Marshall University, MCTC Create Dual-Degree Child Education Program
Representatives from Marshall University and Marshall Community and Technical College recently signed an articulation agreement creating a dual-degree program in early childhood education.
The signing took place during a ceremony in the Memorial Student Center’s Shawkey Room on MU’s Huntington campus.
Dr. Rosalyn Templeton, dean of Marshall’s College of Education and Human Services, said the program will help ensure that all early childhood education personnel are highly qualified to provide education and care to West Virginia’s young children.
Templeton added that it will allow teacher candidates (students) to earn an associate of applied science in early childhood education at MCTC, then transfer to Marshall for another two years without any additional coursework.
“With the MU-MCTC dual-degree program, it is uplifting to know that the young children of West Virginia will be given the opportunity to be educated by highly qualified teachers and child caregivers,” said Templeton, also chairwoman of the 21st Century Early Childhood Education Task Force. “Research tells us the qualifications of a teacher will determine whether a child will have a successful preschool experience. These types of partnerships throughout the state will ensure that West Virginia is a national leader in 21st century early childhood education.”
Responding to a request from state Sen. Robert Plymale, Templeton organized a brainstorming session in January with early education representatives from throughout the state.
Plymale said his appeal was in response to a Senate bill that was passed in 2001, establishing a deadline of 2012 for the state to fully meet early childhood education needs.
The result was formation of the 21st Century ECE Task Force, which included individuals from COEHS, the West Virginia Department of Education, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Marshall Community and Technical College, West Virginia Careers in Education Project, West Virginia Community and Technical College System and Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College.
“West Virginia is a national leader in early childhood education, ranking first in quality of our professional educators and fifth nationally in all categories,” Plymale said. “Marshall’s unique and unprecedented approach places these institutions as national leaders in the preparation of the 21st century professional educators and paraprofessionals.”
The task force subcommittees are chaired by Dr. Robert Angel, coordinator of the Preschool Special Needs Program at Marshall; Monica Della Mea, MUEEC Outreach coordinator; Carol Perry, associate dean of General Studies at MCTC; and Dr. Laura Boswell, assistant professor in Special Education.
“The new dual-degree program in early childhood education between MCTC and Marshall is a result of the hard work of the 21st Century Early Childhood Education Task Force and its articulation subcommittee,” Templeton said.
Angel noted the renewed interest nationally on the importance of the preschool years and said, “This program will help to keep West Virginia in the forefront of states providing high-quality services to its youngest citizens.”
Dr. Cathy R. Jones, Early Childhood Coordinator with the West Virginia Department of Education, said the announcement is exciting for Marshall University and the field of early childhood in West Virginia.
“As doors open for West Virginia’s early childhood professionals to access new educational opportunities, the ultimate beneficiaries will be the state’s youngest students,” Jones said.
Della Mea, too, praised the program and the institutions involved.
“This is a huge achievement for the 21st Century Early Childhood Education Task Force,” she said. “It demonstrates that collaboration between entities is not only possible but can bring about positive change for early childhood education in our region.”
Clayton Burch, director of the Marshall University Early Education Center, said the dual-degree program between MU and MCTC will allow the center to share its vision of 21st century early education.
“I see it as a beginning for professional development experiences for pre-service and in-service early educators statewide,” Burch said.
Dr. Mary Jo Graham, a School of Education professor at Marshall and faculty advisor for the EEC, also described the program as “exciting.”
“The dual degree is exciting because the pre-service and in- service professional development process helps teachers work with children in ways that develop early habits of inquiry, forming the foundation for critical thinking, which is germane to 21st century learning,” she said.
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