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Early Childhood Technology

The Tufts Early Childhood Technology (ECT) certificate program is designed for educators and practitioners working with young children in pre-kindergarten through second grade in diverse educational settings such as schools, museums, libraries, and daycares. The program will develop students' knowledge and skills in technology and engineering with a focus on early childhood.

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  • Program Description
  • Faculty
  • Application Requirements
  • Tuition and Curriculum

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Office of Graduate Admissions
Bendetson Hall
Medford, MA 02155
(617) 627-3395
gradadmissions@tufts.edu

The ECT's three-course program is designed to introduce the teaching of technology and engineering in early childhood in a developmentally appropriate way that focuses on playful learning. Additionally, this program develops students’ teaching practices and assessment methods, and their understanding of student learning through integrated curricula that includes the arts and literacy as well as STEM. Participants who complete the program will be prepared to implement high quality technology and engineering activities in diverse learning environments. They will leave the program with a deep knowledge of pedagogical approaches to early childhood technology education.

A Message from the Program Directors

 

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Marina Umaschi Bers, Program Director
Professor Marina Umaschi Bers is a professor at the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development and an adjunct professor in the Computer Science Department at Tufts University. She heads the interdisciplinary Developmental Technologies Research Group. Her research involves the design and study of innovative learning technologies to promote children's positive development.

Amanda Sullivan, Associate Director
Amanda Sullivan is a researcher in the Developmental Technologies Research Group. Her work involves developing new tools for young children, teaching with technology in pre-kindergarten through third grade settings, running professional development trainings for teachers, developing curricula, and assessing student learning.  

View a full list of Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study & Human Development faculty.

The deadline to apply is August 1. A bachelor's degree is required to apply. GREs are not required.  

Applicants are required to submit the following:

  • Undergraduate and Graduate Transcripts (if applicable)
  • 1 Letter of Recommendation
  • 2 Essays: 
    1) a personal statement
    2) a description of a significant science, technology, engineering, arts, or mathematical (STEAM) learning experience that you have had (or experienced with a student) that inspires you to be a part of this program.
  • TOEFL – TOEFL scores will be required of international applicants. 
Admission to the certification program will require combined evidence of a strong commitment to teaching, ability to engage in rigorous coursework independently, and interest and ability to develop practice and knowledge in engineering.

For more information, email certificates@tufts.edu.

Tuition

The tuition is $1,500 per course for the 2017-2018 academic year for the three-course program for a total program cost of $4,500.

Curriculum

The program will have three courses housed within the Department of Child Study & Human Development. The program philosophy is inspired by over a decade and a half of research on early childhood technology by the DevTech Research Group led by Professor Marina Umaschi Bers. Through the content courses students will have hands-on experience with using developmentally appropriate robotics kits, computer programming apps, engineering and building activities, and more. Students will explore the use of educational technology for young children in maker-spaces and other informal learning environments.
 

The first two courses are completed online and the final course is completed in person at Tufts University. The first online course provides a foundational introduction to educational technology (Online Seminar on Technological Tools for Playful Learning). The second course (Online Seminar in Designing Educational and Technological Environments for Children) explores designing tech-rich spaces for children such as makerspaces, classroom centers, libraries, and museum exhibits. For students with no background in early childhood education or teaching, an additional course (Online Seminar in Early Childhood Education) will be required in order to provide a solid theoretical and pedagogical understanding of best practices working with children.

Finally, the program culminates with a one-week in-person Early Childhood Technology Residency (the last required class). This intensive residency allows students to spend one week working with program faculty from the DevTech Research Group and exploring curriculum development with educational technologies. During this time, students will also get to work hands-on with children, implementing curricular experiences at the Eliot-Pearson Children’s School and complete guided observations in a supervised setting. This residency also allows students to build connections with their certificate program cohort.