AN INVESTIGATION INTO DELIVERY OF ON-LINE COURSES WITHIN AN EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER EDUCATION DISTANCE PROGRAMME IN NEW ZEALAND

Successive New Zealand governments have acknowledged research on the long term importance of Early Childhood Education. In April 2005 the government launched Foundations of Discovery. This initiative, to boost Information Communication Technology within the early childhood sector came with funding of $NZ16 million. A preliminary investigation into the delivery of online teacher education in the early childhood sector commenced. The purpose of the study was to give an initial indication on the students' access to computers with Internet connection and computer skill level. The student knowledge of online facilities and the support available through their distance teacher education provider were also examined. Students were asked if given the choice of distance print-based or on-line delivery which would prefer. Results indicated that students had a range of skills and confidence when using computers. These did not fall into any specific age brackets. Equity, flexibility and the necessity of student support were highlighted. Throughout the study these points were given as the main reasons for successful completion of distance online learning courses. The implications were that the delivery of online early childhood teacher education appears to correlate with those in the mixed mode delivered programme. New Zealand is an open agrarian economy, that could be described as a successful underdeveloped nation, the acknowledgement of early childhood education and the willingness to invest in this part of the education sector may have value to other countries on a similar path.