NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
ERIC Number: ED574311
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2015-Sep
Pages: 142
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
The State of Early Childhood Higher Education in Nebraska. Technical Report
Sakai, Laura; Austin, Lea J. E.; Bloechliger, Olivia; Whitebook, Marcy; Amanta, Felippa
Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, University of California at Berkeley
Teacher preparation in the field of early childhood education (ECE) has historically included a variety of higher education degree programs, in various child-related disciplines, all of which have generally been considered equally acceptable. And too often, these highly diverse degree programs are assumed to produce equivalent results (Maxwell, Lim, & Early, 2006; Whitebook et al., 2012). In contrast, programs to prepare teachers and administrators to work with older children reflect far greater uniformity and stringency related to specific preparation standards and certification requirements. In recent years, however, rising expectations about the knowledge and skills that early childhood practitioners need in order to work effectively with young children before kindergarten, along with the introduction of new ECE programs and standards, have led many to question whether the current wide array of ECE-related degree programs can be assumed to produce equivalent results. In Nebraska, teacher certification has included early education from infancy through early elementary for more than a decade. Yet, there remains great variability in what constitutes an appropriate course of study and certification for teachers and administrators working with young children, across multiple settings. To address this issue, the "Early Childhood Higher Education Inventory" (Kipnis, Ryan, Austin, Whitebook & Sakai, 2012) was designed to gain a clearer picture of the early childhood-related offerings in a given state's higher education system. The Inventory describes early childhood degree programs offered in the state, focusing on variations in program content, age-group focus, student field-based learning, and faculty characteristics. The Inventory was implemented in Nebraska during the 2014-2015 academic year. This Technical Report presents detailed findings collected by implementing the Inventory's mapping, program, and faculty modules (Kipnis et al., 2012). Additional tables are appended. [This report was commissioned by the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska. For "Teaching the Teachers of Our Youngest Children: The State of Early Childhood Higher Education in Nebraska, 2015," see ED574308. For "Teaching the Teachers of Our Youngest Children: The State of Early Childhood Higher Education in Nebraska. Highlights," see ED574310.]
Center for the Study of Child Care Employment. Institute of Industrial Relations, University of California at Berkeley, 2521 Channing Way #5555, Berkeley, CA 94720. Tel: 510-643-7091; Web site: http://www.irle.berkeley.edu/cscce/
Publication Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Kindergarten; Primary Education; Preschool Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Heising-Simons Foundation
Authoring Institution: University of California, Berkeley. Center for the Study of Child Care Employment
Identifiers - Location: Nebraska
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A