Center for
Continuing Education
Online Child Development Training

Become a Certified Child Development Professional

Childcare professionals play a vital role in early childhood development. This 100% online course is just right for the childcare professional with aspirations of going into childcare management or administration. It provides you with the necessary training and tools to earn your Child Development Associate (CDA) certification and prepares you to earn internationally recognized Microsoft certifications to showcase your know-how for in-demand business applications.

 

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Job Outlook for Childcare Professionals

  • The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecasts 8% growth for Childcare Workers between now and 2030. The BLS expects demand for early childhood education to remain strong due to its influence on a child’s intellectual and emotional development.
  • According to PayScale.com, childcare professionals with CDA certification earn $35,000 per year, on average. The site also notes that 80% of CDA’s report that they are “very happy” with their profession.
  • Microsoft found that entry-level professionals who hold a Microsoft Office certification can earn “as much as $16,000 more in annual salary than uncertified peers.”

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Childcare professional ensure the welfare, health and safety of children under their care. Other common childcare job titles include:

  • Childcare Worker
  • Childcare Professional
  • Daycare Worker
  • Child Development Specialist
  • Child Development Center Assistant

Providing a safe, healthy environment is among the highest priorities for excellent childcare. The CDA prepares you specifically to work within the structure of a childcare center. This course includes the procedures and materials required to prepare for a CDA-required site visit.

The CDA is a nationally-recognized credential that demonstrates a childcare professional’s skills, competencies and knowledge. According to the Council for Professional Recognition, CDAs are able to “nurture the emotional, physical, intellectual, and social development of children.”

Earning a Child Development Associate credential can be a steppingstone to career advancement in the early childhood education field. Many CDAs go on to work in education as preschool or elementary school teachers.

Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) is the top computer skills certification for professionals. Globally, Microsoft Office is the leading office software with many organizations heavily invested in Microsoft technology.

Course Objectives

  • Evaluate and make recommendations for modifications of regulations regarding children's health, safety, and learning environments
  • Identify typical stages of cognitive, linguistic, physical, social, and emotional development
  • Develop a list of developmentally appropriate activities and materials that encourage physical, linguistic, cognitive, creative, social, and emotional development in children from birth to five
  • Implement appropriate guidance techniques for specific situations relating to children's behaviors
  • Demonstrate skills in the practical application of developmental principles and theories, observation techniques, and recognition of growth and development patterns
  • Apply the competency statements into practice in an early childhood setting
  • Prepare to become a certified child development associate professional
  • Prepare to take the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Associate certification exams

 

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Prerequisites and Requirements

There are no prerequisites to take this course.

 

Certification Requirements:

To be eligible for the CDA certification:

  • You must have a minimum of a high school diploma or GED, or be a junior or senior in a high school career and technical program, and
  • Complete 120 hours of formal early childhood technical education (this course meets CDA requirements)
  • Complete a CDA professional portfolio (this course assists with portfolio preparation)
  • Complete a CDA verification site visit where a PD Specialist observes you working with children

Please Note: Within three years of submitting your application, you must also have 480 hours (about three weeks) of professional work experience at a center-based program with experience in all three age groups.

To earn the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Associate Certification, you must pass all three of the following exams:

  • MO-100 (Word)
  • MO-200 (Excel)
  • MO-300 (PowerPoint)

 

Curriculum

  1. Child Development Professional
    1. Getting Started
    2. How to Take This Course
    3. Why Earn a Child Development Certification?
    4. The Portfolio Introduction
    5. Principles of Child Development and Learning
    6. Planning a Safe and Healthy Learning Environment
    7. Advancing Children's Physical and Intellectual Development
    8. Supporting Children's Social and Emotional Development
    9. Building Productive Relationships with Families
    10. Managing an Effective Program
    11. Observing and Recording Children's Behavior
    12. Achieving High-Quality Care
    13. Final Portfolio Review
    14. CDA Prep and Taking Your Exam
    15. Employability
    16. Final Exam
    17. Resources
  2. Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Associate Certification Training
    1. Introduction to Microsoft Word
    2. Intermediate Microsoft Word
    3. Advanced Microsoft Word
    4. Microsoft Word Final Exam
    5. Introduction to Microsoft Excel
    6. Intermediate Microsoft Excel
    7. Advanced Microsoft Excel
    8. Microsoft Excel Final Exam
    9. Introduction to Microsoft PowerPoint
    10. Advanced Microsoft PowerPoint
    11. Microsoft PowerPoint Final Exam
    12. Introduction to Microsoft Outlook
    13. Advanced Microsoft Outlook
    14. Microsoft Outlook Final Exam

 

Instructors

Kerri Welch has over 20 years of extensive experience in the field of early childhood education. More specifically, with the CDA credential, she previously served as an instructor and field supervisor at Dutchess Community College in New York and as a PD Specialist for the CDA Council. She is currently teaching child development classes at Houston Community College.

Kerri has successfully trained a diverse population of students by helping them advance in their careers in early childhood development through implementing a child-centered, developmentally appropriate curriculum that uses positive guidance techniques. She has a Master of Science in early childhood education with a focus on students with disabilities, a bachelor's degree in elementary education, and an associate degree in early childhood education.

Kerri is on the advisory board of Informed Green Solutions, a national non-profit that has pioneered environmental education on green cleaning products for early childhood programs. She is extremely passionate about children's health, nutrition, and safety, especially regarding children with special needs.

Tracy Berry has been a senior graphic designer/programmer, instructor, and consultant since 1993 and has developed hundreds of logos, marketing materials, websites, and multimedia solutions for customers worldwide. She was also involved in several large corporate software rollouts. She has helped many organizations optimize and streamline data solutions. She teaches both onsite and online courses and has her CTT (Certified Technical Trainer) certification. Tracy specializes in teaching graphics, desktop publishing, web design, and reporting/productivity applications.

 

Registration and Enrollment

This course is open enrollment. You can enroll and begin at any time.

 

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