Department of Early Childhood Care and Education

Department of Early Childhood Caring and Education

Introduction
The Department of Early Childhood Caring and Education was established in 1996 as a two-year certificate program— it consisted of two types of classes: daytime and evening classes.
In 2001, a preschool affiliated with the department was set up not only to provide students with actual classroom teaching experience, but also to improve the quality of preschools throughout Southern Taiwan.
In order to cultivate a more comprehensive understanding of early childhood education and humanities for early childhood professionals, the department was restructured in 2002 to offer four-year undergraduate programs.
Additionally, a five-year program was set up to meet the demands of younger labor workplace in the child care service market.
 Currently, there are approximately 400 students enrolled in the program and twenty-one classes for them to take including a five-year junior college program, a two-year baccalaureate program, a four-year baccalaureate program (daytime classes only),and a two-year baccalaureate program (nighttime classes only).

  • 1996, founded both daytime and nighttime programs for the two-year junior college degree 
  • 2000, founded the Department of Early Childhood Caring and Education
  • 2001, started daytime and part-time programs for the two-year college degree and founded the affiliated preschool
  • 2002, started day and part-time programs for the four-year college degree
  • 2003, started the part-time two-year continuing education program
  • 2004, terminated the nighttime two-year college program
  • 2007, terminated the part-time two-year continuing education program
  • 2012, established the day-time five-year junior college program and terminated the day-time two-year college program. The affiliated preschool was renamed Affiliated Private Tainan Kindergarten of Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology.
  • 2014, allowed by the Ministry of Education, graduates of the four-year and two-year full-time and part-time programs and the five-year junior college would receive the qualification as kindergarten teachers.
  • 2015, terminated the day-time two-year college program

幼保

Educational Objectives and Curriculum
The goal of the department is to prepare professionals dedicated to early childhood services to be equipped with excellent expertise, humanism, social care, and motivation for lifelong learning.
The following are the goals for each four-year and two-year undergraduate programs, as well as the five-year junior college program:

  • Four-year college program:
  1. To prepare childcare providers through instruction and practice
  2. To prepare professional kindergarten teachers
  3. To produce high-quality after school care providers
  4. To prepare management professionals in the early caring and education industry
  • Two-year college program:
  1. To prepare childcare providers through instruction and practice
  2. To prepare professional kindergarten teachers
  3. To produce high-quality after school care providers
  4. To prepare management professionals in the early caring and education industry
  • Five-year junior college program:
  1. To prepare childcare providers through instruction and practice
  2. To prepare professional kindergarten teachers
  3. To produce high-quality after school care providers

The department offers both four-year and two-year college programs, and a five-year junior college program. To obtain a degree, according to related school and department policies, a student must complete all required courses and credits and achieve the minimum passing scores. In addition, there are two graduation requirements: university-wide threshold and department threshold.

The details for both the university-wide threshold and department threshold are as follows:

  • University-Wide Threshold

According to Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology’s policy on testing of students’ fundamental competencies, each student admitted after 2009 must pass all following competencies tests before graduation:

  1. Chinese Proficiency Test: Students enrolled in the four-year and two-year college programs must pass the Chinese competency test before graduation (including Common Sense of Chinese Culture, Common sense of Chinese Language, Reading and Writing Abilities)
  2. English Proficiency Test: Students enrolled in the daytime programs (five-year junior program and four-year college program) must pass one of the following exams with respective minimum level or score before graduation: GEPT Elementary Level, GET Level A2, TOEFL with a score above 390, TOEIC with a score above 350, IELTS Level 3, CSEPT with a score above 170, and NETPAW Elementary Level. Those who fail the above will have to participate in the university’s English Proficiency Exam, and the combined exam scores with scores from the current semester’s English course will have to pass the minimum level. Otherwise, students will be required to repeat this semester’s English courses.
  3. Service Abilities Test:  Students enrolled in the day-time programs, which include the four-year program, five-year junior college, and two-year junior college must complete required hours of volunteering or social service study before graduation.
  4. Computer Skills Test: Students admitted after 2009 in the day-time programs must pass the computer skills test before graduation. Any one of the following qualifications will be deemed satisfactory for graduation: Level C Technician or above for Computer Software Application by Council of Labor Affairs, TQC R1 or above Level by Computer Skills Foundation, or the qualification obtained through the exam held by the university’s Computer and Network Center.
  5. Physical Fitness Competency Test: New students admitted after 2009 in daytime programs, including the four-year college program and five-year junior college program must complete the Physical Competency Test by the end of the first semester. According to the Taiwan Junior College Student Physical Fitness Standard, for the BMI (Body Mass Index) category, the score should be between 10% and 90%; for other categories, the scores should be 10% or above. Students who fail the test will receive additional trainings, and will be granted graduation until after they pass the test.
  • Department Threshold
  1. Professional License Threshold: Under the university’s Student Professional License Testing and Advisory Guidelines, students in the daytime four-year college program admitted after 2009 should receive at least two professional licenses adopted by the department before graduation. Students who fail to pass the department’s own tutorial courses by the end of their seventh semester must attend dedicated professional licenses training courses in their last semester. Only students who have passed the courses can obtain qualifications that meet the requirements of the professional license threshold.
  2. Professional capabilities test: According to the department’s policy, students should pass the Professional Capabilities Test of Infants Cardiac Life Support and Storytelling before graduation.

Faculty
There are fifteen full-time teachers in the Department, including one Professor, six Associate Professors, five Assistant Professor, and three lecturers. Seventy-five percent of the faculty have received their PhD degree. In addition, there are five part-time lecturers, two of whom are focused on special education.  
All faculty members are accredited by the Ministry of Education to teach professional courses in early childhood education.

 

Equipment and Facilities
To successfully complete the department’s mission, we are equipped with nine professional classrooms, one multimedia center, one conference room, one theater space, a kindergarten, and 7 research rooms, which is a total space of 4,300 square meters.
All facilities are located in one building for the convenience of students and faculties. 
Our department also has four testing facilities for child care provider related exams, which were completely renovated and certified in 2007.

 

Future Trends and Development (Vision and Mission)
According to world child care education and trend, along with goals set out by the Ministry of Education and our university motto, we embark 4 visions and 6 targets:

Four Visions:

  1. Humanities: Emphasis on the elevation of self-quality and social awareness and achieving lifelong learning. 
  2. Diversification: Our curriculum focuses on multi-learning and multi-development to prepare future professionals for their tasks. 
  3. Practicality: Our department thrives to connect and collaborate with education industry to create projects and opportunities for students to obtain hands-on experiences.
  4. Innovation: Our courses are continuously updated and incorporate the latest education technology to prepare students for the education industry challenges ahead.

Six Targets:

  1. Refine base curriculum to nurture well-rounded professionals. Curriculum construction, execution, and updates should consider the needs of society, characteristics of each individual student, and suggestions from current students, alumni, industry, and experts. There are three modules in the curriculum: infant home care, kindergarten care, and after-school care. Students can choose one to further develop specialized skills.
  2. Enhance professor qualifications for superb teaching. Professor’s contract renewal is based on achieving the department's goal. Professor’s degree, research and further education are tightly linked to the department's plan and vision. Professors are highly encouraged not only to take advanced classes and training, but also to embark projects with government programs and industry firms.
  3. Have an abundance of educational resources to ensure high-   quality education. Department equipment purchases should align with curriculum needs and should enhance learning experience. Modern digital technology should be incorporated to aid learning experience. Teaching methods and learning evaluation should vary based on the individual student’s quality. All of this to ensure students get the best out of the curriculum.
  4. Prioritize students obtaining industry-accepted licenses for better job placement. Curriculum should focus on delivering solid fundamental knowledge and real-life application. The department designs classes specifically for obtaining industry licenses to elevate students’ marketability.
  5. Collaborate with industry for more feedback. Increase cooperation with industry and explore new project ideas. Encourage students to actively participate for the purpose of putting knowledge into practice. Utilize project experience as feedback to enhance curriculum development. While at the same time, inviting industry professionals to give guest lectures at the institute. 
  6. Prioritize academic research. Dissemination of professional knowledge: Professors are encouraged to form social groups and to further explore socially relevant academic research topics, such as low birth rate. Organize various seminars to share research results to a wider audience, while forming stronger bonds with the industry and exploring internship opportunities for students.

Course Description
The curriculum is designed according to the No.11 Rule of University Regulation. Each student should be enrolled in no less than 16 and no more than 25 credits in each semester during the first three years, and be enrolled in no less than nine and no more than 25 credit in each semester in the fourth year.
The curriculum is divided into two main parts:
(1) Fundamentals
(2) Practice
Three modules:
(1) Infants Caring Module
(2) Kindergarten Caring and Education Practice Module
(3) After-School Caring Module


Employment Prospects and Outstanding Alumni
The job market has been stable for students in our department. The employment rate averaged around 90% for the academic year of 2011-2012. Among the outstanding alumni in the academic field, Jiahua Lin (admitted in 1997) serves at Private Dong Wu Senior Industrial Home Economics Vocational High School in Jiayi and carries on our tradition of preparing teachers for early childhood caring.
In the professional field, we have alumni serving as principals of kindergartens and preschools, and even as government officials.
Since 2011, impacted by the macro environment and a saturated domestic market, students have started to seek employment in Singapore, where five of our alumni are currently employed. We also have a good track record in the Singapore’s government education and caring system.


Course
http://www.hwai.edu.tw/child/pub/LIT_8.asp


Contact Information
TEL:886-6-2671214 ext 900,901
FAX:886-6-2607516

Email:child@mail.cju.edu.tw
WEB(Chinese version):https://child.hwai.edu.tw/