Child, Youth and Family Services
Education
June 10, 2009
Early Childhood Education Program Now Available Online
Students across the province can now complete the College of the North
Atlantic�s Early Childhood Education (ECE) program online with the help
of an $800,000 investment by the Provincial Government.
The web-based program was launched today at the college�s Bay St. George
campus in Stephenville. The Honourable Joan Burke, Minister of Child,
Youth and Family Services, and the Honourable Darin King, Minister of
Education, attended the event hosted by Jean Madill, President of the
College of the North Atlantic (CNA).
The online model has been introduced in phases over the last two years.
Previously, the distance program was available only in correspondence
format. Now, students can complete courses towards the Diploma of
Applied Arts in Early Childhood Education almost entirely online through
the software capabilities of Desire2Learn, an e-learning management
system. Students are still required to complete practical field
placements at approved child care programs.
�This gives people who are interested in a career in early childhood
education and who are living in more rural areas the option to pursue
their goal,� said Minister Burke. �It also allows professionals to
upgrade their qualifications while continuing to work in the field.�
The online ECE program will cover the same curriculum as the CNA
campus-based programs in the Corner Brook, St. John�s and Happy
Valley-Goose Bay locations. Like their campus counterparts, students
will be eligible to apply for various certification levels through the
Association of Early Childhood Educators of Newfoundland and Labrador as
they progress through the program. The web-based program is self-paced
so students can fit in courses around work or life commitments.
Today�s announcement reflects the Provincial Government�s commitment in
its $90 million White Paper on Public Post-secondary Education to ensure
education is more affordable and accessible for all. Under the White
Paper, $500,000 has been provided annually to College of the North
Atlantic and Memorial University to expand distance education
programming to rural communities.
�One of the goals of our government is to ensure students are given
every opportunity to pursue a higher education and access relevant
programs,� said Minister King. �Considerable investments have been made
in recent years to support advances in technology and distance learning.
This not only supports the growth of individuals, but the sustained
economic growth of the province overall.�
Online courses have many advantages over more traditional correspondence
courses. Students are less isolated as they can discuss and learn online
with their classmates as well with the instructor. Furthermore, the
course content is easily updated and information is presented in a
number of formats, such as visuals, interactive graphics and video
clips, to support a variety of learning styles.
The goal of the web-based program is to make early education courses
more accessible to a wide range of students and to ultimately boost
enrolment and interest in the field, said Ms. Madill.
�Early childhood education is a rewarding career for students looking to
make a significant difference in the lives of children and their
families,� she said. �This program is essential, not only for reasons
relating to children�s overall development and well-being but because it
also serves as an important economic development function for the
province�s labour market.�
Graduates of the full-time ECE Program who have provincial student loans
and agree to work in licensed child care centres for two years upon
graduation are eligible to have their provincial student loan forgiven
through the Department of Education�s Student Financial Services
Division.
The Provincial Government also provides $1,200 bursaries to assist
students attending summer field placements at CNA child care centres.
Graduates who remain in the province as early childhood educators are
eligible to receive up to $6,660 per year through income supplement
grants.
�Our government is committed to attracting and retaining early childhood
educators in this province,� said Minister Burke. �After all, research
shows that children�s experiences in the first five years of life have a
life-long effect on health and overall success.�
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Media contacts:
Susanne Hiller
Director of Communications
Department of Child, Youth and Family Services
709-729-5148
susannehiller@gov.nl.ca
|
Roger Hulan
Communications Specialist
College of the North Atlantic
709-643 7938
roger.hulan@cna.nl.ca
|
Jacquelyn Howard
Director of Communications
Department of Education
709-729-0048, 689-2624
jacquelynhoward@gov.nl.ca |
|
2009 06 10
2:15 p.m.