While several studies have been done on parental involvement in early childhood education, gaps s... more While several studies have been done on parental involvement in early childhood education, gaps still exists relating to the conceptualisation of play and play-based learning in different contexts. The various perceptions of play and playbased learning have a strong influence on their involvement in play-based learning activities involving children in Early Childhood Education. Using a qualitative approach, framed within the interpretive research paradigm, this study revealed a disjuncture between the positive perception held by the stakeholders on play and PBL to the reality of play-based learning in the ECE schools. The researchers asked three questions: 1. What are the perceptions of parents, community, and school administrators (teachers and administrators) regarding play and play-based learning? 2. How do these stakeholders get involved in PBL? 3. And what factors influence their involvement? The researchers collected data through key informant interviews (KII), focus group discussions and classroom observations. The study established that the involvement in PBL varied among stakeholders. For parents and community members their involvement was often based on solicitation by the school administrators and external development agencies-as opposed to volunteering postulated by Epstein's theory of parental involvement employed in the study. Among the factors that influenced their participation was a general lack of a clear understanding of PBL and their role and functions in PBL and ECE in general. Thus, the study recommends capacity building in PBL for parents, community members and school administrators.
This research examined the incorporation of play-based learning in Early Childhood Education (ECE... more This research examined the incorporation of play-based learning in Early Childhood Education (ECE) policies across Zambia and twenty other diverse countries. Through document analysis, it uncovers commonalities and disparities in play-based learning principles. While both Zambian and global documents emphasise the significance of play in child development, they differ in scope, regional practices, and emphasis on global advocacy and cultural variations. Zambia's documents highlight specific practices, while global perspectives offer a broader international view. Both stress the multifaceted benefits of play in physical, cognitive, social, and emotional growth. In summary, the findings underscored a global consensus on the significance of play-based learning in early childhood education, emphasising its role in holistic child development. Additionally, they highlighted the imperative of recognising cultural diversity and aligning policies with child rights, particularly in the Zambian context. Furthermore, the recommendations were aimed at bolstering the effectiveness of play-based pedagogies in early childhood education. They advocated for celebrating diversity, fostering holistic development, and ensuring the availability of appropriate resources and guidelines to support this approach. These recommendations ultimately seek to enhance the quality of early childhood education in Zambia by embracing cultural diversity, promoting global collaboration, and aligning play-based pedagogies with local and international best practices.
This systematic review is based on studies that explored school readiness and transition through ... more This systematic review is based on studies that explored school readiness and transition through play-based pedagogies in Early Childhood and Primary Education. Relevant literature involved global literature whose search was conducted by independent researchers following the keyword string, which included among others, stakeholders' roles in school readiness, transition, and play-based pedagogies. The literature search was done from May to August 2022 following the Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA). Twenty peer-reviewed studies were identified, appraised, and included in the review. Findings from international literature showed that teachers' implementation of play-based pedagogy revealed a significant and positive relationship to all domains of children's holistic development. Learner assessment for school readiness and transitioning from pre-primary to primary through play-based pedagogies included academic, social, and personal learning during periods of play. The types of play-based assessments for school readiness identified included: (1) withdrawal assessment, (2) observational assessment, (3) embedded assessment, (4) teacher questioning/interview, (5) Photographs/videos and (6) documentation walls. While literature showed a positive connection between parental involvement and a child's readiness for school including successful transition from preprimary to primary school, there was limited evidence pointing specifically to the influence of parental involvement in play-based pedagogies for school transitioning.
The Ministry of General Education (Zambia) introduced subject specialisation at primary school. H... more The Ministry of General Education (Zambia) introduced subject specialisation at primary school. However, researchers have not yet sufficiently interrogated the concepts and modalities of subject specialisation at the primary school level to build a basis for an informed position and implementation. The paper aimed to review the literature and international practice relevant to subject specialisation at the primary school level. Interpretive techniques were applied while conducting secondary data analyses. The review established that there were different models of specialisation in education. There were also mixed experiences of subject specialisation in teaching and learning at primary school levels from the countries accessed. Nonetheless, intentional narrowed practice tended to contribute to the competent delivery of service in education. The paper, thus, welcomed differentiated types of specialisation based on school circumstances, learner grade level, staff numbers and teaching ...
While several studies have been done on parental involvement in early childhood education, gaps s... more While several studies have been done on parental involvement in early childhood education, gaps still exists relating to the conceptualisation of play and play-based learning in different contexts. The various perceptions of play and playbased learning have a strong influence on their involvement in play-based learning activities involving children in Early Childhood Education. Using a qualitative approach, framed within the interpretive research paradigm, this study revealed a disjuncture between the positive perception held by the stakeholders on play and PBL to the reality of play-based learning in the ECE schools. The researchers asked three questions: 1. What are the perceptions of parents, community, and school administrators (teachers and administrators) regarding play and play-based learning? 2. How do these stakeholders get involved in PBL? 3. And what factors influence their involvement? The researchers collected data through key informant interviews (KII), focus group discussions and classroom observations. The study established that the involvement in PBL varied among stakeholders. For parents and community members their involvement was often based on solicitation by the school administrators and external development agencies-as opposed to volunteering postulated by Epstein's theory of parental involvement employed in the study. Among the factors that influenced their participation was a general lack of a clear understanding of PBL and their role and functions in PBL and ECE in general. Thus, the study recommends capacity building in PBL for parents, community members and school administrators.
This research examined the incorporation of play-based learning in Early Childhood Education (ECE... more This research examined the incorporation of play-based learning in Early Childhood Education (ECE) policies across Zambia and twenty other diverse countries. Through document analysis, it uncovers commonalities and disparities in play-based learning principles. While both Zambian and global documents emphasise the significance of play in child development, they differ in scope, regional practices, and emphasis on global advocacy and cultural variations. Zambia's documents highlight specific practices, while global perspectives offer a broader international view. Both stress the multifaceted benefits of play in physical, cognitive, social, and emotional growth. In summary, the findings underscored a global consensus on the significance of play-based learning in early childhood education, emphasising its role in holistic child development. Additionally, they highlighted the imperative of recognising cultural diversity and aligning policies with child rights, particularly in the Zambian context. Furthermore, the recommendations were aimed at bolstering the effectiveness of play-based pedagogies in early childhood education. They advocated for celebrating diversity, fostering holistic development, and ensuring the availability of appropriate resources and guidelines to support this approach. These recommendations ultimately seek to enhance the quality of early childhood education in Zambia by embracing cultural diversity, promoting global collaboration, and aligning play-based pedagogies with local and international best practices.
This systematic review is based on studies that explored school readiness and transition through ... more This systematic review is based on studies that explored school readiness and transition through play-based pedagogies in Early Childhood and Primary Education. Relevant literature involved global literature whose search was conducted by independent researchers following the keyword string, which included among others, stakeholders' roles in school readiness, transition, and play-based pedagogies. The literature search was done from May to August 2022 following the Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA). Twenty peer-reviewed studies were identified, appraised, and included in the review. Findings from international literature showed that teachers' implementation of play-based pedagogy revealed a significant and positive relationship to all domains of children's holistic development. Learner assessment for school readiness and transitioning from pre-primary to primary through play-based pedagogies included academic, social, and personal learning during periods of play. The types of play-based assessments for school readiness identified included: (1) withdrawal assessment, (2) observational assessment, (3) embedded assessment, (4) teacher questioning/interview, (5) Photographs/videos and (6) documentation walls. While literature showed a positive connection between parental involvement and a child's readiness for school including successful transition from preprimary to primary school, there was limited evidence pointing specifically to the influence of parental involvement in play-based pedagogies for school transitioning.
The Ministry of General Education (Zambia) introduced subject specialisation at primary school. H... more The Ministry of General Education (Zambia) introduced subject specialisation at primary school. However, researchers have not yet sufficiently interrogated the concepts and modalities of subject specialisation at the primary school level to build a basis for an informed position and implementation. The paper aimed to review the literature and international practice relevant to subject specialisation at the primary school level. Interpretive techniques were applied while conducting secondary data analyses. The review established that there were different models of specialisation in education. There were also mixed experiences of subject specialisation in teaching and learning at primary school levels from the countries accessed. Nonetheless, intentional narrowed practice tended to contribute to the competent delivery of service in education. The paper, thus, welcomed differentiated types of specialisation based on school circumstances, learner grade level, staff numbers and teaching ...
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