Objective: To create social media content for children grades K-3 in Uganda to continue learning beyond the classroom (and during the pandemic).
Phase 1
Listen. Research from the literature
Uganda schooling: History, current struggles
Carnahan, Sharon. “SCHOOL READINESS PROJECT UGANDA 2018-2019.” Rollins College, 26 Feb. 2019.
Concerns from interviews of educators and parents in Uganda
Teachers want resources and training in early education methods but they are difficult to access
Parent sensitization about the importance of school is lacking
Most parents are illiterate and communication is hard
Hardships caused by the remote locations include walking 5km to school, teachers needing to live at school without safe housing and no electricity
Hunger and malnutrition in students and sometimes teachers
Incomplete number of school books and no story or reading books
Lack of knowledge of government policy action plan in ECD or access to printed resources produced in Kampala
Importance of play during child development
Baillet, Amandine, and Deborah Llewellyn. “Learning Toys Production Guide.” Plan International, 1 Jan. 2014,
Children’s play and development of social skills and thinking skills go hand in hand
Children learn through play - correlation between play and academic success
Through play, children learn to:
Make a plan and follow through (initiative)
Learn from trial and error, imagination, problem-solving
apply concepts of quantity, science, and movement to real life
Reason in a logical, analytical manner by acting on objects
Communicate with classmates and talk about different points of view
Satisfaction from one's own accomplishments (pride)
By using locally produced materials, children can learn about their own specific environment, community, culture.
Children can make their own learning toys and games that give kids a sense of achievement, ownership, pride
Importance of parents supporting development through
Parents and caregivers can help children learn through play by providing enough time for play and ensuring that the materials are stimulating for their developmental needs
Novelty is needed for the brain to continue development so caregiver will need to change and add new play materials with time
Non-instructional talk for the caregiver - observing and talking with the children
Toys need to give children an appreciation for lovely, discovery, drive to learn about the unknown — has to be challenging enough to stimulate the Child's mind
Learning toys:
Majority can be used in many ways — blocks, shells, bottle caps, picture cards
Attractive and well made - colorful, pics with detail
New things added to increase novelty
Principles
Children learn by doing, children learn through play, learn what is personally meaningful to them, learn well when they use what they already know as they construct new knowledge, learning is social, a strong relationship between emotions and learning
Important for children to direct their learning rather than the caregiver
Blocks and building, imagination, books and pictures, games and puzzles, sand and water play
