Marea Tsamaase | University of Botswana (original) (raw)
Papers by Marea Tsamaase
Children’s early development is sustained through multiple social contexts (Britto et al. (2017) ... more Children’s early development is sustained through multiple social contexts (Britto et al. (2017) that involve parents, teachers, grandparents, and other people who interact with children and their families (Larner, Berman, Young & Reich, 2001). Studies have shown that caregivers differ in the goals and the expectations they have for young children. In Botswana, raising children was customarily a communal effort shared by the child’s parents and the extended family members in a kinship system. The kinship living arrangements promoted interconnectedness and assured support and security to all members (Malinga and Tshitswana, 2011). Children were raised by relatives who shared common child development beliefs, values and practices. However, the economic and social transformations that are taking place in Botswana have altered the traditional child upbringing to involve paid caregivers unrelated to the children or their families. This new model of raising children in Botswana brings in ...
Urbanization is causing a major shift in Extension's programming throughout the United States... more Urbanization is causing a major shift in Extension's programming throughout the United States. We present results of a nontraditional urban program (the Parent-Child Reading Enhancement Program) that is being implemented by Alabama Cooperative Extension System's Urban Affairs and New Nontraditional Programs unit. Findings suggest that this Extension program is successful in increasing urban parents' knowledge and skills related to enhancing their children's reading ability. Implications for urban Extension are discussed.
New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development
International Education Studies, 2014
Scholarly and institutional research on early childhood education is not a new phenomenon, but wh... more Scholarly and institutional research on early childhood education is not a new phenomenon, but what is perhaps limited is extant literature that particularly focuses on revisiting current practices and their "dialogue" with the ever-changing environment that prevails especially in an African setting. The practices of providers of early childhood education are either simply "business opportunity seeking" responses to the new consumption patterns of more affluent parent (or guardian) or current global trends of child education preparation. There has been a phenomenal increase in the number of early child centres in recent years but with fragmented structures. However whether or not this will reduce possibilities of tensions between the macro and micro aspects of this kind of co-evolution is one of the questions this article seeks to address. It also investigates the fit between the internal structure and processes of early childhood centers and the external environment (national framework), focusing on the challenges and prospects of early childhood education. Buoyed by the Fit/Congruence model of organizational analysis, the paper is based on findings from a content analysis of media reports and desk review of policy documents from purposively selected centres based in Gaborone. The data is analyzed using a combination of the pattern model and analytic comparison methods. In Botswana, one of the observed missing links is the absence of national framework guiding the structure and content of early childhood curriculum and instruction. It concludes that while the approaches used in these centres are relatively not similar they may be complementary particularly to the extent to which they prepare the children for an exclusionary education system in a country whose long-term vision is ironically to achieve an equitable and quality education for all. Institutional initiatives at national level have been limited and unevenly distributed with wide differences in the quality of services and lack of coherence and coordination at micro-level.
Creative Education, 2013
The study aims to examine the state of mathematics and science education in pre-schools of Botswa... more The study aims to examine the state of mathematics and science education in pre-schools of Botswana. The study intended to find out the knowledge base of the teachers, the content and the process of activities that were carried out in pre-schools, and also gauged availability and usage of resources in pre-schools, while identifying the challenges faced and the strategies used to overcome by the teachers, in carrying out Maths and Science activities. The study adopted both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The research was done using survey questionnaire and observation techniques and was conducted in 26 pre-schools in Gaborone. The sample comprised of 64 teachers and 17 administrators who were identified by using purposive sampling techniques. Quantitative data was also analysed using SPSS version 20, and responses to Open-ended questions were analysed qualitatively. The findings showed that the trained teachers although not in ECE, claimed to have some knowledge base of mathematics and science, and identified pedagogy to be more important than content, for teaching science and mathematics at ECE. They however, were of the view that ECE teacher training influences the knowledge base of the teachers, and hence specialised training in ECE is necessary. The study also showed that mathematics activities were predominant in the pre-schools as compared to science activities; the teachers frequently engaged in mathematics and science activities outdoors; and the mathematics and science corners that were available in most centres, were not utilised adequately. It further revealed that an equal number of the teachers, i.e. almost half of them, faced challenges while teaching mathematics and science in pre-schools, as those who did not. The study therefore recommended ECE teachers' professional training on knowledge, pedagogy and content; and the menu to include more indoor and science activities.
Children’s early development is sustained through multiple social contexts (Britto et al. (2017) ... more Children’s early development is sustained through multiple social contexts (Britto et al. (2017) that involve parents, teachers, grandparents, and other people who interact with children and their families (Larner, Berman, Young & Reich, 2001). Studies have shown that caregivers differ in the goals and the expectations they have for young children. In Botswana, raising children was customarily a communal effort shared by the child’s parents and the extended family members in a kinship system. The kinship living arrangements promoted interconnectedness and assured support and security to all members (Malinga and Tshitswana, 2011). Children were raised by relatives who shared common child development beliefs, values and practices. However, the economic and social transformations that are taking place in Botswana have altered the traditional child upbringing to involve paid caregivers unrelated to the children or their families. This new model of raising children in Botswana brings in ...
Urbanization is causing a major shift in Extension's programming throughout the United States... more Urbanization is causing a major shift in Extension's programming throughout the United States. We present results of a nontraditional urban program (the Parent-Child Reading Enhancement Program) that is being implemented by Alabama Cooperative Extension System's Urban Affairs and New Nontraditional Programs unit. Findings suggest that this Extension program is successful in increasing urban parents' knowledge and skills related to enhancing their children's reading ability. Implications for urban Extension are discussed.
New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development
International Education Studies, 2014
Scholarly and institutional research on early childhood education is not a new phenomenon, but wh... more Scholarly and institutional research on early childhood education is not a new phenomenon, but what is perhaps limited is extant literature that particularly focuses on revisiting current practices and their "dialogue" with the ever-changing environment that prevails especially in an African setting. The practices of providers of early childhood education are either simply "business opportunity seeking" responses to the new consumption patterns of more affluent parent (or guardian) or current global trends of child education preparation. There has been a phenomenal increase in the number of early child centres in recent years but with fragmented structures. However whether or not this will reduce possibilities of tensions between the macro and micro aspects of this kind of co-evolution is one of the questions this article seeks to address. It also investigates the fit between the internal structure and processes of early childhood centers and the external environment (national framework), focusing on the challenges and prospects of early childhood education. Buoyed by the Fit/Congruence model of organizational analysis, the paper is based on findings from a content analysis of media reports and desk review of policy documents from purposively selected centres based in Gaborone. The data is analyzed using a combination of the pattern model and analytic comparison methods. In Botswana, one of the observed missing links is the absence of national framework guiding the structure and content of early childhood curriculum and instruction. It concludes that while the approaches used in these centres are relatively not similar they may be complementary particularly to the extent to which they prepare the children for an exclusionary education system in a country whose long-term vision is ironically to achieve an equitable and quality education for all. Institutional initiatives at national level have been limited and unevenly distributed with wide differences in the quality of services and lack of coherence and coordination at micro-level.
Creative Education, 2013
The study aims to examine the state of mathematics and science education in pre-schools of Botswa... more The study aims to examine the state of mathematics and science education in pre-schools of Botswana. The study intended to find out the knowledge base of the teachers, the content and the process of activities that were carried out in pre-schools, and also gauged availability and usage of resources in pre-schools, while identifying the challenges faced and the strategies used to overcome by the teachers, in carrying out Maths and Science activities. The study adopted both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The research was done using survey questionnaire and observation techniques and was conducted in 26 pre-schools in Gaborone. The sample comprised of 64 teachers and 17 administrators who were identified by using purposive sampling techniques. Quantitative data was also analysed using SPSS version 20, and responses to Open-ended questions were analysed qualitatively. The findings showed that the trained teachers although not in ECE, claimed to have some knowledge base of mathematics and science, and identified pedagogy to be more important than content, for teaching science and mathematics at ECE. They however, were of the view that ECE teacher training influences the knowledge base of the teachers, and hence specialised training in ECE is necessary. The study also showed that mathematics activities were predominant in the pre-schools as compared to science activities; the teachers frequently engaged in mathematics and science activities outdoors; and the mathematics and science corners that were available in most centres, were not utilised adequately. It further revealed that an equal number of the teachers, i.e. almost half of them, faced challenges while teaching mathematics and science in pre-schools, as those who did not. The study therefore recommended ECE teachers' professional training on knowledge, pedagogy and content; and the menu to include more indoor and science activities.