Early Childhood Education program ranked 4th in the nation

MVNU’s online Early Childhood Education program was recently ranked 4th in the nation by BestColleges.com.

Dean of MVNU’s School of Education and Professional Studies C. Damon Osborne was “pleased, but not surprised.”

Osborne said it was affirming to be ranked so high, “particularly given the amount of work done behind the scenes to ensure that the quality of our educational opportunities is second to none!”

Administration, faculty and staff work to find innovative ways to integrate technology so the ECED program can be what Osborne says is “a wonderful blend of online coursework where students learn the theoretical underpinnings of teaching, and the field where they spend time in schools putting theory into practice.”

Osborne also attributed the ranking to the mission-centered view the Education Department takes, explaining “we find ways to connect with future teachers where they are.”

Since the BestColleges.com article was written, the Education Department has added the entire bachelor’s degree program so that it is no longer only a degree completion program. Associate Dean for Education Programs and Director of Teacher Education Sharon Metcalfe said, “We can service adults with little to no prior college credit.”

Metcalfe also said of the new program, “We are excited about this new way to reach and train future teachers."

The program has also added a generalist endorsement which allows the normal PreK-3 Early Childhood licensed teacher to teach grades 4 and 5. “This makes our candidates more marketable in the competitive Early Childhood market in Ohio,” Metcalfe said.