Course Description: This course explores the role of creativity in children's development while emphasizing culturally responsive, equitable, and developmentally appropriate learning environments. Students examine how art, music, dramatic play, technology, literacy, and open-ended experiences support learning across developmental domains. The course also includes field observations at a licensed early childhood program, allowing students to connect theory with practice.

Audience: Community college students enrolled in the Early Childhood Education program

Tools: D2L (LMS), ScreenPal, Canva, Google Workspace, Perusall

Role: Instructional Designer, eLearning Developer, Video Editor, Curriculum Developer, Content Creator, Instructor (Fall 2025 & Fall 2026)

Skills: Curriculum mapping, Backward course design, Online course development, Learning activity design, Authentic assessment design, Accessibility and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Educational technology integration, OER curation and adaptation, Multimedia development

Background: This course was redesigned to replace a commercial textbook with high-quality Open Educational Resources (OER), reducing costs while maintaining academic rigor. My goal was to create an engaging online learning experience that balanced research, creativity, and hands-on application.

Because creativity is best experienced rather than memorized, I designed the course around interactive learning activities, classroom observations, reflective practice, and authentic projects. Students regularly apply concepts by evaluating environments, designing creative experiences, and connecting theory to real-world practice.

One of my design priorities was creating a course that models the type of teaching we hope students will use in their own classrooms. Throughout the course, students experience play-based learning, reflection, collaboration, and exploration rather than relying solely on readings and quizzes.