The mission of the Center for Early Education and Development (CEED) at the University of Minnesota is to improve developmental outcomes for children through research, training, and outreach. We are a gateway for community members to access the research resources at the University. This article describes CEED’s use of online tools to support practitioners in the field of early care and education.
First, a little background about the context for our online efforts: There is increasing interest in creating high quality learning environments for children in preschool. But what is high quality? In recent years, a tool has emerged that helps to identify and measure that quality - an observational tool called the Classroom Assessment and Scoring Tool (“CLASS™”). An observer using the CLASS™ tool typically observes the teacher-student interactions in the classroom during four twenty minute cycles. The observer then sorts the observed interactions into categories around supporting children’s emotional development, maintaining children’s focus and attention and supporting children’s cognitive and language development. Each area of interaction is then given a code indicating that the interaction has met the criteria for either low, medium or high quality teacher-student interactions.
Research has shown that children learning in early childhood environments that meet the CLASS™ criteria for high quality interactions do significantly better in academic achievement regardless of their ‘at risk’ status. Because of these strong findings, interest in and use of the CLASS™ has grown widely. Head Start programs across the country are now assessed regularly using the tool, with the federal government relying in part on the CLASS™ scores to determine which programs will continue to be funded. States across the country have begun efforts to measure and support the quality of early care and education systems as well, implementing ‘quality rating systems’ to further that effort. Numerous states are using the CLASS™ as one means for assessing that quality.
Once a site has a CLASS™ score, many programs offer assistance from coaches to support early childhood providers to improve the quality of their interactions as needed. The coaches can use the CLASS™ result as a helpful tool for focusing in on specific areas identified as needing work. Our project offers a variety of web-based tools to support CLASS™ coaches and other users around the state as they work to improve the quality of these important teacher-student interactions. We like to think of it in stages.
Stage One (awareness level supports): Learning about CLASS™
Teachers will have observers visiting their classrooms, watching them for up to two hours at a time and giving them feedback on their work. We wanted teachers to be able to have a way to learn about what it is those observers are doing in an efficient, comprehensive and uniform manner. So, we created some online learning modules. These have been a wonderful way for practitioners to gain an initial understanding of the CLASS™ tool so they have a framework for moving forward.
Stage Two (application to the “real world” of the classroom): Learning through Video
We wanted to capture the power of using video for professional development. So, we created an online video library that illustrates high quality interactions in a variety of early care and education settings. We shot video in quality early care settings, and with funding from the MN Department of Education, we were able to create video segments that demonstrate high quality interactions. These videos, available through a subscription at the above URL, allow practitioners to access exemplars of high quality interactions to focus their professional development efforts in the most efficient and helpful ways. Although not limited to CLASS™ indicators of quality, CLASS™ dimensions are explored in depth, giving coaches a helpful tool for improving quality. A subscription allows asynchronous opportunities for teachers and coaches to deepen knowledge by viewing examples of best practices.
Stage Three (support for coaches): Online Communities of Practice
To support the widespread use of CLASS™ among teachers and coaches across the state, CEED uses Moodle to host and facilitate online Communities of Practice. These online learning communities are a place for coaches to meet with colleagues from around the state and access additional resources to deepen their understanding and abilities to coach using CLASS™. Questions on different topics are posted monthly offering opportunities for colleagues to exchange ideas and receive advice as needed. Monthly chats are a way for geographically-diverse coaches to meet and learn more about the CLASS™ tool. Resources such as research articles or hands-on coaching activities are posted for coaches’ use.
Comments from some of the users indicate the value of the Online Learning Communities (OLCs):
“I really enjoy the forum...you are doing a great job with the activities and questions. It's great to hear from others and their point of view.”
“The shared experience of the OLC is positive.”
Putting it all together, online resources have increased CEED’s presence considerably and developed our capacity to serve as a resource on this important tool that measures quality in early care and education. By offering a number of online tools, CEED has been able to support the ever-growing community of practice of early childhood professionals working to improve quality teacher-child interactions.