2009 Mississippi Curriculum Framework: Postsecondary Early Childhood Education Technology. (Program CIP: 19.0709 - Child Care Provider/Assistant)
Author: Shumate, Win
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Early Childhood Education,Child Care Centers,Child Care,Child Development,Guidelines,Preschool Teachers,Student Teaching,Vocational Education,Curriculum Design,Course Descriptions,Program Descriptions,Standards,Job Skills,Postsecondary Education,Core Curriculum,Competency Based Education,Minimum Competencies,Equipment,Student Evaluation,Community Colleges,Associate Degrees,Multiple Literacies,Technological Literacy,Qualifications,Clinical Experience,Worksheets,Child Care Occupations,Caregiver Training,Child Caregivers

As the world economy continues to evolve, businesses and industries must adopt new practices and processes in order to survive. Quality and cost control, work teams and participatory management, and an infusion of technology are transforming the way people work and do business. Employees are now expected to read, write, and communicate effectively; think creatively, solve problems, and make decisions; and interact with each other and the technologies in the workplace. Vocational-technical programs must also adopt these practices in order to provide graduates who can enter and advance in the changing work world. The curriculum framework in this document reflects these changes in the workplace and a number of other factors that impact on local vocational-technical programs. The Early Childhood Education Technology program provides preparation for a professional career in the discipline of Early Childhood Education spanning a variety of career options. This discipline includes classroom instruction, supervised laboratory experiences, and work-based learning experiences. Students will develop competencies that enable them to provide services, teach, and guide young children as related to various child development professions. The Early Childhood Education Technology curriculum is a 2-year discipline that requires a minimum of 68 semester hours of course work. These minimum course requirements are 18 semester hours of general education and 50 semester hours of child development and guidance management courses. Suggested levels are optional. Successful completion of the Early Childhood Education Technology curriculum results in the student's receiving an Associate in Applied Science degree. This curriculum meets the National Association for the Education of Young Children Standards for Early Childhood Professional Preparation and the Mississippi Department of Education Benchmarks for Pre-Kindergarten (3- and 4-year-olds). Jobs are available for all students who complete this discipline, in a public, private, or parochial Early Childhood Education Technology Program, including those in public and private child care centers that serve children of all socioeconomic levels and abilities; commercial, industrial, institutional centers; and recreational and hospital child care centers. Appended are: (1) Standards and Guidelines for Early Childhood Education Technology; (2) Related Academic Standards; (3) 21st Century Skills; and (4) National Educational Technology Standards for Students. A list of suggested references is provided for each unit. (Contains 4 footnotes.)