Early Childhood Education Degree Online Courses

An introduction to early childhood, elementary, and secondary education specifically for students interested in teaching. Students will explore their potential for teaching in light of the admission criteria and licensure requirements. This course includes the study of historical and social foundations of education, and topics such as inquiry in the teaching and learning process; schools in a multicultural and diverse society; the profession of teaching; principles of cooperative group learning; and cultural differences, communication, and stereotyping. Course requires a 20-hour field experience.

The focus of this course is educational uses of technology. Students will explore computer applications as tools for their own learning, as well as the ethics of electronic communications and the exploration of emergent technologies.

This is an introductory study of child growth and development from conception through adolescence with a concentration on the physical, cognitive, and social-emotional domains of development. Emphasis areas of the course include: historical foundations and theories associated with the study of child development, the research process, the implications of teaching and learning, student diversity and pertinent topics associated with the possible effect of environment and behavior on prenatal development through adolescence.

This course covers concepts and ideas that enable students to recognize and identify oppression, discrimination, and racism, along with learning techniques for building a community of teachers and learners in a pluralistic society with its great variety of cultures, value systems, and lifestyles. This course includes the study of diverse groups, language, history, government, and culture. Through inquiry-based learning, students will critically examine bias, discrimination, and prejudice, focusing on their impact within educational settings. The course emphasizes culturally responsive teaching practices, equity in education, and fostering inclusive classroom environments that support diverse learners. Students will explore effective communication strategies for engaging with families from various cultural backgrounds, including school-to-home connections and community involvement. Course assignments include a DEI Textual Analysis Presentation, a Multicultural Research and Presentation Project, and a Culturally Responsive Lesson Plan, all of which assess students ability to apply human relations principles to teaching. Additionally, students will complete a Teacher Interview Assignment, engage in lesson planning that integrates diverse perspectives, and participate in reflective writing assignments that analyze best practices in human relations for educators. Assessments align with the Minnesota Standards of Effective Practice (MN-SEPT) and require students to demonstrate competency in areas such as cultural and community diversity, contributions and lifestyles, bias awareness, and American Indian education. The course also emphasizes professional responsibility, ethical teaching practices, and self-reflection.

This course explores the foundations of literacy with focus on the role of language and culture in language development. With emphasis on the pillars of effective reading instruction, candidates will consider structured, evidenced-based instructional strategies and modifications to support literacy and language development for diverse learners. Course includes an in-depth study of genres, authors, story elements, teaching strategies, and assessments of the literature of children and young adolescents with an emphasis on diversity and a focus on learners in early childhood, elementary, special education, early childhood special education, and multilingual learners.

This course is designed to introduce TESL teacher candidates to fundamental theories in the field of teaching ESL. The course builds a foundation of understanding of English learners and topics impacting the academic experiences of language minority students in the United States. TESL teacher candidates will participate in a 15 hour lab field experience with focus on culturally and linguistically diverse learners. The required preparation includes two years of HS foreign language or one year of foreign language in a post-secondary setting.

This course will help the teacher candidate begin a plan for professional development. A portfolio will be an ongoing project for the course, as well as discussions and activities related to preparing for the teaching profession. Candidates taking this course will complete their Pre-Student Teaching Experience for 10 full days.

Exploration of parent-child relationships within diverse family and cultural settings. Examination of parenting styles, attitudes, and behaviors and their effects on children’s development.

Emphasis will be on constructivist approaches to hands-on creative activities, expressive arts, and discovery learning for young children that is inclusive. Facilitating children’s development through planning implementing, and evaluating learning experiences in the visual arts, music, movement, dance, and dramatic play will be the heart of this integrated curriculum course. A lab experience is included.

The course focuses on various developmentally appropriate and best curricula in the field of early childhood education in which instructional strategies, theories of curriculum development, and integrated curriculum for traditional/thematic types, to newer experimental and/or research-based models are explored. Approaches to anti-bias curriculum and inclusion of all children will be studied. A lab experience is included.

This course develops a framework for establishing and maintaining high quality programs for infants and toddlers and their families. Students will develop techniques for care giving, facilitating learning, and assessment that are developmentally appropriate and culturally sensitive. Attention to infants and toddlers with special needs is included.

This course is an introduction to early literacy and linguistics, which is the scientific study of language. The theory of linguistics and teaching methods will be investigated. Topics taught in this course are language development, including the sounds of language and how they are produced (phonology); the structure of words (morphology); sentence structure (syntax); and how meaning is expressed (semantics). Early literacy topics addressed in this course include concepts about print, alphabetic principle, phonemic awareness, phonics, spelling, fluency, and written language. Emphasis will be placed on teaching techniques, strategies, and assessment tools used to instruct beginning readers, with special focus on the need to differentiate instruction to accommodate the needs of all learners, particularly the struggling reader and students for whom English is a second language. There is a 15-hour field experience attached to this course.

This course addresses the total spectrum of an inclusive P-6 developmental literacy program, including a study of phonemic, graphemic, and semantic systems, as well as strategies for teaching fluency, vocabulary, writing, and comprehension skills to learners. This course includes a field experience with structured assignments for teaching reading skills to diverse learners in grades K-6.

In order to teach young children it is necessary to be familiar with patterns of growth concerning physical, mental, social, emotional, and aesthetic development of this age group. And to know both methods and materials is essential in order to create a living/learning environment where children can experience the best possible educational program. This course requires a 15-hour field experience.

Note: For the BS in Educational Studies program, students may take either take MATH 129 or ED 418 to fulfill the requirement.

Provide education teacher candidates an understanding of the principles of effective classroom management and an opportunity to use a range of strategies to promote positive relationships, cooperation, and purposeful learning in the classroom; grow in their knowledge on how to create learning environments that contribute to the self-esteem of all persons and to positive interpersonal relations, establish a positive climate in the classroom and participate in maintaining a positive climate in the school as a whole. Participants will professionally grow in their development of skills necessary to lead with confidence, compassion, creativeness and commitment and team planning and teaching with multi-age grouping for P-6 diverse learners. Teacher candidates integrate strategies within an existing lab setting to collaboratively plan and deliver content and skill objectives.

This course focuses on the central concepts and tools of inquiry for effective standards-based teaching and learning of mathematics from pre-kindergarten through grade 8. The course will address concept development, skill attainment, problem solving, lesson planning, assessment procedures, and techniques for accommodating different learning styles. Fifteen hours of classroom visits for guided practice and teaching a unit using appropriate methods for diverse learners are included.

This course focuses on the central concepts and tools of inquiry for effective standards-based teaching and learning of science from pre-kindergarten through grade 8. This course will address concept development, skill attainment, problem solving, lesson planning, assessment procedures, and techniques for accommodating different learning styles. Fifteen hours of classroom visits for guided practice and teaching a unit using appropriate methods for diverse learners are included.

This course includes the study of pedagogy, standards, teaching strategies and assessments for social studies concepts at the preprimary, kindergarten and elementary levels for PreK – 6 diverse learners. Early Childhood and Elementary Education teacher candidates teach social studies content and skill objectives during a 15 hour lab experience in an elementary school for PK -6 diverse learners.

This course focuses on the exploration, discussion, and critical analysis of contemporary issues regarding children, families, and early childhood programming. Areas will include advocacy; understanding legislation, rules, and regulations; child abuse; parenting roles; and professionalism.

Candidates will complete a supervised field experience in an agency that serves young children and their families. Candidates will have opportunities to understand the infrastructure of the Early Childhood field and to demonstrate professional and ethical behaviors.

This course is designed to provide the student with an overview of health, safety, and nutritional issues of the child from birth to grade three in preparation for a profession of working with children. The prenatal environment and its impact on the health of the individual will be given great emphasis.

An understanding of the issues, resources, and techniques of communication, collaboration, consultation, and transitions for children, their families, the school, and all stakeholders in regular and special education settings. This includes professional reflection and development. The role of mental health professionals and agencies is included.

A supervised semester-long field experience evaluated by a classroom supervisor and a University supervisor, in Birth-Grade 3 classrooms, required for ECE licensure fields. Students demonstrate Teacher Education program outcomes and present a portfolio at a final conference.

This course consists of the final SMSU School of Education Teacher Education Program requirements for teacher licensure in Minnesota. Teacher candidates successfully completing all the requirements for MN licensure will be moved forward for licensure recommendation.