Course Syllabus

Fall 2024 | EDU-2430-VO01 - Nature-Based Approaches in Early Childhood Education & Afterschool Programs

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

April Zajko
View Faculty Credentials

Hiring Coordinator for this course: Philip Crossman

Course Description

This course sets the foundation for nature-based early learning and activities by examining the principles, philosophical underpinnings, and practices of utilizing nature to enhance the development of the whole child. This course introduces students to the field of nature-based learning including its history, theories, benefits for children and the environment, program models, the teacher’s role, high quality practices, and regional resources.

Essential Objectives

1. Explore how nature-based learning integrates both early childhood education and environmental education principles.
2. Identify and distinguish between leading theories that impact the connections of children to nature, including diverse cultural perspectives.
3. Examine how methods and teaching practices of nature-based teaching differ from traditional approaches.
4. Articulate the developmental benefits of nature-based approaches and the positive impact that time outdoors has on children’s cognitive, physical, and social emotional development.
5. Articulate the ecological benefits of nature-based approaches that foster stewardship, sustainability, and reciprocity.
6. Discuss the role of risk in nature-based learning and how to incorporate a risk/benefit analysis when developing policies for the programs, staff, and facilities to ensure health and safety.
7. Apply best practices in nature-based learning and define the role of the teacher as a facilitator of learning.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity