ECE - Early Childhood Education

ECE 121 - Parent Caregiver Relationships Units: 1

This course focuses on effective family and community partnerships within early childhood programs. Intentional strategies for family engagement and positive communication are explored. Students will learn formal and informal verbal and written communication strategies including: daily interactions, newsletters, information sharing, family conferences, and home visits. Building connections with community organizations will be introduced.

Term Offered: Fall

ECE 126 - Social/Emotional Development for Infants and Toddlers Units: 1-3

The course is the study of social/emotional development in young children from birth to age three. Students will be introduced to child development theory, as well as how to develop activities and materials to foster social/emotional skills in infants and toddlers.

Term Offered: AS NEEDED

ECE 127 - Role of Play for Infants and Toddlers Units: 1

This course is the study of the role of play as it affects the social, emotional, physical and intellectual growth and development of young children from birth to age three. Students will be introduced to theory and research on play, as well as how to develop activities and materials to foster play in infants and toddlers.

Term Offered: AS NEEDED

ECE 129 - Environments for Infant and Toddler Units: 1-2

The course focuses on how to establish and maintain developmentally appropriate, high quality infant/toddler environments in early childhood education programs. Students learn about the importance of relationship-based care, health and safety, space utilization, selecting appropriate equipment and materials, aesthetics, and making accommodations for children with differing abilities.

Term Offered: AS NEEDED

ECE 130 - Infancy Units: 3

The course will provide a comprehensive introduction to the principles and basic concepts of the development of the child from conception to age three. Emphasis will be placed on physical, emotional, social, and cognitive growth. Students will explore high quality infant/toddler care and the power of caregiving as curriculum.

Term Offered: Spring and Fall

ECE 154 - Literature for Preschool Children Units: 1

This course focuses on the elements of quality literature for young children in early childhood education settings. Students learn criteria for selecting and using children's literature, techniques for effective read-alouds, and other story telling strategies with and without visual aids.

Term Offered: AS NEEDED

ECE 155 - Literacy and the Young Child Units: 1

This course focuses on teaching literacy skills to young children in early childhood education programs. Students learn about the developing auditory and visual perception skills of preschoolers, as well as effective techniques to support literacy development including listening, speaking, pre-reading and pre-writing skills.

Term Offered: AS NEEDED

ECE 190 - Professionalism in Early Care and Education Units: 3

This course focuses on professional issues in Early Childhood Education including knowing about and upholding ethical guidelines and other professional standards related to early childhood practice; involvement in the early childhood field through professional organizations and activities; principles of effective leadership and advocacy for young children and for the early childhood profession; and public policy at the local, state, and national levels to support early childhood education in appropriate ways.

Term Offered: Fall

ECE 198 - Special Topics in ECE Units: 0.5-6

Various short courses and experimental classes covering a variety of subjects in child development. The course will be of variable one-half to six credits depending on the course content and number of hours required. The course may be repeated up to a total of six credits.

Term Offered: AS NEEDED

ECE 200 - The Exceptional Child Units: 3

This course is a study of young children with differing physical, social/emotional, language, and/or cognitive abilities. Students are introduced to typical and exceptional development, specific developmental disabilities, as well as strategies for including all children in early care and education programs. Adaptive teaching approaches to support children with differing abilities, working with families of exceptional children, and behavior and classroom management strategies are also explored.

Term Offered: Fall

ECE 204 - Principles of Child Guidance Units: 3

This course will explore key components of social emotional learning and development in children birth through age eight. Coursework will focus on the study and use of positive techniques to effectively support child behavior in early childhood settings in order to help children build positive self-concepts and individual strengths within the context of appropriate limits. The study includes uses of direct and indirect guidance techniques.

Term Offered: Spring and Fall

ECE 210 - Observation, Documentation and Assessment of Young Children Units: 3

This course focuses on how to observe, document, and assess the growth and development of young children in early care and education settings. Students learn and practice a variety of appropriate observation techniques, documentation methods, and assessment strategies and tools. Students are introduced to the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment for young children. Confidentiality and assessment partnerships with families and other professionals are also explored.

Enrollment Requirements: Prerequisite: ECE 250.

Term Offered: Spring

ECE 231 - Preschool Practicum: Early Childhood Lab Units: 3

All ECE degrees require courses with practicum experience in early childhood classrooms with young children (birth to age five). Practicum experiences are focused student teaching experiences that require the student to demonstrate specific skills in an early childhood classroom with young children.* Students must complete the practicum experience through TMCC.* Students are required to have fingerprints, an approved background check, and a clear TB test prior to enrolling in practicum experience courses. If a student fails to meet these requirements, or if the background check is not approved, the student will not be permitted to participate in courses with practicum experience.* Students must meet all of the prerequisite requirements, as well as have the practicum instructor's approval prior to enrolling in a practicum course.* Students must work with the practicum instructor to arrange a practicum schedule and placement site.

Enrollment Requirements: Prerequisites: ECE 190, ECE 204, ECE 210, ECE 250, ECE 251. Instructor approval required.

Term Offered: Spring

ECE 232 - Practicum: Infant and Toddler Units: 2

All ECE degrees require courses with practicum experience in early childhood classrooms with young children (birth to age five). Practicum experiences are focused student teaching experiences that require the student to demonstrate specific skills in an early childhood classroom with young children. * Students must complete the practicum experience through TMCC. * Students are required to have fingerprints, an approved background check, and a clear TB test prior to enrolling in practicum experience courses. If a student fails to meet these requirements, or if the background check is not approved, the student will not be permitted to participate in courses with practicum experience. * Students must meet all of the prerequisite/co-requisite requirements, as well as have the practicum instructor's approval prior to enrolling in a practicum course. * Two semesters of practicum are required. Students must complete the practicum courses in two, consecutive fall and spring semesters, during the final year of the ECE program of study. * Students must work with the practicum instructor to arrange a practicum schedule and placement site.

Enrollment Requirements: Prerequisite or Corequisite (Fall): ECE 252; Prerequisite (Spring): ECE 232 (Must have earned 2 units in the previous fall semester with a C or better). Corequisite (Spring): ECE 245. Instructor approval required.

Term Offered: Spring

ECE 240 - Administration of the Preschool Units: 3

This course is a study of the effective management and administration of high quality early care and education programs. Students are introduced to a variety of topics related to opening and/or managing an early childhood program, including community needs assessments, program planning, implementation, and evaluation, finance and budget, marketing, and personnel development and management. Licensing and regulation, facilities development and maintenance, parent and community interaction, nutrition, and health and safety issues are also explored.

Enrollment Requirements: Prerequisite: ECE 190, ECE 250, ECE 251, and HDFS 201, or permission of the instructor.

Term Offered: Spring

ECE 244 - Practicum in Administration in ECE Programs Units: 3

All ECE degrees require courses with practicum experience in early childhood classrooms with young children (birth to age five). Practicum experiences are focused student teaching experiences that require the student to demonstrate specific skills. Students must complete the practicum experience through TMCC. Students may be required to have fingerprints, an approved background check, and a clear TB test prior to enrolling in practicum experience courses. If a student fails to meet these requirements, or if the background check is not approved, the student will not be permitted to participate in courses with practicum experience. Students must meet all of the prerequisite/co-requisite requirements, as well as have the practicum instructor's approval prior to enrolling in a practicum course. Students must work with the practicum instructor to arrange a practicum schedule and placement site.

Transferability: May not transfer towards an NSHE bachelor's degree

Enrollment Requirements: Prerequisite: MGT 171, ECE 231 (2 units in previous fall semester with a C or better); Prerequisite or Corequisite: MGT 212, ECE 240.

Term Offered: AS NEEDED

ECE 250 - Introduction to Early Childhood Education Units: 3

This course is an introduction and overview of the field of Early Childhood Education (ECE). Topics include: a history and theoretical foundation of early care and education, types of early childhood programs and settings, an overview of child care licensing and regulation, professional development in ECE, working with families, designing the classroom environment, ethical conduct, daily schedules, curriculum planning, positive guidance, child development, components of the early care and education system, and current trends and issues in ECE. The course also emphasizes the importance of developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) in the field.

Term Offered: Spring and Fall

ECE 251 - Curriculum in Early Childhood Education Units: 3

This course focuses on methods of planning developmentally appropriate curriculum for preschool age children (3-5 years old). Topics include theories of preschool curriculum development, children's play, curriculum objectives, lesson planning, daily schedules, assessing child development through the curriculum, evaluation of curriculum effectiveness, and the role of the teacher in facilitating curriculum for preschool children. Curriculum development in all content areas is explored including art, science, literature, music and movement, sensory, language arts/literacy, blocks, dramatic play, woodworking, cooking, math, social studies, multiculturalism, and outdoor play. This course requires 35 hours of field experience in an early childhood classroom. Field experiences are focused learning opportunities that require the student to practice specific skills working with young children. * Students are required to have fingerprints, an approved background check, and a clear TB test prior to enrolling in courses with field experience. If a student fails to meet these requirements, or if the background check is not approved, the student will not be permitted to participate in courses with field experience. * Students must work with the instructor to arrange a field experience schedule and placement site.

Enrollment Requirements: Prerequisite: ECE 190, ECE 204, ECE 210, and HDFS 201.

Term Offered: Fall

ECE 252 - Infant-Toddler Curriculum Units: 3

This course focuses on planning and implementing a curriculum for children ages birth to 3 years old. The course includes a variety of child development theories and applies them to curriculum development for infants and toddlers. The major developmental domains such as physical, social, emotional, cognitive and language development are utilized in developing infant/toddler curriculum. Students will learn and apply best practice in infant/toddler curriculum planning including individualized curriculum, and caregiving relationships and routines as curriculum. An emphasis will be placed on the relationship between the environment and successful curriculum planning for infants and toddlers. This course requires 15 hours of field experience in an early childhood classroom. Field experiences are focused learning opportunities that require the student to practice specific skills working with young children. * Students must complete the field experience through TMCC. * Students are required to have fingerprints, an approved background check, and a clear TB test prior to enrolling in courses with field experience. If a student fails to meet these requirements, or if the background check is not approved, the student will not be permitted to participate in courses with field experience. * Students must work with the instructor to arrange a field experience schedule and placement site.

Enrollment Requirements: Prerequisite: ECE 127, ECE 129, ECE 130, ECE 190, ECE 204, ECE 210, and HDFS 201.

ECE 290 - Internship in Early Childhood Education Units: 1-8

A course designed wherein students will apply knowledge to real on-the-job situations in a program designed by a company official and a faculty advisor to maximize learning experiences. Available to students who have completed all core and major requirements and have a 2.5 GPA. Contact the appropriate chairperson for an application, screening and required skills evaluation. Up to eight semester hour credits may be earned on the basis of 75 hours of internship for one credit. May be repeated for up to eight credits.

Term Offered: AS NEEDED