Cleveland State University

ECE500 Foundations of Early Childhood Education

Monday, 5 - 8 pm

FT12

Fall, 2014

Instructor:

Grace H. C. Huang, Ph.D.

Office:

Julka Hall 329

Mailing:

2121 Euclid Ave. JH329, Cleveland, OH 44115-2214

Phone:

(216) 523-7118

(I check and respond to voice mail faster than e-mail)

E-mail:

g.h.huang@csuohio.edu

Blackboard Learn: We will communicate necessary information through the

new Blackboard Learn system, including course contents
and class announcement. This system will be the primary
educational tools outside of the face-to-face sessions.
Bookmark the Blackboard Learn system for your daily
learning.
http://www.csuohio.edu/elearning/blackboard/bbindex.html

Your CSU Email:

Blackboard Learn (BB) system is one of the primary

educational tools in this class. Therefore, it is students
responsibility to check Blackboard frequently
(suggestion: 2-3 times a week). Updated information,
announcement, and materials will be posted on
Blackboard. Some information might not be repeated in
the face-to-face class session.
In case of unexpected circumstances, such as class
cancel, Blackboard Announcement board will be used
as the communication tool. Therefore, it is strongly
recommended that you check BB on the day of the class
session before attending the class.

Forwarding CSU Email to your regular email address. If

you rarely check your CSU email address, set forwarding on
your CSU email address to an email address you do read
frequently.

Regarding forwarding information, see

http://www.csuohio.edu/offices/ist/services/student/forwardin
g.html

Office hours:

Monday, 8-10pm; Wednesday 9am 12pm; Friday 7:30

8:30pm; other times by appointment.

Required Textbooks:

Bredekamp, S. & Copple, C. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in

early childhood education: Serving children from birth through age 8 (3rd
Ed.). Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young
Children.

Driscoll, A. & Nagel, N. G. (2008). Early childhood education, birth-8: The

world of children, families, and educators (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn and
Bacon

Any additional readings will be announced in class.

Electronic Course Reserves (ECR) password: 7194

Course Description

This is an introductory course to the field of early childhood education. It is

designed to assist learners who are interested in working with young
children. The purpose of the course is to establish a foundation for the
learners early childhood education career. It provides the knowledge of
understanding children. It also integrates the contexts in which a child
develops the relationship of the people in them, and the interactions that
take place within and between contexts. It explores the history of early
childhood education, varied programs in the field, and attention to current
issues in the classroom and beyond.

Course Objectives

Knowledge

Demonstrate an understanding of child development in different

domains (Professionalism, inquiry, contextualism).

Develop an understanding of the historical, philosophical antecedents

of modern early childhood education (Professionalism, inquiry,
contextualism)

Develop an understanding of the importance of activity/inquiry in

childrens development and of the teachers role in that process
(Professionalism, inquiry, contextualism).

Demonstrate an understanding of contemporary issues in the field of

early childhood education. (Professionalism, inquiry, contextualism,
partnership).

Develop an understanding of the variety of early childhood education

programs and of those available in his/her community (Inquiry,
contextualism, partnership).

Skills

Develop abilities to observe and evaluate early childhood settings.

(inquiry)
Develop a variety of strategies to encourage childrens physical, social,
emotional, aesthetic, cognitive development. (inquiry)
Develop reflective and critical thinking skills in the field of early
childhood education. (Professionalism, inquiry, contextualism)
Use computer skills and library/internet resources for research and
preparation of all papers. (inquiry, contextualism)

Dispositions

Think reflectively and analytically about early childhood education.

(professionalism, inquiry)
Value the various work ethic skills such as attendance, punctuality,
responsibility, flexibility, willingness to learn, quality production, and
completion of tasks in time. (professionalism, inquiry)
Appreciate individual differences and respect diverse talents of all
learners. (professionalism, contextualism)
Realize that subject matter knowledge is not fixed and seek to become
knowledgeable about new ideas and understanding in the study of the
field of early childhood education. (professionalism, inquiry)
Perceive challenges positively and be motivated to improve ones self.
(professionalism)

Value the importance of cooperative learning (team work) and be

committed to your own group. (professionalism)

College of Education and Human Services Dispositions:

One important aspect of your education is the development of

professional dispositions ways of working, thinking, and interacting
with othersin three areas: Professionalism, Work Ethic, and
Communication Skills. You should be monitoring your own development
beginning now and continuing throughout your teaching career. The
Student List of Professional Dispositions you received with your
acceptance into your program is your guide.

Disability Statement

In accordance with CSU policy, if you have a documented disability and

require accommodations to obtain access in this course, you should contact
the instructor to discuss your specific needs at the beginning of the
semester. Educational access is the provision of classroom accommodations,
auxiliary aids and services to ensure equal educational opportunities for all
students regardless of their disability. Any student who feels he or she may
need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact
the Office of Disability Services at 216-697-2015. The Office is located in MC
147. Accommodations need to be requested in advance and will not be
granted retroactively.

Plagiarism Statement

Each student is expected to produce his/her own work. If one adopts ideas,
phrases, or sentences from any references (books, articles, and so on),
citations are required, citations include in-text citations and references list.
th
The format is based on APA style publication manual-6 edition. The
implementation starts effectively from the first assignment. If you have
questions, please ask the instructor or the librarian. Its counted as
plagiarism without citation. Any plagiarism will result in grade deduction.

Attendance Statement

Students are to treat attendance in class as a professional

matter. Attending face-to-face or online classes are essential parts of your
training and indicators of your qualification of being a committed and
responsible educator. Our program has the responsibility to monitor your
level of professionalism and make decision to recommend you for licensure.
Therefore, attendance is required at all scheduled class sessions.
Students participation in both face-to-face and online
sessions is required and is a part of the Participation grading structure (see
Grade Distribution section).
Face-to-face session: If you must miss a face-to-face
class, you need to notify the instructor prior to or within 24 hours after the
session for an absence to be excused (no exception). Without doing so,
absence will be unexcused. Maximum 1 excused absence is allowed in the
entire semester. Absences result in participation grade impact. The grade
impact of an unexcused absence (1 point) will be more than an excused
absence (0.5 point).
Please note that late arrival or early departure
without informing the instructor or a consistent pattern of the above
behaviors will result in Participation grade deduction as well.

Online session: Regarding web-based online class

session, attendance in the traditional sense does not apply here. Your
participation in the online discussions or online assignment is the nearest
equivalent. Since you have the flexibility to participate during the webbased session, you are expected to complete each session during the dates
when it is accessible on-line.

Any work (ie. assignments, quizzes, etc.) missed or due on the

date of an unexcused absence will result in grade deduction. 4 points (or
4%) will be deducted for each day late. For an excused absence, the student
must communicate with the instructor about the assignment within 48
hours after the due date, or grade reduction policy applies.

Resources: For an absence, it is the students responsibility to

look for contents or materials distributed during the missed session. The
instructor is not responsible for the information you missed.

This attendance policy is nonnegotiable.

If you decide to take this class, you are bound by this

attendance contract.

Assignments Instruction

All assignments must be typewritten and turned in on time

(11:59pm on the due date). 4 points (or 4%) are deducted for each day
late (tardiness policy).

It is students responsibility to confirm with the instructor

whether the assignment is received. If the instructor does not receive the
assignment, tardiness policy applies.

Student Work Retention Policy

Due to limited storage capacity, graded student work will be retained by the
department for six (6) weeks after the close of the semester in which the
work was completed. After this time, any unclaimed projects will be
destroyed. Students who may be unable to pick up materials may leave a
self-addressed stamped envelope (of appropriate size with appropriate
postage) in the office and staff will mail the requested assignment(s) to the
address given. We are not responsible of any loss of the projects after the
due date. Please make sure that each project is labeled with your name,
instructors name, and course and section number.

Grade Distribution

Assignments

Due dates

20%

Participation: face-to-face and

online participation

20%

Focus Paper (individual):: Child

development theory

Online discussion:
11:59pm, last day
of the discussion
session
9/15

20%

Project A

(group):

Informal debate of 9/29

theories

ECE500 artifact: Child

development theories forum

10/13 (TaskStream)

(required for those who are pursuing ECE

licensure; submitted to TaskStream system)

25%

Project B (group): ECE programs

observations

11/3, 10, 17

15%

Project C

Proposal C: 10/27

(individual/group):

Urban

families of young children

Project C: 12/1, 8

(develop- your-own project)

Proposal

C
Project

Grading Scale:

All assignments will be scored on a 100 point scale, except Participation

grade (20 points), and then weighted as follows to calculate a final course
grade

100-96

A-

95-91

B+

90-87

86-83

B-

82-80

80-70

<69

Course Outline

This is a tentative schedule of the classes. Any changes will be informed in

the class and on the Black Board (BB). The course outlines and required
readings/tasks are listed below.

Course Outline

Required Readings/
Tasks

Session 1: 8/25

Syllabus Overview
Whos in the class?
What is early
childhood education? Historical
and current contexts

Start forming groups for

group projects
Focus Paper topic

9/1/14: Labor Day no class

Session 2: 9/8

Library session
What is early
childhood education? Historical
and current contexts

APA style citation

Project A discussion

Location: RT502
Reading: Driscoll & Nagel,
Ch.1 (Textbook Ch.1)
Forming groups

Session 3: 9/15

What is early
childhood education? Historical
and current contexts

Developmentally
Appropriate Practice (DAP)

Readings: Bredekamp &

Copple (2009)
Due:
Focus paper
(Resources: Ch.3; self-research)

Group Project
member list

Session 4: 9/22

Bloom Taxonomy
Jig-Saw puzzle:
Project A study session

Session 5: 9/29

Due: Project A
equipment needed

5pm

8:20pm

Project A: Informal Due: Project A

debate of theories

Session 6: 10/6

TaskStream

Orientation
Observation/intervie
w data collection skills

Project B & C
discussion

Due:

Artifact
(Project A)
TaskStream
submission (10/13)

Attention: Start Project B & C NOW!

Contact and arrange your school visits ASAP. You will expect to
contact several families and schools before receiving a positive
confirmation. Additionally, this is the holiday season. Schools
and families can be busy in some weeks. I will not accept any
reason for not being able to schedule visits and complete
Project B & C on time.

10/13: Columbus Day No

class

Due:

Artifact
(Project A)
TaskStream
submission (10/13)

Session 7: 10/20

ECE Curriculum and

models

Due:

Project C
proposal

Readings:

Text Ch.5;
Walsh & Petty (2007);
Goffin & Wilson (2001) ECR; Samuelsson,
Sheridan, & Williams (2006)

Session 8: 10/27

Project B planning &

preparation

Due:

Inform
Project B
equipment needed

Session 9: 11/3 Project B

presentation
Preschool EC
Due: Project B (due on the
presentation day)
programs

Public schools- urban

settings
Suggested readings: Text
Ch. 8, 9

Session 10: 11/10 Project B

presentation

Public schoolssuburban settings

Public schools- rural

settings

Due: Project B (due on the

presentation day)
Suggested readings: Text
Ch. 10, 11

Session 11: 11/17 Project B

presentation

Independent schools- Due: Project B (due on the

presentation day)
religious, nonreligious settings

Session 12: 11/24

Ethics

Session 13: 12/1

Urban families
Due: Project C (urban
families)

Session 14: 12/8

Urban families
TBA

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