Distance Learning Grant to Aid Literacy Date: April 12, 2000 By: Dawn Fuller Phone: (513) 556-1823 Archive: General News The Ohio Department of Education has awarded a two-year, $200,000 grant to further develop the literacy component of the University of Cincinnati's associate degree program in early childhood education. Funding will be distributed between the program at UC's University College and the Early Childhood Learning Community (ECLC), the new national distance learning network founded in collaboration with Resources and Instruction for Staff Excellence (RISE), a non-profit distance learning production company. Through this technology, the ECLC has the potential to provide the UC associate degree to Head Start teachers in 48 states. "The timing for this grant could not have been better," says John Bryan, dean, University College. "We began work on ECLC last summer, knowing that federal and Ohio momentum was building for improving the skills of Head Start teachers. In this case, we were just a bit ahead of the curve, because just about the time we began to work on the particular issues addressed by the grant, the Ohio Department of Education issued its request for proposals. With the grant's help, we'll be able to develop this part of the program faster and more fully." The Ohio Department of Education has strengthened teacher education standards statewide with the goal of bringing every child's reading ability up to his or her grade level, ensuring that children develop the oral and written communication skills essential for learning and providing everyone in Ohio with at least the basics of literacy, because children first learn about communication in the home. "As part of this effort, the Ohio Department of Education wants to make sure that education students, particularly those in associate degree programs, are receiving adequate training in teaching reading and writing," explains Ellen Lynch, coordinator of the Early Childhood Care and Education Program at UC's University College. "These future teachers will be working with preschool age children and it is imperative they understand how literacy develops." Funding from the grant will establish a virtual library through the ECLC web site that will provide children's literature and materials on literacy development. The virtual library will be beneficial to students, faculty and parents. On campus, the funding will create a library for children's literature and add materials to the already existing resource center used by early childhood education students. Families will have access to literacy materials that address their diversity. Furthermore, videotapes to guide families in literacy development will be distributed to Head Start centers through the Early Childhood Learning Community. As students begin their practical teaching experience, the grant will establish mentoring services for pre- school teachers and will provide training for those mentors. In addition, the grant will be used to develop a Pre-Kindergarten Early Childhood Specialist Certificate, a 12 credit-hour literacy-based program that would be available both on campus and through the distance learning network. UC's nationally acclaimed associate degree program in early childhood education has trained generations of teachers for the past 30 years. The Early Childhood Learning Community is a new partnership between three UC colleges and RISE. By using the Internet and satellite television from EchoStar Communications, the community allows Head Start teachers around the country to take courses for the UC associate degree in early childhood education. "The ECLC is a groundbreaking program that brings college education to the work place by combining broadcast and Internet technologies," Deb Pinger, RISE president and CEO. A new federal mandate requires that 50 percent of the nation's Head Start teachers achieve an associate's degree by 2003. The state of Ohio also requires Head Start teachers to get their four-year bachelor's degree by 2008. As a result, an estimated 30,000 of the nation's Head Start teachers will be going back to college. UC provides the two-year associate degree through University College and the baccalaureate degree is offered through UC's College of Education. The ECLC launched the distance learning program this spring with two courses, "Orientation to Professional Practice" and "Introduction to Sociology." Lisa Holstrom, interim director, ECLC, says approximately 30 students are enrolled through the ECLC this quarter. Most of them reside in Ohio and Indiana. Head Start teachers who are interested in the ECLC can call (800) 410-8292 or E- mail ECLC@UC.Edu for more information. The ECLC also has a Web-site at http://www.ucollege.uc.edu/ECLC.