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

• Published in: South African journal of childhood education Vol. 8; no. 2; pp. 1 - 11
• Main Authors: Van Niekerk, Retha, Du Preez, Hannelie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Johannesburg AOSIS 2018; African Online Scientific Information Systems (Pty) Ltd t/a AOSIS; AOSIS (Pty) Ltd; University of Johannesburg
• Subjects: 21st century; Aspiration; CHAT; child citizens; Childhood; Citizenship; Core curriculum; Cultural Context; cultural-historical analysis; Curricula; Developmental psychology; Early Childhood Education; Early Childhood Education (ECE); ecological systems theory; Education, Special; Educational technology; Foreign Countries; Foundation Phase (FP); Historical analysis; History; Knowledge; Knowledge (BK); Language & Linguistics; Literacy; Management; Mathematics; Mathematics, Applied; media theory; Natural Sciences; nature of science (NOS); Preschool education; Scholarship; Science and technology; Science education; Scientific Principles; Social development; Social science education; Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary; Social Studies; Social studies education; socio-scientific issues (SSI); Specialists; Study and teaching; Teaching; Technology; Technology Education; Textbooks; Theories; Theory; Thinking Skills; Young Children; South Africa; New York; United States > US
• ISSN: 2223-7674; 2223-7682; 2223-7682
• DOI: 10.4102/sajce.v8i2.573

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.