Diploma/Master of Arts in Education major in Early Childhood Education

Course Overview: EDUC 607 offers an in-depth exploration into the systematic design and preparation of curriculum and instructional materials for preschool education. This course provides a comprehensive guide through the creative yet challenging process of developing educational materials. By focusing on the needs of young learners, participants will engage in a series of critical decisions spanning from the initial design to the practical application of instructional materials. This course emphasizes the importance of creating cost-effective, relevant, and appropriate resources that align with educational objectives and cater to the diverse needs of preschool children.

What You Will Learn: Participants in this course will gain insights into:

• The rationale behind the design of instructional materials and the identification of specific needs they address.
• The selection process for different types of instructional materials, considering the target audience's ability to use them effectively.
• The application of instructional materials in preschool settings to ensure they are suitable and relevant for achieving learning objectives.
• Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of the instructional material design process in terms of time and resources.

Through a systematic approach, learners will be guided with examples to illustrate each step of instructional design and preparation, concluding with inspiring ideas that have proven successful in early childhood education settings.

Course Aim: EDUC 607 aims to equip educators with the skills to:

• Apply principles guiding the design and preparation of relevant instructional materials for preschool settings.
• Critically select and creatively apply materials for effective learning experiences.
• Design and prepare instructional materials tailored to the needs of preschool education.

Course Objectives: By the end of EDUC 607, participants will be able to:

• Discuss the importance of instructional materials in preschool education.
• Understand learning as the core benefit of education and its implications for material design.
• Identify and explain various types of instructional materials, along with their characteristics.
• Follow principles and models of product design to develop simple yet effective instructional materials.
• Describe the guidelines for producing instructional materials.
• Outline the planning process for applying instructional materials effectively in the preschool classroom.
• List essential skills required by educators to design and produce impactful instructional materials.
• Explain different learning styles and theories, and their application in early childhood education settings.