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Free Early Childhood Education Training Courses

    You can locate information on early childhood certification online courses that are dedicated to that purpose. The truth is that information is not easy to find online, and if you don’t know the right places to explore for you will really face a difficult time in If you need information on early years courses online free, free online early childhood professional development & early childhood education courses online then you’ve come to the right place. You’ll see information ranging from one another and so much more…

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    Online Course on Early Childhood Development

    You will discover the world of children in the early years. Though child development patterns are reasonably universal, every child is unique, has individual potential and will learn differently from their peers. By exploring many aspects of child development and learning you will gain insight into how to support infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers during this critical stage of life.


    “The child who has gone to a preschool can study in primary school with more ease than a child who joins a primary school directly.” Unfortunately, “preschool fees range from 50,000 to 150,000 Shillings (US$ 20-60) per term of three months. Most parents cannot afford this, so many of them wait until their children are of age to start primary school.” 

    These quotes from Ugandan villages illustrate how parents value investments in young children, but often cannot afford them. The same is true for healthcare and nutrition. Early years are essential for children’s development. The reality is that investments in early childhood development (ECD) remain low in most countries, in part because of the complexity of the field. ECD policies and programs are managed by multiple public and private service providers, regulatory agencies, and ministries. It is of course not necessary for everyone to be experts on all matters related to ECD, but more awareness of the comprehensive nature of these investments would help in improving ECD programs and marshalling more resources towards them.

    The good news is that resources are available to learn about ECD. These resources now include a new and free online self-spaced e-learning course designed by the World Bank. The course consists of three interactive web-based modules: Why invest in ECD?; What matters for ECD?; and How to implement ECD interventions? (For those interested in a more detailed explanation of each of the three modules, see here). Let me summarize the main features of the course. 

    First, consider the “Why invest in ECD?” question. From a scientific point of view, neurological studies show that synapses develop rapidly during a child’s first few years, forming the basis of cognitive and emotional functioning for life. Research suggests that investments in the first 1,000 days of life are especially important. From an economic point of view, while the specific rate of return on investments in ECD depends on a number of factors, including the focus of a program, duration of exposure and quality, these rates of return have been shown to be as high as 17:1, according to Nobel Economist James Heckman. As just one example, a recent paper in Science suggests that growth-stunted toddlers in Jamaica who benefitted from psychosocial stimulation through weekly visits from community health workers over a two-year period increased future earnings by 25 percent.

    Next, consider the “What matters for ECD?” question. What should countries focus on when investing in ECD? The second module of the course uses the ECD toolkit from the Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) framework to assess the quality of ECD programs and policies in a country. SABER ECD identifies three policy goals that matter most for effective ECD country systems: (1) establishing an enabling environment; (2) implementing widely; and (3) monitoring and assuring quality. Taken together, the three goals help in addressing constraints to effective ECD policies, such as fragmented policy between ministries, limited and uneven access to services, and poor quality assurance mechanisms.

    Finally, consider the “How to implement ECD interventions?” question. The third module of the course summarizes findings from a 12-year review of the World Bank’s experience with ECD projects, and raises issues related to inter-sectoral coordination between agencies and ministries. The module also covers how to conduct ECD diagnostics for countries or projects, how to use and adapt assessment tools to country context to monitor child growth and development, how to assess the cost of ECD interventions and how to finance them, as well as how to address issues related to project design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation.

    We hope that the course, which is available free of charge, should be of interest to development practitioners in education, health, and social protection who are involved in the design and implementation of ECD projects, but also to policy makers, NGOs and students. The e-learning course takes about four to five hours to complete. I invite you to take the course at your own pace and let me know what you think. 

    List of Free Online Child Development Courses & Learning Materials

    Jul 02, 2019

    Online Child Development Courses for Credit

    Free online child development courses are designed to give students an overview of developmental theories as well as factors contributing to human growth. Materials typically allow students to work at their own pace, though academic credit is not awarded upon completion. Students who would like an online course that they can apply to an associate’s or bachelor’s degree program might want to consider other options.

    Although there are many universities that offer accredited programs in child development, Study.com offers one such alternative to traditional college courses. The Psychology 107: Life Span Developmental Psychology class is taught by knowledgeable instructors and can lead to academic credit in less time and expense than your typical online or on-campus course. Materials include free lesson transcripts. Registered members can also watch short, engaging video lessons and take corresponding multiple-choice quizzes for a small fee. This course includes chapters on the following topics:

    Non-Credited Free Child Development Classes

    You can also find free child development training online that does not result in a child development certificate or credit. These free online child development classes are offered by various universities and cover topics like psychology and intellectual development. Some of your options for child growth and development online courses are outlined below.

    Johns Hopkins University

    • Child Health and Development focuses on social, cognitive, and emotional development in children. The course looks at assessment tools, as well as the role of intervention programs in proper child development. Lecture materials cover areas such as the framework of language in early development, physical growth, and neurodevelopment during the first ten years, as well as the emergence of self-regulation in children.

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

    • Introduction to Psychology explores the link between human nature and how the mind works. A number of lecture videos are available, including one on child development. Included in this video are discussions about how babies learn, the stages of development known as sensorimotor and preoperational, and mind theory. Other videos in the course cover brain structure, consciousness, memory, language, personality, and other topics. Examinations, with the answers and explanations provided, are included among the other available course material.
    • Infant and Early Childhood Cognition focuses on how very young children learn and gain an understanding of their immediate world. Students will be able to download learning materials, including lecture notes, that highlight aspects of child development, such as imagination, object individuation, and baby talk. Studies can be reinforced by course readings and assignments.

    The Open University

    • Early Development focuses on the early stages of a single life cycle. Students learn about human conception as it was perceived historically, and study conception and development on a cellular level. The course also includes discussions on contraception, fertilization, pregnancy, and how the sex of a child may be determined.
    • Understanding Early Years Environments and Children’s Spaces is mined from a course on professional practice in early childhood. Instruction covers the role of space and environment in the development of children. For instance, the class explores indoor and outdoor environments as ways of enhancing childhood creativity and behavior. Also discussed are ways to create a safe environment for open play. References to books on the subject are also included.

    Tufts University

    • Promoting Positive Development Among Youth discusses how the use of civic engagement among youth can enhance child development. Besides lecture materials, student presentations developed as part of previous campus-based instruction are available.
    • Human Growth and Development offers a more extensive exploration of what affects the development process, in particular how diseases and disabilities affect it. Specific lectures focus on the effects of teen pregnancy, abuse, youth violence, domestic violence, and divorce. This course is designed to help doctors develop ways to better know their patients. By the end of the course, students will have a grasp of the human development process from early childhood through the dying process.
    • Intellectual Development covers the various theories that explain cognitive development from early childhood through adolescence. Students will have the chance to contrast various theories and research on cognitive growth.

    University of Michigan

    • Human Growth and Development helps students learn about child development as it relates to infancy through adolescence. Various handouts cover theories and concepts about development. Lectures look at normal growth and development, development in the fetal and neonatal stages, school age development, and other areas of interest.

    Utah State University

    • Power of Positive Parenting is based on the successful writings and presentations of author Glenn Latham. Parents are introduced to elements that encourage healthy development in children. Course material covers ways to address negative behaviors, such as anger, as well as how to improve self-esteem and change family dynamics. Parents can download lessons and handouts that can be shared with children.

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    Child Development Guide

    1. Online DegreesOnline Child Development Associate Credential: How to EarnOnline Courses for Early Childhood DevelopmentOnline Child Studies Degrees by Program Level2. Salaries and OutlookAfterschool Program Director: Job Description, Duties and SalaryCareer Development Specialist: Job Duties, Salary and Requirements3. Career InformationHow to Become a Human Resource Development SpecialistYouth Development Administrator: Job Description & Career Requirements4. Program InfoAdult Education in Early Childhood Development: Program SummaryProgram Development Specialist Job InformationBachelors Degree in Child Development: Program SummaryMasters Degree in Early Childhood Development: Program Info5. JobsCase Manager: Job & Career InformationPublic Welfare Social Worker: Employment and Career InformationHuman Services Job Information6. Top SchoolsBest Child Development Programs: List of Top SchoolsTop Schools for Human Development and Family Studies

    Popular Schools

    The schools in the listing below are not free and may include sponsored content but are popular choices among our users. Tuition and costs will vary across programs and locations. Be sure to always request tuition information before starting a program.

    An admission advisor from each school can provide more info about:

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