administrators and
faculty meet regularly with advisory groups to assess the ECE curriculum that best
serves the community needs. ECE believes that childcare is part of the fabric of our
economic infrastructure and if Riverside, Norco, and Moreno Valley are to reap the
benefits this industry can produce, the public and private sectors need to work in
partnership to strengthen the child care industry and maximize its potential to
contribute to the community—now and in the future.
ECE offers “life-long learning opportunities…especially, in public service
preparation” as stated in the Moreno Valley Campus mission statement. A
fundamental goal of Early Childhood Education today is to produce global thinkers—
students who reach beyond the college classroom to apply their developing skill and
ethical judgment to best practices in working with children. Current research,
techniques, and strategies in education and behavioral science have been taught to
ECE students so that they are able to face concrete challenges in the world around
them.
ECE promotes “…supporting a diverse community of learners toward individual
achievement and life-long learning” as stated in the Riverside City Campus mission
statement. The ECE curriculum supports students at all levels to continue their
education, to work toward proficiency and empowerment, and to achieve and act
responsibly in a fast-changing, stratified early childhood setting.
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B. History
1. Early Childhood Education has had major developments since the year 2004. The
discipline was originally in a single department on the Riverside campus. The district
expanded the ECE full time faculty in 2005 to Norco and Moreno Valley campuses,
bringing the total to five full-time faculty. While the ECE discipline on the Riverside
campus continues to operate under the ECE/Teacher Preparation Department, the
discipline on the Norco campus has been incorporated into the Social and Behavioral
Science Department and the Health, Human, and Public Services Department at the
Moreno Valley campus. Belonging to three different Departments on three different
campuses has presented the discipline with many challenges. These challenges
revolve around maintaining a cohesive, high quality ECE Program that is aligned
with each of the campuses and the District Mission statements. Challenges result as a
consequence of both unique and similar ECE campus program characteristics.
a. Riverside History. The Innovative Learning Center at Stokoe Elementary School
opened for Riverside City students in the Fall of 2008. The Elementary School is
located off of Pierce Street in Alvord Unified School District, 11 miles from the City
Campus. Early Childhood Education courses, as well as general education courses,
are offered to expand the ECE program.
The administrative responsibilities of the Early Childhood Education Associate Dean
became exclusive to the Riverside City campus, the Rubidoux Annex, and the new
Innovative learning center.
Noted is a large increase in the number of enrollments for the Early Childhood
Intervention Internship class (EAR 41). This course is the capstone course for the
Early Childhood Intervention Assistant Certificate. There appears to be more interest
in completing the Early Childhood Intervention Assistant Certificate and the
Associate Degree. Within this same area, an articulation agreement was established
with California Baptist University that provides an opportunity for RCC students who
complete the Associate Degree in Early Childhood Intervention, to transfer
seamlessly into CBU’s Early Intervention Bachelor Degree program.
Students have appeared to generate a greater interest in online courses. The two
parenting courses (EAR 53 and 54) increased in enrollment. More hybrid courses
were added due to increased interest. Additional to EAR 42, 28, and 24, EAR 22 and
40 were organized and offered as hybrids.
b. Norco History. The Norco Early Childhood Education Center underwent a number
of changes during the 2007-2008 school year. The Early Childhood Education Center
(ECEC) welcomed a new Site Manager whose position is newly overseen by the Vice
President of Educational Services. The new Site Manager and the ECE full-time
faculty member developed a collaborative relationship that forged a more unified link
between the teaching practices that occur in the children’s program and the theory
that is supported in the adult ECE classes. This relationship continues to strengthen
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as the ECE faculty and the ECEC staff move forward to collaborate on planning for
and executing the first internship class (EAR 30) Winter 2009. The ECEC exists to
support and enhance the academic ECE program, and over the next year, it is hoped
that greater opportunities will be realized for students to spend time directly
interacting with the children for hands-on training, and in support of their
professional growth.
The Associate Dean of Early Childhood Education no longer has administrative
responsibility for the Norco ECE program. As a result, there was no one to directly
represent or seek advice on ECE issues, concerns and actions. The importance of
representation was recognized and Early Childhood faculty noted that they would
make strong efforts to become directly involved in districtwide, ECEC budget and
growth discussions, as well as other additional business affecting the ECE discipline.
The Norco campus has been busy working on an Academic and Physical Master Plan.
Of particular note to the ECE discipline is the inclusion of a planned parking lot
located adjacent to the ECEC. Students often have to park a half mile distance from
out facility. This planned parking area serves to logistically place ECE on the map,
and recognizes and acknowledges the needs of our discipline and our students.
c. Moreno Valley Campus History. The ECE Program was a part-time program,
administered as one segment of the District’s entire ECE Program, that gradually
evolved into a full-time program largely due to the MVC seeking to become its own
college. As a result of this evolution, the program had to interface with the mission of
the MV College, therefore providing all of the educational, training, and practical
experiences that allow ECE majors to earn any of the degrees and/or certificates
offered by the District. The MV ECE Program is unique in that it is overseen by the
Dean of the Health Sciences. The MVC ECE Program views itself as an integral part
of developing healthy cognitive, emotional, social, physical, and creative selves of
children- PROMOTING THE WHOLE HEALTHY CHILD. Research consistently
shows that healthy nations are developed by developing healthy children. The new
Speech Language Pathology Assistant Program (SLPAP) of the MVC recognizes the
role of the healthy child in communication skill development- In order to earn a
certificate and degree in the SLPAP students are required to take two courses of Early
Childhood Education. In addition the SLPAP requires students to use the ECE
laboratory classroom to observe the impact of the environment on learning and how
these factors affect language development. The Dental Program has long been
involved in using the ECE laboratory school to train their students in dental care of
children. The Physician Assistant Program & Nursing Program are asking the ECE
develop courses that will allow them to satisfy the human development training
component of those specific Programs. With the current trend on the MVC to utilize
the ECE Laboratory School to enhance various academic programs we have two
specific goals: 1) achieve accreditation; and 2) build or find 4 – 6 additional ECE
laboratory classrooms which will enable us to better serve the academic needs of the
various programs on our campus (soon to be college), while simultaneously becoming
financially self sufficient.
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d. MV/Norco/Riverside History
The full-time faculty voted to change the name of the discipline from Early
Childhood Studies to Early Childhood Education. The name change was initiated
to conform to language used by the California Commission on Teacher
Credentialing office.
The ECE part-time faculty continues to serve the discipline with dedication. The
percent of the 2007-2008 part-time faculty assignments include 32% at Riverside,
50% at Norco, and 33% at Moreno Valley. The majority of part-time faculty is
amenable to teaching at one or more campuses and is more “discipline” focused
rather than oriented toward any particular campus. The willingness to teach on all
three campuses greatly benefits students because the course offerings can be
rotated to the respective campuses. The ECE full-time faculty hold monthly
discipline meetings throughout the Spring and Fall semesters and meet biannually to plan the schedule for all three campuses. In planning the schedule
together, continuity of scheduling is ensured for all ECE students, and supports
the appropriate growth and efficiency of the discipline. The entire full-and parttime faculty meet together for discipline meetings once every semester.
The Riverside campus ECE Child Development Program currently serves a
capacity of 105 infant, toddler and preschool age children. The Child
Development Center was implemented to enhance the ECE academic program for
student observation, assessment, and practicum opportunities. In 2004, two Child
Development Centers (CDCs) were completed for the Moreno Valley (currently
licensed for 63) and Norco campus (currently licensed for 60 children). None of
the three CDCs have the financial resources to employ full-time Master Teacher
for all laboratory classrooms (16 classrooms). [Master Teachers are individuals
that hold the equivalent of an Associate of Science Degree in ECE and have
received the California Child Development Permit from the California
Commission of Teacher Credentialing.] The number of Master Teachers dictate
the number of academic students who can be enrolled in the EAR 30 Internship
class. The lack of a Master Teacher in a children’s program classroom, also
precludes the development of their classes that are dependent on the need for
students’ to work with Master Teachers who have the required expertise. The
Riverside site, has part-time Master Teachers for both morning and afternoon
sessions for each classroom; Norco has one full-time Master Teacher for the
morning and afternoon session of one classroom and the other three have a Master
Teacher in either the morning or the afternoon session. Currently, MV has no
Master Teachers, however, the site is in the process of hiring 4 part-time Master
Teachers.
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2. The goals and recommendations in ECE last program review were:
a. New Certificate Patterns. The Infant/Toddler Specialization Certificate will be
presented to Curriculum Committee Fall 2008. Ongoing discussion is occurring
regarding the Multiple Subject Teaching Certificate with an emphasis in Child
Development. The Mental Health Certificate has been postponed pending further
review.
b. Expand the Internships to the Moreno Valley and Norco campus. The EAR 30
internship course will rotate to the Norco campus in Winter 2009 and to the
Moreno Valley campus in Spring 2009. Discipline negotiations are ongoing with
district budget personnel in order to secure adequate funding to hire Master
Teachers to work in the Early Childhood Education Centers.
c. Continue to advocate to the RCC district the necessity of the Child Development
Centers as laboratory schools for the ECE academic program. Ongoing advocacy
is needed to educate administrators and community regarding the use of labs for
observation, assessment, and practicum experience. We need to place students in
the labs to ensure that the student’s education is skill-based and that they leave
our program with marketable proficiency in working with children. We need to
encourage a paradigm shift at the District and Campus level that accepts that the
ECEC should be viewed as an early childhood education center that supports the
academic program, rather than a child care business. As such, our funding should
be given the same level of consideration as any other academic and/or career and
technical program that relies on a funded laboratory.
Advocacy is continuous as we attend meetings, workshops, seminars, and
consortiums educating the community on the importance of quality Early
Childhood Education. The children in our community deserve well-qualified,
educated, creative practitioners that will be responsive to the children’s needs.
Early Childhood educators deserve salaries commensurate with their
responsibilities and education.
d. Articulate more ECE courses with four-year universities. Twelve new articulation
agreements were made with Cal State University at San Bernardino, Cal State
University at Fullerton, Cal State University at San Marcos, Cal State University at
Poly Pomona, University of California at Riverside, Cal Baptist University, La
Sierra University, University of La Verne, Chapman University, and National
University.
e. Infuse California State Standards and Pre-K Foundations in the CORs to prepare
early childhood educators for the demands of the public schools. Faculty has
attended workshops regarding the new Foundations for Early Childhood.
Discussions continue in Faculty meetings.
f. Develop consistency among the faculty in course standards and assessment. Team
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meetings have been held to unify the faculty’s standards within courses and across
the discipline. In addition, supportive materials have been provided to all full and
part time faculty in order to maintain consistency. More meetings are needed and
wanted by part time and full time faculty. However, we are challenged to find time
to meet in addition to the regular faculty meetings.
g.Develop a document that identifies critical skill sets expected from each course in
the program in order to support student learning outcomes assessment. Postponed
pending further review and discussion.
h. Dialogue between campuses regarding the possibility of adding lab units to
existing or new courses. Explore the possibility of a First Five grant written to
videotape children to incorporate into online lab.
i. Respond to the students and community’s needs by developing new classes that are
necessary for quality caregiving and education. Ongoing discussion is underway to
add one-unit content area courses emphasizing techniques in teaching language arts,
science, math, music, circle times, and gross motor skills, as well as a course on
current topics in Early Childhood Education. A course on pedagogy / classroom
management is also being discussed.
j. Continue building reciprocal relationships between the faculty and the Child
Development Center leaders. Great progress has been made uniting Faculty with
the Site Supervisors of our child development centers. It is imperative that we are
united in the theoretical principles taught in the college classroom and how that is
demonstrated in the children’s classrooms.
k. Support student success by building authentic meaningful relationships with the
students we teach. We continue to mentor, tutor, motivate, counsel and, at times,
cajole our early childhood students. They provide our focus, purpose, and passion
in the decisions we make at RCCD. We believe we are very privileged to be in
their lives and work to be equal to the responsibility we have been given.
C. Data Analysis and Environmental Scan
District data for the Spring Semesters of 2006 and 2007 are used as supporting
evidence of changes in demographic features, efficiency characteristics, and
student success outcomes for the Early Childhood Education discipline.
Demographics
Slight to moderate increases are seen across age, gender, and ethnic group
affiliations. Across age, gender, and ethnic categories, a 2% increase has
occurred in the student population. (see Table 1) Both the male and female
population has grown. Males increased by 34%. The largest proportion of male
students in 2006 fall in the 0-19 age category, representing 29% of men across all
age categories, however, 41% of male students in 2007 are in the 20-24 age
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category. (see Table 2) Females increased by 1%. The largest proportion of
females in both 2006 and 2007 are between the ages of 20 to 24 (37% of all age
categories). (see Table 3) The largest ethnic group affiliation is represented by
Hispanics at 41%, followed by Whites at 33% for 2006. In 2007, Hispanics
continued to lead at 44%, followed again by Whites at 31%. The numbers
indicate a slight decrease (2%) in White population but slight increase (3%) by
Hispanics. Asian and Native American populations are vastly underrepresented
in both comparison semesters. (see Table 4) A close look at demographic
features of the ECE student shows that the largest population of student is female,
Hispanic, and in the 20 to 24 age range.
Table 1
Population across age, gender and ethnicity
Males
Females
Totals
Spring 2006
Spring 2007
62 (4%)
1326 (96%)
1388
83 (6%)
1336 (94%)
1419
Spring 2006
Spring 2007
18 (29%)
17 (27%)
12 (20%)
15 (24%)
62
12 (14%)
34 (41%)
22 (27%)
15 (18%)
83
Spring 2006
Spring 2007
279 (21%)
488 (37%)
273 (20%)
286 (22%)
1326
256 (19%)
499 (37%)
308 (23%)
273 (21%)
1336
Spring 2006
Spring 2007
223 (16%)
48 (3%)
572 (41%)
15 (1%)
77 (6%)
453 (33%)
209 (15%)
66 (5%)
620 (44%)
18 (1%)
61 (5%)
445 (31%)
Table 2
Population comparison by age (male)
0-19
20-24
25-34
35-over
Totals
Table 3
Population comparison by age (female)
0-19
20-24
25-34
35-over
Totals
Table 4
Population ethnicity across age and gender
African American
Asia/Filip/Pac
Hispanic
Native American
Other/UnK/Decline
White
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Totals
1388
1419
Efficiency
The average percent of efficiency increase across all courses offered (47%) is
greater than that of efficiency decrease across all courses offered (30%). For the
courses offered with comparable number of classes for each semester, 38%
demonstrated a decrease in efficiency (average efficiency decline is 30%), and
another 38% increased in efficiency (average efficiency increase is 47%). One
course shows a decrease in efficiency as a result of a reduction in the number of
courses offered from ’06 to ’07. Despite an increase in the number of classes
offered from ‘06 to ’07, 4 courses decreased in efficiency with an average rate of
22% decline. (see Table 5)
Table 5
Efficiency rates by courses offered
Spring 2006
Spring 2007
Increase (Decrease)
EAR Course
19
582.975
520.706
*(12%)
20
614.289
558.526
***(10%)
22
475.882
388.919
*(22%)
24
389.724
476.687
! 22%
26
503.259
512.117
! 2%
28
477.837
478.566
! 2%
30
555.785
476.388
*(17%)
31
183.589
219.018
* 19%
33
502.991
420.322
**(20%)
34
640.951
429.985
***(49%)
37
347.853
320.475
***( 9%)
38
713.544
594.620
*(20%)
39
0.000
279.141
! 100%
40
539.494
293.098
*(84%)
41
208.981
136.32
*(53%)
42
474.110
436.104
*( 9%)
43
201.304
304.371
! 51%
44
457.362
566.871
! 24%
45
219.018
603.911
! 76%
47
542.255
714.225
***(18%)
53
0.000
308.282
! 100%
! Increase in efficiency with courses showing comparable number of classes
offered across both semesters
*Decrease in efficiency with courses showing comparable number of classes offered across
both semesters
**Decrease in efficiency due to reduction in number of classes offered
***Decrease in efficiency despite increase in number of classes offered
Success
An overall 1% retention rate increase and 5% decrease in success remain steady.
There is a notable decline in the success rate (when considering a 10 point spread
or better) for 5 of 21 courses offered. The average decrease in success is 26%.
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(see Table 6) Enrollment, across all classes, is successful at the 74% level for ’06
and at the 70% level for ’07. A condition to explore is courses that increased in
enrollments but declined in success rates. Only 1 course (EAR 20-Child
Development) increased in enrollment (13%) and decreased in success (4%). (see
Table 7)
Degrees and Certificates
Students have the opportunity to earn an Associate of Arts degree in Child
Development/Early Care and Education or Children with Special Needs.
Concomitantly, 2 certificates can be awarded that require 30 to fewer than 60
units. Additionally, a Child Development/Early Care and Education certificate
can be earned with 6 to fewer than 18 units. Of note is a 62% decrease in the
number of certificates awarded in the 6 to fewer than 18 unit category. Small
decreases were also realized for the other two certificates. (see Table 8)
Table 6
Student success rate
Spring 2006
% Retention % Success II
EAR Course
19
20
22
24
26
28
30
31
33
34
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
47
53
Totals
Spring 2007
%Retention % Success II
89
90
80
91
82
89
96
70
85
91
94
97
87
100
80
89
92
71
100
96
0
67
84
85
88
93
81
96
86
91
81
94
91
69
82
100
90
100
94
100
98
0
87
91
87
89
89
88
95
92
88
91
94
95
100
75
100
90
61
94
97
90
85
72
71
92
86
96
79
100
91
52
90
85
94
89
75
83
81
100
93
91
86
85
89
85
90
81
Table 7
Comparison of enrollments to success by course
Spring 2006
Enrollments
Success Enrollments
EAR Course
19
99
57
89
20
311
229
351
10
Spring 2007
Success
53
221
Early Childhood Education
22
24
26
28
30
31
33
34
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
47
53
3/9/2016
52
153
55
190
26
10
91
36
18
38
15
60
11
133
12
25
12
46
0
1393
Totals
34
120
42
133
23
6
67
25
15
30
9
47
8
103
11
16
12
42
0
1029
45
172
28
167
22
12
24
47
35
38
18
16
6
129
19
31
33
81
39
1424
36
132
23
116
21
10
11
37
28
34
16
9
5
91
11
27
29
60
28
998
Table 8
Degrees and certificates
Spring 2005-2006
Spring 2006-2007
34
42
968
30
32
598
1044
660
A.A. degree
Certificate 30-60 units
Certificate 6-18 units
Totals
Discussion
Men are demonstrating an interest in child care careers. It is not clear whether
they seek positions as classroom personnel or within administrative ranks. To
explore and address male goals is important for continued population growth.
Courses can include more information regarding men in child care, and
recruitment efforts can be tailored to tap men’s particular interests. The strongest
population for both men and women falls within the 20 to 24 age category.
Instructors need to focus on the particular learning strategies of this age group to
help ensure that principles and practices are understood sufficiently for
applicability to early childhood classroom and administrative concerns. Early
childhood programs for children have very ethnically diverse participants. It is
essential to recruit adults into the profession that compliment this diversity.
Therefore, further recruitment efforts should focus on poorly represented, ethnic
populations of adult students in the discipline – Native Americans and Asians.
Increased efficiency is an objective of the early childhood discipline. Course
planning is coordinated within the discipline among the full-time faculty members
of the three campuses so that students have campus-choice options but not to the
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extent that low enrollment results because of multi-campus offerings of the same
course. Greater attention is to be given to the number of same course sections
offered each semester as well as limiting which courses will roll-over from one
semester to the next.
The field of early childhood education has increased the standard of educational
programming for young children. ECE professionals are expected to have a
thorough understanding of developmental theory and apply appropriately when
establishing classroom environments, choosing materials, planning and
implementing curriculum, and assessing children’s progress and program success.
As a result, adult training programs have established more stringent expectations
for classroom success. A decrease in success for RCC ECE students quite
possibly reflects a tightening by instructors of grade inflationary practices, and a
raising of coursework standards to be consistent with on-the-job expectations.
Additionally, since Hispanics are highly represented, it is possible that many have
English proficiency issues. Instructors need to be sensitized about the ESL
learner.
During the 2005-2006 academic year the evaluations office sent out certificates to
ECE students whether or not they had applied. The decrease in 2006-2007 quite
possibly reflects a leveling off process from the prior year, and is consistent with
current population numbers. Faculty members are periodically trained in the
application process, and reminded to inform students of certificate applications
and their importance in developing quality portfolios for job acquisition purposes.
To motivate and facilitate the application process, students can submit forms in
class to their ECE instructors for submission.
D. Programs and Curriculum
The Early Childhood Education Program provides an educational and practical
foundation for students interested in a variety of careers that involve working with
young children and their families. In addition to theoretical principles, the
curriculum offers practical skills and on-site training that will prepare students for
employment in the field of Early Childhood Education and Early Intervention.
The ECE program leads to certificates in Early Childhood Studies and/or Early
Childhood Intervention. An Associate of Science Degree may be earned in either
Early Childhood Intervention or Early Childhood Studies. The ECE program also
fulfills the requirements by the State of California, Commission on Teacher
Credentialing for five levels of the California Child Development Permit. This
permit allows one to work in state and federally funded programs serving children
from birth through eight years of age. The 12 units in ECE core courses are
required by Community Care Licensing to work in private early childhood
programs.
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Early Childhood Studies Certificate:
Required Courses
Units
EAR 19
Observation Methods in Early Childhood Education
3
*EAR 20
Child Development
3
EAR 22
Careers and Programs in Early Childhood Programs
3
*EAR 24
Creative Activities through Curriculum
3
EAR 26
Child Health
3
*EAR 28
Intro. to Principles and Practices of Early Childhood Education
3
EAR 30
Internship in Early Childhood Education
4
*EAR 42
Home School and Community Relations
3
Total Required Units= 25
(*Core courses required for Title 22 Licensing)
Electives—Complete two courses from below (minimum of 6 units)
EAR 31
Home Visiting
3
EAR 33
Caring for Infants and Toddlers in Group Settings
3
EAR 34
Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers
3
EAR 35
Internship in Infant and Toddler Care
3
EAR 37
School Age Child Care
3
EAR 38
Adult Supervision in ECE/CD Classrooms
3
EAR 39
Mentor Seminar
1
EAR 40
Intro. To Infants & Children with Disabilities & Other Special Needs 3
EAR 41
Internship in Early Intervention/Special Education
4
EAR 43
Children with Challenging Behaviors
3
EAR 44
Administration of Early Childhood Education I
3
EAR 45
Administration of Early Childhood Education II
3
EAR 47
Childhood Stress and Trauma
3
EDU 1
Teaching in the Multicultural Classroom
3
EDU 3
Intro. to Literacy Instruction
3
ART 3
Art for Teachers
3
ENG 30
Children’s Literature
3
MUSIC 1
Music Skills for Teachers
3
DANCE 5
Intro. To Movement Educ. for Preschool and Elem. School Children 3
PHYSED 6
Intro. To Physical Educ. for Preschool and Elem. School Children
3
PE 30
First Aid and CPR
3
SOC 45
Childhood and Culture
3
Total Units=
31
Course Requirements for the Early Childhood Intervention Assistant Certificate
Required Courses
*EAR 20
*EAR 28
*EAR 24
*EAR 42
EAR 40
EAR 41
EAR 33
EAR 43
Child Development
3
Introduction to Principles and Practices in Early Childhood Education 3
Creative Activities through Curriculum
3
Home, School and Community Relations
3
Introduction to Infants and Children with Disabilities and
Other Special Needs
3
Internship in Early Intervention/Special Education
4
Caring for Infants and Toddlers in Group Settings
3
Children with Challenging Behaviors
3
Total Required Units= 25
Electives: (6 Units required from the following)
EAR 31
Home Visiting
13
3
Early Childhood Education
EAR 34
EAR 44
EAR 47
EAR 26
EAR 19
EAR 38
3/9/2016
Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers
Administration of Early Childhood Education
Childhood Stress and Trauma
Child Health
Observation Methods in Early Childhood Education
Adult Supervision
Total Units=
3
3
3
3
3
3
31
Academic State Certificates:
Early Childhood Studies Certificate (31 units)
Early Childhood Intervention Assistant Certificate (31 units)
Occupational Local Certificates:
Early Childhood Education/Assistant Teacher Certificate (6 units)
Early Childhood Education/12 Core Units Certificate
On each of the three campuses is a child development center offering a culturally
rich, child-oriented environment where the cognitive, social, emotional, creative and
physical development, as well as the health and safety of all children are nurtured and
protected. The center provides opportunities for adult students to observe concepts
discussed in academic courses, as well as a high quality environment in which to
complete required hours for the Internship in Early Childhood Education course.
College students learn to develop a trusting and supportive relationship with children,
parents, professional staff and associates.
All ECE course outlines of record were reviewed for Program Review. In 2006, all
CORs were updated to include Student Learning Outcomes that were linked to
methods of presentation and methods of evaluation. The discipline is proposing to
the Curriculum Committee to change the names of EAR 31 and EAR 42 for better
clarification regarding the concepts of these courses. EAR 42 has been revised
updating the Student Learning Outcomes. Revision of EAR 31 will be completed in
the near future to bring it more in line with similar courses offered at other
community colleges. Courses EAR 22, 26, 40, and 54 have been approved to be
taught as online and/or hybrid courses. Courses EAR 33, 34, 37, 43, 44, 45, and 47
have been approved to be taught as hybrid courses. The discipline is considering
development of a course on the impact of diversity on early childhood education.
Under development is a new Infant/Toddler Specialization Certificate Program that
will provide students with the opportunity to intern in high quality infant classrooms.
ECE is considering collaborating with Teacher Preparation and Education in order to
develop a certificate program for ECE students interested in obtaining a Multiple
Subject Teaching Credential. The discipline is also looking at revising the Early
Intervention Certificate by exchanging EAR 31 with EAR 33, thus making the former
class a required course and the latter one an elective. Finally, in response to
community requests, the discipline is committed to implementing online one-unit
parenting classes.
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Courses are offered in a variety of different formats including online, hybrid, 8 week,
Friday evening, and weekend classes. Discussion is continuing on assessing the
enrollment data of all formats as well as student success rates.
E. Student Learning Outcomes Assessment
1. Team meetings regarding early childhood core courses are always inclusive of the
part-time faculty members. The part-time faculty participated in a concerted effort to
address student learning outcomes and to align curriculum standards to support
SLO’s. Faculty meetings have been dedicated to the improvement of student learning
outcomes. Notebooks (containing course outlines, student learning outcomes, sample
grading rubrics, textbook bibliography, and faculty directory for networking) have
been made and distributed to the entire faculty.
The ECE discipline has spent many hours over the past few years discussing and
conferring regarding student outcomes assessment. Trainings were attended as a
unified faculty group and the head of the District Assessment Committee, Sheryl
Tschetter, participated in an ECE discipline meeting to assist faculty in developing a
strong understanding of the assessment concept.
a. EAR 20 Assessment. The EAR 20 Child Development course was identified as a
preliminary attempt in assessing student learning; it is taught multiple times each
semester on each campus. ECE has 5 full time instructors, 4 of whom teach the 20
class. After discussion between the 5 full time faculty it was determined that 3 of the
instructors would try one assessment method, (2 instructors from Riverside City and
1 from Moreno Valley), while the final member (Norco) would implement a different
strategy due to course specifics variance in assessment methodology. All assessment
activities relate to the entire ECE discipline as a whole since they have been
conducted in consultation and results have been shared across the three campuses.
Faculty members from Riverside and Moreno Valley campuses collaborated to offer a
uniform set of 5 exams covering the course material. Each instructor during the Fall
Semester of 2007 conducted an item analysis of each exam to identify those items
most often answered incorrectly. These faculty members evaluated the aggregate
results to determine which questions were unclear, tricky, or misleading. The
assessment procedure demonstrated high inter-rater reliability. It also built faculty
confidence. The problematic items were replaced by items that faculty agreed were
better supportive of student learning outcomes. This strategy effectively assessed all
Student Learning Outcomes on the Course Outline of Record for EAR 20.
Analyzing the data EAR 20 gave the discipline an opportunity to improve teaching
and learning in an important core course in Early Childhood Education. It established
a useful assessment strategy that could be incorporated into helping students achieve
learning outcomes. Independent findings regarding key exam questions were shown
as shared concerns; the faculty was united in selecting and adjusting questions to
better support student learning outcomes.
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The Norco instructor selected one SLO (number 3) from the EAR 20 COR and
designed an assignment (critical thinking paper) that would assist with identifying
whether students met the assigned SLO. Points were delineated on the grading rubric
for the assignment to assess the student’s ability to understand the specific material
presented in class (theoretical perspectives of the major developmental theorists in
ECE) and their ability to apply this information in a critical thinking paper. An
average of the data taken from a specific element delineated on the grading rubric was
calculated from two separate classes in Fall 2007. The average score for both classes
was equivalent to a C grade (76%). The results were potentially impacted by the fact
that a number of students did not even attempt to answer the specific question on the
assignment, without the zero points from these papers the average achievement in the
assignment went up to a B grade (85%).
Although the results indicated a high level of success in student learning, the results
lead to changes in the way the instructor introduces or explains the assignment to the
students to aid in their comprehension. The first change was to encourage all students
to attempt to answer all questions on an assignment, to not avoid any questions, and
to use their grading rubric as a checklist to confirm that they have met all of the
requirements for the assignments, or have at least attempted to answer every question.
An in-class graphic organizer was created to encourage students to gather specific
information during class lectures and while completing reading assignments that
would help support them in organizing their critical thinking paper. In addition the
instructor started demonstrating specific methods to assist with planning the critical
thinking paper.
In the Spring semester (2008) the Norco instructor conducted an additional
assessment of the same SLO (#3) to take a more in depth look to determine whether
there were specific areas where the students struggled in their understanding of the
material, and whether the instruction method should be altered. The hypothesis was
that student’s struggle more to understand the cognitive domain of development than
biosocial or psychosocial, and have a harder time applying the information gained in
the cognitive domain in a critical thinking paper. The same assignment and overall
grading rubric was used from the Fall assessment, but one section of the grading
rubric was more clearly delineated to divide the total points for the section between
the three separate domains.
When comparisons of data were made across semesters, data results indicated that
students did struggle more with understanding and applying the concepts related to
the Cognitive domains, more so in the 7-11 year old age range of development than
the 2-6 year old range. In the Biosocial domain the students averaged 84% on the
grading rubric, in Psychosocial they averaged 82%, and in the Cognitive only 76%.
A class discussion about these results revealed that students who struggled the most,
had attempted to answer the critical thinking paper question that pertained to the 7-11
year old group. One reason may be that the critical thinking paper is due before the
instructor has had a chance to lecture on the cognitive development of 7-11 year olds
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and students have yet to complete a take home study guide test on the content matter.
The critical thinking paper is, however, due after the instructor has lectured on the 2-6
year age range and after the take home test on this content. Not surprisingly,
instruction does matter, and repetition also plays a role in helping students synthesize
and apply information.
One changes that this assessment led to was a student discussion in the Summer 2008
session of EAR 20 regarding this assignment. Students were advised that if they
chose to complete the critical thinking paper in the 7-11 year old age range that they
would need to read ahead of the lectures to prepare themselves. In the Fall 2008 class
the option of the 7-11 year old paper will not be given and the assignment will be
adapted to an in-class group activity with outside reading required prior to the class.
b. Additional Assessment. One final qualitative assessment that occurred this year in
the ECE discipline is in the EAR 40 class (Introduction to Infants and Children with
Disabilities and Other Special Needs) from the Winter 2008 at the Norco campus.
The full time instructor became aware while grading a critical thinking paper that
some students faired significantly better than others. On closer inspection it was
hypothesized that the students with higher achievement had taken a class in a
previous semester with the same instructor, EAR 31 Home Visiting (another
introductory class to children with disabilities), and were better equipped to answer
the critical thinking question because of this prior knowledge and experience gained
from specific assignments and due to the class format/structure from the EAR 31
class. As a result, the EAR 40 class will be reformatted to more closely resemble the
type of assignments from EAR 31, for example, in EAR 31 the students complete a
case study that requires a number of linked assignments that builds to a final product.
The same approach will be used in the EAR 40 class to provide better understanding
of the material and to support student learning or understanding. This will help to
support SLO’s number 1, 2, and 4 for EAR 40.
2. The next step for ECE is to compose a narrative outline for each assessment
attempt and present them to the District Assessment Committee for approval.
Dialogue will continue regarding individual and team assessments are being
conducted and attendance at trainings on this topic will continue.
ECE Program Student Learning Outcomes. Comprehensive competencies that would
be expected in the completion of each Early Childhood Education course would be:
1. Define key terms relevant to child growth and development
2. Compare and contrast theoretical constructs applying to the education and
development of children
3. Critically assess children and design and implement a curriculum plan
4. Communicate clearly about issues of early childhood education
5. Identify and differentiate ecological influences on child development
6. Develop collaborative relationships that strengthen the bonds between home,
school, and community.
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Timeline for Assessing Programs (2008 – 2012)
(add rows to the chart as necessary)
Name of Program
ECE
Expected Date
SLOs
Identified
8/06
Mapping course
Level SLOs to
Program SLOs
Expected
Assessment Methods
to Be Employed
Expected Date
Assessment Data
Generated
2011
Survey,
Pre/Post Test
2011
Expected
Date Data
will the
Analyzed
2012
Timeline for Assessing GE Course SLOs (2008 – 2012)
Course Name and
Number(s)
EAR 19
20
22
23
24
26
28
30
31
33
34
35
37
38
39
GE SLO(s) to Be
Assessed
Breadthof
Knowledge
Critical
Thinking
Applicationof
knowledge
Applicationof
knowledge
Communication
Skills
Breadthof
Knowledge
Critical
Thinking
Applicationof
knowledge
Critical
Thinking
Applicationof
knowledge
Communication
Skills
Applicationof
knowledge
Communication
Skills
Communication
Skills
Applicationof
Expected Assessment
Methods to Be
Employed
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Expected Date
Assessment Data
Generated
Expected Date Data
will be Analyzed
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
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Early Childhood Education
40
41
42
43
44
45
47
52
53
54
55
knowledge
Critical
Thinking
Applicationof
knowledge
Global
Awareness
Critical
Thinking
Information
Skills
Global
Awareness
Critical
Thinking
Communication
Skills
Critical
Thinking
Global
Awareness
Communication
Skills
3/9/2016
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Survey,
Test
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
Pre/Post 2011
2012
F. Collaboration with Other Units Including Instructional, Student
Services or Administrative Units
A central mission of ECE is to provide courses in early childhood that apply to the
California Child Development Permit Matrix. ECE works closely with the Child
Development Training Consortium to facilitate students in earning their permits to
work in the industry.
The capstone course (EAR 41) of the Early Childhood Intervention Assistant
Program places students throughout the community in child development centers, inhome early intervention program, or school district classrooms that have children
with special needs documented by an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and/or
Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP). This requires ECE to join forces with
agencies in the region to place our advanced students.
ECE is now engaged in working with Riverside County Child Development Careers
Academy to ensure that students meet their requirements for early childhood
education courses needed for career advancement as well as stipends.
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ECE works fully in partnerships with state and regional organizations to offer
innovative and high quality early childhood education trainings, workshops, and
retreats. Community trainings have been on-going using funding awarded from
grants to ECE. The workshops and trainings have been offered to students as well as
the community at large. Trainings that have focused on early intervention were
sponsored by First Five Riverside, and Professional Growth Advisor trainings were
sponsored by the Child Development Training Consortium.
Leadership provided by the ECE Advisory committee has proven instrumental in
guiding, organizing and supporting ECE curriculum. This advisory committee is
comprised of community leaders who have collaborated with faculty in efforts to
develop students that will infuse high quality standards of early childhood education
into child development programs on campus and throughout the region.
Many of the ECE faculty rely on guest speakers from the community to apprise
students of current trends and issues. Some examples of guest speakers that have
recently given lectures include: parents of children with special needs, a librarian,
pediatrician, La Leche League representative, Alternatives to Domestic Violence
advocate, SIDS expert, play therapist, and lead poisoning specialist.
Collaboration efforts are on-going with the Counseling Department on all three
campuses to help counselors understand the Child Devlopment Permit Matrix, ECE
Degree and Certificate programs.
The ECE faculty work with the Teacher Preparation and Education Department
employees. Many Early Childhood students are interested in obtaining a Multiple
Subject Teaching Credential and desire to work in the public schools. A future goal
is to design a certificate pattern unifying ECE courses with Teacher Preparation
courses. Both programs offer students high quality teacher education courses that can
take them toward diverse career paths.
ECE faculty work with the RCC Workforce Preparation Program in preparing
interested Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients to become
early childhood practitioners. Workforce Preparation sponsors the four (fast track)
core courses to enable the TANF students to obtain the core units in one semester.
Outreach efforts have been made to other disciplines on the campuses to encourage
use of the Child Development Centers for observation of young children. The
nursing students implement health education lessons to the children. Psychology and
Anthropology students have used the laboratories to complete assignments.
California Baptist University, LaVerne University, and LaSierra University students
also send students to the child development centers for observation work.
ECE faculty strive to ensure that good relationships exist between the leadership of
the Child Development Centers and the academic program. The academic program
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could not unite theory with reality if it were not for the laboratory that the students
use to observe, assess and evaluate children in a practicum setting.
ECE faculty has sought out substantial counsel with lead administrators on each
campus to secure major projects, strengthen student outcomes and advocate for the
Early Childhood Education programs.
ECE has collaborated with Open Campus for technical support for hybrid and online
classes. The Student Health Center has also assisted our discipline with Tb tests and
health screenings.
The Riverside ECE Department has earned a CCAMPIS grant (Department of
Education, Federal Grant Program), and has established the SHINE (Self-Help
Initiates Necessary Education) program. The SHINE program mentors students that
are Pell Grant recipients, pays 50%-75% of their children’s preschool tuition, and
offers academic and parenting support workshops.
The Riverside ECE/Teacher Department is working in collaboration with Alvord
Unified School District, to expand our program to the Innovative Learning Center at
Stokoe Elementary School to facilitate a high quality teacher-training center. The
children’s center is predicted to open in fall 2009 and for adult classes in fall 2008.
G. Outreach Activities
Educational institutions. Outreach efforts have been made to educational institutions.
An Articulation Symposium was held in April 2008 funded by the Riverside Child
County Consortium to establish articulation agreements between local community
colleges and four-year universities. The following community colleges attended:
Barstow, Cerro Coso, Chaffey, Crafton Hills, College of the Desert, Copper
Mountain, Fullerton, Mt. San Antonio, Mt. San Jacinto, Riverside, San Bernardino,
Valley, and Victor Valley. The following Universities attended: Cal State
University, Fullerton, Cal State University San Bernardino, Cal State University San
Marcos, Cal State University Poly Pomona, University of California, Riverside, Cal
Baptist University, La Sierra University, La Verne University, Chapman University,
and National University. The symposium was successful with agreements solidified
between RCCD ECE and four year universities.
ECE participates in Counselor to Counselor days and Career days to promote the
Early Childhood program. ECE also has articulation agreements with Riverside
Unified School District for high school child development courses. Dialogue is
underway with Riverside County Office of Education and Corona Unified School
District to outline articulation agreements.
Community. ECE outreach efforts in the community include public workshops and
trainings through into community by placing students in the classrooms. ECE works
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in partnership with many organizations, including: First 5 Riverside, California
Community College Early Childhood Educators, Child Development Training
Consortium, California Careers Academy, California Early Childhood Mentor
Program, Inclusion Partners, West Ed, Riverside County Child Development
Consortium, Arrowhead Association for the Education of Young Children, and
Directors Only meetings.
Students. The foremost outreach effort undertaken between ECE and its students is
the responsibility to schedule creatively. ECE rotates the courses throughout the
district to best benefit student enrollment. ECE implements traditional 16 week
courses, as well as accelerated courses in 8 weeks, and Fast Track (15 day courses).
The weekend college is also very popular with early childhood students. Hybrid and
online courses are available. ECE is redesigning a user friendly website that
promotes the many aspects of the Early Childhood program. Advertising in
brochures, newsletters, and flyers are offered to community members to advertise
state certificates, local certificates and the many courses of ECE. Permit Power hours
are presented to students to explain the process of obtaining the California Child
Development Permit. Handouts explaining “How RCCD Courses Parallel the
California Permit Matrix” and “How to Obtain a Permit” are presented for the benefit
of the students. An Early Childhood Education Club (ACES=Advocating for
Children and Educating Society) has been established on the Norco campus.
H. Long Term Major Resource Planning
1. Norco and Moreno Valley Campuses. The Norco and Moreno Valley Early
Childhood Education program can be self-supporting if eight children’s
classrooms are available. Constructing an addition of four children’s classrooms
will allow the Norco and Moreno Valley children’s program to operate with a
positive cash flow, saving the campus/district money, and enable more integration
of students into the lab school.
In the children’s classrooms, acoustical material for the ceilings and observation
speakers are required so that students may hear the children inside the classrooms
and therefore, complete their observation assignments.
A laboratory teacher workroom would allow space to organize supplies, foster
creativity, and is required for NAEYC accreditation.
2. Norco Campus. An Early Childhood Education student parking lot would
greatly benefit the students due to the long walking distance from the main
campus.
It is important for the Norco academic program to have “Live Feed” from the
children’s classrooms into the adult classroom. Live feed technology would allow
student to observe in the children in the adult classroom and enable the professor
to guide the students through the classroom scenes that they are monitoring.
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A covered walkway (shade structure) for students waiting outside classroom door
is required. Currently students are waiting outside without rain/shade covering.
3. Riverside Campus. The adult classroom requires a remodel. Classroom is
outdated; it is an embarrassing eye-soar representing RCC Early Childhood
Education program.
I. Summary Analysis
1. Specific goals and objectives to achieve our vision include.
a. Continue to advocate and defend to the RCC district the necessity of the
laboratory schools on each of the RCCD campuses. We use the labs for the
observation of current best practice in the field of ECE, assessment of student
skills, and for practicum experience. We need to place students in the labs to
ensure that the student’s education is skill-based and that they leave our program
with marketable proficiency in working with children.
b. Continue to dialogue with the RCC counselors regarding the multiple career
paths in early childhood including the certificates that are offered and the
requirements for the California Child Development Permit Matrix.
c. New Certificate Patterns. A proposed new certificate includes a Multiple
Subject Teaching Certificate with an emphasis in Child Development. Further, an
Infant/Toddler Specialization Certificate is being added to the program offerings.
This particular certificate should promote and motivate students to take EAR
35—Internship in Infant and Toddler Care. Our goal is to inform students of the
new certificate and offer the Internship.
d. Conduct outcomes assessments on SLOs identified in CORs, and of the
program SLOs.
e. Develop a document that identifies critical skill sets expected from each course
in the program. This document will clarify the competencies needed for success
as an Early Childhood Educator or Early Childhood Special Educator
f. Support student success by building authentic meaningful relationships with
the students we teach. We mentor, tutor, motivate, counsel and, at times, cajole
our early childhood students. They provide our focus, purpose, and passion in the
decisions we make at RCCD. We believe we are very privileged to be in their
lives.
e. Faculty Internship Participation. Encourage participation of ECE graduate
students in RCC’s Faculty Internship Program. This is a way to not only provide
mentoring to those desiring to teach at the community college level, but it will
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also serve as training and recruitment of individuals for potential part-time
positions in the ECE adult programs.
2. Support Needed. Early Childhood Education requires support from the campuses and
district to help achieve our goals and objectives. Specifically, we need financial
support for the Child Development Centers. The ECE faculty utilize the labs daily
for the academic program. Students would not be able to meet the academic goals
without the service of the labs. Quality teacher training requires authentic classrooms
with actual children. In the college classrooms we teach developmental theory;
because of the labs, students are able to supersede ethereal theory with points of
reference from authentic experiential practice.
The faculty are well aware that the Child Development Centers are financially
dependent on the district supplementation of the Center’s budgets. Due to mandated
licensing regulations, CTA negotiated salaries, and the tuition rates allowed by the
Board of Trustees, the centers do not have the ability to be self-supported. We
profoundly appreciate the district financial support of the centers. We steadfastly
argue that our labs are just as important for our academic program as a laboratory is
for life sciences, chemistry or math. We simply cannot accomplish our program
goals without the child development centers.
Each center also has concerns with parking lot issues that need to be addressed. We
greatly fear for the safety of the children with regard to the traffic patterns. Parking is
also problematic for students carrying large loads of course materials to the ECE
buildings.
The Riverside Early Childhood facility is antiquated and needs renovating. The
building houses children, classroom staff, children’s program administration, faculty,
and faculty administrative support staff. The adult classroom is an eye-sore and
needs to be remodeled.
The Early Childhood Education academic program needs the administrators serving
on each campus to respect the effort made by the discipline to rotate courses
thoughtfully and carefully. As we expand our program, we want to grow slow and
smart. We need our administrators to realize that adding extra sections at one campus
could cut enrollment at another campus. We are diligently collaborating on
scheduling our courses to not conflict with other campuses. We do not wish to
participate in decisions that are egocentric and/or competitive in deference to our
sister-campuses and our discipline vision.
J. Recommendation to the Program Review Committee
The process of the self-study was very beneficial for ECE to focus on the varied facets of
our academic program. We work on evaluating our program at every discipline meeting.
In fact, most conversations, emails, and telephone calls to each other are related to
assessing and improving our program.
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This round of our comprehensive program review was required two years after our last
comprehensive review completed in 2006. It was too close to our last review. We
recommend to the Program Review committee to give our discipline more time between
reviews.
The foremost challenge was finding the time to complete and write the analysis of our
program, given that we are very active in our committees within our departments,
colleges, and district. Our time is required in numerous ways within our discipline and,
although, program review is necessary, it had to be completed during the 2009 Winter
session due to the time constraints of our faculty members.
The second frustration was the conflicting interpretations given to our faculty members
regarding the requirements of DAC. Apparently, leaders on each campus have a different
interpretation of “assessment” requirements. Some individuals within the district
interpret “discipline” as campus-specific contrary to the interpretation of “discipline” as
being district-wide. This led to one of our Faculty members being told that assessment
work on each course is only applicable to her assigned campus. She is not allowed to use
assessment that is done on behalf of the district if it is done at a different campus. This
information is challenging given that some Early Childhood courses are taught only by
part timers that rotate to each campus. Data generated could be applied to each campus.
Much consternation continues regarding assessment procedures and has dominated our
discipline (district-wide). Circular discussions continue due to the obfuscation of
assessment interpretation. We recommend that DAC and Program Review “assess” the
committees’ guidelines and procedures to provide a uniform policy across the district.
The ECE program review document being presented is a summary of our work thus far,
but we consider our analysis of the Early Childhood Education program fluid and everevolving.
25