>

READ MORE

>

An investment in the early development of our children is an investment in the future of our country. Equally important is the investment we make in the education of those responsible for the development of these youngsters.

Nourish small minds to ensure big futures

During a workshop in Potchefstroom, these 20 experts from nine different higher education institutions developed a national programme framework for a new diploma and BEd degree, both in early childhood care and education.

 

NWU staff members are Mumsy Boikanyo in the front row (right in the centre), with Dr Inge Venter and Benita Taylor directly behind her in the middle row. On the far right are Dr Jackie Slabbert-Redpath in the front row and Susan Greyling behind her in the middle row.

Realising these truths, the NWU does not hesitate to share its expertise in early childhood development for the benefit of the broader higher education sector.

 

Reaching out to others in the field, the university hosted a three-day programme development workshop in Potchefstroom to help develop two new, nationally aligned early childhood care and education programmes (for children from birth to age four).

 

Pooling brain power

 

From 7 to 9 March 2018, delegates from different higher education institutions put their heads together to develop a national programme framework for a new diploma and BEd degree, both in early childhood care and education.

 

The higher education institutions represented at the workshop were the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Unisa, Wits, the Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu universities, and the universities of KwaZulu-Natal, Pretoria, the Free State and Fort Hare.

 

The workshop was organised at the request of the Department of Higher Education and Training after the European Union allocated funding to the department to develop qualifications for teacher training in the field of early childhood development.

 

Getting the work done

 

The workshop hosts were Susan Greyling, Benita Taylor and Mumsy Boikanyo from the Faculty of Education’s School of Languages in Education.

 

Jackie Slabbert-Redpath from the NWU’s Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) facilitated the sessions.

 

She advised the delegates about the National Qualification Framework levels, the taxonomy (classification) on cognitive complexity (the complexity of the mental processes), and the levels of knowledge and skills expected from students in each study year.

 

Dr Inge Venter, also from CTL, shared her knowledge about the module outcomes and writing of assessment criteria suitable for each outcome.