ECFS F301      Parents as Partners in Education
3 Credits

Offered Fall Odd-numbered Years

Study of strategies that will assist those who work with children and/or families to facilitate supportive partnerships with parents. Includes partnerships, contemporary issues, school and home-based programs, rights and responsibilities, professional ethics and parents with special or unique needs.

Prerequisites: WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 3 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F302      Building Home Program Relationships: Prenatal to 3 Years
3 Credits

Offered Fall Even-numbered Years

Focuses on professionalism, family support, ethics, cultural continuity, child development, attachment and curriculum of home-based programs. Addresses the broad continuum of services across multiple domains and how staff that work in these programs can meet the needs of children prenatal to 3 and their families in the home setting.

Prerequisite: WRTG F111X.

Recommended: ECFS F342; WRTG F211X or WRTG F213X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 3 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F304      Attachment and Social Development      (s)
3 Credits

Offered Spring

Principles and practices in understanding and supporting attachment and social development in conjunction to reciprocal communication streams and social interactions. Strategies working with families as continuum for each specific child's development.

Prerequisites: WRTG F111X; WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 3 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F305      Social Emotional Development: Reflection and Practice
3 Credits

Offered Fall

Examination of the many ways teachers can help young children with their social development by addressing the common problems and situations that arise in teaching all children between the ages of 3 and 6 years. Development of strategies to improve teacher practices that will support social and emotional competence.

Prerequisites: WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 3 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

Repeatable for Credit: May be taken unlimited times for up to unlimited credits

ECFS F306      Building Bridges to Support Family Mental Health
3 Credits

Offered Spring

Understanding and providing assistance to families who live in environments with multi-risk factors requires professionals working together providing best possible interventions. Demonstration and examples of strategies that help multi-risk families that assists in bringing together most effective intervention techniques from a variety of theoretical approaches, parenting strategies and innovative programs.

Prerequisites: WRTG F111X; WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 3 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F310      Constructivist Curriculum
3 Credits

Offered As Demand Warrants

A focus on the issues involved in developing constructive curriculum for young children. Includes a foundation in the aims and assumptions of constructivist teaching and key components of this type of curriculum. Emphasis is on best practices for constructivist classrooms.

Prerequisites: WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 3 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F311      Theories, Methodologies and Pedagogy for Early Childhood
3 Credits

Offered Fall

Expanded studies on context and theoretical perspectives of appropriate practice in early care and education for children from birth through age 8. Examines roles of early childhood educators and identifies best practices for curriculum and teaching strategies. Theories and philosophies include Montessori, Erikson, Piaget and Vygotsky, Reggio-Emilia and Project Approach.

Prerequisites: WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 3 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F320      Environment and Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers
3 Credits

Offered Spring

Roles and practices adults take for supporting learning and development in infants and toddlers (birth-3 years). Stresses the adoption of the child's individual abilities and interests while supporting their exploration, discovery, relationship building and problem solving through environment development. Prominence for family inclusion in curriculum development through reciprocal relationships.

Prerequisites: WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 2.5 + 0 + 1.5

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F340      Financial Management of Early Childhood Programs
3 Credits

Offered Spring

The financial aspects of managing a child care center or preschool program. Includes budgeting, program resource management, marketing, purchasing, pay and compensation, and fee collection issues important to maintaining quality programs for young children.

Prerequisites: WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 3 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F341      Personnel Management of Early Childhood Programs
3 Credits

Offered Fall

Management of personnel of child care programs, including recruitment, hiring, in-service training, staff meetings and communication, supervision, evaluation, motivation, burnout prevention and termination of employees. Focus on maintaining quality programs for young children.

Prerequisites: WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 3 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F342      Family Relationships
3 Credits

Offered Fall

Examination of relationships in contemporary family life. Focus on the changing family, gender roles, living together, and relationships with children and grandchildren. Includes current family research and issues within and effect of public policy on families in our multicultural society.

Prerequisites: COM F131X or COM F141X; upper-division standing.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 3 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F345      Screening, Assessment and Data Collection Tools
3 Credits

Offered As Demand Warrants

Overview of the diversity of tools used for screening, ongoing child and classroom assessment, data collection and reporting within early childhood programs. Tools can be used individually or collectively to support the development of a high quality early care and learning environment and positive outcomes for young children.

Prerequisites: WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 3 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F350      Play: Foundation for Development      (s)
3 Credits

Offered Spring

Concepts, theories, and research in the development of children regarding play; includes the effects of culture, media and technology. Roles of early care professionals, early education curriculum and parent support. Ways of self-expression through quality play experiences support communication and friendships in relation to the whole child development examined.

Prerequisites: ECE F104X, ECE F107X or approved development class; WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 3 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F360      Assessment in Early Childhood
3 Credits

Offered Spring

Examines policies and practices related to evaluation and assessment of young children's progress. Includes legal, ethical and professional responsibilities in assessment. Explores "what, when, why and how" to assess young children. Practice and analysis of various assessment styles and tools as well as how to use information gained through assessment.

Prerequisites: WRTG F111X; WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 3 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F365      Social Studies Pedagogy in Early Childhood
3 Credits

Offered Spring

Guidance on how to teach social studies to young children to cultivate bias and discrimination-free learning communities. Emphasis on encouraging development of teachers' pedagogical practices, and resources for building positive social attitudes and dispositions that value the contributions of young children as citizens of their living and learning communities.

Prerequisites: ECFS F311; WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 2.5 + 1 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F405      Seminar in Culture and Child-rearing Practices
3 Credits

Offered Spring

Seminar course providing opportunity for students, cross regionally throughout Alaska and beyond, to engage in the comparative study of issues associated with culture and child-rearing practices of families within Alaska and throughout the world. Emphasis placed on the role of caregiver working with children aged birth through three years old.

Prerequisites: WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 3 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F410      Supporting Family Relationships through Mentoring
3 Credits

Offered Fall

Focus on policies, leadership and professional practices inherent of successful relationships with parents. Consideration of individual communication styles and cultural diversity emphasized in relation to best mentoring practices.

Prerequisites: ECE F242; WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 3 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

Repeatable for Credit: May be taken unlimited times for up to unlimited credits

ECFS F420      Developing Literacy in the Early Years
3 Credits

Offered Spring

Principles and practices in understanding and supporting young children's emerging literacy. Links importance of oral language and early exploration with later reading and writing skills. Strategies for assisting emergent readers and writers are included, as well as how to use play and children's interests to assist in developing their literacy.

Prerequisites: ECFS F310; ECFS F360; WRTG F111X; WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X; upper-division standing.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 3 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F421      From Babbling to Talking to Early Literacy
3 Credits

Offered As Demand Warrants

This course provides the opportunity for exploration and understanding of infant-toddler beginning language and early literacy development as it reflects on research from multiple fields. Looks at the importance of oral language development and early explorations with literacy while considering principles and practices that provide support for families and culture.

Prerequisite: ECE F214; WRTG F111X; WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 2.5 + 0 + 1.5

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F430      Fine Arts for the Early Years      (h)
3 Credits

Offered Fall

Explores the role of the teacher developing children’s awareness of the world around them and expressing through a variety of art forms including: theatre, two- and three-dimensional art, crafts, vocal and instrumental music and dance. Strategies for assessing artistic development and working with families are incorporated.

Prerequisites: ECE F240; ECFS F310; WRTG F111X; WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 2.5 + 0 + 1.5

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F440      Exploring Math and Science
3 Credits

Offered Fall Odd-numbered Years

Constructivist teaching of math and science. Explores role of teachers in helping children become theory builders in an environment designed to promote learning in math and science. Specific examples in chemistry, biology, ecology, numbers, patterns, geometry, measurement and data analysis. Emphasizes teaching children interactive, analytic and reflective processes of inquiry.

Prerequisites: ECFS F310; ECFS F360; upper-division standing.

Recommended: Completion of at least one natural science course.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 2.5 + 1 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F442      Family Resource Management
3 Credits

Offered Fall

Management of resources which help families meet and alter the increasing complexities of life. Involves purposeful actions that affect the use of time, money, energy, skills, talents and knowledge. Explores roles, goals and decision-making within our multicultural society throughout the life cycle.

Prerequisites: ECE F242; WRTG F111X; WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 3 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F445      Adolescence Through the Lifespan
3 Credits

Offered Spring

Study of the inter-relationships between early childhood and future development from adolescence through adulthood. Achievement in school, anorexia, chemical dependency and other health issues, family happiness, personal confidence and career success have all been linked to the early years. This course helps students understand these vital connections.

Prerequisites: ECE F107X, ED F245 or PSY F245; WRTG F111X; WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 2.5 + 0 + 1.5

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F450      Leadership and Advocacy in the Early Childhood Field
3 Credits

Offered Spring Odd-numbered Years

An overview of the early childhood field as a profession, the history of policy changes and the origin of policy reform. Topics will include system building strategies and models, ways to promote advocacy in early childhood and leadership qualities necessary to be an advocate in the field.

Prerequisites: ECFS F340 or ECFS F341; WRTG F211X or WRTG F213X.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 3 + 0 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F470      Advanced Practicum
3 Credits

Offered As Demand Warrants

Advanced practicum requiring 200 hours of work in an early childhood program or family support agency as a teacher, curriculum specialist, family advocate or in another related position.

Prerequisites: Senior standing; permission of instructor.

Special Notes: A capstone course available only to those who have completed the other required course work for the B.A. in Child Development and Family Studies degree and their designated specialty.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 2.5 + 1 + 0

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F471      Clinical Practice: Organizational Action Research
3 Credits

Offered Fall and Spring

Supervised Field Practice: Theory and application of action research within an organization. Emphasis on use of personal reflection to understand practice and the development of a planned theory of action. Techniques for observing action through the use of examining the evidence are learned. Approximate project timeline is 10 weeks/200 hours.

Prerequisites: WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X; completion of all CDFS core major and Administration or Family Support concentration coursework.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 1 + 0 + 14

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F472      Clinical Practice: Classroom Research
3 Credits

Offered Fall and Spring

Supervised Field Practice: Theory and application of classroom research, emphasizing the teacher as researcher. Techniques of classroom research will be studied and applied through the development and application of a relevant project; including observation, question posing, note-taking, data analysis/interpretation. Approximate project timeline is 10 weeks/200 hours.

Prerequisites: WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X; completion of all CDFS core major and concentration coursework, excluding ECFS F473.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 1 + 0 + 14

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F473      Clinical Practice: Classroom Management
3 Credits

Offered Fall and Spring

Supervised Field Practice: Provides a capstone following completion of coursework within the Curriculum and Teaching or Infant and Toddler concentration of the CDFS B.A. program. Activity will demonstrate application of appropriate curriculum, and care enhancing the learning and development of young children. Approximate project timeline is 10 weeks/200 hours. This course may be taken in conjunction with ECFS F480.

Prerequisites: WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X; completion of all CDFS core major and concentration coursework, excluding ECFS F472.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 1 + 0 + 14

Grading System: Letter Grades with option of Plus/Minus

ECFS F480      Child Development and Family Studies Portfolio
1 Credit

Offered Fall

This course introduces students to the portfolio process, which will be completed with the final assessment as the finishing piece of the CDFS program. The portfolio is required for final completion of the CDFS B.A. degree program in lieu of a written comprehensive exam or thesis.

Prerequisites: WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X; admittance to the CDFS B.A. program.

Lecture + Lab + Other: 0.5 + 0 + 1

Grading System: Pass/Fail Grades