The purpose of this project is to meet the professional learning needs of early childhood educators in B.C. by providing a call for proposals process for designers and developers in the province to create much-needed, accessible learning for early childhood educators. This will directly impact children and families in B.C. — more than 300 early childhood educators will benefit from new professional learning as a direct result of this project.
Who’s Involved
The project is funded by the Government of Canada through the Canada-British Columbia Early Learning & Childcare agreement. BCcampus is working with the Ministry of Education and Child Care in B.C. to deliver a call for proposals process to ensure the professional learning needs of early childhood educators in B.C. are met.
There are seven areas of focus:
- Redesign existing materials to make them more accessible (e.g., from in-person to online)
- New professional learning to improve early childhood educator practice in B.C. (e.g., health, safety, and nutrition for children)
- New professional learning to improve knowledge and understanding of the current context for early childhood educators in B.C. (e.g., becoming certified, opening a child care program)
- New professional learning to improve the early childhood education experience for Indigenous children and families (e.g., impacts of colonization)
- New professional learning that enhances the experience of children by providing training that helps early childhood educators stay current on topics of importance (e.g., child guidance, holistic development for children and toddlers)
- New professional learning that enhances early childhood educators’ connections to children, families, and communities (e.g., partnership building with other organizations)
- New professional learning that strengthens professional practice (e.g., self-care and mental health, administrative skills)
Timeline
We posted the first round of proposals in January 2023, and the current round closes on September 29, 2023. Work is to be completed by March 31, 2024. Proposals are evaluated by internal experts at the Ministry of Education and Child Care. Successful proposals are project managed by BCcampus.
Background
The stakeholders of this project are the Ministry of Education and Child Care, its partner organizations, and child care facilities across the province. As per the Canada-British Columbia Early Learning Childcare Agreement, guiding principles for the proposed learnings include quality and accessibility. Priority topics are Indigenous cultural competencies, child care in B.C., and early childhood educator practice in B.C.
Who to Contact
For more information, please contact BCcampus at projects@bccampus.ca.
