This study examined factors impacting the examination and course passing rates for students taking an online Child Development course (CDEC 2328) at a community college in Texas. Through a qualitative case study approach data was collected successively and analyzed using the NVivo 14 software before being merged into this study. A total of 12…

Community colleges have a significant role in preparing early childhood educators who will likely one day teach in inclusive classrooms. Inclusive education models educate children with disabilities alongside their non-disabled peers, promoting acceptance, decreasing discrimination, and fostering a society in which everyone lives and works…

Children across the nation lack access to high-quality pre-K programs that can support their development and build foundational skills for elementary school. The pandemic set pre-K enrollment and funding back further, with an enrollment decline of nearly 300,000 children and state spending remaining relatively flat. As children and families return…

Objective/Research Question: Community college coursework is a crucial entry point for early childhood professionals seeking to advance their careers in education. In this study, we examine how degree candidates at a small community college experienced the shift to online learning and their reasons for persistence in college during the pandemic.…

In this paper, an early childhood teacher educator and researcher describes the experience of facilitating and enacting a practice-focused course design for preservice early childhood teachers. The course utilized video analysis, practice records, rehearsal pedagogies and a focus on teacher-child interactions. The author reflects on the structure…

The present phenomenographic research aimed to explore the qualitatively different ways early childhood educators experienced career pathway transitions from a Child Development Associate credential to an associate degree program. I applied Schlossberg's Transition Theory as a data collection and analysis framework. I collected narratives from…

Researchers have found high-quality early childhood teachers are crucial to high-quality programs for young children. Despite this, there is a significant need for more highly qualified teachers in a southwestern state. The purpose of the qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of early childhood education (ECE) systems partners in one…

Community college early childhood education programs prepare students for a career path that enjoys plenty of demand, although that's at least in part due to low wages that make hiring and retaining good workers a challenge. That challenge has become more acute during the COVID-19 pandemic, given the literally hands-on nature of the work. Demand…

Most professional development opportunities for early childhood teachers are offered as face-to-face sessions (in various formats, including workshops, coaching, and college courses), tailored for teachers in traditional school- or center-based child care, offered during a traditional academic year, or during summer, or on professional development…

Limited research exists on the factors that contribute to community college students' development of self-efficacy (SE) while serving as preservice teachers (PSTs) during their early childhood education (ECE) practicum. This lack of research is concerning because educators who have high SE enhance the educational well-being of all children. The…

Two-year, associate degree early childhood education programs play a critical role in preparing future teachers to work in the birth-to-five, early care, and education sector. To achieve academic equity and optimal developmental outcomes for all children, teacher educators must situate their understandings of diversity and equity in critical…

The 2007 Head Start Reauthorization Act mandated that all Head Start teachers have at least an associate degree and 50% of teachers within each Head Start program should have a baccalaureate degree in early childhood education. The problem addressed in this study was that Head Start teachers from a Midwestern region encountered barriers as they…

As a reaction to new citywide regulations requiring Child Development Associate (CDA) credentials and associate's degrees in early childhood education for those working in childcare facilities and home daycares in Washington, DC, Briya Public Charter School (Briya) created pathways to further the education for their largest population, Spanish…

This study highlights a critical case that can serve as a programmatic and conceptual model for institutional partnerships seeking to diversify the early childhood education (ECE) teaching profession with "homegrown" Latinx teachers. The case study explored the experiences of Latinx students in an ECE program at a regional, public 4-year…

This investigation examined the influence perceptions play in the transfer decisions of community college students. Studying this problem provided insight which facilitated the transition from two- to four-year university and helped retention efforts. A quantitative method was used, employing an anonymous Likert survey. Two hundred and eight Early…