Utilising a cultural–historical analysis to map the historicity of Social Studies, Natural Science and Technology education in the early years

Background: South Africa needs citizens who are morally sound, adaptive to change, technologically innovative and literate in socio-scientific issues. The young child is apparently being prepared for active citizenry through basic “Social Science, Natural Sciences and Technology” education as encapsulated in the South African curriculum. Aim: We foreground a theoretical and analytical framework to map the cultural–historical trajectory of South Africa’s Beginning Knowledge curriculum. Setting: Cultivating citizenship requires that these science subject domains be incorporated in a coherent, well-conceptualised and relevant early childhood curriculum as suggested by international literature. Educators need to be specialists in socio-scientific issues in both the content and pedagogy of these sciences in order to expound the curriculum. Methods: Our newly coined hybridised theoretical framework - the ‘Hybrid CHAT’ - together with an aligned analytical framework enabled us to illuminate the historical subject-didactical genetic development of Beginning Knowledge. An extensive sample of typographical textbooks, artefacts and cultural tools were analysed and interpreted. Results: Beginning Knowledge is afforded limited teaching time. The knowledge, skills and values associated with these science subjects serve to support and strengthen the acquisition of language and mathematics competencies. Currently, Beginning Knowledge does not sufficiently prepare child citizens for the global demands of the 21st century. Conclusion: Hybrid CHAT could invite further studies to place Beginning Knowledge on par with international curricula. This would also align the curriculum with the aspirations for an ideal South African citizenry as well as prepare child citizens to pursue Science and Technology for social development

A community health needs evaluation : improving uptake of services at a children's centre in a deprived and geographically isolated town

The evaluation identified health and social trends for this deprived and geographically isolated area, elicited perceived health needs of under-fives in the local community, and informed development and improvement of services offered by a children’s centre. Sure Start children’s centres are crucial to delivery of outcomes of the Every Child Matters policy initiative as well as offering support for parenting. The children’s centre in the study sought to develop its services and to increase the numbers of registered users particularly among ‘hard to reach’ groups in the locality. Leafleting, street-canvassing, primary school newsletters and posters were used to advise the community of the consultation. Data were collected by telephone interviews, group and face-to-face interviews with parents and professionals, structured interviews in the town centre streets and analysis of policy and health statistics documents. The area was characterized by inadequate transport links and limited sources of good value local food supplies. The key areas of Every Child Matters were not meaningful concepts to most parents in connecting to their children’s health. Residents and professionals recognized low levels of parental expectations for their children. Specific barriers to service uptake were identified, but the children’s centre made a positive contribution to the health and well-being of the population, providing an effective service in terms of variety, resources and professional help. Additional services, better access to some services, revised opening times, additional transport, and integration of provision for siblings resulted from the study