Grace Kitzinger, our Online Learning Program Manager, is leaving Child Care Aware after nine years. She took some time to sit down with me and reflect on the growth of Eager-to-Learn (ETL) and the technological changes she has seen during that time.

In fiscal year 2011, when Grace started her job, ETL offered 140 events with 1,660 registrations, all instructor-led. Most recently, ETL serves over 40,000 students and offered 543 events, including over 90 self-paced, Anytime Learning classes. This includes courses in Somali, Spanish, and Hmong. Nine years ago, online learning was still a relatively new concept for the early childhood field. Now, more students are comfortable with online learning, although there is still a need for technical support.

The other big change has been the evolution of technology. To keep pace with these changes, in 2019, ETL implemented a new learning management system to provide students and instructors with an easy to use, high-quality platform. This learning platform makes it easier to access ETL from mobile devices, with much more interactivity between participants and with instructors.

With the increasing expectation that people will be able to take care of basic business tasks online, ETL serves a secondary function of helping child care professionals increase their comfort with technology. Grace especially enjoys helping people move from fear about online learning to confidence that they can successfully take courses and navigate other online services.

To check out the Eager-to-Learn courses, or take a tour of the learning platform, please visit the visit the Eager to Learn website.