Settings :   Infant/Toddler, Preschool, and Family Care
Program Code :    1101-CDA, 1102-CDA, 1103-CDA  
Program Length :  Infant/Toddler and Preschool Settings 155 Hours, Family Care Setting 151 Hours
IACET CEU Value :   Infant/Toddler and Preschool Settings 15.5 CEUs, Family Care Setting 15.1 CEUs
Program Start Date :  Rolling Enrollment – Start Anytime
Program End Date :  365 days from enrollment date

Textbook Information:  Textbooks are required and must be purchased at the student’s expense.

Working With Young Children by Judy Herr; 6th Edition; Goodheart-Willcox Publishing; ISBN – 978-1-59070-813-2; Approximate Cost:  $60   
Six Simple Ways to Assess Young Children by Sue Gober; 1st Edition; Delmar;  ISBN - 0-7668-3925-7;  Approximate Cost:  $40

The following required textbooks vary based on your setting designation:
Preschool : Positive Discipline for Preschoolers by Jane Nelsen, Ed. D. & Cheryl Erwin; 1st Edition; Three Rivers Press; ISBN – 978-0-307-34160-0; Approximate Cost: $17
Infant/Toddler : Positive Discipline: The First Three Years by Jane Nelsen, Ed.D., Cheryl Erwin, & Rosalyn Ann Duffy; 2nd Edition; Three Rivers Press; ISBN – 978-0-307-34159-4; Approximate Cost: $17
Family Child Care : Positive Discipline for Childcare Providers by Jane Nelsen, Ed.D. & Cheryl Erwin; 1st Edition; Prima Lifestyles; ISBN – 0761535675; Approximate Cost: $17

Order Preschool textbooks here.
Order Infant/Toddler textbooks here.
Order Family Child Care textbooks here.

Program Description: The Online College Credit Eligible CDA Certificate meets the 120 clock hours of professional development required by The Council for Professional Recognition in order to obtain the National CDA Credential and also gives students the opportunity to earn up to 26 quarter-hour credits at Kendall College. The program is broken into three Instructional Units. These units focus on the six CDA Competency Standards established by The Council for Professional Recognition. Each student in the Online College Credit Eligible CDA Certificate program receives support from an Education Coach (EC). Each EC is an Early Childhood specialist and has previous experience working in a child care center or school.

Successful completion of all coursework in the CCEI program articulates credit into the following Kendall College courses:

• Introduction to Early Childhood
• Child Health, Safety Nutrition
• Child Development
• Child, Family Community Relationships
• Observation Assessment of the Young Child
• Play Learning for the Preschool Child

Program Objectives: Upon satisfactorily completing the Online College Credit Eligible CDA Certificate program, students should be able to:

• Identify the requirements of a safe, healthy learning environment for young children
• Demonstrate the ability to establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment for young children
• Define emotional and cognitive development
• Identify the components to advance the physical, cognitive, communicative and creative development of young children
• Define positive guidance techniques to support appropriate social and emotional development of young children
• Define assessment as it relates to children in the early care setting
• Demonstrate the ability to make and keep anecdotal records in the four broad areas of development for a child
• Demonstrate the ability to develop an assessment checklist based on developmental milestones
• Demonstrate the ability to conduct parent interviews
• Demonstrate the ability to conduct observations of children and programs in an early childhood environment
• List the guidelines for conducting a parent/teacher conference
• Demonstrate the ability to prepare a narrative summary of a child’s overall growth and development on the four broad areas of development
• List the guidelines to establish productive relationships with families
• Identify the components required to ensure a well-run, purposeful early childhood program responsive to the needs of the participants
• Identify the requirements to maintain a commitment to professionalism
• List the required components to document professional growth

Student Assessment: Students enrolled in the Online College Credit Eligible CDA Certificate program are assessed using the following methods:

• Competency based multiple choice questions
• Open-ended essay questions
• Student activity and/or observations with written feedback
• End of Course Quizzes in multiple choice format – Students must pass each quiz with a grade of 70% or better to complete the course.
• Cumulative Final Exam in multiple choice format – Students must pass with a grade of 70% or better to complete the certificate program.

Enrollment Requirements:

• Must be 18 years of age or older
• Must possess a high school diploma or GED and submit documentation as proof
• Must have access to a computer and printer
• Must have a valid email address
• Must have access to the Internet through a JavaScript enabled web browser (i.e. Internet Explorer 7.0 or higher, Mozilla Firefox 3.0 or higher, etc.)
• Must be able to speak, read, and write well enough in the language the course is presented in to understand and complete the course material

For an application, click here.

Successful completion of all coursework in the CCEI program articulates to credit in the following Kendall College courses:

• Introduction to Early Childhood
• Child Health, Safety & Nutrition
• Child Development
• Child, Family & Community Relationships
• Observation & Assessment of the Young Child
• Play & Learning for the Preschool Child