SECD Goes North June 24 2015
In early June, Janet Jamieson visited the Thompson campus of the University College of the North to present newer SECD materials, discuss why the ECE program at RRC undertook this project and support ECE faculty in using SECD more extensively with their students.
The ECE program at UCN is firmly grounded in reflecting northern Manitoba’s rich Aboriginal cultural and community context. They also want to expose ECE students to a wide range of current research and program examples from Canada and around the world. Instructors have had a projection license for some time and are now adopting the SECD- Introductory edition and the Child Development Primer for student use. They are also considering the International edition for classroom projection. Like many similar regions in Canada, Manitoba’s north has a large and diverse Aboriginal population and a burgeoning population of newcomers from all over the world. With campuses in Thompson and The Pas, and as well as regional centres and programs in First Nations communities, UCN provides an integrated college and university approach to offer northern Manitobans greater access to post-secondary education.
Generous support from The Lawson Foundation enables an SECD team member to assist colleges and universities to use the resources with their students. It is exciting to see the reach of SECD resources right here in Manitoba!
SECD- A Student’s Perspective May 28 2015
Rebecca LaRiviere has been using the Science of Early Child Development for over five years now. Rebecca was first introduced to SECD as a student of Red River College’s Early Childhood Education Workplace Program. As the “textbook” assigned for the program, Rebecca purchased a license from the college bookstore. She admits she was unsure of what she was buying, and wondered what this resource even was. “The first assignment I had in the program required us to use SECD to research a topic. After that, I was hooked.”
Rebecca went on to complete the Workplace Program using SECD throughout. “The videos were really interesting, and really helped us to understand the concepts.” She also appreciated that the resource was easy to navigate, “With such a range of topics and with so much content, it was great that I could find what I wanted when I needed it.”
It was during her studies while using SECD that Rebecca found information about the Abecedarian Approach to early learning. The Abecedarian Approach is an intervention that helps children develop and enhance their language skills, a key for lifelong learning and success. Rebecca is now the Team Leader and Abecedarian peer mentor at Manidoo Gi-Miini Gonaan located in Lord Selkirk Park in Winnipeg. “I still use SECD and find I regularly reference it. I often go back to it as I work with and mentor staff using this approach. The concepts throughout the resource help support ECE staff to do their important jobs.”
“I really liked that the resource shows examples and research from around the world. It makes you realize that certain things are universal, we all want the best start for children.”
SECD Seminar Series Training Session May 11 2015
Red River College has partnered over the last six years with the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) to contextualize the Science of Early Child Development (SECD). From April 20 to 24, a group of 34 people from 16 different countries came together at the Ismaili Centre in Dubai for a one-week training session on using the SECD Seminar Series in their context. The days included reflections on the AKDN SECD journey, exploring new SECD materials, microteaching and ideas for the future. Everyone benefited from sharing and learning from each other.
Mombasa, Kenya
Mozambique, Inhambane province
SECD seminars and courses used to support ECD development in Africa April 20 2015
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, in partnership with the Aga Khan Foundation and its partners in the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), are improving support to young children affected by HIV and AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. Through the project, the Aga Khan University – Institute for Human Development (AKF IHD) offers a series of in-person and online seminars and courses in the Science of Early Child Development.
Over the next few years, SECD seminars will take place in Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique in English, Kiswahili and Portuguese. These will be complemented by an online SECD course, which will eventually be part of an accredited degree program through AKU IHD. The courses will reach over 150 professionals implementing programs in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia. To learn more, click here.
