Thesis (M.Mus) -- University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / Some digitised pages may appear illegible due to the condition of the original hard copy. (entire content of poor quality) / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The foundation for this study is the belief that music is an essential part of human existence and thus of education. It not only addresses individual and communal human needs but the multicultural nature thereof gives it special significance for education in the ''New South-Africa". This significance lies in the value of music in its own right (intra disciplinary) as well as the use of music for its intrinsic qualities to facilitate the teaching of all other fields of knowledge (interdisciplinary). Recent research and new thinking in the fields of intelligence and learning support this belief. The old one-dimensional approach to intelligence is no longer tenable and has been supplanted by the acknowledgement that human intelligence is multi-faceted. Musical ability is now recognized as a separate intelligence while the use of music is regarded as being an important factor in the development and functioning of the human thought process. Research on the role played by emotions and morality as well as that on the characteristics of genius, optimal experiences and the implications of the functioning of the brain, are all explored with reference to what this means for music education (and using music in education) in this country today. The new Curriculum 2005 at present being introduced into South-Africa is an example of Outcomes-based Education. The way in which the Arts and Culture Learning Area of Curriculum 2005 approaches music education corresponds with the interdisciplinary and intra disciplinary distinction. These aspects are discussed and material is included for use in order to realise the expressed and desired outcomes for music education in the Foundation Phase. Elliott's alternative approach (music-as-practicum), instead of Reimer's traditional music curriculum making, is used as point of departure. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die oortuiging dat musiek 'n essensiële deel van die menslike bestaan en dus van opvoeding is, lê ten grondslag van hierdie studie. Nie alleen spreek dit individuele sowel as gemeenskaplike menslike behoeftes aan nie, maar die multikulturele aard daarvan maak dit van groot belang vir opvoeding in die "Nuwe Suid-Afrika". Die belang is daarin geleë dat opvoeding in musiek op sigself waarde het (intradissiplinêr), maar ook leer in alle ander vakgebiede kan fasiliteer (interdissiplinêr). Onlangse navorsing ten opsigte van intelligensie en opvoeding staaf hierdie siening. Die vroeëre een-dimensionele siening van menslike intelligensie is nie meer houdbaar nie en is vervang deur die erkenning dat intelligensie vele fasette het. Musikale vermoëns word tans as 'n outonome intelligensie beskou, terwyl die groot invloed van musiek op die ontwikkeling en funksionering van die menslike denkpatrone erken word. Navorsing oor die rol van die emosies, moraliteit, die kenmerke van die genie, optimale ondervindinge en die funksionering van die brein, word ondersoek met verwysing veral na die belang daarvan vir musiekopvoeding (en die gebruik van musiek in opvoeding) tans in Suid-Afrika. Die nuwe Kurrikulum 2005 wat tans in Suid-Afrika ingevoer word, is 'n voorbeeld van Uitkomsgebaseerde Onderwys. Die benadering van die Kuns en Kultuur Leerarea in die Kurrikulum 2005 tot musiekopvoeding stem ooreen met die inter- en intradissiplinêre verdeling. Hierdie aspekte word bespreek en materiaal word ingesluit vir gebruik by die nastreef van die uitdruklike en wenslike uitkomstes vir musiekopvoeding in die Grondslagfase. Elliott se alternatiewe benadering tot kurrikulering vir musiek (musiek-as-practicum), in teenstelling met Reimer se tradisionele MEAE model, word as uitgangspunt gebruik.

The two principal aims of this study were: (a) to evaluate the effectiveness of existing pre-primary education for Indian children and (b) to determine the relative effectiveness of three current school readiness programmes. Random samples of pupils, with varying preschool backgrounds, were drawn from Class i children attending selected Indian primary schools in the Greater Durban area. Information relating to the four groups formed in this way are given below: Sample A: pupils who had attended registered private pre-primary schools (N = 50); Sample B: pupils who had attended departmental bridging module classes (N = 40); Sample C: pupils who had attended community-run preprimary classes (N = 50) ; and Sample D: pupils who had had no formal preschool education (N = 30). To make the four groups comparable, variables such as age, sex, intelligence and socio-economic status were controlled. In keeping with the abovementioned aims the following sets of comparisons were made: (a) the performances, on a test of school readiness, of those pupils who had had some form of formal preschool education (Groups A, B and C) were compared with those who did not receive any such education (Group D); and (b) the performances, on a test of school readiness, of pupils who came from the three different types of preschool backgrounds (A, B and C) were compared with one another. Questionnaires were also completed by a sample of Class i Junior Primary teachers in the Greater Durban area (N = 35). Teachers were asked to comment and report on issues relating to pre-primary schools and classes, the extent of pupil readiness for Class i, the effectiveness of school readiness tests, and matters relating to the Class i curriculum. The purpose of this part of the study was to identify problems in subject areas related to preschool education so that appropriate remedial action could be suggested. There was consensus among Class i teachers that preschool education promotes school readiness. This was confirmed by the results of this study. Groups A, Band C which had received preschool education performed significantly better than group D which comprised pupils who had had no preschool education. The findings also indicated that the preschool programme offered by the departmental bridging module classes was more effective in promoting school readiness than the programme offered by either the registered private pre-primary schools or community-run preprimary classes. Teachers rated the programme offered by Departmental bridging module class to be the most effective for preparing children for formal education. The registered, private pre-primary schools came second, and the community-run classes, third. This rating was again confirmed by the findings of this study. When it came to rating the various subjects in the Class i curriculum in order of difficulty, the following rank-orders were obtained: English (most difficult) followed by Mathematics, Writing, Environmental Studies, Art and Music. They also identified specific short-comings among Class i pupils in each subject area. A number of recommendations are made so that the problems identified by the investigation can be addressed. These relate to pre-primary educational provision, resources and support services, the environment as a resource, teaching, testing and the curriculum. Education authorities, pre-primary teachers, parents and Junior primary teachers are urged to adopt a team approach in the solution of problems relating to young children's education. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1993.

published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

The aim of my DPhil is to identify educational practices predictive of students' self-regulation development during early childhood. Specifically, I will analyze the Tools of the Mind preschool curriculum (Tools), which emphasizes students' self-regulation cultivation as its paramount aim. Since its development in 1993, Tools has spread to schools in the United States, Canada, and South America. In the face of Tools' proliferation, two questions emerge: does Tools significantly improve children's self-regulation skills? And, if so, then which of its effective elements could be applied across various educational contexts? This dissertation contains two studies. In the first, I will systematically review extant Tools research and then execute a multilevel meta-analysis of the quantitative results. Study one serves three purposes: 1) to identify all studies in the existing Tools evidence base, 2) to estimate an aggregate curricular effect, and 3) to determine how that effect varies across contexts and student characteristics. Thus, study one will assess whether Tools, at the curricular level, improves students' self-regulation. By contrast, study two will involve more granular analyses of the discrete learning activities that collectively comprise Tools. Specifically, study two will analyze child-level self-regulation and teacher-level Tools implementation data for 1145 preschool children in 80 classrooms across six American school districts. I will employ multilevel structural equation models to assess which Tools activities are associated with students' self-regulation growth, which are associated with decline, and which exhibit no association at all. Ultimately, this dissertation features the first Tools meta-analysis as well as the first analysis of specific Tools instructional activities. It is hoped that these analyses will identify educational practices predictive of self-regulation development both within and beyond the Tools curricular context.

The purpose of this study was to identify parent perceptions of a developmentally appropriate curriculum (goals, teaching strategies, learning activities, and assessment methods) in selected early childhood centers. The relationship between income level and educational background and parent perceptions of a developmentally appropriate curriculum was also studied. Additionally, the relationship between parent perceptions of a developmentally appropriate curriculum and the selection of early childhood centers was examined.The Parent Perception Questionnaire, developed by the researcher, was mailed to 16 licensed early childhood centers in central Indiana. Respondents included 215 parents of 4- and 5-year-old children. Income level for the total group of parents ranged from less than $16,000 to more than $48,000. The largest group of parents (26.5%) reported an educational background of 1 to 3 years of college followed by parents (26.0%) with an educational level of a high school diploma.Through the use of a Likert scale, parents rated items on goals, teaching strategies, learning activities, and assessment methods as very important, important, somewhat important, or not important. A section for additional comments was also provided for parents. Each participating center was observed one time by the researcher. The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale was used to assess the developmental appropriateness of the participating centers' environment. A two-way multivariate analysis of variance at the .05 level of significance was used to test hypotheses I, II, and III. The Pearson Product-Moment Correlation was applied to test hypothesis IV.Results1. An interaction effect of income level and educational background on parent perceptions of a developmentally appropriate curriculum (goals, teaching strategies, learning activities, and assessment methods) was found to be not significant. Hypothesis I was not rejected.2. The effect of income level on parent perceptions of a developmentally appropriate curriculum (goals, teaching strategies, learning activities, and assessment methods) was found to be not significant. Hypothesis II was not rejected.3. The effect of educational background on parent perceptions of a developmentally appropriate curriculum (goals, teaching strategies, learning activities, and assessment methods) was found to be significant. Hypothesis III was rejected.4. The relationship of parent perceptions of a developmentally appropriate curriculum to the curriculum of selected early childhood centers was correlated (r = .25). / Department of Elementary Education

No description available.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of structure in instructions and materials on preschool children’s creativity as measured by a drawing task. Subjects were twenty children from a traditional laboratory preschool, and twenty from a Montessori program. The children, ranging in age from forty-eight months old to seventy-one months old, were assigned to four experimental groups (A/B/C/D). Each group was exposed to four treatments consisting of: Structured Instructions-Structured Materials; Structured Instructions-Unstructured Materials; Unstructured Instructions-Structured Materials; Unstructured Instructions-Unstructured Materials. The order of treatment was determined by the group. The results indicated that the Montessori and Laboratory subjects differed significantly on baseline originality, (Montessori, M = 2.1, SD = 1.61; Laboratory, M = 5.25, SD = 2.09), thus baseline originality scores served as a covariate. Results indicated no significant differences for treatment between children from the two schools, or between the groups on originality scores. Results indicated an order effect for treatment for Montessori group B, which had a significantly higher mean. / Master of Science

Pre-schools, as the entry point to formal education are increasingly expected to play an invaluable role in the promotion of peace. As such, this study sets out to investigate the nature and extent to which one pre-school, namely Khulqnathi Educare Gentre in Pietermaritzburg (KEG), adheres to the 'peaceful schools' model with respect to its organization, curriculum, learning methods and the handling of conflict. The research approach taken in this study was qualitative and exploratory, relying on self-administered questionnaires, reviewing literature and documentary analysis. The researcher also spent some time at the school to observe day-to-day activities. Parents and teachers constituted the study's respondents. The study reveals an innovative approach to teaching at KEG in which peace education is treated as an integral part of the entire learning and teaching processes. This innovation gets impetus from the school's constitution, which endorses peace education. Peace values are promoted through the curriculum in general, and in particular, the teaching and learning methods and in the school's approaches to handling conflict. Peace education does not stand out as an explicit goal. Rather, it is an integral compc;ment of the four cornerstones of the KEG's learning and teaching processes. Approaches to resolving conflict through dialogue at the school further demonstrate the school's adherence to the peaceful school model. A close working relationship between the school staff and parents ensures that children are exposed to peace values both at home and at school. In summary, the questionnaires, observations and the school documents lead to the conclusion that KEG is closely conforms to the peaceful school model. The study also offers some general insights on peace education in pre-schools and some recommendations specifically meant for Khulanthi Educare's situation. / Thesis (M.Com.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

The 2012 Integrated Early Childhood Development (IECD) curriculum recently introduced in all Botswana government preschools was examined by this study. To guide the findings of this study the literature addressing the effective preschool curriculum implementation strategies was reviewed. Furthermore, structured interviews, non-participant observations and documents review were conducted in line with the qualitative phenomenological research approach. Specifically, teachers from three preschools implementing the 2012 IECD curriculum framework were interviewed to obtain their views with regard to its implementation. The data collected from the interviews was thematically analysed and triangulated with that from the observations and documents. The findings of this study showed that even though the teachers were generally satisfied with their different levels of training, they were concerned about the limited duration of in-service training as well as the course content that did not address their unique needs and those of their supervisors. Consequently, effective IECD curriculum implementation was negatively affected by lack of effective supervision as well as lack of teaching resources and other forms of support. Drawing from the findings of this study, recommendations were made and teacher training guidelines were developed. The guidelines were informed by the SCLT (teacher training) and CoP (formation of partnerships) theories. The implications of this study are that the suggested training guidelines would promote teacher efficacy facilitated by proper teacher training strategies and they will hopefully motivate the formation of working partnerships. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)