The Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education is a programme for continuous knowledge and skill up-gradation for those working in the sector of Early Childhood Care and Education. It is a unique holistic package that equips the learner to foster the holistic development of young children (i.e., children from birth to 6 years of age) and will be of interest to functionaries and teachers working with children in the birth to 6 age group in diverse settings, such as crèches, preschools, pre-primary classes, nursery schools, anganwadis and balwadis; those wishing to set up early childhood care and education centres or managing such centres; parents and others interested in knowing about the development of young children.
The specific objectives of the Diploma Programme are to enable the learner:
- To develop an understanding about the needs and rights of children with emphasis on the socio-cultural context of childhood;
- To understand the development of children from birth to six years of age;
- To plan play activities for fostering development;
- To appreciate the health and nutritional needs of young children and to be able to evaluate a diet as regards nutritional adequacy;
- To be able to identify common childhood illnesses, take care of the sick child and take preventive measures;
- To interact with the community and impart simple health, nutrition and preschool education and early childhood care and education massages;
- To identify children with special needs, to provide early stimulation and take preventive action;
- To gain knowledge and develop skills and attitudes required for working with young children in crèches, preschools, nursery schools, kindergartens and day care centres.
Counseling
Counseling classes are held for all the courses at the Study Centre. The schedule for the counseling sessions is provided by the Study Centre.
Teleconferencing
Teleconferencing is a one-way video and two-way audio facility. Teleconferencing will be held every month. During teleconferencing session, you will get an opportunity to interact by phone in facility or fax with the resource persons/experts who participate in teleconferencing session and clear your doubts immediately. The teleconferencing facility will be available at the Regional Centre and Selected Study Centres.
The teleconferencing schedule will be sent to the Programme In-charge and Regional Director who would inform the students. Teleconferencing is done through Gyan Darshan Channel. You must regularly attend these sessions. These will help you to clarify doubts and interact with other learners all over the country.
Radio counselling
Radio counselling will be held through F.M. and you can ask questions free of cost with phone in facilities right from your home. A toll free telephone number 110012345 has been provided for this purpose.
Telecast
The programmes will also be telecasted through the Doordarshan channel and schedule will be informed to students in advance.
Audio-video Programme
Audio and video programmes for each course have been prepared to support your learning. These Audio-video programmes in the form of cassettes are available at all Programme Study Centres. These Audio and video cassettes will be provided for viewing and listening. You can also hire the cassettes for viewing and listening.
Continuous Evaluation of Theory Component
Assignments
Assignment is a means of continuing assessment of theory and practical. Assignments will help you to recapitulate the theory and go back to the text again in case you are unable to answer a particular question. Thus assignments also help to reinforce learning in distance learning system of education. These assignments consist of a set of questions and activities that you will answer at your own place by referring your blocks.
The assignments will cover all types of questions (long answer type, short answer type, objective type, multiple choice questions and case studies). You will be required to obtain thirty five percent marks as pass percentage in each assignment separately. Each assignment will be out of 100 marks. In the final result assignments will carry thirty percent weightage.
Term-end Examination
As stated earlier, term-end examination is the major component of the evaluation system and it carries seventy percent weightage in the Final result. The University conducts term-end examination twice a year i.e., in June and December. You can take the examination only after completion of the course, failing which you can take the same in December or June of subsequent years within the total span of the programme.
In case you fail to get a pass score (thirty five percent and above) in the Term-end Examination, you will be eligible to reappear at the next Term-end Examination for that course as and when it is held, within the total span of the Programme.
Name of the Programme Co-ordinator: Dr Rekha Sharma Sen
Medium of Instruction: English, Hindi & Tamil