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.�

- 30 -

Media contacts:

2009 06 10                       2:15 p.m.