Research Outputs (Early Childhood Education)https://hdl.handle.net/10500/141322024-03-29T05:46:47Z2024-03-29T05:46:47ZInformation communication technologies as a support strategy for learners experiencing reading difficultiesMphahlele, Ramashego ShilaNel, Normahttps://hdl.handle.net/10500/288752022-05-22T14:53:38Z2018-12-01T00:00:00ZInformation communication technologies as a support strategy for learners experiencing reading difficulties
Mphahlele, Ramashego Shila; Nel, Norma
One of the most significant current discussions in education departments around the world is reading difficulties. This article explores the use of information communication technologies (ICTs) to support learners experiencing reading difficulties in two public primary schools. For data collection purposes, a total of 18 school-based support team members and two learning support educators participated in this research through focus group interviews and observation. From the data collected, the teachers’ perceptions, attitudes, understanding, knowledge, values, feelings and experiences were analysed. The study was influenced by Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development. From the findings, three themes were identified, namely, factors that contribute towards reading difficulties, the effects of reading difficulties and the effectiveness of ICTs in supporting learners experiencing reading difficulties. The most interesting finding was that ICTs as a support strategy proved to be vital in supporting learners experiencing reading difficulties.
2018-12-01T00:00:00ZOnline Learning Support in a Ubiquitous Learning EnvironmentMphahlele, Ramashego Shila Shortyhttps://hdl.handle.net/10500/288742022-05-22T13:35:20Z2020-01-01T00:00:00ZOnline Learning Support in a Ubiquitous Learning Environment
Mphahlele, Ramashego Shila Shorty
The ubiquitous learning environment (ULE) is both an ontological and epistemological problem. For
most scholars, ULE provides an interoperable, pervasive, and seamless learning architecture to connect,
integrate, and share three major dimensions of learning resources: learning collaborators, learning
contents, and learning services. Furthermore, ULE is described as an educational paradigm that
mainly uses technology for curriculum delivery. Through reflection and exploration, this chapter argues
that online learning support has a symbiotic relationship with ULE because the student, at some point,
should move beyond the “text” level into concepts and conceptual organization schemes (ontologies).
In line with this viewpoint, this chapter problematizes the gap created by real-world and digital-world
resources—and argues that online learning support for teaching and learning processes have not yet
emulated ULE as an important pedagogical resource.
2020-01-01T00:00:00ZInvestigating the role of teacher training of reception teachers in implementing the pre-primary curriculum in Francistown, BotswanaMphahlele, Ramashego Shila ShortyBawani, Elisa Leungohttps://hdl.handle.net/10500/288732022-05-20T07:42:12Z2021-03-04T00:00:00ZInvestigating the role of teacher training of reception teachers in implementing the pre-primary curriculum in Francistown, Botswana
Mphahlele, Ramashego Shila Shorty; Bawani, Elisa Leungo
Background: Teachers emerge as main role players guiding the process of curriculum
implementation across all levels of education. At early childhood development (ECD) level,
curriculum implementation is unique, but emphasis on teacher training is essential as it
influences teachers’ efficacy in promoting holistically developed children. Upon realising the
significance of ECD, Botswana effected the Pre-primary Curriculum Framework (PCF) to
guide teachers in teaching children.
Aim: This article aims to investigate the role of teacher training in implementing the Botswana’s
PCF in Francistown. Bandura’s social cognitive learning theory (SCLT) and Wenger and
Wenger-Trayner’s communities of practice (CoP) were used as they both advocate for teacher
mentoring programmes and partnerships to assist teachers towards effectiveness in curriculum
implementation.
Method: Interviews, document analysis and observations were employed as data collection
tools.
Results: Despite the support given to teachers towards implementing the Botswana’s PCF,
they are still faced with challenges such as lack of training, supervision and shortage of
materials.
Conclusion: For teachers to effectively implement Botswana’s PCF, there is a need for
transforming policies on conducting in-service teacher training such as the use of a needs
assessment protocol.
2021-03-04T00:00:00ZExploring the role of Malaguzzi’s ‘Hundred Languages of Children’ in early childhood educationMphahlele, Ramashego Shila Shortyhttps://hdl.handle.net/10500/288722022-05-20T07:17:49Z2019-10-14T00:00:00ZExploring the role of Malaguzzi’s ‘Hundred Languages of Children’ in early childhood education
Mphahlele, Ramashego Shila Shorty
Background: In the history of early childhood education (ECE), language is viewed as key in
teaching and learning. Children in the ECE are mostly confined to verbal communication
which, to a certain extent, restricts their imagination and inventive ability. Loris Malaguzzi, the
founder of the Reggio Emilia educational philosophy, initiated the Hundred Languages of
Children (HLC) as a pedagogical approach to enable children to interact and communicate.
Aim: This study aims to explore the role of HLC through the experiences and views of the four
ECE practitioners in the Gauteng province. Drawing on Gardner’s theory of multiple
intelligences, the author argues that ECE children possess different kinds of minds, and
therefore they learn in different ways.
Setting: Two Early Childhood centres in the Gauteng Province of South Africa were selected
for this study because they had adopted Malaguzzi’s HLC approach to constructing concepts
to help children structure knowledge and organise learning.
Methods: The author used one-on-one interviews to get ECE practitioners’ experiences on
using Malaguzzi’s HLC. To corroborate the interviews’ data, the author conducted classroom
observations and document analysis.
Results: The participants viewed Malaguzzi’s HLC as an enabler to meet the requirement of
the two sets of curricula from the Department of Social Development (the National Curriculum
Framework for children from 0 to 4 years) and from the Department of Basic Education (the
Curriculum Assessment and Policy Statement for 5-year-old children).
Conclusion: The findings show a paradigm shift, as children become active constructors of
their own knowledge.
2019-10-14T00:00:00Z