Thesis (M.Ed.(Educational Psychology))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Education, 2013.

Thesis (MTech (Education))--Peninsula Technikon, Cape Town, 2002 / Within the broad theoretical context provided by debates on the importance of focussing on programme teaching towards workplace-orientated goals and greater cooperation between the world ofwork and the higher education sector in order to develop work integrated curricula, this study attempted to investigate the relevance of the diploma in educare with regard to meeting the needs ofeducare centres. The study as a whole is set against the general literature on the development of the transdisciplinary curriculum that integrates the world of work with academic programmes and the development oftransdisciplinary curriculum in educare in particular. The literature that was surveyed covered the following aspects: The needs ofthe educare practitioner in the workplace, important aspects that need to be present in the Early Childhood curriculum in order for the child to learn effectively and how could the higher education sector and the workplace, work together to develop a balanced curriculum that is offered to the educare practitioners at the institutions. Along with this investigation quantitative as well as qualitative data were collected about the curriculum that is offered to potential educare practitioners by means of questionnaires, interviews and focus group interviews. The conclusion drawn from the findings of the literature survey and the investigation is that the integration of theory and practice in the teaching and learning processes should be encouraged if the development and professional growth of students are to be achieved, and more interaction should take place between the higher education sector and the workplace in order to increase the performance levels of students and their employability in the workplace. The present study therefore, is an attempt to encourage the integration oftheory and practice and collaborative efforts between higher education institutions and the worklllace in curriculum development and is in line with the new South African curriculum that places emphasis on the relevance of education to the needs ofthe workplace and to the lives of South Africans.

Poverty is a global concern and the implementation of a quality early childhood development (ECD) programme is one of the most powerful ways of breaking the poverty cycle. Although research has been done regarding ECD centres in impoverished, marginalised and predominantly black communities (informal settlements), there is little, if any, similar research regarding predominantly white settlements. The purpose of this narrative study is to explore and understand the experiences of ECD practitioners regarding their work in impoverished and marginalised predominantly white communities. I, therefore, conducted this study from a social constructivist paradigm. The participants constructed their realities based on their lived experiences and interaction with others. The experiences of the participants were also influenced by their entire ecological system – their everyday experiences in their work and lives, as well as more distal influences for example South-Africa’s socio-political dispensation and cultural influences. Consequently the study was framed within the Ecological Systems Theory of Bronfenbrenner. I collected data through narrative interviews with two participants (ECD practitioners), and through field notes from observations, documents, photographs and artefacts. From the coded data, four main themes emerged – social and personal experiences, experiences concerning place, experiences with camp leadership and experiences concerning support infrastructure. These themes will be useful to determine the kind of support that practitioners need to ensure the quality of ECD programmes to support the optimal development of the children. / Armoede is ʼn globale probleem en kwaliteit kleinkinderontwikkelingsprogramme (KKO-programme) is een van die kragtigste maniere om die armoede-siklus te verbreek. Alhoewel daar navorsing omtrent KKO-sentra in verarmde en gemarginaliseerde oorwegend swart gemeenskappe (informele nedersettings) gedoen is bestaan daar min, indien enige, soortgelyke navorsing in oorwegend blanke nedersettings. Die doel van hierdie narratiewe studie is om die ervarings van KKOpraktisyns in hulle werk in verarmde en gemarginaliseerde oorwegend blanke nedersettings te ondersoek en te verstaan. Daarom het ek hierdie studie vanuit ‘n sosiaal-konstruktivistiese paradigma uitgevoer. Die deelnemers het hulle realiteite geskep gebaseer op hulle geleefde ervarings en interaksies met ander. Die ervarings van die deelnemers is ook beïnvloed deur hulle hele ekostelsel – hulle daaglikse ervarings in hulle werk en lewens, asook verwyderde stelsels van invloed soos Suid-Afrika se sosio-politieke bedeling en kulturele invloede. Gevolglik is hierdie studie geformuleer binne die Ekologiese Sisteemteorie van Bronfenbrenner as raamwerk. Ek het data versamel deur narratiewe onderhoude te voer met twee deelnemers (KKO-praktisyns), en deur veldnotas van waarnemings, dokumente, foto’s en artefakte. Uit die gekodeerde data het vier hooftemas navore gekom – sosiale en persoonlike ervarings, ervarings met betrekking tot plek, ervarings met kampleierskap en ervarings rakende ondersteuningsinfrastruktuur. Hierdie temas sal bruikbaar wees om die soort ondersteuning te bepaal wat praktisyns benodig om ʼn kwaliteit KKOprogram te verseker om sodoende die optimale ontwikkeling van die kinders te ondersteun. / Early Childhood Education / M. Ed. (Socio-Education)

This study was conducted in order to assess the effectiveness of practitioner training in underprivileged early childhood settings. The quantitative study set out to test a target group of 800 Grade R children, ranging in age from five to six and a half years, in order to determine the impact that practitioner training on early intervention has on young children. A pre-test evaluated the initial level of each child‟s abilities, including physical-motor, language and speech, cognitive, play and social and emotional development. Children were placed into control and experimental groups through random selection of practitioners. The experimental group's teachers (practitioners) underwent an eight-month part-time intervention programme which focused on the importance of early intervention, the domains of development, planning, preparation and assessment as well as encouraging community awareness. The control and experimental groups continued with their normal school programmes, but the practitioners in the experimental group were developing a deeper understanding of early childhood development and activities which enhance development in children. The results indicate that the impact of effective practitioner training and enhancing a deep understanding of stimulation in young children can have positive, long-term results in children's cognitive ability, laying foundational concepts and scope for development. Vast differences were noted in the ability level of children which were stimulated, as compared with those children who were not as stimulated. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

This study was conducted in order to assess the effectiveness of practitioner training in underprivileged early childhood settings. The quantitative study set out to test a target group of 800 Grade R children, ranging in age from five to six and a half years, in order to determine the impact that practitioner training on early intervention has on young children. A pre-test evaluated the initial level of each child‟s abilities, including physical-motor, language and speech, cognitive, play and social and emotional development. Children were placed into control and experimental groups through random selection of practitioners. The experimental group's teachers (practitioners) underwent an eight-month part-time intervention programme which focused on the importance of early intervention, the domains of development, planning, preparation and assessment as well as encouraging community awareness. The control and experimental groups continued with their normal school programmes, but the practitioners in the experimental group were developing a deeper understanding of early childhood development and activities which enhance development in children. The results indicate that the impact of effective practitioner training and enhancing a deep understanding of stimulation in young children can have positive, long-term results in children's cognitive ability, laying foundational concepts and scope for development. Vast differences were noted in the ability level of children which were stimulated, as compared with those children who were not as stimulated. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)