Students in the ECE Online Certificate program support children's learning, and their development in all areas: physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language development. The Early Childhood Education Certificate program is the first step in becoming a qualified ECE. Certificate graduates will be eligible for Level I Child Care Services Certification in preschool and school-age classifications. The ECE Online Certificate is also the same as the first year of the Early Childhood Education Diploma program.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of the Certificate program, graduates will be able to:

1. Support and promote the overall development of children aged 18 months to 12 years.
2. Develop and maintain developmentally appropriate programs, and indoor and outdoor environments that reflect best practices.
3. Explain variations in the developmental abilities of children aged 18 months to 12 years.
4. Maintain caring and responsive relationships with the children in their care.
5. Carry out effective and positive behaviour guidance, and discuss challenging behaviour.
6. Demonstrate professional behaviour and reflective practice in interactions with children, families and the community.
7. Identify and outline provincial child care legislation and policies.

Field Placement

For students that started the program prior to Fall 2023

• FW1605 is known as FW1600. Please still register for FW1600 if not already completed.
• FW1610 is known as FW1601. Please still register for FW1601 if not already completed.

Students in the ECE Online Certificate program are required to complete two Field Placements: FW1605 (5 weeks) and FW1610 (5 weeks). Provincial program standards require that learners must complete a majority of their placements in a regulated child care centre. A minimum of 260 hours for the Certificate, must be completed in a regulated child care centre, while the remaining hours may be in a regulated family child care home, child care centre, a family child care agency, a kindergarten classroom or a family resource centre.

For those online students currently working in regulated child care, for less than 6 consecutive months from the start of FW1605, a minimum of 1 week must be completed at a College of the North Atlantic (CNA) demonstration child care centre. Written confirmation of work experience will be required. An additional week at a CNA demonstration child care centre (for a total of 2 weeks out of the required 10 weeks) will be mandatory for students not working in regulated child care.

Applicable students will be assigned a CNA demonstration child care centre based on geographical location. Our centres are located in St. John's, Corner Brook and Happy Valley - Goose Bay. Please note: Students will be informed of the dates and which field placement course (FW1605 or FW1610) the mandatory week(s) will be completed.

If you are a non-cohort student and registering for a field placement course in an upcoming semester, you will be contacted at the end of online registration to complete a field placement questionnaire. This questionnaire is used to coordinate details of your placement site.

Future Opportunites

Graduates of the Certificate program will be prepared for employment with organizations providing early learning and child care, or self-employment in the child care field in communities throughout the province.

Certification

The Certificate program graduate is awarded a Certificate of Applied Arts in Early Childhood Education from the College. This parchment indicates successful completion of one year of post-secondary education, combining theory and practical experience in the care, education, and guidance of children. Completion of this program is one of the steps towards provincial CCS Certification through AECENL. Currently, the Early Childhood Education Certificate is eligible for Level I CCS Certification for preschool and school-age classifications.

Note: Students must possess a valid First Aid Certificate to be eligible for a Certificate of Applied Arts in Early Childhood Education from the College.

For students that started the program prior to Fall 2023

• FW1605 is known as FW1600. Please still register for FW1600 if not already completed.
• FW1610 is known as FW1601. Please still register for FW1601 if not already completed.
• FW2605 is known as FW2600. Please still register for FW2600 if not already completed.
• FW2610 is known as FW2601. Please still register for FW2601 if not already completed.

Students in the ECE Online Diploma program support children's learning, and their development in all areas: physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language development. In addition, students learn how to develop, maintain, and evaluate a child care program based on best practices, and support the inclusion of all children, in programming. Students are introduced to the administrative skills necessary to manage a child care service. With relevant work experience, a Diploma graduate will be qualified to become the Administrator of a licensed child care centre.

There is a direct link between the level of education an ECE has and the quality of education and care that is provided to children. The Early Childhood Education Diploma program is an important step on the career ladder (certificate, diploma, degree) to increasing qualifications as an ECE. Diploma graduates are eligible for Level II Child Care Services Certification in infant, preschool and school-age classifications.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of the Diploma program, graduates will be able to:

1. Support and promote the overall development of children aged birth to 12 years.
2. Develop and maintain developmentally appropriate programs, and indoor and outdoor environments that reflect best practices.
3. Explain variations in the developmental abilities of children aged birth to 12 years.
4. Maintain caring and responsive relationships with the children in their care.
5. Carry out effective and positive behaviour guidance, and discuss challenging behaviour.
6. Create and implement a philosophy statement, and develop programs and policies based on the philosophy.
7. Support staff in the delivery of programs, policies and guidelines.
8. Set up and maintain an environment that supports diversity and inclusion.
9. Observe, document and evaluate program delivery, child development, and adult - child interactions.
10. Discuss and illustrate the principles of early learning.
11. Demonstrate professional behaviour, reflective practice, and effective relationships with children, families, staff, and the community.
12. Apply provincial child care legislation, policies and all other applicable legislative and regulatory requirements.

Field Placement

Students in the ECE Online Diploma program are required to complete four Field Placements: FW1605 (5 weeks); FW1610 (5 weeks); FW2605 (4 weeks) and FW2610 (4 weeks). Provincial program standards require that learners must complete a majority of their placements in a regulated child care centre. A minimum of 500 hours for the Diploma must be completed in a regulated child care centre, while the remaining hours may be in a regulated family child care home, child care centre, a family child care agency, a kindergarten classroom or a family resource centre. For new students accepted into College of the North Atlantic's Early Childhood Education (2nd year) of the Diploma (Online) program, FW1605 and FW2610 are already completed.

For those online students currently working in regulated child care for less than 12 consecutive months, from the start of FW2605, a minimum of 1 week must be completed at a College of the North Atlantic (CNA) demonstration child care centre. Written confirmation of work experience will be required. An additional week at a CNA demonstration child care centre (for a total of 2 weeks out of the required 8 weeks) will be mandatory for students not working in regulated child care.

Applicable students will be assigned a CNA demonstration child care centre based on geographical location. Our centres are located in St. John's, Corner Brook and Happy Valley - Goose Bay. As well, any weeks already completed at a CNA demonstration child care centre will be credited towards this graduation requirement (as applicable).

If you are a non-cohort student and registering for a field placement course in an upcoming semester, you will be contacted at the end of online registration to complete a field placement questionnaire. This questionnaire is used to coordinate details of your placement site.

Future Opportunites

Graduates of the Diploma program will be prepared for employment with organizations providing early learning and child care, or self-employment in the child care field. With relevant work experience, they will be able to develop programs for and/or supervise child care services in communities throughout the province.

Certification

The graduate is awarded a Diploma of Applied Arts in Early Childhood Education from the College. This parchment indicates successful completion of two years of post-secondary education, combining theory and practical experience in the care, education, and guidance of children. This program is one of the steps towards provincial Child Care Services (CCS) Certification granted through the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Newfoundland and Labrador (AECENL). Currently, the Early Childhood Education Diploma is equivalent to Level II CCS Certification for infant, preschool and school-age certifications.

Note:

• Students must possess a valid First Aid Certificate to be eligible for a Diploma of Applied Arts in Early Childhood Education from the College.
• For any Diploma graduate that also successfully completes the elective, EE2040 – Family Child Care, an additional classification in family child care is also awarded by AECENL.