[WSQ Specialist Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education (SDECCE)] |
Course Description
The Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education Education - Leadership is a 850-hour programme accredited by the Ministry of Education - Ministry of Social and Family Development Pre-school Qualification Accreditation Committee (MOE-MSF PQAC). Upon successful completion of the programme, graduates will be awarded the Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education - Leadership from SEED Institute.
Objectives
The Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education–Leadership (DECCE-L) is specially designed to extend the skills and knowledge of senior pre-school personnel.
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It provides opportunities for candidates to extend, develop and further the knowledge of theories and practices of early childhood education.
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Throughout the course, students will gain knowledge and understanding of recent developments in teaching and learning, education changes and expectations and training, and acquire skills and attitudes expected of senior personnel in pre-school settings. They will participate in critical discussions, reflect on professional practice and develop skills to be leaders and mentors in their pre-school centres.
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In addition, it aims to equip them to provide instructional leadership and guidance to pre-school teachers, and develop skills to undertake action research in pre-school settings.
Structure
The part time course duration is about 24 months for Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education - Teaching (DECCE-T) holders; Students(DECCE-T holders) are required to complete 650 classroom hours and 200 practicum hours.
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Course Content
| Modules |
Synopsis |
| Current Issues and Research in Early Childhood Care and Education |
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Focuses on awareness of current issues and research in pre-school education.
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Students will learn to critically review and debate on recent research, policy issues and findings in child development, best practices of learning for young children, teaching practices for teachers, issues related to parents of young children and curriculum areas related to early childhood education.
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Students will also learn to critically appraise reports on Action Research, understand and identify various tools of data collection in reports and learn aspects of identifying database and literature sources.
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| Child Assessment and Programme Evaluation |
Aims to help students to understand the important tenets of assessment for young children, the importance of authentic assessment and to develop children's portfolio assessment. Further it gives students an overall overview of various tools that can be used for assessment. The portfolio includes assessment in different curriculum areas, including language, numeracy, science, art, music and movement, cognitive and social development and facilitates opportunities for students to understand the ways of collecting, documenting and reporting for assessment.
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| Managing Quality Preschool Education Curriculum |
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Provides an overview of quality in early childhood programmes and examines the different curriculum models including the Pre-school Curriculum Framework in Singapore.
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Students will learn the guiding principles and discuss issues pertaining to planning and managing anti-bias curriculum that is bilingual and developmentally appropriate.
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Students would also discuss the possibility of setting up inclusionary programs that promotes all children’s growth and development.
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| Managing Early Childhood Resources |
Developed to help students plan, select, collect and manage early childhood resources such as materials, educational, finances and IT resources within the centre. It also seeks to facilitate students to learn to tap on community resources to enhance pre-school programmes and support children and families.
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| Introduction to Teachers as Researchers |
Focuses on how to determine research focus in their workplace, understanding research design and tools for collection, with emphasis on classroom action research in the area of early childhood education.In the process of understanding the meaning of research, students will understand the principles and characteristics of action research, learn to formulate research statement and questions and write up the related literature review.
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| Action Research |
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This module will be based on knowledge and skills gained from “Current Issues and Research in Preschool Education” and “Introduction to Teacher as Researcher”; students will continue to understand theoretical terms such as Ethics, Validity and Reliability in Action Research.
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Further, prepare informed consent decree, understand data analysis both quantitative and qualitative. Implement the action research study, understand the implications of the findings and finally write up the report.
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| Leadership in Early Childhood Education |
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Designed to help students gain an understanding of the meaning of leadership and its functions, and to recognise the fundamental differences between leadership and management. Various concepts and skills in relationship to leadership will be studied.
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Different theoretical models of leadership styles will be examined. Students will also explore the issues and challenges that leaders are encountering in early childhood settings.
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| Staff Development and Supervision |
Acquire knowledge of supervising other adults in an early childhood setting. This knowledge will enable them to accurately interpret the principles and processes of effective supervision and explore different issues, methods and models in supporting and assessing the professional development of staff in the setting.
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| Administration and Management of Programmes for Young Children |
Designed to introduce students to concepts in management and administration of programs for young children in preschool settings. Students will obtain an overview of the general operations of a childcare centre and kindergarten that include financial management, legislation, safety and health issues, local policies and operation procedures.
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| Professional Development as a Leader |
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Designed to help leaders in the early childhood field to enhance their awareness of the global trend and current event in early childhood profession.
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In this module, students will further understand their professional roles as organizational and instructional leadership. They will also learn to write effective reports and proposals to various partners in the community. As leaders will also acquire knowledge and skills to manage stress and achieve work-life balance and harmony.
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| Building Family and Community-Centred Partnerships |
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Designed to help students understand the purpose and importance of supporting children and families through parent education programmes. A variety and range of parent education and support programmes in the community will be discussed and reviewed.
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Students will learn to design simple group parent education programme that emphasizes on matching needs of the parents through hands-on learning.
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| Supervised Leadership Practice |
The supervised practicum is designed to help students gain field experience in supervision and mentoring. It culminates the research and supervision theories and principles that students learn throughout the course and facilitates students to adopt a reflective supervisory approach in their field practice. Students will also apply the theories and principles in their respective work settings and experience guided supervision practice till the end of their course.
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Assessment
Assessment will be based on students' performance in assignments (individual / group) - in the form of field research, case studies, journal writing, reflection, classroom discussions, presentation and practicum. Some modules are examination-based. The Supervised Practicum Teaching Practice will assess candidates’ practical applications of mentoring and supervisory skills.
Assessment emphasises the transfer of learning to early childhood practices based on field research, case studies, journal recording, reflective and review writing and presentations and team projects.
Candidates must score at least 50% in each area of assessment to successfully complete the course. If a candidate fails in any module, he/she is allowed one supplementary examination.
The Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education –Leadership (DECCE-L) will be awarded to candidates who have successfully completed the Supervised Practicum Teaching Practice, all the modules in the course and obtained 80% attendance per module.
Part-time students will have to find their own practicum centres (at registered childcare centres or kindergartens)when they have received the letter of acceptance from SEED Institute.
Applicants can try approaching the principals/supervisors to seek approval in doing practicum at their centres. Please note that practicum cannot be done in Playgroup, enrichment centres, tuition centres and international schools.
Admission Requirements
Pre-school personnel who have minimum 5 GCE 'O' levels with credits in 5 different subjects including EL1* AND successfully completed Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education - Teaching (or its equivalent; e.g. DPE-T)
*Those with a C5 or C6 in EL1 are given 2 years from point of teacher registration to obtain either a B4 in EL1 or a minimum band of 6.5 in IELTS (General Training)
HEALTH CLEARANCE Requirement: Please refer to the following link under childcare link for health clearance requirement: http://www.childcarelink.gov.sg/ccls/uploads/CCC_Guide.pdf (Refer to page 12 of document)
Course Code
Date
DECCE-LP11 (Part-Time)
01 July 2013 - 30 June 2015
Time
Mon, Wed, Fri: 6.30pm to 9.30pm/10pm
Course Fees
| For Singaporeans & PRs only |
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- Course fee after 90% WTS Scheme [applicable for employed applicants only] - $1,200.01 (includes 7% GST; For Singaporeans aged 35 yrs old & above + earning between $1,401 to $1,700 per month)
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Application Deadline
Other Charges / Fees
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Late Payment Charges
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S$200 + GST |
| Course Deferment Fee |
S$200 + GST |
| Module Deferment Fee |
S$200 + GST |
| Sit-in module Fee |
S$200 + GST |
| Repeat(Fail) Module Fee |
S$200 + Module Fee (approx S$800) + GST |
| Textbooks |
As and when required by lecturers
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Funding
- Workfare Training Support (WTS) Scheme is only available for Singaporeans aged 35 years & above, and who are earning up to $1,700 per month. (This Scheme is currently applicable to employed applicants only.)
- Note: Up to 95% Funding applicable (Terms and Conditions Apply)
- With effect from 1 Jan 2013, NTUC members enjoys 50% claim on unfunded course capped at $250 per year. Conditions apply.
Refund Policy
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REFUND POLICY % of the aggregate amount of the Course Fees and Additional Fees paid
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If Student’s written notice of withdrawal is received |
| 75% |
14 days or more before the Commencement Date |
| 0% |
Less than 14 days before the Commencement Date |
Click here to download Course Brochure
Click here to download application form
All submitted applications are subjected to approval by SEED Institute.
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