Accelerated Courses FAQs

1. What is an Accelerated Early Childhood Course?
2. Will I have homework?
3. Can I take the whole Early Childhood Associate Degree with Accelerated classes?
4. Do I have to be working in the field of early childhood education to take an accelerated course?
5. What are the accelerated assignments like?

1. What is an Accelerated Early Childhood Course?

Accelerated courses are designed to cover the learning material of a course in a shorter amount of time that the traditional course. A traditional course would meet for 54 hours. Early Childhood Accelerated classes meet for 30 hours. Accelerated learning takes advantage of the varied learning styles of students and creates an active classroom where the learner takes greater responsibility for their learning. It is based on the premise of students coming into the classroom with prior knowledge of the subject matter and/or working in the field.

2. Will I have homework?

Yes, an accelerated course has pre-work as well as additional homework and project work that needs to be completed outside of class. Pre-work is a homework assignment that is assigned before the class even begins. It enables learners to come to that first class with some work already done, and some of the introductory material already fresh in everyone’s mind. While college classes require homework, an accelerated class typically has more outside of class homework than the traditional class.

3. Can I take the whole Early Childhood Associate Degree with Accelerated classes?

No. Please be aware that the four Practicum classes in the program are almost exclusively offered online. Those classes have an online component as well as a component working in various early childhood settings. In addition, some accelerated courses may be “web-enhanced” – with supplemental materials available online.

4. Do I have to be working in the field of early childhood education to take an accelerated course?

Not necessarily. If you are working in the field, that’s great! However, if you are taking practicums, that’s good too. Many assignments are related to student work situations, but it is not a requirement to be working in the field. If you are not working or in a practicum site, you may meet a student that is working in one and you could possibly do your assignment at their workplace.

5. What are the accelerated assignments like?

Expect to have assignments such as interviews, research papers, presentations, group projects, observations, article readings, Internet research, making individual project such as a math game or find good children’s literature from the library. Sometimes it is arranging spaces in our own classroom that are child friendly and developmentally developmentally appropriate. Many students like to use our early childhood lab to hang out to do their homework or group work.

Questions? Contact Peggy Anderson, 920-498-6255,
or 1-800-422-NWTC, Ext. 6255