How Mapping Works
The web-based Mapping Tool is used to determine how early childhood education courses and trainings link to California's Early Childhood Educator Competencies.
The Mapping Tool is administered by the Child Development Training Consortium on behalf of the Early Education and Support Division of the California Department of Education. For access information, contact CDTC-ECEMappingTool@yosemite.edu.
Once mapping is completed, one can determine the degree to which courses and trainings address Competencies in the four Competency Contexts:
- Supporting Early Learning and Development;
- Planning and Guiding Early Learning and Development
- Creating and Maintaining Program Policies and Practices
- Advancing the Early Childhood Profession.
No single course or offering will address all Contexts, nor will any course of study address all Competencies.
The "competency mappers" are assisted by a sophisticated User's Guide which includes instructions, video tutorials, and definitions. The tool contains frequently asked questions (FAQ), a glossary of terms, and the user guide. The users follow a step-by-step process (a “wizard”) with examples to support this process.
The benefits for using this tool include: providing information about how courses and trainings align with the CA ECE Competencies; developing and revising courses and trainings; conducting program reviews; explaining your programs to audiences; and justifying and/or securing funding.
"...the workforce will be able to know which courses from faculty or professional development providers will actually assist them in developing the competencies they need to be an effective early childhood educator." - Cecelia Fisher-Dahms