According to the credit value of the programme, approximately 380 hours of work should be spent on this programme by practitioners. Contact time, preparation for modules, completing activities and assessments are all included in the 380 hours. The 380 notional hours are spread over the eight-month training programme. It is important for practitioners to be allowed an opportunity to implement what has been learnt in the classroom, and to translate this into their early childhood centres. Because of this, the training programme incorporates Outcomes-Based Education principles. Outcomes-Based Education is a model of education, which encourages participation in the learning process; it encourages students to take part, challenge views, question, and become actively involved in the learning environment. Some of these principles include:
Learners have a clear focus on the learning outcomes; High expectations are placed on learners and educators;
There are greater opportunities for learner success, as activities are practical and learner-based.
In order to allow for learners to gain a deep understanding and implementation of what has been learned, the training programme is mapped out over eight months. This ensures that practitioners are given time to implement what has been learned, and to develop a concrete understanding of the text, as well as the confidence to create the necessary opportunities for children to learn, instead of being bombarded with text, and not being allowed the time to implement this without any true understanding.
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The support of the mentor allows learners to ask questions, raise concerns and work through challenges. It is important that the mentor be able to communicate in the practitioner‟s mother tongue.
The benefits of the Early Inspiration Training Programme, being on NQF Level 02, allow for a greater target audience to be reached. The requirements for candidates to take part in the training programme include being able to communicate in English, and to demonstrate a basic understanding of children‟s development, while understanding community dynamics and transformative development.
The NQF Level 02 training programme provides candidates with a deep understanding of early childhood development – specifically focusing on creating a stimulating environment and enhancing young children‟s cognitive development. The Early Inspiration Training Programme is also a platform for learners to develop further skills by continuing on to higher NQF levels, and eventually going on to reach tertiary level, should they so wish.
Although the primary aim of the Early Inspiration Training Programme would be to enhance the potential for young children, the most operative method in assessing the effectiveness and the impact of the Early Inspiration Training Programme would be to assess the impact that the training has had on the practitioners themselves. This could be assessed by means of the comprehensive portfolio of evidence, as well as tracking practitioners‟ progress by means of four on-site observations throughout the eight-month programme.
Time is spent assessing individual children, according to age-appropriate assessment criteria set out by Early Inspiration. Learners are assessed, according to the same set of structures – before and after the eight-month intervention training programme. This assesses the effectiveness of the practitioners‟ teaching ability, as a result of the training programme. The Early Inspiration Training Programme is broken down into a number of interactions throughout the eight-month programme. These interactions include: training, observations, mentorship and assessment.
It is imperative to note the relationships between the understanding and psychology of education and the implementation of the Early Inspiration Training Programme. One of the key components and the cornerstone of initiating the Early Inspiration Training Programme is to provide uneducated practitioners with an understanding of their role in terms of children‟s development and potential and the importance that stimulation has on development. The
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elements discussed in Chapter 1 and 2 were key indicators when developing the Early Inspiration Training Programme, and elements of early mathematics, literacy and life-skills were integrated throughout the training programme, ensuring that practitioners were able to implement these key cornerstones and ensure holistic development of children.
Initial training (months 1 and 2) places a large focus on understanding children, their development, expectations of children in different stages, ways in which to approach children, the understanding of including a holistic approach of early mathematics, literacy and life-skills into the classroom, through implementing the South African CAPS system in Grade R classes. With an understanding of early mathematics, literacy and life-skills, classroom values, teaching approaches, skills and knowledge are manipulated and moulded to provide practitioners with their own philosophy of teaching. The understanding of these early learning mechanisms, including early mathematics, literacy and life-skills, included throughout the Early Inspiration Training Programme represent a holistic, integrated approach to teaching and learning, fundamental to providing the practitioners with a deep understanding of childhood development and education as well as how to implement this in the classroom and community.
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Table 5.2 Overview of the Early Inspiration Training Programme
Module Name Dates Duration
Understanding how children learn (brain development) 5 aspects of development Characteristics and activities: 0-5 years
Month 1 : Week 1 1 day on-site initial observation
3 consecutive days training
Month 1: Week 3 1 day mentorship Interacting with children in a
meaningful way
Month 2: Week 1 1 day training
Month 2: Week 3 1 day mentorship
Assessing children’s abilities
Month 3: Week 1 I day on-site observation and mentorship
1 day training
Month 3: Week 3 1 day mentorship
Administration in Early Childhood Centres
Month 4 1 day of training
Creativity with teaching apparatus
Month 5 1 day training
Month 6 I day on-site observation
Practitioner, parent and the communities role in
development
Month 7 1 day training
Re-cap Month 8 1 day on-site observation
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5.5 HYPOTHESES
The primary aim of this study was:
To assess the effectiveness of the Early Inspiration Training Programme in early childhood centres in underprivileged sectors of South Africa.
To test the validity and effectiveness of sending practitioners on the eight-month training and mentorship programme.
To assess the growth and development in young children‟s development over the eight- month period, in order to examine the effects of the stimulation concepts in young children;
To indicate how such concepts could be provided for in the early childhood centre. Hypothesis 1: Intervention
The null hypothesis (H0) and the alternative hypothesis (H1) for significance of intervention,
comparing Control and Experimental groups: