ATLANTA, GA, June 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ChildCare Education Institute® (CCEI), an online child care training provider dedicated exclusively to the early care and education workforce, is proud to introduce CUR133: Unplugged Computer Science in the Early Years to the online child care training course catalog.
Computer programming, coding, and associated computational thinking (CT) skills and mindsets are increasingly essential to thriving in today′s academic and professional landscape. As these skills have become recognized in curricular frameworks, there has been an increased focus on introducing coding beginning as early as preschool and Kindergarten. This presents opportunities, as well as challenges, to early educators and caregivers of young children. One of the biggest challenges early educators face is how to introduce coding in playful, developmentally appropriate ways that do not rely heavily on screen time or expensive technologies. This is where the Computer Science (CS) Unplugged movement comes in! CS Unplugged promotes the teaching of coding and computational thinking through engaging games, puzzles, crafts, and more.
Since the launch of the original CS Unplugged activities and website, many schools, educational companies, and organizations have embraced the screen-free and unplugged approach, adapting the guiding principles for their settings. Worldwide, researchers and educators have developed many new unplugged activities, some of which have been shared on the CS Unplugged website, and many others that exist independently in their own websites, books, and curricula using the term "unplugged." In the early childhood world, the unplugged approach has been embraced as it aligns well with the principles of early learning best practices for hands-on and playful learning.
In this course, ECE professionals will learn about the Unplugged Computer Science (a.k.a. "CS Unplugged") movement in education and the many benefits of taking an unplugged, or tech-free, approach to teaching about computing in the early years. The need for this course was determined by examining industry trends. This course will focus on free and traditional play materials and activities that teach and reinforce STEM concepts, no need to purchase robotics kits or expensive tech.
“The course will provide educators with resources and activity ideas to explore STEM concepts that do not require the purchase of any new technology,” says Maria C. Taylor, President and CEO of CCEI. "The free and unplugged activity ideas will help children engage in important STEM learning without the need for expensive tech tools.”
CUR133: Unplugged Computer Science in the Early Years is a two-hour, intermediate-level and grants 0.2 IACET CEU upon successful completion. Current CCEI users with active, unlimited annual subscriptions can register for professional development courses at no additional cost when logged in to their CCEI account. Users without subscriptions can purchase child care training courses as block hours through CCEI online enrollment.
For more information, visit www.cceionline.edu or call 1.800.499.9907, prompt 3, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. EDT
ChildCare Education Institute, LLC
ChildCare Education Institute®, a division of Excelligence Learning Corporation, provides high-quality, distance education certificates and child care training programs in an array of child care settings, including preschool centers, family child care, prekindergarten classrooms, nanny care, online daycare training and more. Over 150 English and Spanish child care training courses are available online to meet licensing, recognition program, and Head Start Requirements. CCEI also has online certification programs that provide the coursework requirement for national credentials including the CDA, Director and Early Childhood Credentials. CCEI, a Council for Professional Recognition CDA Gold Standard™ training provider, is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and is accredited as an Authorized Provider by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).
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- New Course from ChildCare Education Institute on Unplugged Computer Science in the Early Years
- New Course from ChildCare Education Institute on Unplugged Computer Science in the Early Years
