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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

BA (Educational Studies) 4 Year Degree

The faculty of Education offers a Bachelor of Arts in Educational Studies and Digital Technology with a specialization in Early Childhood Studies (ECS) specialization. These fully online pathways (advanced entry) program is designed for students who have completed a two-year Ontario college diploma or equivalent. Our unique online format uses virtual classrooms to maximize interaction, collaboration and community building.  You may pursue this program on a part-time or full-time basis. This program emphasizes real-world inquiry/problem-based learning provide you with the best opportunities to develop job-ready skills in training and instruction using digital technology in early childhood education fields

As a graduate of our program, you will learn how to:

  • Apply theoretical and practical knowledge of educational planning, delivery and assessment across early childhood education
  • Design learning strategies that focus on authentic, meaningful and workplace-applicable activities
  • Analyze the social and psychological issues that shape learning in a digital era
  • Critically evaluate how technology fits with modes of learning
  • Develop specialized knowledge and competency in the use of digital technology to support lifelong learning

The Early Childhood Studies (ECS) specialization

  • Allows you to convert your two or three-year diploma into a four-year university degree
  • Is conducted fully-online, using virtual classrooms to maximize interaction, collaboration and community building.
  • Offers flexible scheduling allowing you to study from anywhere in the world and to pursue your studies part-time.
  • Prepares graduates for a wide range of future careers in education

The BA-Educational Studies and Digital Technology,  Early Childhood Studies specialization helps provide students with a number of engaging career opportunities:

  • Entrance into the Bachelor of Education Program to become a K-6 teacher
  • Aboriginal child care programs
  • Before and after school programs
  • Child care centres
  • Early intervention programs
  • Education counselling
  • Home child care
  • Ontario Early Years Centres, Parenting and Family Literacy Centres, and other parenting programs
  • Kindergarten and primary classrooms as assistants
  • Nursery and preschool programs
  • Recreational programs
What is the online course structure?

The Early Childhood Studies (ECS) specialization is offered fully online using virtual classrooms to maximize interaction, collaboration and community building. In each semester, one of the required courses will be offered. A typical 36-hour (three-credit) course is 12 weeks long and typically includes:

  • Two to three video clips per week, each of them six to eight minutes long, and associated readings available online.
  • Online synchronous tutorials in virtual classrooms (60 minutes) moderated by a teaching assistant or Instructor and drawing on the analysis and synthesis questions posed in the video clip as the starting point for discussion.
  • Online discussions in a learning management system such as Blackboard or other asynchronous tools.
  • Work on problem-based learning (PBL) with a collaborative team.

Each student is expected to actively participate in the tutorial sessions by using their webcam and microphone, since it is easier to understand the ideas communicated by others when their facial expressions and body language can be seen, rather than just listening to them.

How many courses do I need to complete the program?

If you are granted 60 credits from your previous diploma program, you will need to complete an additional 60 credits (20 courses) to obtain your Bachelor of Arts Degree. You may complete these courses on a part-time basis. Courses are scheduled to allow students to work and pursue their degrees.

What technology do I need?

Students require access to a computer, preferably a laptop, with these minimum characteristics:

  • A combination headset/microphone (external speakers are not acceptable as they tend to cause feedback noise).
  • High-speed Internet access (download speed should be greater than 8 Mbps and upload speed should be greater than 2 Mbps).
  • Video capabilities with either a built-in or external compatible WebCam.
What software do I need?

Your courses will make use of open-source software packages as much as possible. Each course instructor may also require the use of course-speaker software.

The basic software required includes:

  • Operating system: Windows 10 or newer, or MacOS X 10.6x or newer.
  • Web browser: Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari or Microsoft Edge.
  • Office software: Microsoft Office, Open Office or Google Suite (presentation application, spreadsheet capability and word processing).
How do I participate in the online virtual classroom?

You will also need to use video conferencing software (e.g., Adobe Connect, Zoom, Google Meet). This program allows you to actively participate, real-time, in a virtual classroom.

What computer skills do I need?

Students must possess a minimum technical skill set that allows them to use the necessary technology used in their courses. All students should be comfortable with the use of a computer and the basic software listed above.

Adopting a flexible attitude towards digital technologies is highly important for this program. If you don't know how to use a specific tool or affordance, use the situation as the basis for an independent problem-based learning opportunity to try to figure it out for yourself or work collaboratively with your peers. You should also be able to find many resources on the Internet.

What teaching approach do you use?

Classes are highly interactive, collaborative and Inquiry Learning/Problem-Based Learning. IL/PBL is an approach to learning in which "students, working in small teams, examine a problem, situation and, through this exploration, are expected to locate the gaps in their own knowledge and skills in order to decide what information they need to acquire in order to resolve or manage the situation".

Integral to our courses will be the application of foundational educational principles to workplace/community-specific contexts and problems to ensure depth and breadth of understanding. Understanding is further enhanced through exposure to contexts beyond students' own intended work/life environments.

What courses do you offer?

Check out the "Courses" tab to explore our rich course selection.

How do I apply to the BA Educational Studies and Digital Technology program?

Please go to our College-to-University Transfer Application site to apply.

To be eligible for the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Educational Studies and Digital Technology, students must meet the degree requirements for a total of 120 credits (20 courses).


Full Course Descriptions for the Early Childhood Studies specialization are available here.

Early Childhood Studies Specialization Courses

AEDT2170U – Designing Inclusive Learning Environments
AEDT3160U – Developing Literacy
AEDT3170U – Developing Numeracy
AEDT4150U – Holistic Learning in Early Childhood

Education Studies in Digital Technologies Courses
EDUC1312U - Fundamentals of Professional Writing
EDUC4703U - Problem and Inquiry-Based Learning
AEDT1160U - Digital Communication Technologies
AEDT1170U - Psychological Foundations and Digital Technologies
AEDT2120U - Culture and Digital Technologies
AEDT2130U - Graphic Design, Digital Technologies and Learning
AEDT2150U - Digital Technologies and Advanced Teaching Methods
AEDT2160U - Online Learning: Theory and Research
AEDT3110U - Information Literacy
AEDT3140U - Creating Digital Tools
AEDT4110U - Assessment for Learning
AEDT4120U - Serious Gaming and Simulations
AEDT4130U - Social Justice Issues in Education
AEDT4140U – Instructional Design
AEDT4200U - Thesis I
AEDT4201U - Thesis II

Documents

Websites

Please go to the College-to-University Transfer Application site to information about:

  • Admission Requirements 
  • How to Apply
  • Important Dates
  • English Language Proficiency
  • Transfer Credits
  • Useful Links

For general inquiries, contact BAESDTinfo@ontariotechu.ca

Susan Snelling
Senior Academic Advisor
905.721.8668 ext. 2703
FEDadvising@ontariotechu.ca

Diane Tepylo, PhD
Program Director
905.721.8668 ext. 3763
diane.tepylo@ontariotechu.ca