OCCC looks to add child development orientation class
- Class could be offered as early as fall 2008
- Child Development Program is working to become nationally accredited
By Rachel Forsyth, News Writing Student
OCCC is adding an orientation class to the Child Development curriculum, perhaps as early as fall 2008.
One objective of the course is to familiarize child development majors with their course sequence so they can see the full range of opportunities open to them, said Child Development Professor Cecilia Pittman. Second, the class will be designed to urge students to stick with the program and earn an associate degree.
OCCC’s child development program has seen a problem with students exiting the program with just a certificate of mastery, without realizing they can do so much more with an associate degree, Pittman said.
“Students just don’t have the whole picture,” Pittman said. “We want students to stay in the program.”
The program graduates about 11 students per year with associate degrees, compared to about 30 students who complete certificates, according to the college website.
Program faculty want to see more graduates in a program they hope will soon be nationally accredited.
National Accreditation is a goal the Child Development Program is working to reach, said Susan Tabor, professor and program director.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children recently started an accreditation program for two-year colleges that offer a child development program.
Seventeen associate degree programs have received this accreditation, and OCCC plans to be another program added to that list, Tabor said.
The accreditation process requires “involved study,” Tabor explained. “OCCC hopes to submit for review at the end of March 2008.”
Twelve criteria must be met when submitting a program for review, including a program’s mission and role in the community, conceptual framework, quality of teaching, advising and quality of field work.
The newly accredited OCCC Child Development Center and Lab School, along with OCCC partnerships with OSU/OKC, Southwest Integris Hospital and Special Care in OKC, all provide field experience sites.
Before they graduate, students are required to demonstrate their knowledge of five key areas of child development and learning through a portfolio and an exit interview. This program will be a testament to the quality of students, Tabor said.
