A Problem-Based Learning Approach to Continuing Professional Education for Pre-School Officers in the Early Childhood Care and Education Sector in Ireland: Rationale and Curriculum Design

This study explores the potential of Problem-Based-Learning (PBL) as a teaching and learning strategy and curriculum design, in a continuing professional education course for a group of Pre-School Officers in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) sector in Ireland. A rationale for the adoption of PBL is presented. This rationale is based on the symmetry between PBL as a teaching and learning strategy and the professional practice model of the ECCE sector in Ireland. It is also grounded in the correspondence between established criteria for effective continuing professional education and PBL theory and practice. A qualitative research design is employed to ascertain the continuing professional education needs of the Pre-School officers. Focus group data reveals that Pre-School Officers require continuing professional education that will enable them to meet the challenges of rapid change and development that characterises the ECCE sector in Ireland. The practice narratives of the participants are used to develop a sample Problem-Based Learning curriculum to meet their expressed continuing professional education n

Síolta: The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education.

This paper introduces Síolta, the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education (NQF) that has been developed under the auspices of the Department of Education and Science (DES). Síolta is a quality assurance programme that has been developed by the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education (CECDE), in consultation with the wider early childhood care and education (ECCE) sector in Ireland. It is applicable to all settings in which children aged from birth to six years are present and therefore crosses many of the traditional divides between care and education and between the formal school sector and the informal ECCE sector. The Framework has been produced at a time when national and international attention is focused as never before on the issue of quality ECCE services, and their role in enhancing the lives of our youngest children. It distils and captures the concerted momentum of the sector in recent years towards the attainment of quality and provides a reference point for all those involved in ECCE services towards this end. The paper begins by detailing the development process involved in creating Síolta. The substantive focus pivots on the content of Síolta, namely the Principles, Standards and Components of Quality. This is followed by an overview of the assessment and support systems proposed for Síolta. The paper concludes by describing the national testing and evaluation process envisaged for Síolta

Síolta: The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education.

This paper introduces Síolta, the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education (NQF) that has been developed under the auspices of the Department of Education and Science (DES). Síolta is a quality assurance programme that has been developed by the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education (CECDE), in consultation with the wider early childhood care and education (ECCE) sector in Ireland. It is applicable to all settings in which children aged from birth to six years are present and therefore crosses many of the traditional divides between care and education and between the formal school sector and the informal ECCE sector. The Framework has been produced at a time when national and international attention is focused as never before on the issue of quality ECCE services, and their role in enhancing the lives of our youngest children. It distils and captures the concerted momentum of the sector in recent years towards the attainment of quality and provides a reference point for all those involved in ECCE services towards this end. The paper begins by detailing the development process involved in creating Síolta. The substantive focus pivots on the content of Síolta, namely the Principles, Standards and Components of Quality. This is followed by an overview of the assessment and support systems proposed for Síolta. The paper concludes by describing the national testing and evaluation process envisaged for Síolta

Síolta: The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education.

This paper introduces Síolta, the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education (NQF) that has been developed under the auspices of the Department of Education and Science (DES). Síolta is a quality assurance programme that has been developed by the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education (CECDE), in consultation with the wider early childhood care and education (ECCE) sector in Ireland. It is applicable to all settings in which children aged from birth to six years are present and therefore crosses many of the traditional divides between care and education and between the formal school sector and the informal ECCE sector. The Framework has been produced at a time when national and international attention is focused as never before on the issue of quality ECCE services, and their role in enhancing the lives of our youngest children. It distils and captures the concerted momentum of the sector in recent years towards the attainment of quality and provides a reference point for all those involved in ECCE services towards this end. The paper begins by detailing the development process involved in creating Síolta. The substantive focus pivots on the content of Síolta, namely the Principles, Standards and Components of Quality. This is followed by an overview of the assessment and support systems proposed for Síolta. The paper concludes by describing the national testing and evaluation process envisaged for Síolta

Síolta: The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education.

This paper introduces Síolta, the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education (NQF) that has been developed under the auspices of the Department of Education and Science (DES). Síolta is a quality assurance programme that has been developed by the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education (CECDE), in consultation with the wider early childhood care and education (ECCE) sector in Ireland. It is applicable to all settings in which children aged from birth to six years are present and therefore crosses many of the traditional divides between care and education and between the formal school sector and the informal ECCE sector. The Framework has been produced at a time when national and international attention is focused as never before on the issue of quality ECCE services, and their role in enhancing the lives of our youngest children. It distils and captures the concerted momentum of the sector in recent years towards the attainment of quality and provides a reference point for all those involved in ECCE services towards this end. The paper begins by detailing the development process involved in creating Síolta. The substantive focus pivots on the content of Síolta, namely the Principles, Standards and Components of Quality. This is followed by an overview of the assessment and support systems proposed for Síolta. The paper concludes by describing the national testing and evaluation process envisaged for Síolta