CDFS 203, Dual Enrollment Curriculum for Young Children

Fall 2023: 8/28/23-12/15/23

Virginia Roof - Instructor vroof@cuesta.edu

Jamie Becerra (Atascadero High School)

Welcome to CDFS 203!  I am so glad that you are here!  As we move through the learning modules together this upcoming semester, we'll be exploring developmentally appropriate curriuculum and environments for children birth through age eight. (SCROLL DOWN to the bottom of this page to download a SAMPLE SYLLABUS and COURSE OUTLINE & CALENDAR).  We will all be pulling deeply from our personal experiences and sharing them with others to work towards a new understanding of inclusive, strengths-based curriculum for young children.

This course is entirely online via Canvas (https://cuesta.instructure.com/), including all coursework (discussions, assignments, projects, and quizzes). With the support of your High School teacher, we will work through one learning module per week. Each module will typically include reading from the textbook (at least one chapter), a video lecture from me, a weekly discussion or assignment, a weekly quiz, and some work towards completing course projects. In this online course, you will have more flexibility to complete coursework during times that work with your personal schedule. 

For this 3 unit course, plan to spend 6-9 hours/week on average participating in course activities (reading, studying, viewing videos, participating in discussions, completing assignments and projects, taking quizzes, etc.). Projects are a large part of this course, so please be prepared to work collaboratively and share your learned experience with your fellow students.  

 

Online courses at Cuesta

In online learning environments, you will need to be self-motivated, self-directed, able to follow written instructions, and have solid computer and writing skills.  Please take the following survey to make sure an online class is right for you: http://www.cuesta.edu/academics/distance/survey.htmlLinks to an external site.. Visit the following link to learn more about Distance Education at Cuesta College: http://www.cuesta.edu/academics/distance/index.htmlLinks to an external site..  Some frequently asked questions (FAQs) are answered here: http://www.cuesta.edu/academics/distance/faqs.htmlLinks to an external site.. 

 

Logging in to the Course

Please make sure that you log in to the course as soon as possible when the semester begins. If you are having trouble logging in, please contact the Support Chat Hotline Links to an external site. or e-mail: support@my.cuesta.edu.  The Tech Support Links to an external site. team at Cuesta is highly responsive & you will receive a reply promptly. Some easy fixes for log in issues:

• Log in to the course from a laptop or desktop (vs. your mobile device)
• Use a different browser (e.g., Firefox vs. Chrome)
• Cleaer your cache, log out, close your browser & log back in.

 

Contacting the Instructor

• I love hearing from students, so please don't hesitate to message me!
• When the semester starts, I am available online to answer questions and address any concerns using the Canvas Inbox messaging feature.  I will make every attempt to respond within 24 hours Monday-Friday.
• If you need to contact me prior to the start of start of the semester, e-mail me at vroof@cuesta.edu.
• For high school students taking this course, please be advised that you must message me directly. I cannot communicate with your parents and am not able to respond to any emails received from them.
• You are welcome to learn More about Me. Please reach out if you have any questions. I'm happy to help!

 

Required Textbook:

Paris, J., Beeve, K., Springer, C. Introduction to Curriculum for Early Childhood Education College of the Canyons, (2021).

FREE, available online Links to an external site. ***Scroll to the bottom of this page to download a pdf copy*** Individual chapters will also be included in each module in Canvas.

 

Course Description:

Introduces developmentally appropriate curriculum and environments for children birth through age eight. Emphasizes knowledge of children’s development, theories of learning and development, and examples from various models of developmentally appropriate practice in the planning of environments and curriculum in all content areas to support children’s development and learning integrated throughout indoor and outdoor settings. Required for teachers in all early childhood education programs as a part of the 12 units for the Child Development Permit and licensing requirements for the State of California. 

 

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course the student should be able to:

1. Apply elements of various curriculum models, approaches, theories, and standards for early
   learning including indicators of quality to plan and individualize curriculum for children from
   birth through eight years of age.
2. Plan indoor and outdoor environments based on knowledge and understanding of children’s
   development and needs.
3. Develop curriculum for all content areas to support children’s learning and developmental
   needs. 

 

Access to the Course:

• This course will be available for you to view and get oriented several days before the semester begins.  I will be sending you a Welcome message and reminder to log in the first day of classes. 
• When the semester starts, please log in right away so that you will not be dropped from the course. I look forward to "meeting" you online soon!
• To log in, go to https://cuesta.instructure.com  and follow the instructions.
  • Your login name matches your my.cuesta login name: firstname_lastname
  • Your Canvas password also matches your my.cuesta password 
  • Once you are logged in, you will see your Canvas dashboard with a list of courses in which you are currently enrolled (you should be automatically enrolled in CDFS 203)
• If you are having technical difficulties, please contact Cuesta Tech Support at support@my.cuesta.edu or access support online here: http://www.cuesta.edu/academics/distance/technical_support.htmlLinks to an external site. .
• Be prepared to do reading in the textbook & complete your first weekly assignments in the first week of classes. https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Early_Childhood_Education/Book%3A_Introduction_to_Curriculum_for_Early_Childhood_Education_(Paris_Beeve_and_Springer) Links to an external site.

 

 Support for distance learning & learning Canvas:

• Cuesta's self-paced tutorial course for Canvas, enroll here: https://cuesta.instructure.com/enroll/EYLW9R
• Online Student Readiness Tutorials: http://apps.3cmediasolutions.org/oei/Links to an external site.
• Canvas Quick Reference for Students: http://www.cuesta.edu/student/documents/distance_ed_students/Canvas_Quick_Reference_Students.pdfLinks to an external site.
• Canvas Student Guide: https://guides.instructure.com/m/4212Links to an external site.

 

Accommodations:

This course is designed using an accessible Learning Management System and course materials have been created with ADA compliance in mind. If you have a disability and might need accommodations in this class, such as extended time on exams, please work with your high school teacher and let me know so that you can receive appropriate accommodations in a timely manner. You are also welcome to visit Cuesta's Disability Support Programs & Services (https://www.cuesta.edu/student/studentservices/dsps/index.html Links to an external site.) or email them directly at: dspsinfo@cuesta.edu.

 

College Policies

Please review the Cuesta College Student Code of Conduct & Academic Honesty policy here:

https://www.cuesta.edu/about/leadership/vpss/student-code-of-conduct-and-discipline/Student_Code_of_Conduct.html Links to an external site.

 

Minimum Computer Requirements: 

You will need a reliable laptop or desktop and internet connection, as well as a Cuesta e-mail account (check your Cuesta email before the beginning of the semester for course updates).  Additionally, your computer needs to meet minimum system requirements to run Canvas, the web-based learning management system we are using.  Please visit the following link to ensure that your computer meets those requirements:

http://www.cuesta.edu/student/aboutacad/distance/faqs_technical.html

I do not recommend relying solely on a mobile phone/device to complete coursework. The Canvas Student app works well for viewing course content and sending/receiving messages. However, creating documents, submitting coursework, and taking exams may not function properly on your mobile device.

Thanks & I look forward to “seeing” you online, 

- Virginia Roof