Early Childhood Education at UP

21/10/2026

🤖 The question is no longer whether robots will enter our classrooms, but what place they should have in them.

Today, our third-year Foundation Phase student educators at the University of Pretoria had an extraordinary opportunity to engage with emerging robotics technologies firsthand!

As part of their learning, our student educators have been challenged to develop their own informed professional judgement about the place of humanoid robotics in Foundation Phase classrooms.

💭 Could humanoid robots enhance learning and development?
💭 What happens to human connection, play and social interaction when robots enter early childhood classrooms?
💭 Where should we draw the line between technological assistance and the irreplaceable role of an educator?

These are not questions with simple answers. Nor should they be.

Thank you to our colleagues at TUT for bringing the future into our classroom and, more importantly, giving our students an opportunity to question it.

The future of education should not simply be technologically advanced. It should be pedagogically sound, ethically considered and profoundly human.

15/10/2026

📚🌱 From Storytime to Sustainability: Strengthening Early Literacy Through Collaboration

The Department of Early Childhood Education at the University of Pretoria is proud to celebrate Nokuthula’s contribution to the 2026 Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA) Conference, held under the theme “Knowledge, Power and Justice: The Transformative Role of Libraries.”

Presenting under the subtheme “Responding to Changing User Needs,” Nokuthula shared preliminary findings from her research, conducted under the supervision of Dr J. West, titled:

📖 “From Storytime to Sustainability: South African Public Libraries Collaborating with ECD Centres and Families to Foster Early Literacy Development.”

Her research highlights the important role of public libraries in supporting early literacy development through access to resources, welcoming spaces and educational programmes. The preliminary findings also reveal that parents and early childhood educators recognise the value of libraries and are eager to collaborate with librarians, despite challenges such as limited time, transport and awareness of available services.

🌍 A central message emerged: Sustainable early literacy development requires meaningful partnerships between families, ECD centres and public libraries, creating opportunities for children to learn and develop across different environments.

The presentation was positively received, sparking interest in further engagement and collaboration beyond the conference.

👏 Congratulations to Nokuthula and her supervisor, Dr J. West, on advancing research that highlights the transformative potential of community partnerships in strengthening early childhood education in South Africa!

06/10/2026

Don't miss out on Thursday!

Join the UP Faculty of Education Teaching & Learning Week for an important online
conversation:
‘The Quiet Erosion of Indigenous Language Literacy’
In the spirit of the 2026 ILO/UNESCO theme, “protecting the profession, advancing its status
and shaping our futures,” our panellists will bring attention to language, literacy and
inclusion in education.
Panellists: Dr Maria Vaz (UJ), Dr Mbali Dhlamini (UWC) and Dr Joyce West (UP)
8 October 2026
16:00–17:00 SAST | Online
Register: https://eu.bbcollab.com/guest/55cfd31f63ae4d3e8abced08aabf75c9

29/09/2026

29/09/2026

The Department of Early Childhood Education at the University of Pretoria was pleased to be represented at the recent UNISA symposium on “Strengthening South Africa’s Birth to Four ECD Workforce: A Higher Education Imperative.”

Dr Kayla Willemse, Dr Renisha Singh and Dr Nompumelelo Madonda attended on behalf of the department, engaging in important conversations around the professionalisation of the ECD workforce, access to higher education, practitioner development and the future of early childhood education in South Africa.

The symposium provided a valuable platform for academics, practitioners and sector partners to reflect on how higher education can contribute meaningfully to strengthening the ECD workforce while remaining responsive to the realities and experiences of practitioners.

The Department of Early Childhood Education values opportunities to contribute to these national conversations and to collaborate towards stronger, more equitable pathways for those working with our youngest children.

19/09/2026

Dr Joyce West & Dr Kayla Willemse is leading this very exciting initiative with CIPC!
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1JqKqvkcwR/

What if children could learn about intellectual property through the stories they read?

UP and the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) are partnering to help young learners understand originality, creativity and the value of protecting ideas. Through original storybooks created by UP Early Childhood Education students, complex concepts like copyright, trade marks and counterfeiting are being transformed into engaging lessons for young minds.

By nurturing respect for creativity from an early age, this collaboration is helping shape a future generation of responsible innovators and creators. Read more: https://ow.ly/QGjH50ZNshX

04/09/2026

The Department of Early Childhood Education is extremely proud to congratulate Ms Tariek Erasmus, who graduated with her Master’s degree this week! 🎉

This milestone reflects tremendous dedication, perseverance and commitment to academic excellence. Ms Erasmus completed her Master’s research under the supervision of Dr Joyce West and Dr Kayla Willemse.

Tariek, we celebrate this wonderful achievement with you and wish you every success as you continue to make your mark in the field of education. 🌱📚

Congratulations, Ms Erasmus! We are incredibly proud of you! 🎓👏

28/08/2026

You’re invited!

Join us for the Teaching Coding: Lo-Tech, No-Tech Research Colloquium at the University of Pretoria on 6 November 2026.

Researchers, academics, postgraduate students, teachers and educators are invited to attend, present and join the conversation.

https://forms.gle/i4o4K8jtv6zP6Zbo8

📣 Call for abstracts now open
📝 Maximum 300 words
⏰ Closing date: 11 September 2026

Come think beyond the screen with us. 🌱

28/08/2026

: As we celebrate Women's Month, we recognise Dr Kayla Willemse, an AfriDSAI Fellow, whose research is helping make computational thinking and digital skills more accessible in African schools.

Through the NELO model, a play-based, low-tech approach to coding and robotics, she is creating opportunities for learners in under-resourced communities while supporting educators to engage critically with AI.

Read her Fellow Spotlight: https://ow.ly/KGFX50ZFvas

20/08/2026

New kids on the block? More like bots on the block. 🤖

The ECE family has officially grown by a few wheels: meet Mimi, Daxi, and Pixel.

They have officially joined the ECE family, bringing with them wheels, sensors, lights, a few questionable dance moves, and plenty of opportunities to rethink what coding, robotics and emerging technologies can look like in early childhood education. Because the future of ECE isn’t about replacing the blocks, books, stories and play: it’s about asking what happens when we make room for a few bots alongside them.

Something tells me our practical sessions are about to become considerably more interesting!

https://sites.google.com/view/digitalseedlings/home?authuser=1