Early Childhood Education Diploma

This course allows students to develop and practice their verbal and written communication skills, which are essential for maintaining positive interpersonal relationships in an early learning environment. A broad range of communication topics and strategies will be introduced, including basic ethics, diversity and inclusion, critical thinking, teamwork, engagement and collaboration. Students will also explore conflict management, difficult conversations, decision-making and report writing.

This course focuses on the professional use of technology and interactive media to enhance daily operations in an early learning environment, as well as how to provide children with another relevant outlet to demonstrate creativity and learning. Students will explore the use of the internet, developmentally appropriate assistive technologies and interactive media. Discussion will include age-appropriate web-based applications and software, as well as digital technology to aid and enhance communication with children, families and the community.

This introductory course examines the fundamentals of early childhood education.  Students will explore the importance of healthy and safe environments for children and their families while considering pertinent legislation, regulations, standards and best practices.  Students will develop a personal philosophy of early childhood education based on their understanding and evaluation of the course topics.

This course uses a whole-child approach to introduce students to the overall development of children. This approach addresses a child’s cognitive, social, emotional, physical and mental growth. Atypical development will also be discussed. Students will explore key theories and principles of child development. Creating a healthy, safe and engaging learning environment that supports the development of essential life skills and growth toward the child’s full potential will also be addressed. Learners will explore key theories and child development principles. Child development is viewed through multiple perspectives, including multicultural, indigenous and neuro-divergent.

In this practical extension of previous courses, students will explore the role and importance of play to children’s developmental stages. Students will be encouraged to consider Flight’s holistic play-based goals when given the opportunity to apply their learning of child development, childhood wellness, equity, diversity and inclusion. Beyond those concepts, students should apply language and digital literacy when planning and designing safe and age-appropriate play environments and activities for children. Both indoor and outdoor play experiences will be explored.

This course builds upon Childhood Development 1: Growth and Development , as students continue to explore the stages of children’s individual progression in the context of behaviour and social-emotional development. Students will be introduced to developmental milestones, ages and stages, as well as the related strategies, practices and interventions needed to guide, support and nurture age-appropriate behavior and growth. Discussion will include strategies to help children build positive self-esteem and create respectful relationships in the learning environment, at home and in their community.

This course introduces the importance of literacy and numeracy in early learning environments. Students will explore strategies used to develop children’s speaking, listening, reading, writing, counting, problem-solving and numeracy skills to build an essential foundation for language arts and math. Students will research how age-appropriate literature, technology and play-based activities are used to stimulate interest and enhance literacy and numeracy development. Students will also reflect on the relationship between culture and language development.

Pre-requisites:

• ECED 200

This course continues integrating the Flight framework’s holistic play-based goals as students plan, design, develop and implement creative activities and experiences to support children’s learning and development. Experiences will focus on two- and three-dimensional activities, multi-modal learning, and expression through music, movement and drama. Students will explore cross-curricular integration, incorporation of appropriate technology, interactive media, age-appropriate web-based applications and software. Students will implement creative play in both indoor and outdoor environments.

Pre-requisites:

• ECED 250

This course focuses student learning on strategies and skills appropriate to the care and development of infants, toddlers, and preschool children in this stage of growth. Students will build their understanding of emerging and best practices for an early childhood professional in the day-to-day activities and routines of this age group. Effective, positive communication will be emphasized.

Pre-requisites:

• ECED 251

This course will be focused on atypical development in children and the exploration of exceptionalities that may be represented in an early childhood setting. Students will examine and discuss values, philosophies, accommodations, and strategies that can help create an inclusive child care environment where all children are supported.

Pre-requisites:

• ECED 251

This advanced, project-based course examines age-appropriate approaches and strategies, specifically emergent curriculum, when designing, developing, and implementing play opportunities in an early childhood setting. Students will incorporate appropriate technology and related applications to create an early childhood education plan for various needs and developmental stages. Students will design a developmentally appropriate curriculum for indoor and outdoor learning environments, considering concepts and strategies previously learned. These will include childhood wellness (nutrition, fitness and safety), equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), language and digital literacy, as well as numeracy. Students will consider Alberta’s Flight framework in their planning and design process.

Pre-requisites:

• ECED 300

This course focuses student learning on strategies and skills appropriate to the care, supervision, and development of school-age children in this stage of growth. Students will gain a better understanding of emerging and best practices when involved as an early childhood professional in the day-to-day and after-school activities and routines of this age group. Effective, positive communication will be emphasized, as will positive strategies for guiding and managing school-age behaviour.

Pre-requisites:

• ECED 301

Students will focus on the benefits and challenges of working with families of children in early childhood settings. This advanced course will examine the complexities of diverse family and community structures, helping students develop a deeper awareness of individual issues concerning families and their communities. Students will reflect on these societal influences and impacts on the learning and development of children within and outside the early childhood education setting. Students will build skills and develop strategies around topics including empathy, resiliency, respect for diversity, effective and respectful communication, building trust and relationships for meaningful interactions with families, as well as fostering positive community partnerships.

Pre-requisites:

• COMN 200

This project-based course combines theory and application. Key advanced topics include advocacy, rights of children and their families, determinants of health (at-risk), as well as poverty and intervention. Discussion will also address race, ethnicity and culture, as well as ethical practices and professionalism. Students will examine and engage community partners in creative curriculum design with the goal of implementing a needs-based workshop within the community that is focused on advocacy.

Pre-requisites:

• INDG 200

This course introduces students to a foundation of Indigenous teachings, practices, experiences and worldviews, preparing them to professionally engage and respectfully interact with indigenous peoples and communities. Students will examine the ongoing impacts of past and present policy, as well as identify practical ways forward that align with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC): Calls to Action. Students will develop their cultural competence towards recognizing and supporting Indigenous perspectives within an early childhood education environment. Students will explore topics such as: importance of identity, language, ceremony, and land in Indigenous cultures and how this can guide communication, planning and best practices when working with children, families, communities, and elders.

In this course, students will develop their skills in administration, organization, critical thinking, leadership and team-building to prepare for leadership/management roles within child care and early education environments. Students will be introduced to basic financial principles and practices that are relevant to managing early education facilities. Students will identify their leadership strengths/areas for improvement and explore effective leadership styles supporting positive and effective engagement with children, staff, families, and community partners. Students will explore roles and responsibilities within legislation, regulations, licensing policies (specific to the Province of Alberta), and risk management from a leadership lens, when addressing various issues such as child protection.

Pre-requisites:

• COMN 200

Using Flight: Alberta’s Early Learning and Care Framework, this off-site placement allows students to develop critical thinking and decision-making skills by observing the role of the early childcare education worker. The work placement will also be used to safely build fundamental skills for working with children. This placement combines professional observation, practical experience and integrated theory classes.

In this work placement, students will be given more hands-on experience within an early childhood education learning environment under the supervision of a work experience mentor. Students will be expected to apply the skills, knowledge and strategies gained from course prerequisites as they plan, observe and reflect on their day-to-day participation at their off-site placement. Students will play a lead role within the learning environment and be directly involved in the practice of documentation. Application of collaboration, communication skills and teamwork will be observed as students have more direct engagement with children, their families and the community. This work placement has five observational days leading to a four-week block of practical experience.

Pre-requisites:

• COMN 200
• DIGI 200
• ECED 200
• ECED 201
• PRCT 204
• WLNS 202

This work placement expands on the previous practical experiences of students and will be integrated throughout the term in two different early childhood settings. The theoretical portion of the work placement will focus on discussions around leadership and teamwork. This will include positively working with diverse families and communities in the context of potential leadership roles (lead educator, associate director, program director) in an early child care setting.

Pre-requisites:

• ECED 250
• ECED 251
• ECED 252
• INDG 200
• PRCT 208

This fourth and final work placement is an extension of Work Placement 3, with focused theory and applications on leadership, teamwork and continued engagement with family and community. The practical, off-site experience will take place for a consecutive five weeks at the end of the program, following the completion of the theory portion in the first ten weeks.

Pre-requisites:

• ECED 300
• ECED 301
• ECED 302
• LDSH 301
• PRCT 301

This course focuses on the importance of creating and nurturing a learning environment that supports the holistic well-being of children, families and child care professionals. Students will examine essential principles, skills and strategies relating to age-appropriate nutrition and fitness concepts. The significance of health and wellness dimensions such as physical, mental, social and spiritual will also be discussed. Topics will include the psychological/physical health and safety of both the child and the early childhood education (ECE) worker. Child protection responsibilities will be explained in detail. Students will also consider how community partners can be engaged to support and promote wellness to children and their families as a lifestyle.