Thirtieth International Conference on Learning

Abstract

This research explores early childhood educators’ perspectives regarding parental involvement in mobile ECCE activities. The researchers used an explanatory sequential mixed methods research approach with a sample of 10 early childhood educators from one organization in the Free State Province that offers mobile ECCE was used. With the aid of a structured questionnaire and a semi-structured interview guide, the necessary data for this study were gathered. The psychometric properties of the quantitative instrument and the trustworthiness of the qualitative instrument were sufficiently guaranteed. While ATLAS.ti software was used to analyze the qualitative data, relevant descriptive statistics such as mean, bar charts, and percentage were used to analyse the quantitative data. It was found that a lot of parents are very concerned about their children’s early learning. Most of the participants reported that some parents normally help in cleaning and washing the carpets and mats when they become dirty. Moreover, parents are involved because sometimes when there is an introduction of new themes, the parents take over the teaching of the themes to the children, especially the days when the educators are not there. This finding has practical implication in the sense that the more the parents are involved in the early education of their children, the more opportunity the children have in their early cognitive development. Therefore, the policy implication of this finding is that an adequate policy framework that will cover the active involvement of parents in the activities of mobile ECCE needs to be made and properly implemented.

Presenters

Christian Ugwuanyi
Research Fellow, Education Foundations, University of the Free State, Free State, South Africa

Charity Okeke
Lecturer, Department of Social Sciences and Commerce Education, University of the Free State, Free State, South Africa

Chinedu Ifedi Onochie Okeke
Professor, and Head: Department of Education Foundations, Faculty of Education, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa, Free State, South Africa

Zukiswa Nhase
Lecturer , Childhood Education , University of the Free State, Free State, South Africa