Examining VLS Momentum: Pairing Online PD with Coaching to Prepare Teachers for their CDA

• In Event: Responsive Relationships in the ECE Workforce: Improving Knowledge and Care for Young Children

Abstract

In the U.S., more than 47% of center-based early care and education (ECE) providers do not hold a degree (Whitebook et al., 2016), and of those without degrees, less than 40% have a CDA or foundational training in ECE (National Survey of ECE, 2012). In line with the directives within “Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth through Age 8: A Unifying Foundation” report (IOM & NRC, 2015), Whitebook (2018) highlights that “access-based support, … skill-based support, such as tutoring… [and] financial support…” (p. 71) are the most effective ways to increase the educational level of adults working in ECE. Further, high-quality professional development (PD) functions for adults similarly to the serve-and-return interactions that are critical to young children’s optimal development. Aligned with these suggestions, the VLS Momentum pilot, a partnership between a local municipality and the Virtual Lab School (VLS) PD system began in late 2019. VLS Momentum offers ECE providers, serving 0-5 year-old children at unrated or lower-rated programs, free, online, comprehensive foundational training in ECE. This pilot also provides trained coaches who observe/model practices and offer feedback on VLS course activities and assessments (see Coaching Course Cycle, Figure 1).
To examine the effectiveness of this approach, we have been collecting data from consented pilot participants (recruitment/collection is ongoing, admittedly impacted by Covid19; current n = 50). From the 15 consented pilot participants who have provided demographic information, our participants reflect local racial diversity (9 identifying as White, 4 Black/African American, 1 Asian, and 1 as multiracial). 19 teachers who have completed at least the first 2 courses of our intervention are included in this abstract. For preliminary analysis, we assessed participants’ pre- to post-test knowledge change on the first 5 VLS courses (Table 1). Although few teachers in our current sample have completed the fourth and fifth courses, we are encouraged that teachers are showing higher average scores--representing a trend toward better performance.
We also examined the number of emailed coaching exchanges during the first 5 courses, specifically looking at the number of emails regarding feedback or coursework information, and the number of emails around technical issues (e.g., using the website, setting up appointments). Overall, email was used more often to share technical information (M=13.37, SD=7.36) than to provide feedback (M=9.79, SD=12.14). However, there was much greater variability in the number of feedback-based emails compared to technical, with a range of 0-52 feedback and 1-24 technical, perhaps reflective of the individualized support provided to participants. Correspondingly, coaches reported in their debrief forms, which were completed after every coaching session, that they were increasingly able to use reflective questioning and focus on at least 3 of the teacher’s strengths as they built relationships with participants. Lastly, our first pilot participant to complete the full VLS training recently earned their CDA. This preliminary data offers support for the VLS hybrid PD model to support in-career, job-embedded foundational training in ECE, offering a scalable system to support the ECE workforce at large and improve access to quality ECE.

Authors

• Sarah Naomi Lang, Ohio State University
  Presenting Author

• Rosalie Odean, Ohio State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Erin Tebben, Ohio State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Cynthia K. Buettner, Ohio State University
  Non-Presenting Author