Master of Arts in Education, major in Early Childhood Education
(Thesis Program, MAEDECD)
The Master of Arts in Education, major in Early Childhood Education is designed for students interested in developing their competencies and skills in the teaching and learning of young children ages from 0-8 years. Courses offered provide a grounding in the theoretical perspectives of educating very young children, actual practice and engagement in empirical research. The program includes a minimum of 180 hours of actual teaching experience in an early childhood education setting.
PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES
Graduates of Master of Education, major in Early Childhood Education are expected to possess the following Lasallian attributes, namely:
ELGA 1: Creative and Critical Thinker
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of child development and learning and its application in various early childhood settings
- Analyze current research in the field and its implications and applicability in the teaching and learning of young children.
- Utilize pedagogical approaches appropriate to the diverse cultural contexts of young learners.
- Develop curriculum and programs for young children grounded in current theories and research on the teaching and learning of young children.
ELGA2: Effective Communicator
- Articulate and share best practices in early childhood education.
- Build collaborative relationships with families, communities and in the field of early childhood education as well as in other related disciplines (e.g. educational psychology, child psychology, special education, etc.)
ELGA3: Reflective Life-long Learner
- Engage in reflective practice that will enhance one’s professional growth as an educator of young children.
- Enrich pedagogical knowledge through engaging in empirical and action research.
- Sustain professional growth and development through 1) participation in communities of practice; and 2) presentation of research outputs
ELGA4: Service-driven Citizen
- Involvement in community projects that foster young children’s well-being.
- Contribute to nation building by advocating for children’s rights through collaboration with various government and non-government organizations
ELGA5: Innovator and Constant Seeker of Improvement
- Engage in research to develop innovative curricula, instructional plans, teaching approaches, and resources for diverse early childhood learners.
- Implement and evaluate programs based on current research trends and best practices.
- Generate ideas with resourcefulness, originality, and insight in the development and utilization of Information Communication Technology in promoting quality, relevant and sustainable educational practices appropriate to early childhood students.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Admission to programs offered by the Department of Educational Leadership and Management is on a selective basis. In general, only those students who can profit from graduate work and are able to successfully comply with prescribed requirements for graduation shall be considered.
The following factors are considered in the admission process:
- GPA of at least 85% in the bachelor’s degree.
- Entrance exam results
- Potential for graduate work and educational leadership based on results of interview
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Prerequisite Courses: Assessed during application period
- 12 units of professional education courses for non- Teacher Education graduates
- English (ENG501M / ENG502M and/ or ENGFO1M/ ENGFO2M) – Must pass the admission essay test to be exempted
- Statistics (EDM5202) – Must pass the admission subject test to be exempted
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
| Basic/Foundation Courses | 12 units (+ 1) |
| Major Courses | 12 units |
| Integrating Course | 6 units |
| Written Comprehensive Examination | 0 units |
| Research Publication* | 0 units |
| Thesis Writing** | 6 units |
| Total | 36 units (+ 1) |
Additional six (6) units of Advanced Technical Reading and Writing 1 and 2 will be required for applicants with a low score in the essay part of the entrance examination.
*The student must have at least one publication in a refereed journal. The publication date must be within the student’s residency in the program. The published article should bear the name of De La Salle University as the student’s institutional affiliation.
**Students may enroll in thesis writing only after passing the WCE.
BASIC/FOUNDATION COURSES (12 units + 1)
ELM510M EDUCATIONAL STATISTICS (3 units)
The course deals with general concepts of statistical methods as applied in education. Topics for discussion include: descriptive statistics, normal distribution, estimation/sampling theory, hypothesis testing, correlation/regression theory, analysis of variance, analysis of covariance, non-parametric statistics, and application of computers to statistics.
ELM520M METHODS OF RESEARCH (3 units)
This course deals with the fundamentals of research designs, types of research techniques and procedures for data gathering, analysis and interpretation.
(to be taken with the last major course or after the completion of all major courses)
ECH530M FOUNDATIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (3 units)
This course introduces the students to early childhood education. An understanding of ECE includes discussion in the following content areas: historical, philosophical, psychological, social and legal foundations of ECE. Needs of preschoolers, global trends and health and nutrition will also be tackled.
ECH540M CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND ASSESSMENT (3 units)
This course provides future practitioners with insights into child behavior. Principles of child development and childhood learning with corresponding implications will be discussed. Deviations in the typical development in children as determined by assessment will also be tackled.
EDM535M LASALLIAN PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION (1 unit)
The course helps students to acquire an understanding of St. John Baptist De La Salle’s life, work, writings and charism in order for the student to make De La Salle’s spirit come alive in contemporary education.
MAJOR COURSES (15 units)
Students must take ECH610M and 3 other major courses
ECH610M CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (3 units)
The course provides concrete knowledge and understanding of the nature, structure, goals and contents of ECE curriculum as well as the mastery of concepts and skills in effectively managing instruction in ECE. Curriculum models in ECE will also be discussed.
ECH620M PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (3 units)
The course aims: a) to have a holistic view of the young child’s needs in relation to the learning environment; b) develop an appropriate program for young children; c) improve existing standards of schools for young children; d) implement programs, procedures, and policies that are developmentally appropriate for young children age 0-8.
ECH630M PRINCIPLES & STRATEGIES FOR DEVELOPING PSYCHOMOTOR & CREATIVE SKILLS IN CHILDREN (3 units)
This course will introduce students to the principles and strategies for promoting psychomotor skills. The course will also focus on the stages of development in children’s creative abilities. Students will participate in and develop a collection of music, movement, and art activities appropriate for young children. Various teaching methods and techniques will be presented.
ECH640M PRINCIPLES & STRATEGIES FOR DEVELOPING LITERACY & NUMERACY SKILLS IN YOUNG CHILDREN (3 units)
The course will give the graduate students a deeper knowledge and understanding of how young children learn how to read, write, work with numbers and concepts and what strategies are appropriate for them. There will be intensive discussions and research on the foundations of reading, writing and math and how the teacher can bring out effective practices and learning in the early childhood environment.
ECH562M EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN (3 units)
The course is designed to equip students with fundamental knowledge and understanding of the principles and theories in early childhood education with a focus on the special educational needs of exceptional children. It includes orientation to appropriate educational and curricular programs for preschool children. The course will expose the students to the different assessment tools for infants and preschoolers and provides knowledge and understanding on the various procedures and techniques on how parents, teachers, and significant skills can help in the development of exceptional children.
ECH670M INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL EDUCATION (3 units)
This course presents the definitions, history, foundations, clientele, and scope of special education. This preliminary inputs a broad and comprehensive orientation about special education which will adequately prepare students for a higher course in the discipline. The course also presents current issues, trends, and concerns in special education. Provisions for field-based experiences are interspersed with theoretical inputs. Other provisions include individual research and outputs and groupings for field interviews and observations, as well as creative class presentations.
ECH681M CURRENT TRENDS & ISSUES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (3 units)
The course focuses on the current social, economic and political issues affecting early childhood education in the Philippines and the world at large. Relevant curriculum, assessment, technology, management, teacher preparation and development and advocacy issues will be examined and its implications to early childhood programs.
INTEGRATING COURSE (6 units)
ECH851M ASSESSMENT & EVALUATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS (3 units)
This course focuses on the different types of program evaluation and how this may be applied on early childhood programs. Topics will include supervision and strategies for enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of ECE programs. Students are expected to evaluate an existing ECE program aimed at providing specific recommendations for program improvement.
ECH811M PRACTICUM IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (3 units)
This course provides students with opportunities to apply the principles and strategies of teaching preschool children. Students are required to complete a minimum of 180 hours of field experiences, observation and involvement in actual teaching-learning situations in the ECE
THESIS WRITING (6 units)
EDM851M THESIS WRITING (6 units)
It involves the development of a research topic, presenting topic, presenting the thesis proposal, conducting the study, and presenting the results and oral defense.
RESEARCH PUBLICATION
ELM525M RESEARCH PUBLICATION IN A REFEREED JOURNAL