2.4 Determinant factors or inputs for quality education provision
2.4.1 Pedagogical approaches versus the curriculum
According to Bergen, Reid and Torelli (2009), curriculum and its pedagogies usually depict quality of an education system. Provision of quality education is hinged by the processes of teaching and learning in the school (Udommana, 2012). These entail that, curriculum content and pedagogies are two intertwined dimensions that bring about quality education provision in ECD. These two dimensions can promote or demote development of individual capabilities in the classroom. The content and the methods of teaching should communicate to allow child development (Wood, 2013).
ARNEC (2012) and Bergen et al. (2009) identify some features in the ECD curriculum which are activity-based, child-centred, age-appropriate, culturally based and flexible to fully develop the child. This concurs with Wood (2013) predetermining a well-designed and holistic programmes that include play-way methods, art related methods that help the child to
develop intellectually, emotionally, socially, healthily, physically and culturally. In the same essence Wood (2013) and Bergen et al. (2009) highlight that a child-friendly school should provide curriculum and its pedagogies that are holistic, inclusive and suitable to the child‟s developmental level, abilities, and learning styles.
The first two citations (International Development Education Centre Report, 2005; ARNEC, 2012) focus on teaching and learning processes that are suitable and flexible to be used in the Asian as well as international regions as crucial aspects to consider. This is because cultures, socio-economic and political aspects vary from one region to the other across the world.
However, all the citations have one thing in common; individual potentialities are the unique innate abilities that are improved and shaped by the curriculum. They all agree to the use of pedagogical approaches that are child-centred and practical to be more prominent than rote methods (Bergen, et al., 2009; Wood, 2013). Such pedagogies allow each and every child opportunities to explore their abilities. The quality of education emanates from learning environments that enable children‟s participation in their learning following strong supporting inputs from their applied pedagogies deliberately created by teachers.
ARNEC (2012) and UNICEF (2009) mention in passing about child development domains, yet the International Development Education Centre Report (2005) indicates all the child developmental domains. The four child development domains are; cognitive, physical, health and emotional. Therefore, the following section has to give brief examples of how pedagogies facilitate these developments in ECD children for quality education provision.
2.4.1.1 The importance of relevant pedagogies to child development
Children understand better the world around them when they learn in the block play (Chikutuma & Mapolisa, 2013). Therefore, to enhance understanding of the world, children should be exposed to this block play. It is easy for children to acquire discriminatory skills when they are exposed to these blocks in different colours, sizes and shapes. Children should also be exposed to the manipulative learning which helps them to develop eye and hand coordination as well as fine and gross motor skills (Smith, 2010; Wood, 2013). In support Chikutuma and Mapolisa (2013) propose that manipulative play activities help children to acquire problem solving skills as well as improving their optical recognition. There are a
variety of these manipulative games that are played by children; these include matching games and bead work which are meant to improve language development, abstract thinking and attentiveness. Actually, quality measures in the teaching and learning processes and activities have a direct correlation to physical, emotional, social and intellectual development of the children. This implies that learning through play under different learning areas need to be given equal opportunities for children to develop wholly.
Chikutuma and Mapolisa (2013) and Bergen et al. (2009) suggest that when planning any play activity, early learners must be given enough space to climb, run, balance and develop motor skills. However, when making these play areas educators should bear in mind safety precautions. These play areas provide media for the children to discover aspects in life through investigation. While the teacher follows playing children; teacher-child interaction is further enhanced. This reflects the most important information on the transparencies in the classroom as children interact with teacher and vice-versa, as children learn and develop.
Most important, this effective child development and learning is highly influenced by socio- cultural factors, theoretical backgrounds and educators‟ beliefs as they use play-way methods (Wood, 2013).
Teachers play a pivotal role more imperative in the hope for quality. Play is regarded as a strategy put in place for ECD children‟s learning and development, and possibly only when these children are actively involved (MoWCA Bangladesh, 2010). Possibly, play-way methods in ECD if applied by skilled teachers in flexible styles proved to be very effective in the actual teaching and learning processes for quality education. Smith (2010), Hughes (2010) and Wood (2013) suggest that play-way methods are important for child development.
To further augment that, Wood (2013) and Bergen et al. (2009) proclaim that play develops skills such as; determination, flexibility and originality. Therefore play-way pedagogies are important for learner development in his/her totality. In support Wood (2013) asserts that, there are quite a number of benefits for children when they play; besides developing they are also prepared to take roles in life among other things. In this essence of play-way methods in ECD, the most important aspect is the focus on teacher-child interaction, and some features such as experiential learning, child-centred approaches, play-based and child-friendly teaching and learning (Alexander, 2008; Bergen, et al., 2009; Wood, 2013).
In other words play-way pedagogies are not a pastime series of activities; these are activities that are objective centred and are characterised by earnest abilities and seriousness of a purpose. In view of its importance, teachers are encouraged to prepare and plan for various activities that give children ample opportunities to explore their potentialities. There is need for the teacher to make sure that learning areas are rich in play materials in order to give each child an opportunity to get hold of the learning materials. Bergen et al. (2009) and Wood (2013) posit that the play-way pedagogies are unstructured planned learning by children which should not be disturbed by adults. Children express their emotions in that process and are transformed socially, emotionally and psychologically (Wood, 2013). In this play process, children learn cultural norms, values and practices using thought and language resulting in developing socially. Through play-way pedagogies children develop problem solving skills that lay the basis for academic success. This understanding justified the importance of the curriculum and pedagogies intertwined to provide quality education to the ECD learners.
However, Mugweni and Dakwa (2013) argue that, play-way methods cannot be possible in the Zimbabwean rural ECD schools since untrained teachers are not acquainted with play- way methods and materials are inadequate to allow exploration by children.