Early childhood professionals can take part in affordable, relevant continuing education and extension program
By Elizabeth Reichert, (Reprinted from the UW-Superior ‘Jacket Journal)
Professor Dr. James Geidner
Taking seminar after seminar, workshop after workshop, but never earning a certificate, a degree, or credits -this experience is well-known to the 26,000 early childhood professionals in Wisconsin.
Many of these professionals do not have a college degree and are not able to earn one or credits toward one even though they have taken numerous seminars and workshops within their field to retain their licensure. Because of this, many early childhood professionals find themselves in a frustrating loop -working and attending seminars but without access to a program that will advance their career through higher education.
“The expense of college and time are barriers for many of these professionals earning a college degree,” Dr. James Geidner, associate professor of early childhood education, said.
Understanding this problem fueled Geidner and Marna Banks, Outreach Program Manager in Continuing Education and Extension, to formulate a program that would be accessible, affordable, and relevant to early childhood professionals, culminating in the recent launch of the innovative online early childhood module program at UW-Superior.
This module program is designed specifically for early childhood professionals who don’t have the time or the money to attend college but want to start earning credits toward a college degree while meeting the requirements to renew their license.
hrough the module program, students are able to work through the coursework of the early childhood minor offered at UW-Superior in smaller, online modules at their own pace and at an affordable cost of $70 per module. Each 3-credit early childhood course has been broken down into three smaller modules, which can be taken separately or together.
After students have worked through three modules, they may apply for 3-credits through the Credit for Prior Learning program at UW-Superior with an additional fee of $175. If students complete all 18 modules and have applied for credit for all of them, they will have earned an early childhood minor.
Courses include:
- Emotional Development of the Young Child
- Understanding Early Childhood Mental Health
- Evidence-based Interventions with Young Children
“For people who don’t have a degree but want a degree, this is an avenue for them to get one,” Geidner said.
These modules have the flexibility that early childhood professionals need -the flexibility with time and the ability to choose which modules are most relevant to their current need.
“It’s picking things from the shelf you want and need,” Geidner said, describing this personalized education. “This model allows students to move through the modules in a way that makes sense to them.”
Relevant and Accessible
Years ago, the model in vogue was that of the night class. Adults working during the day would be able to attend the classes at night, but people are too busy now, according to Geidner, and fewer and fewer people have the time to go to a 3-hour night class after working a full day. In addition to night classes, for many years, the Registry in Wisconsin has offered courses and day-long workshops to provide training to maintain licensure and even earn college credit through UW-Platteville, but the courses were offered sparsely, distantly, and expensively for credit.
Most of the courses offered through the Registry help professionals in their jobs, providing skills and knowledge they need and can use, but they tend to be unhelpful in their careers, never amounting to anything tangible.
UW-Superior’s new module program differs drastically from the traditional Registry and online classes with its online accessibility, low costs, and ability to be completed at the student’s own pace.
Child Development Associates Degree
For many years, early childhood professionals were required to complete the Child Development Associate (CDA) degree. Although this degree provided them credentials to work in early childhood, it did not provide a means for career advancement or further the degree-holder’s higher education.
Realizing this, Geidner and the Continuing Education program at UW-Superior created a way for CDA holders to earn college credits. Early childhood professionals with the CDA may fax, mail, or bring in person a copy of their CDA to the Continuing Education office, and based on the year of completion, professionals will earn 9-12 credits for the degree.
For more information about the early childhood online module program or to register, visit: http://www.uwsuper.edu/cee/online-eced.cfm.
News Contact: Elizabeth Reichert | 715-394-8556 | ereiche1@uwsuper.edu
