Analysis of North Carolina Community College Early Childhood Education Coursework on Nutrition, Health, and Physical Activity. Early Childhood Professional Development Report. Volume 1, Number 1

The results from a content analysis of coursework required and offered at the 58 North Carolina Community Colleges to obtain an Associate in Applied Sciences Degree in early childhood education are described. The analyses were conducted to determine the likelihood that the courses could include content knowledge or practice on 12 infant and child health, nutrition, obesity, and physical activity indicators; and two adult wellness indicators. Thirty courses were identified that included descriptions pertaining to one or more of the 14 indicators. Approximately half of the courses were judged as having a higher likelihood of including health and physical activity content, and seven of these courses were required at all or most of the community colleges. Four of the six courses were methods courses, but only one required course was a field placement. The results, taken together, showed that a considerable amount of content knowledge could be included in the existing early childhood curriculum. The following are appended: (1) Coursework Descriptions for Courses Included in the Content Analysis; (2) Rating Scale for Assessing the Likelihood that Course Content Would Include Information on Health and Physical Activity Indicators; and (3) Courses Rated as Having a Low or Higher Probability of Including Health and Physical Activity Content. [This report was prepared for the North Carolina Center for Health and Wellness, Asheville, and the North Carolina Institute of Medicine, Morrisville.]