ECE 275: Strategies for Planning in Early Child Education

Course Description

The purpose of this course is for students to learn strategies for using both the ELDS and the DOTS in their early childhood settings. Learning experiences will provide students with opportunity to critically reflect on the role of observation and assessment in the cycle of intentional teaching, and how it all starts with having a solid understanding of each child’s growth and development. (1 credit)

Prerequisite

• ECE 274: Assessment Strategies for ECE Documentation and Observation for Teaching System (DOTS)

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Charter Oak State College uses the ‘Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators’ to develop its students for work in a variety of early childhood settings. The Student Learning Outcomes listed below reflect the Professional Standards and Competencies that are focused on in this course.

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

1. Use knowledge about the developmental period of early childhood, about individual children, and about development and learning in cultural contexts—to make evidence-based decisions that support each child (Standard 1d).
2. Combine understanding of content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and early learning standards to select or create an integrated curriculum across content areas for early childhood settings (Standard 5c).
3. Understand and use teaching skills that are responsive to the learning trajectory of young children and to the needs of each child, recognizing that differentiating instruction, incorporating play as a core teaching practice, and supporting the development of executive function skills is critical for young children (Standard 4b).
4. Know a wide-range of types of assessments, their purposed, and their associated methods and tools (PS&C 3b).
5. Use screening and assessment tools in ways that are ethically grounded and developmentally, ability, culturally, and linguistically appropriate in order to document developmental progress and promote positive outcomes for each child (PS&C 3c).
6. Build assessment partnerships with families and professional colleagues (PS&C 3d).

Course Activities and Grading

Required Textbooks

• This course uses Open Educational Resources (OER). OER are openly licensed, educational resources that can be used for teaching, learning and research. OER may consist of a variety of resources such as textbooks, videos and software that are at little or no cost for students.
• Resources used for course:
  
  • CT Early Learning and Development Standards (CT OEC, 2014)

  • Supporting All Children Using the CT Early Learning and Development Standards Supplemental Resources:

    • A Guide to Domains and Strands (CT OEC, 2016a)
    • Building Meaningful Curriculum (CT OEC, 2016b)
  • CT OEC. (2018). Connecticut Documentation & Observation for Teaching System (CT DOTS) User’s Manual.
  • CT OEC. (2018). Connecticut Documentation and Observation for Teaching System Observation Progressions

Course Schedule

COSC Accessibility Statement

Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.

COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources

Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.