Professional Development Course on Visual & Spatial Intelligence

I’m excited to be partnering with ChildCare Education Institute. As always, all opinions are my own.

Recently I took an online course on Exploring Visual & Spatial Intelligence (COG100) from ChildCare Education Institute. I didn’t realize how simple it would be! They offer over 150 English and Spanish professional development courses, IACET CEUs, Child Development Associate certificate courses and more.

I have an extremely busy schedule (don’t we all!) so I love that I can work on CCEI’s courses at home, at school, in the library, or anywhere else I can connect online. It saves me time and money!

All I needed to take the professional development course was my laptop (and an e-mail address to sign up)! Although I decided to print out all of the handouts and resources they referenced during their course so that I could have them on hand to take notes with and refer back to. I loved that they actually shared outside resources from other professionals to offer further information. It gave me more resources to research after I finished my coursework.

I chose to take the Exploring Visual / Spatial Intelligence course (ID COG100) for several reasons really. My middle child tested off the charts on spatial reasoning when acquiring his stealth dyslexia diagnosis so I really wanted to understand how to help kids like him. After taking this course I realized how very little I actually knew about spatial intelligence!

You can view all of the professional development course options here.

What is Spatial Intelligence?

Spatial intelligence is much like your mind being able to visualize things without actually seeing them. It involves being able to visualize, comprehend, and then interpret something unseen. Many times we think of architects and artists but there are many other areas of life you use spatial intelligence for.

For example, the ability to look down a city block and imagine seeing it from a bird’s eye perspective, then navigate to your next location. Or perhaps seeing a pile of luggage and being able to visualize the best space for it to pack in the car. Perhaps a landscaper looking at a truck full of plants and just “knowing” where to place them. It’s not JUST seeing things differently but being able to act on that information. Spatial intelligence is also known as visual intelligence.

What is the Theory of Multiple Intelligences?

This course is aligned with Howard Gardener and his Theory of Multiple Intelligences. It is essentially the idea that people are smart in different ways. It seems like common sense but there is a science to it! Some people are book smart, others are incredibly talented in music or art. Maybe academics didn’t come easy to you but you’re a phenomenal speaker.

It’s more than just “book smart” that holds value. But not all of this can be seen by traditional academic testing. It’s important to keep this in mind as we teach and encourage children.

How Does Spatial Intelligence Translate in the Classroom?

Not only did I learn a lot more about spatial intelligence than I knew before but CCEI’s COG100: Exploring Visual / Spatial Intelligence also walked through numerous actionable takeaways for the classroom. Steps that I had never thought of before that will completely change how you see the way you approach learning with children.

There are so many ways that we “box in” our student’s learning from preschool on up without even realizing it (ie – coloring sheets, 2D crafts, static play centers, etc.) This course pointed out specific ways a typical classroom or daycare is set up and turned them around with better and deeper options for higher learning and creativity.

Can I Take CEU Courses Online?

This answer can be a little tricky but typically the answer is yes! You’ll definitely want to make sure that you check with your state department of education to verify what will and will not be accepted for credit. CCEI has an interactive map that will allow you to click on your state for more reference here. Read more about ChildCare Education Institute curriculum here.

What is Childcare Education Institute?

ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) is an online child care training provider dedicated exclusively to the early care and education workforce that offers online coursework for professional development, childcare courses, CEU, college credit and more!

CCEI is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). The Distance Education Accrediting Commission is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency and is a recognized member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). CCEI coursework is eligible for college credit articulation through articulation agreements with accredited institutions of higher learning.

What Did I Think About My Professional Development Course?

The entire process overall was extremely simple and efficient. In my dashboard I can clearly see the options to enroll in a trial course, certificate programs (register + current), professional development courses (register + current + completed), as well as resources including transcripts, library, discussion forums, and more. There is also a 1-800 phone number to call for any reason.

The course was very simple to follow but with fantastic detailed information. There were about 100 slides to read through at my own pace. Intermixed with these slides were quiz questions that I had to answer correctly before the course allowed me to progress. Each slide had no more than a paragraph or two so all of the information was bite-sized. As I read through the course I took notes on the handouts I printed.

In order to pass the course I had to receive a 70% or better, although you can retake the test up to 10 times. After course completion there was a certificate to print, as well as the option to go back in and review the course if I wanted to. It really couldn’t have been any simpler. They did a good job of spreading out the quizzes and engagement to click resources in the slides.

Learn more about the Professional Development with ChildCare Education Institute here or sign up for their free trial course here!

 

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