This module will detail the history of the ECE environment in British Columbia including an overview of the licensing agency and acts and regulations responsible for child care facilities and child care facility staff. Students complete assignments to build practical understanding of licensing, staff qualifications, educator/child ratio and activities.

As the course is aptly named, several important regulations, philosophies, and common themes are introduced here and are reinforced throughout the program as well: 

• British Columbia Child Care Sector Occupational Competencies
• British Columbia Early Learning Framework
• Child Care Licensing Regulation
• Early Childhood Educators of British Columbia (ECEBC) Code of Ethics
• Child Care BC Act
• Community Care and Assisted Living Act
• Child Care Subsidy Act
• Child Care Subsidy Regulation
• Safe Play Space Standard of Practice
• Family Child Care Standard of Practice
• StrongStart BC early learning programs
• Writing across the curriculum
• Pedagogical narration and peer review
• Creating portfolios
• Teaching theories (e.g. Reggio Emilia approach, Montessori, etc.)

During this module, students will have the opportunity to debrief on their earlier practicum and observation experiences and review the application and development of skills and core concepts learned throughout the program. Basic centre administration will be covered including budgeting, scheduling, centre structure, and organization, as well as other management skills.

A guest speaker (licensing officer) is normally scheduled for this course.

The focus of this module is on the development and implementation of age - and stage - appropriate activities. Students will learn how to set learning objectives and design and evaluate activities and lessons. 

Ideally this course is studied in the early phase of the program, as the skills learned apply to assignments and study of various subject areas of curriculum covered in the ECE program.

Diverse lifestyles, multi-cultural experiences and varied social settings are explored through the construct of imaginative play environments. Assignments include the development of play prop boxes that can be used to encourage drama in a childcare facility.

This module will develop practitioner skills necessary to provide a positive, safe and nurturing environment. Strategies for guidance, discipline and conflict will be examined through in-class work and observation assignments.

The course includes a two-day ‘Observation Practicum: What to Do When’. This will require more than five hours for at least two days during the course. Students are eligible to apply for an Early Childhood Educator Assistant (ECEA) certificate after successful completion of this course; this will enable a student to elect to work in the field while completing their ECE education.

Expectations, documentation, policies and procedures highlight this module as preparation for practicum placements. Students meet with Sponsor Supervisors at their placement site to build comfort level and discuss facility procedures, practicum assignments and other requirements. Students also have the opportunity to outline personal goals and objectives and how they expect to achieve them. There is also an open and supportive forum to discuss potential fears and concerns students may have as they anticipate their first ECE practicum experience. 

This course is included in the practicum hours as approved by the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

This module aims to develop student understanding about the acquisition of language and the benefits of exposure to literature. Strategies to introduce children to age and content appropriate literature will be covered through the study of early childhood experiences in language arts. The language study observation practicum (part of ECE1130) usually follows this course to apply theory to practice.

In play, children represent and transform the world around them, providing other children and adults with a window into their thoughts and perceptions, and often helping adults to the see world in new ways. This guiding principle, a key point in the Early Learning Framework and supported by HealthyFamiliesBC, is enveloped into the full ECE program with a comprehensive introduction in this course. This module focuses on the development of strategies, based on theories of play to enhance the value of constructive and positive play in the childcare environment.

This module deals with physical, social and emotional growth through a variety of structure, music and movement programs. Students record and describe the ways in which children are exposed to music and how it can be utilized to set atmosphere, ease transitions and waiting periods, and guide and redirect behaviour.

This course also introduces resources from organizations such as LEAP BC™, that promote healthy child development through physical movement while integrating activity and play with literacy and education during engagement with young children in programs like Move™ and Hop™.

A two-week Observation Practicum supervised by a certified Early Childhood Educator (Sponsor Supervisor) with additional observation and evaluation by ECE Faculty member from Vancouver Career College. The focus will beon workplace conduct, routines and environment, working with children individually, and parent-teacher partnerships, as well as working on a child study of one child focusing on the developmental stages and behaviours of the child.

The creation of environments that support, nurture and care for children in a safe manner is the theme of this module. Students complete observation assignments to examine how to bring learning experiences to the outdoors.

The course includes a two-day observation practicum on play environments.

This is a formative, integrated community-based practicum, supervised by a certified early childhood educator (sponsor supervisor) with additional observation and evaluation by ECE faculty members from the college. This is an opportunity to put theory into practice in a child-care facility in order to develop competency levels. Emphasis at this formative stage of the program is on language and art.

During this practicum, students will undergo work-based experience in which they plan and deliver childcare. Students will have numerous opportunities to complete prepared activity plans, observe children at play, observe and evaluate typical and challenging behaviours. There will be supervision by a certified Early Childhood Educator (Sponsor Supervisor). During this competency-based practicum, students will also be observed and evaluated by an ECE faculty member from Vancouver Career College.

Students learn to create program plans that include the setting of short and long-term physical, cognitive, and emotional goals for clients. This module takes a holistic view of assisting in the fulfillment of client needs.

This module will enable students to build and incorporate science and math activities into the childcare environment. Students will complete assignments to further their exploration and understanding of science and math learning activities. A component of this course also introduces technology applications in the early childhood environment.

Students focus on key features of social studies activities into planning for children. Universal family units, social sensitivity and multiculturalism are covered in detail. Students will complete assignments to further their exploration and understanding of social studies learning activities.

Students will gain a better understanding of themselves through an exploration of their personal attributes, transferable skills and learning styles. This course will introduce techniques for time, conflict, and stress management and develop interpersonal communication skills. Fundamental study and motivation skills will be covered, preparing students to excel in their program of choice.

This module is centred on understanding and facilitating hands-on arts and crafts experience. Students have the opportunity to place developmental theories into practice throughout this module. Assignments include learning to record the behaviour and actions of children involved in the drawing process (pedagogical narration), as well as building resource files for future use and preparing activity plans.

This course is a broad-based introduction to using a personal computer. It teaches the fundamentals of an operating system and the most popular application software including word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations. You will also learn about the Internet, Web browsers, electronic mail and antivirus software. The course is based on the Windows 7 operating system, Microsoft office 2013 and a variety of popular software programs for the Internet-related and security-related applications

During this intensive study of all aspects of child development, students will gain the knowledge needed to identify typical growth patterns in children. Theories and views related to child development will be covered in-depth. Students complete observation assignments to gain insight on childhood development theory in practice. Observation assignments include the collection and analysis of language samples and research to support or refute gender-role stereotyping in early childhood education. There is a one-week, full-time observation included in this module where the student will be able to practice observation techniques in preparation for doing a child study. Through an in-depth study of all aspects of child development from infancy to late childhood, students will take a detailed look at theories related to human development and how these theories are related to childhood growth and development. There is also an open and supportive forum to discuss potential fears and concerns students may have as they anticipate their first ECE practicum experience.

This course is divided into two distinct sections: a five-week classroom-based course (135 hours); and a two-week language study observation practicum which is ideally scheduled after completion of ECE1180 – Language and Literature. During the classroom portion, a key area of coverage is ‘Observing and Recording: Theory and Practice’ to prepare students for observation and practice education components. Students are eligible to apply for an Early Childhood Educator Assistant (ECEA) certificate after successful completion of this course; this will enable a student to elect to work in the field while completing their ECE education.

This module will introduce students to positive communication skills, verbal and non-verbal, in an ever-changing diverse and multicultural environment. Communication, conflict resolution and issue understanding are key elements explored in this module.

Professional responsibilities and the roles of Early Childhood Educators will be explored. The hierarchy and communication among family-based team members as well as the role of staffing will be addressed. Students will also learn about legal and ethical practice issues, the role of confidentiality, acceptable behaviours and standards of care.

Special topics will include practices of ECE for immigrant and refugee children in BC, application of the Code of Ethics, and the function of the Child Care Resource & Referral Program in communities across BC.