Diploma in Early Childhood Education

Course Overview

The Diploma in Early Childhood Education offered by Dika College is a pioneering programme that has successfully trained those interested in early childhood education to become sought-after field specialists.

This programme equips students with the knowledge and skills to create a warm, secure, and healthy environment for children. Students are also given an insight into the requirements of children with special needs.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the uniqueness of each child
• Impart a solid foundation for learning
•  Advocate the rights for quality and equitable preschool education
•  Hone entrepreneurship knowledge to set up and lead Early Childhood Education (ECE) establishments

COURSE MODULES

Part 1: Understanding Young Children

Philosophy and Early Childhood Development in Malaysia

This module aims to give an understanding and overview picture about National Philosophy of Education in Malaysia. Students will also be informed of the several important sources or key person in early childhood education and their philosophical background in early childhood education.

Knowing How Young Children Grow and Learn

This module will introduce students to the complexities and inter-relatedness of child development, and will assist students to recognise the use of such knowledge in their professional activities. This unit will require students to demonstrate their knowledge in a wide-ranging examination of the content of the unit, and to undertake a practical activity in child studies. Students will learn about cognitive, social, emotional, physical and language development in young children. They will also learn how to provide the best environment for optimum development to take place.

Understanding Young Children with Special Needs

Modern education and care systems include all children and their needs as part of their curricula. This module aims to prepare students to manage some of the dimensions of the learning needs of children with a variety of learning and other disabilities. Students will also be introduced to notions of professional conduct in observing and teaching diverse learners, and to understanding the limitations of their own experiences and abilities so that they are competent in referring children with special needs to specialist personnel, and for working in collaboration with such personnel in delivering effective learning programs for all children with special needs.

Young Children and Play Development

Play is the vital element in children’s learning and development. This module has been prepared to help students to learn and develop new skills and strategies for assisting the integrated development of the whole child in all areas of development: physical, social, emotional, cognitive, linguistic and moral.

Observing & Assessing Young Children’s Development

This module will introduce students to techniques for observing and record-keeping. Students will also understand the professional concept of knowing the limitations of their experiences and interpretations.

Catering for Diversity in Young Learners

This module is designed to allow students to become familiar with the cultural diversities of the young learners, and to be able to provide appropriate and effective educational provisions for all children, regardless of their background, learning styles, cultural heritage, and language differences. Thus, to be professionally able to create a successful classroom that caters for the varying learning needs and ability of young diverse learners.

Safety and Health

The health and safety of children and staff of a kindergarten and child care centre is the first concern of the Director and staff members. Maslow’s hierarchy provides teachers with a clear statement of the value of nutrition, shelter and safety in people’s lives.

Nutrition & Hygiene

Nutrition and hygiene of young children is of utmost importance with reference to survival based on Maslow’s theory. Further to this, optimum child development is dependent on nutrition and hygiene.

Part 2: Educating Young Children

Young Children and Language Literacy

This module is designed to familiarize students with theories of the acquisition and development of language in young children from birth. Emphasis is placed on observation, assessment, and instructional strategies teachers and care providers can use to help young children develop their receptive and expressive language skills and to facilitate the development of emerging literacy.

Young Children and Mathematics

This module will introduce students to carry out comparative analysis of the uses of numeracy in a number of cultures, and provide them knowledge, skills, and various strategies to facilitate the development of young children’s understanding and confidence in number and spatial organization. 

Young Children and The Visual Arts

In this module, students will focus specifically upon the visual and creative arts, and develop and focus upon artistic processes (visual, aural, imaginative, expressive, symbolic and technical) to facilitate the learning of young children. Students will also develop further their own knowledge and appreciation of the visual and other creative arts.

Young Children and Physical Education

The physical development and health of young children are central concerns of all teachers and carers. In order to provide worthwhile and valuable programs that support the healthy development of young children, students will be required to increase their knowledge and application of medical and physical conditions affecting young children, and to be confident in their abilities to assist young children’s health and development in a safe environment. Students will also be required to be sufficiently knowledgeable about young children’s common medical conditions in order to facilitate referral to appropriate health professionals.

Young Children and Science

In this module, students will be required to develop integrated proms which incorporate a number of strategies for involving and engaging young children in problem-solving activities.

Young Children and Technology

In this module, students will develop skills in using selected software programs for the purposes of teaching and learning in the classroom and child care centre. Students will be required to demonstrate ability to access and use word processing programs, internet and email, simple spreadsheet, presentation and publishing programs at an introductory level, to select good educational software and websites for young children.

 Young Children and The Arts: Music, Movement & Drama

In this module, students will focus specifically upon music, movement and drama, and develop and use role play and imagination to facilitate the learning of young children. Participants will also develop further their own knowledge and appreciation of these arts.

Young Children and The Visual Arts

In this module, students will focus specifically upon the visual and creative arts, and develop and focus upon artistic processes (visual, aural, imaginative, expressive, symbolic and technical) to facilitate the learning of young children. Students will also develop further their own knowledge and appreciation of the visual and other creative arts.

Part 3: Management of Young Children’s Programme

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

This module will begin with an assessment of each student’s abilities in those areas listed in the learning objectives. At the end of the unit, each student must show evidence of improvement in all areas. There will also be a focus on using information about the latest developments in early childhood education as vehicles for demonstrating personal and professional self-confidence and development.

Program Planning and Strategic Teaching

This module aims to provide and give experience to students in choosing the relevant and appropriate activities for preschool children. It includes a discussion in planning activities to satisfy or fulfil individual and group work activity. Students will also be taught the web based learning.

Practicum I

This module is aimed at providing students with the opportunity to develop their understanding of and competencies in working in a practical situation with young children. Students will have opportunities to plan learning programs, to teach children in their capacity as teachers, to communicate with other professionals in this field and with parents.

Professional Skills for the Preschool Teacher

Teaching young children and caring for them is the most important profession, second only in importance to good parenting. Yet many teachers feel that their efforts are not valued by parents, and sometimes by their own peers. In this unit, students will study, discuss and provide ideas to help each other to become and remain self-confident and balanced professionals.

 Practicum II

This module is aimed at providing students with the opportunity to further develop their understanding of and competencies in working in a practical situation with young children. This module will provide students with the necessary skills, knowledge and attitude required for them to venture into early childhood education. The necessary adjustment, understanding and insight into the world of children and early childhood educators will be created.

Part 4: Family & Community

Family and Community 1

Professional persons in service industries such as teaching and child care work together with parents, family members and community groups to ensure that the children are receiving and benefiting from the experiences they share at home and school. An understanding of challenges facing families, solving problems related to families and counselling parents and children form a platform for early childhood educators.

Family and Community 2

Teachers and child care workers are closely involved in the development and well-being of the children in their care and enjoy a partnership with parents and community support groups to assist the development of the children. This unit will assist participants to develop procedures and practices for harnessing the community systems to support the children and their families.

Effective Management in Early Care and Education

Effective Management is the key to success in any schools. This module aims to outline the role of the principals, develop the people centered supervisory and communication skills and expose the principals to other functions like finance and marketing. In order to stay competitive in the industry, principals must continue to change and think out of the box.

Creating Learning Spaces for Young Children

Young children learn within the security of well-planned physical environments that support social interactions based upon respect and acceptance. The physical and social environments of the progressive kindergarten supports the emotional well-being, physical safety and intellectual development of each young learner in that kindergarten or learning centre.

Classroom Behaviour and Management

 The most effective form of classroom management is sound teaching and good educational practice. Yet there are times when teachers need to have the knowledge and skills to manage the issues and problems arising from the activities of children with severe emotional and behaviour disorders. This module will assist students to observe children’s unwanted behaviours, realise the possibilities and limits of their expertise, work with professional counsellors, and maintain appropriate levels of record-keeping and work more effectively with parents.