BCcampus launches Early Years BC

BCcampus is pleased to announce the launch of earlyyearsbc.ca, a professional development web portal based on user-driven content that supports access to, and a selection of, professional development learning opportunities for early years professionals throughout British Columbia.

Upcoming training events displayed at earlyyearsbc.ca are provided by organizers from over 75 agencies throughout British Columbia, including several B.C. post-secondary institutions. Workshops, courses, conferences, and seminars can be viewed by searching for a training event by keyword or title on your phone, tablet, or computer. Users may also use an interactive map to browse for training events by location. The first release of earlyyearsbc.ca has five basic features that enable users to sign up, post an event, edit an event, view an event, and search for an event.

This is a pilot project sponsored by The Provincial Office for the Early Years in collaboration with BCcampus. The primary objective of this project is to support early years professionals with an online environment that shows learning opportunities across all service systems of early care and learning, health, and family support. BCcampus is leading the development and research of earlyyearsbc.ca to host, develop, and evaluate this web project over a three-year period. During this first phase of the pilot project, key questions will be explored to inform the incremental design cycle of the website so access to learning opportunities continues to improve for early years professionals. This collaborative design model relies on input from its users as well as a provincial advisory group made up of members representing regional, provincial and federal agencies, and the B.C. post-secondary system. In following this collective design process, further changes and improvements to earlyyearsbc.ca will rely on user feedback and input.

To find out more visit earlyyearsbc.ca and send your impressions and suggestions to earlyyears@bccampus.ca.