Early learning and childcare institution survey

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Quality, safety and compliance in licenced childcare

Early childhood educator survey
Early learning and childcare institution survey
Facility based licence holder survey
Family day home agency survey
Family day home educator survey
Parent survey
Sector associations survey

Survey

The survey takes approximately 7 to 8 minutes to complete.

All fields are required unless otherwise indicated.

1 of 3 (0%)

Screening

What type of post-secondary institution do you represent in Alberta?

Public post-secondary institution

Independent academic institution

Private career college

What types of educational credentials are awarded for successful completion of an early learning and childcare (ELCC) program at your institution in Alberta? Select all that apply..

Certificate

Diploma

Degree

Other (specify)

Enter other…

How long has your institution been delivering ELCC programs in Alberta?

Less than 6 months

6 months to less than 2 years

2 to 5 years

6 to 10 years

More than 10 years

Prefer not to answer

Approximately how many ELCC program students graduate each year from your institution in Alberta?

Fewer than 25

25–49

50–99

100–149

150–199

200–249

250+

Not sure

Which delivery formats does your institution use for your ELCC programs? Select all that apply.

In‑person

Blended (in‑person and online synchronous)

Blended (in‑person and online asynchronous)

Fully online synchronous

Fully online asynchronous

Accelerated or condensed programs

Continuous enrollment programs

Other (specify)

Enter other…

What is your primary role at your institution in Alberta?

Faculty member/instructor

Sessional instructor/contract instructor

Academic administrator

Practicum coordinator

Student support or advising staff

Other (specify)

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Early Childhood Educators (ECE) Credentials

Does your institution require ELCC practicum placements to be in licensed childcare settings in Alberta?

Yes, always

Yes, sometimes

Not applicable (no practicum)

Does your institution require practicum supervisors/mentors for ELCC practicum placements to be certified as a Level 3 early childhood educator (ECE)?

Yes, always

Yes, sometimes

At your institution, who is primarily responsible for identifying practicum placements for students?

Students are primarily responsible for identifying placements

Institution (e.g. practicum coordinator or faculty) is primarily responsible for identifying placements

Shared responsibility between students and the institution

Other (please specify)

Enter other…

At your institution, how are practicum placements for students assigned? Select all that apply.

Through a work-integrated learning (WIL) program at the institution

Institution assigns placements for all students

Institution provides a list of approved placement sites for students to choose from

Students independently secure placements that must be approved by the institution

Ad hoc or informal processes (e.g., student selects site and no formal approval from institution)

Other (please specify)

Enter other…

At your institution, what are the biggest barriers to high-quality practicum experiences for your Early Learning Childcare (ELCC)-program students? Select up to three.

Limited availability of practicum placement sites in childcare programs

Limited practicum supervisor/mentor capacity at practicum placements (e.g. staff time to supervise)

Limited institution capacity to support practicum (e.g. faculty/practicum instructor time)

Workforce pressures and staffing challenges in placement programs (e.g. vacancies and turnover)

Variability in practicum supervisor/mentor (in practicum placement/childcare program) qualifications, skills, or experience

Misalignment between training (theory) and opportunities to practice in placement

Limited leadership or organizational support within practicum placements/childcare programs

Geographic constraints (e.g. rural or remote access to placements)

Program structure or scheduling constraints (e.g., term length, hours requirements)

Student readiness for practicum environments

None

Other (specify)

Enter other…

How does your institution support practicum supervisors/mentors in childcare programs who work with ELCC students during practicum placements? Select all that apply.

Provides clear information on practicum expectations, roles, responsibilities, and learning objectives

Provides guidance or training on mentoring, coaching, and providing feedback to students

Provides tools or resources to support student assessment and evaluation

Provides clear instructions on practicum assessment requirements and documentation

Maintains ongoing communication and support throughout the practicum placement

Provides opportunities for practicum supervisors/mentors to connect, share experiences, or learn from one another

Does not currently provide formal supports to practicum supervisors/mentors

Other (please specify)

Enter other…

To what extent would the following changes improve practicum quality and student preparedness for working in licensed childcare settings?

Standardized provincial practicum requirements and expectations across institutions and practicum sites

Improved quality assurance and oversight of practicum experiences (e.g., monitoring, evaluation, and consistency of placements)

Increased mentoring and support from practicum supervisors/mentors at placement sites

Enhanced training and resources for practicum supervisors/mentors

Clearer assessment tools and competency expectations for students and supervisors/mentors

Exposure to a wider range of practicum experiences (e.g., different age groups, program types, or settings)

How important are the following priorities for improving consistency in education and training across institutions?

Establishing core curriculum standards across institutions

Strengthening requirements for regular curriculum review

Increasing collaboration between institutions, the childcare sector and government

Aligning the institution’s ELCC curriculum with regulatory expectations (e.g. Early Learning and Child Care Act and Regulation and the Family Day Homes Standards Manual for Alberta)

Review the (e.g. Early Learning and Child Care Act, Regulation and the Family Day Homes Standards Manual for Alberta).

To what extent do provincial certification requirements, as set out in the Certification Guide for Early Childhood Educators, provide sufficient direction to inform your institution’s ELCC curriculum design?

Not at all

A little

Somewhat

A lot

Very much

How often does your institution seek input from childcare programs or licence holders when reviewing and updating program curriculum?

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Always

Does your institution’s ELCC programs incorporate a curriculum framework into coursework?

Yes

Partially

Not sure

Which curriculum framework does your institution’s ELCC programs incorporate into coursework? Select all that apply.

Flight

Montessori

Reggio Emilia

Waldorf (Steiner)

Blended

Emergent

Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework

None

Other (specify)

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Which of the following topics are explicitly taught as required components of your institution’s ELCC programs? Select all that apply.

Health, safety and nutrition

Child guidance

Child development

Abuse prevention and recognition

Trauma-informed practice

Risk assessment and supervision planning

Regulatory and licensing requirements

Incident reporting and documentation

Professional accountability and ethical practice

Inclusive practices

Flight, Alberta's early learning and childcare curriculum framework

None

Other (specify)

Enter other…

In your institution’s ELCC programs, where is child safety content primarily delivered? Select all that apply.

Stand-alone required courses

Integrated across multiple theory-based courses

Practicum or placement related courses

Capstone or final professional experience courses

Informal or implicit instruction during placements

None

Other (specify)

Enter other…

Demographics

What are the first three characters of your postal code? (e.g. T5K)

The personal information collected through the post secondary institution survey will be used to inform decision-making about future activities to ensure quality, safety and compliance in licensed childcare.

This personal information collection is authorized under section 4(c) of the Protection of Privacy Act (POPA).

For questions about the collection of personal information, contact [email protected].

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