Early Childhood Education - Ed.S.

Early Childhood Education - Ed.S.

Questions should be directed to ecemail@gsu.edu.

The Ed.S. major in Early Childhood Education is a degree program planned to develop classroom teachers through collaborative inquiry and action research. This applied program’s primary purpose is to extend the academic and teaching skills of experienced classroom teachers to foster application of these skills in their classrooms and schools. As a cohort, participants will collaborate with university faculty and each other to do work inside and outside their schools and classrooms. Successful completion of the program leads to an Ed.S. degree and a Teacher Support Specialist (T.S.S.) endorsement. Successful graduates may also apply 18 credit hours toward the Ph.D. program in Early Childhood Education after admission to the doctoral program.

Philosophy
The educational specialist program is based on the assumption that learning is a constructive process that builds on the knowledge and experience of the learner. Through an integrated approach that provides choices and opportunities for decision making and dynamic group interactions, the program is designed around academic givens so that content areas have blurred edges, and participants partner with faculty to shape the paths by which content is learned. Certain beliefs characterize this program:

All teachers can lead and contribute to accomplishing the work of the school.

• All teachers can lead and contribute to accomplishing the work of the school.
• Constructivism is the primary basis of learning for children, adults, and organizations.
• Learning is facilitated by student choice.
• Instructors use instructional methods that are linked to and that model the way students learn.
• Instructors’ roles facilitate learning.
• Multiple continuous assessment procedures are necessary.
• The university involves faculty and students in developing the teacher education program based on the needs of the students and the professional judgment of the faculty.
• Learning and teacher education curriculum must be fundamentally connected to the community, families, school and classroom.
• Teachers/educators promote classroom/school research as a way for teachers to explore the effects of changes made in their classrooms/schools.
• Patterns of relationships form the primary bases for human growth and development.
• Schools should be organized to foster shared responsibility for school governance, for professional growth, and for achievement of agreed upon goals.
• Teachers have the potential to be change agents who challenge the systems that that limit the access, opportunities and development of young children and their families.

With these beliefs as the core, this program provides opportunities for teachers to explore classroom and school-based research as a way for teachers to observe and study the efforts of teaching and learning changes made in their classrooms. Their primary professional responsibilities are to become change agents, researchers and leaders who use data to inform their policies, practices, procedures, and epistemologies.

Program Academic Regulations
Participants will be expected to:

• Choose an area of interest upon which to focus developing knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
• Study some area of interest in depth through both survey and analysis of professional literature.
• Conduct and report classroom/school-based action research.
• Document, interpret, synthesize, and present insights, discoveries, and benchmarks of their professional development during the program in written format.
• Facilitate and promote the professional development of others in the cohort through ongoing performance assessment activities.
• Use a variety of communication skills.
• Work with other professionals in their schools in collegial and leadership positions.
• Use technology in carrying out other program requirements.
• Reflect regularly in writing and discussions on professional readings, thoughts, and practice.

For a detailed description of departmental requirements, please refer to the Ed.S. Program Manual available from the Department of Early Childhood Education or at the bottom of this web page.

Program Degree Requirements

A. Teacher Development Major (15)
ECE 8100 Social, Cultural, and Political Issues in Teaching and Learning (3)
ECE 8200 Critical Pedagogy in Practice (3)
ECE 8400 Teacher Development (3)
ECE 8410 Curriculum, Theory, Design, and Application (3)
ECE 8680 Internship in Early Childhood Education (3)

B. Research (15)
ECE 8800 Capstone (6)
ECE 8920 Constructivist Theories and Research in Early Childhood Education (6)
ECE 9850 Research Seminar (3)

Ed.S. Program Brochure
Ed.S. Program Manual