Academic Programmes

The Advanced Diploma is an in-service, multi-disciplinary, post-graduate programme. It is designed to prepare professionals engaged in health, education and social development sectors for the development of ECD strategies through a critical examination of current knowledge and practices.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• To apply the understanding that early experiences, determined by the social context, give shape to the brain and biological development, and set life long trajectories for learning, behaviour and health.
• To plan for sustainable, community-based integrated ECD services that can make a difference in the survival, growth and development prospects of children, create equitable opportunities for women, contribute to community mobilisation and social change and improve the human capital of the population.
• To work in a team and collaborate with professionals in several disciplines, donors and organisations in promoting effective ECD services that are grounded in community realities.
• To demonstrate how ECD programmes can promote the human rights of all children.
• To develop self-awareness of personal values, critical thinking skills and the ability to reflect on and analyse immediate environments within a larger societal context.

Stand-Alone Seminar (Course I)

Aga Khan University Human Development Programme offers a Stand-Alone Seminar titled 'From Early Child Development to Human Development', which is also Course I of the Advanced Diploma in Human Development (Early Child Development). A certificate of participation is awarded at the end of the seminar.

Advanced Diploma (Course II and III)

Successful participants of Course I can continue with the programme to obtain an Advanced Diploma in Human Development (Early Childhood Development). This requires participants to complete Course II and III. Students must enroll in Course II within three years of completing Course I.

OULTLINE OF COURSES

Course I: From Early Child Development to Human Development: Integrating Perspectives

• Theories of child development and approaches to human development
• Brain and biological development
• Health and nutrition in relation to child development
• Maternal well being and child development: the life cycle.
• Assessment/observation of child development
• Disability and development
• Implications of theories for ECD strategies and the rationale for investment in ECD

Course II: Early Child Development Practice, Programmes and Policies

• The needs of families, caregivers and professionals for ECD programmes
• The application of screening and assessments for the promotion of optimal early child development
• The role of play in early development and learning in the promotion of ECD
• The role of nutrition and health interventions in the promotion of ECD
• The role of early childhood care and parent education for the promotion of ECD
• Home, centre, institutional and community-based approaches to increase the capacity for improving early child care and influence public policy
• Addressing the needs of the disabled child in ECD strategies
• Specific ECD programme approaches within the context of local, regional and country context
• Analysis of the impact of local, regional, national and global policies on ECD, including the Millennium Development Goals and the Education for All movement

Course III: An Introduction to Research in Early Child Development: Methodology, Analysis and Reporting

• Key features and applications of descriptive and analytic epidemiology in the context of ECD
• Developing an appropriate qualitative or quantitative study design to explore a public health research question.
• Writing a clear description of the rationale, methods, results and interpretation of an investigation. More specifically, formulating testable specific objectives, selecting an appropriate study design, critiquing data collection methods, and assessing the potential role of bias and confounding.
• Selection and use of appropriate statistical tests, using a statistical programme, summarizsing findings and interpreting the results.
• Conducting thematic analyses of the qualitative data using N-VIVO

Modes of Study

Each course extends over approximately five to six months and requires the following modes of study:

• Self-study (four to six weeks)
• Seminars at AKU in Karachi (two to three weeks)
• Early Child Development project (three to four months)

The Self Study component is facilitated by a Virtual Learning Environment that allows an interactive process.

TIME TABLE
[The defined timelines are tentative and should be confirmed closer to the course commencement]

Entry Requirements

Participants should have a four-year Bachelors degree or a two-year Bachelors degree with two years of ECD-related experience, fluency in English, familiarity with computer applications including accessing, information via the Internet and the ability to understand smile data analysis.

For further information contact:

Aga Khan University
Human Development Programme
Tel: (92-21) 4969812 - Fax: (92-21) 924-4321
e-mail: human.development@aku.edu