Browsing by Author "Ebrahim, Hasina Banu."

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Constructions of childhood for and by children in two early childhood centres in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2006) Ebrahim, Hasina Banu.; Muthukrishna, Anbanithi.
This thesis examines the constructions of childhood by seven early childhood teachers and twenty young children (ten boys and ten girls) in two private early childhood centres catering for children below Grade R in urban KwaZulu-Natal. An ethnographic approach is used to present childhood as a complex socially constructed process. On the methodological front, this study argues for the practice of responsive researching to engage with moment by moment realities that are sensitive to the particularities of young children and their circumstances when they are positioned as participants in research. In the analysis of teachers’ constructions of childhood for young children, the findings of this study suggest that the lack of public funding in early childhood education, for children below Grade R, sets the conditions for early childhood centres to operate as commercial enterprises trading commodities in a free market. Given this context, teachers position themselves in the dominant market discourse. The study suggests that the focus on the purchasing power of parents determines the type of childhood young children experience at the centres. Teachers access normalising images of young children as property and essentialised adults-in-the-making to support the processing of children as human capital for a fee. As such, the social project of early childhood, as space for democratic practices for public good, is weakened. The focus on the doings of childhood by young children (boys and girls) contrasts the normalising images presented by teachers. The findings of this study suggest that the complex struggles within the temporal zones of growing up and relations in race and gender, present young children as powerful social actors who actively construct their childhoods. The study illuminates how young children use the limiting discourses freely available to them to constitute themselves in familiar ways, and also how they find spaces to loosen the power of these discourses. In concentrating on the lived realities of childhood, this study enters some unfamiliar spaces that provide a base to ask more questions about early childhood centres, teachers, and young children in early childhood education.
Early childhood practitioners experience of the mathematical literacy curriculum in the context of the National certificate in early childhood development : a case study.
(2005) Pillay, Padmini Patsy.; Muthukrishna, Anbanithi.; Ebrahim, Hasina Banu.
Since 2002, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) has included mathematical literacy as a compulsory fundamental component for the Further Education and Training Certificate (FETC). This constituted a radical development in education and is intended to empower individuals so that they can function effectively in, and contribute to the democratization of the country. This exploratory study examined the mathematical literacy experiences of 12 Early Childhood Development (ECD) practitioners training toward the National Certificate in ECD at NQF L4. The study was conducted at a non-government, nonformal ECD training organization based in Durban. The practitioners were undertaking their training as part of a Learnership programme. A qualitative research methodology was employed. The data was gathered through focus group interviews, semi-structured interviews, and documentary analysis. The study revealed that the practitioners held a positive view of mathematical literacy training. In addition, it was found that such training should remain as part of the ECD qualification owing to the fact that it added value at both a personal and professional level. In interrogating the curriculum, practitioners recommended the inclusion of ECD examples, and engagement with how mathematical literacy is used in the different contexts. In terms of relevancy of content, practitioners recommended content areas that could be applied in their personal and professional lives. Mathematical literacy that related to national issues was seen as abstract, for example balance of payment in terms of the national budget. The study revealed that the background of the ECD practitioners need to be taken into account as some practitioners may not have studied mathematics before. This implies that providers will need to take into account the NQF Level 3 entry requirements and the expected embedded knowledge that practitioners are supposed to have prior to the registration of practitioners for the NQF L 4 certificate. In this regard, policy makers may also need to re-examine the issue of whether mathematical literacy is needed at the level of the qualification. Dialogue on these issues between SAQA and the different stakeholders may be necessary. Not surprisingly, the study revealed the need for suitably trained mathematical literacy facilitators given that this is a new programme. This study is by no means exhaustive, and is but a small sample of views that could be further explored in a more comprehensive study.
Exploring teachers' conceptions of caring within teaching in the foundation phase at a school outside the greater Durban area.
(2010) Ramdutt, Thaherabibi Ahmed.; Ebrahim, Hasina Banu.
This small-scale study explored teachers’ conceptions of caring within teaching in the Foundation Phase at a combined school outside the greater Durban area. The school serviced children from the nearby squatter camps and surrounding working class community. In this study, I wanted to know how conceptions of caring were made by Foundation Phase teachers’ within the context of their work experiences. Their meaning making and their practice was important to consider. A qualitative approach was suitable for this study. The data for the study was obtained by semi-structured interviews and focus group interviews. The findings show that Foundation Phase teachers have multiple conceptions of caring within teaching. This is influenced by the context they teach in and the frames of references they use. It was evident that teachers were using frames of reference from child development in vulnerable situations, teaching and learning with lack of strong support (from the home and education department) and the futuristic image of the child in order to shape caring within teaching. Teachers position themselves as caring teachers who do culturally situated practice through forming relationships with the children. As such, they identify characteristics that are supportive and responsive to the needs of young children. Their conceptions in relation to pedagogy are supportive of the idea that they need to connect with their learners and create an inclusive environment. This, however, is challenged by circumstances which limits the type of caring that is made possible. A demanding curriculum and large class numbers are limiting the possibilities for caring acts within teaching in the Foundation Phase.
The nature of child participation in reception year (Grade R) in the Western Cape.
(2013) Shaik, Naseema.; Ebrahim, Hasina Banu.
The aim of this thesis was to explore the nature of child participation in Grade R through focusing on five Grade R teachers and fifteen children (eight girls and seven boys) in three Grade R contexts in the urban area of the Western Cape, South Africa. The importance of this study is noted from the dimension of using early childhood education to address inequities of the past and shape a new citizenry through democratic practices. A qualitative approach was undertaken to study how child participation was understood and enacted by teachers in their practice. The children's voices and actions were also studied to make sense of child participation. A mix of theoretical ideas from Hart (1997), Lansdown (2004) and Vygotsky (1978) was used to study child participation whilst the ideas of Perry (1970) and Rokeach (1960) were used to study teacher beliefs. The agency view of the child stemming from the sociology of childhood helped with understanding child participation from child initiated learning spaces. Notions of power and voice which emanate from the works of Freire (1970; 1994) and Foucault (1977) helped to understand how participation can be realized through a social justice agenda in Grade R. In order to produce the data for this study, semi-structured interviews were used to examine teacher beliefs. Observations through videos were used to observe the teachers’ practices and the children's voices and actions. The findings of this study show that the nature of child participation is socially constructed and context bound. The tightly controlled curriculum reform environment restricts possibilities for organising Grade R as a space for democratic practices where high levels of child participation take place. The study showed that teachers’ beliefs are complex and that it is important for teachers to interrogate the images they hold of childhood, their training and how they define child participation and engage with categories of difference. These aspects complicate child participation. In focusing on the teachers' practice, it was evident that child participation was strongly influenced by the outcomes they were trying to achieve. The teachers positioning also affected child participation. Where teachers took strong control over shaping the learning outcomes by focusing on learning as the acquisition of knowledge and skills, children's participation as agents was compromised. In these instances teachers played the roles of tellers, instructors and transmitters of knowledge, skills and values. When they made attempts to create shared understandings, child participation became stronger. When children's voices and actions were examined, they displayed high levels of participation in order to make sense of the Grade R programme and beyond. As agents they were able to assert themselves in different ways to make their agendas matter. The arena of free play allowed the children to make decisions and to make their views and opinions matter. This escaped the teachers' attention as play was seen as a hands-off session on the timetable. This study fills the gap in literature for understanding the nature of child participation in Grade R as the entry point for formal schooling through South African examples. It shows how the Grade R system and the practices emanating from it goes against the need for democratic practices to shape a new citizenry through the early years. This study has implications for children’s learning, pedagogy, leadership and teacher education.
Participatory methodology : an investigation into its use with primary school children in mapping HIV/AIDS as a barrier to learning in Kwazulu-Natal.
(2008) Murugen, Veshanti.; Ramsuran, Anitha.; Ebrahim, Hasina Banu.
This study examines the use of participatory methodology with primary school children in mapping HIV/AIDS as a barrier to learning in KwaZulu-Natal. The study draws on a larger National Research Funded (NRF) Project1 undertaken in the Richmond area of KwaZulu-Natal. Data was produced through semi-structured interviews of six researchers involved in the NRF project; through document analysis of the data sets involving the learners and facilitators, the NRF project report and the related journal articles based on the project; and through field observation conducted by me. The findings of the study suggest that in research on HIV/AIDS it is essential to seek participatory ways of enabling children’s voices on the pandemic as it unfolds in their context. High researcher reflexivity is necessary in order to become sensitive and responsive to the challenges of including children’s voices in vulnerable circumstances. Findings also suggest the importance of viewing ethics as situated practice. The study ends with implications for research methodology courses, researcher training and evidence from children for policy on HIV/AIDS.
Teachers' conceptions of environmental education in the foundation phase in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2009) Jaikarun, Shamain Ankoor.; Ebrahim, Hasina Banu.
Transforming society towards following an environmentally sustainable path will not be easy because it means a fundamental shift in thinking, values and actions of all institutions, communities and individuals worldwide. Education is the key to ensure that future generations of South Africans will be able to deliver the society envisaged by our Constitution. The formative years of the Foundation Phase are an ideal place for environmental education (EE) to begin. The purpose of this study was to explore conceptions of EE held by educators in the Foundation Phase at a primary school in KwaZulu-Natal.
Young children's lives in the context of HIV and AIDS : listening to the voices of grade 3 learners in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2007) Govender, Kogilambal.; Muthukrishna, Anbanithi.; Ebrahim, Hasina Banu.
Since HIV/AIDS is closely connected with adult sexuality, children in early schooling are often overlooked in debates around the pandemic. However the growing number of children who are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS cannot be ignored. This qualitative study gives voice to young childrens' experiences and understanding of HIV/AIDS in Savannah Park, province of KwaZulu-Natal. The study also explores how HIV/AIDS intersects with other barriers to learning and development and the effect this has upon childrens' lives. Twenty learners between the ages of 8-9 years who come from low income families were selected as participants in this study. They were interviewed using focus group interviews. During the focus group interviews, various participatory research techniques such as drawing, story telling, projection, games and movement evaluation exercises were employed. One of the key findings that emerged was that the participants consistently identified HIV/AIDS as a deadly disease. There was also a deep sense of fear amongst participants that their family members will contract HIV/AIDS rendering them vulnerable to the devastating impacts of the disease. Another important finding was that many participants were able to correctly identify symptoms of the disease revealing intimate knowledge and personal experience of the disease. Some modes of transmission of HIV/AIDS were also particularly well known amongst participants such as touching blood and sharing infected needles. This study however highlights the need for children in early schooling to be given accurate information on the sexual transmission of HIV/AIDS. Participants were also restricted in their knowledge of preventative measures against the HIV/AIDS virus and did not have any specific knowledge of anti retroviral drugs. Another key finding was the high levels of awareness amongst participants of the challenges experienced by HIV/AIDS infected and affected children. Lack of money, food, clothing and support coupled with sickness and high rates of absenteeism within a HIV/AIDS context impeded learning from their perspective. The views participants express also reveal that HIV/AIDS affected and infected children are still subject to prejudice, isolation and stigmatization within educational settings. However there is hope in that many participants expressed warmth and friendship towards HIV/AIDS infected children. Support structures such as family members, neighbours, teachers, social workers, church and medical personnel were also regarded as having a positive effect on the lives of HIV/AIDS affected and infected children.