Curriculum and Instruction's

Program philosophy:

 The predominant theoretical basis of the early childhood education specialization is constructivism, which is grounded in the work of Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. We believe that children and teachers construct knowledge, alone and in collaboration, through interaction with the social and physical world.  Our program committee has designed the curriculum to insure program content quality. Our program is inspired by the work of the educators in Reggio Emilia, Italy and our courses reflect the contemporary issues faced by early childhood educators.  We hope to sustain an ongoing dialogue, research, and love of inquiry generated out of Reggio-inspired and other inspired principles and practices and work in the communities we serve.  The issues of diversity and social justice that educators are faced with call for highly reflective and responsive teachers who have a deep understanding of development, curriculum and culture that is focused on the unique needs and issues of young children, their families, and schools of today.

Program overview and Admission:

Because of the diversity of the population being served, this program is designed to develop a deeper understanding of those aspects of early childhood education that are particular to each student's needs and interests, while also developing a broad understanding of the field of early childhood education. For this reason, we have designed a core + elective program of study. Also, our program addresses the Advanced Professional Preparation core standards put forth through the National Association for the Education of Young children.

Our core components are comprised of 1) early childhood education specific focused courses, 2) curriculum and instruction focused courses, and 3) a research proposal and project implementation (or thesis or exams).  This program of study does not culminate in a license to teach in the public school arena. Instead, students who complete our program will receive a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialty area of Early Childhood Education.

Admittance into the specialization is dependent upon completion of the Curriculum and Instruction application materials and admittance processes.  This process is described at the link to the left entitled "ECE Specialization Admissions and Program Information". 

Program components:

This is a 45 credit degree. 30 credits are in core (required) courses. 15 credits are elective and designed between student and advisor based on student needs and advisor assessment.

Core classes (30 credits):
CI 581: Issues in Education (3 credits)
CI 580: Theories of Instruction (3 credits)
CI 570: Child Development and Education (3 credits)
CI 571: Play: Early Childhood Curriculum (3 credits)
CI 572: Language and Literacy in Early Childhood Education (3 credits)
CI 573: Assessment in Early Childhood Education (3 credits)
CI 576: Equity and Cultural Diversity in Early Childhood Education (3 credits)
CI 558: Advanced Curriculum Design in K-Primary Grades (3 credits)
CI 560: Action Research (3 credits)
CI 501: Action Research Project (3 credits)

Early childhood education electives (15 or more credits):
CI 510: Young Child As Scientist (3 credits)
CI 510: Learning Designs in ECE (3 credits)
CI 510: Constructivist Curriculum: Big Ideas (3 credits)
CI 509: Practicum in Early Childhood Education (3 credits) 
ECE Summer Intensives (check schedule of classes)
Continuing Education ECE Online Courses at http://www.ceed.pdx.edu
Other Curriculum and Instruction courses
Special education courses to be determined
Counseling courses to be determined
Leadership in Ecology, Culture, Technology and Learning courses to be determined

Notes:
*Electives for the ECE program are not limited to ECE courses and recommended offerings are provided by your advisors each year based on the schedule.
*The program will evaluate students to assure that they have coursework and/or experience regarding Early Childhood Special Education prior to graduation.

Program Faculty:

• Christine Chaille, Ph.D.
  Position: Professor, Curriculum & Instruction Department Chair
  Phone: 503-725-4675 E-mail: chaillec@pdx.edu
  

• Will Parnell , Ed.D.
  Position: Pedagogical Director, Early Childhood Education Programs
  Asst. Professor & Coordinator, Curriculum & Instruction ECE Specialization
  Phone: 503-725-3091 E-mail: parnellw@pdx.edu

Contact Information:

Graduate School of Education Phone: (503) 725-4619
Curriculum and Instruction Office: (503) 725-4756

Advising Schedule:
You may set up an appointment with Dr. Chaille or Dr. Parnell during office hours for advising (note: summer is very limited due to vacations) OR
open advising dates are listed below. Dates could change, check back for updates:
 

Fall 08:

October 1st and November 5th 4:30-5:30pm in the Helen Gordon Center Piazza