Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigated the possibilities of early childhood development (ECD) as pathway to
sustainable community development by means of a literature survey and practical research. The
main objectives were to determine the usefulness of integrated, ecological ECD as entry point to
sustainable community development, to determine how this might be achieved and to reflect on the
benefits and limitations of sustainable community development through ECD.
A review of the literature emphasized the importance of ECD, as early childhood is foundational for
the establishment of lifelong skills, knowledge, values and attitudes. The need to enhance
capabilities for sustainable development from a young age is becoming increasingly urgent as the
world braces itself for a future likely to be characterised by a ‘global polycrisis’ which includes climate
change, resource depletion, poverty and food security. Integrated, ecological ECD exposes children
to a worldview that acknowledges complexity and interdependence. This contributes to their ability
to be agents of change that imagine and create alternative futures on community, national and
global levels. Conceptualising ECD spaces as integrated ecological ‘hubs’ for sustainable community
development is a way of enhancing community capabilities for sustainable development by
facilitating synergies between various projects, promoting intergenerational learning and ensuring
that children are central to all community development initiatives.
The practical research focused on the Lynedoch Crèche as a working example of an integrated,
ecological ECD ‘hub’ for sustainable community development. The purpose of this case study was to
contribute to the attainment of the research objectives by balancing theory with the intricacies of
praxis. The main findings of the case study pertain to the need to inform ECD by a deeply ecological
and integrated worldview that places children at the centre of sustainable community development.
The importance of deriving context-specific methodologies and solutions that stem from an intricate
knowledge of the socio-ecological environment was emphasized. The research indicated that the
core challenges to this approach relate to capacity, leadership, financial viability and institutional
arrangements.
The conclusions drawn from the literature survey and the practical research suggest a useful role for
ECD as entry point for sustainable community development. I further conclude that there is no single
conception of what an integrated, ecological hub for sustainable development might entail. Rather,
these ‘hubs’ must be born from worldviews rooted in complexity and interdependence and an
ecological educational paradigm that is inspired and informed by the local socio-ecological
environment. The principle benefit to this approach relates to the fact that community capabilities
for children-centred sustainable development are enhanced in concurrence with the high quality
ecological education of its children. The greatest limitation of this approach is that its success hinges
upon the capacity of teachers to fulfil multiple roles and provide leadership in largely unchartered
territory. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het die moontlikheid ondersoek dat vroeë kinder ontwikkeling (VKO) as ingangspunt
vir volhoubare gemeenskapsontwikkeling gebruik kan word. ‘n Literatuur-studie oor die onderwerp
en praktiese navorsing by die Lynedoch kleuterskool is die kern van die studie. Die hoofdoel was om
te bepaal of geïntegreerde en ekologies-georienteerde kleuterskoolonderrig sinvol kan bydra tot
volhoubare gemeenskapsontwikkeling, om te bepaal hoe dit bereik kan word, en wat die voordele en
nadele van so ‘n benadering is.
Die literatuurstudie het die belangrikheid van VKO as die fondament vir die vaslê van lewenslange
vaardighede, kennis, waardes en houdings bevestig. Dit word al hoe dringender om kinders van ‘n
vroeë ouderdom af vir volhoubare ontwikkeling toe te rus sodat hulle leiding kan neem in ‘n toekoms
wat waarskynlik gekenmerk gaan word deur meervuldige krisisse soos klimaatsverandering,
oorbevolking, uitputting van natuurlike hulpbronne, armoede en voedselskaarste. ‘n Geïntegreerde en
ekologiese benadering tot VKO stel kinders bloot aan ‘n wêreldsiening wat kompleksiteit en
interafhanklikheid beklemtoon. Hierdie bewustheid help kinders om kreatief alternatiewe
toekomsmoontlikhede raak te sien en te verwesenlik, tot voordeel van hul gemeenskap, land en
wêreld. Kleuterskole kan geposisioneer word as een van die geïntegreerde spilpunte waarom
gemeenskapsontwikkeling draai. Vaardighede vir volhoubare ontwikkeling word sodoende bevorder
in beide kinders en gemeenskappe. Samewerking tussen verskeie projekte word aangemoedig, oud
en jonk leer saam en kinders word ‘n sentrale fokus van alle gemeenskapsontwikkelingsinisiatiewe.
Die praktiese navorsing is ‘n gevallestudie van die Lynedoch Kleuterskool. Hierdie kleuterskool is
gekies as ‘n voorbeeld VKO wat poog om ‘n geïntegreerde, ekologiese benadering te volg en om ‘n
rol te speel in volhoubare gemeenskapsontwikkeling. Die gevallestudie het die literatuurstudie
aangevul deur moontlikhede en tekortkominge van ‘n praktiese toegepassing te demonstreer. Die
bevindings bevestig die belangrikheid van ‘n ekologiese- en geïntegreerde benadering tot VKO, en
hoe noodsaaklik dit is om te verseker dat kinders as die sleutel tot
gemeenskapsontwikkelingsinisiatiewe gesien word. Kennis van die unieke sosio-ekologiese konteks
behoort te lei tot die ontwerp van geskikte onderrig metodes. Die gevallestudie dui daarop dat ‘n
tekort aan kapasiteit, onvoldoende leierskap, finansiële onselfstandigheid en swak organisasie
dikwels van die grootste uitdagings is wat sukses belemmer.
Die gevolgtrekkings van beide die literatuurstudie en navorsing is dat geïntegreerde en ekologiese
VKO wel ‘n nuttige invalshoek kan wees vir volhoubare gemeenskapsontwikkeling. Dit blyk verder
dat daar geen enkele universele model van geïntegreerde en ekologiese VKO is nie, en dat elke
projek se leerinhoud en metodologie volgens eiesoortige konteks bepaal word. Wat wel belangrik is,
is dat dié projekte gebou word op ekologiese wereldsieninge wat kompleksiteit en interafhanklikheid
benadruk. Die hoof voordeel van hierdie benadering is dat gemeenskapskapasiteit vir volhoubare
gemeenskapsontwikkeling bevorder word terwyl kinders hoë kwaliteit ekologiese opvoeding
ontvang. Die belangrikste beperking hierin is dat sukses grootliks afhanklik is van goed toegeruste
onderwysers wat verskeie rolle tegelyktydig kan vertolk, wat leierskap kan neem en wat alternatiewe
maniere van doen kan demonstreer.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6657 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Spies, Magdelien |
| Contributors | Annecke, Eve, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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