- Title
- Factors affecting early childhood development for the new world of work: a case study
- Creator
- Manakana, Lebogang
- Subject
- Child development
- Subject
- Education, Preschool
- Subject
- Work -- Social aspects
- Date Issued
- 2025-04
- Date
- 2025-04
- Type
- Master's theses
- Type
- text
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10948/72960
- Identifier
- vital:79294
- Description
- The rapid advancement of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) emphasises the importance of preparing children with the fundamental skills needed for the ever-changing requirements of the new world of work. Early Childhood Development (ECD) plays a crucial role in providing young learners with abilities like digital literacy, creativity, critical thinking and self-leadership, all of which are increasingly critical for future success. This examination investigates the factors impacting ECD, with a focus on incorporating modern educational methods and the influence of parental and societal engagement in promoting comprehensive child development. By using a quantitative research design, data were gathered from educators, caregivers and parents throughout South Africa. 110 participants took part in the study and all participant’s responses were accepted for analysis. The results indicate that digital literacy (p < 0.0005), parental involvement (p < 0.0005), and child-centred learning approaches (p < 0.0005) significantly affect ECD outcomes. Additionally, interpersonal skills, creativity, self-leadership and critical thinking were identified as crucial components for preparing children for the new work environment. Despite these positive findings, the study highlights ongoing challenges, including unequal access to quality ECD resources and gaps in educator training, which hinder the potential for fair development across various socio-economic contexts. The study contributes to the expanding knowledge base by presenting actionable insights for stakeholders, stressing the significance of aligning ECD strategies with future workforce requirements. Suggestions include investing in ECD infrastructure, integrating digital tools into learning environments, improving educator training and promoting collaborative efforts between families and institutions. Furthermore, a theoretical framework was created to guide the implementation of inclusive and sustainable ECD practices. This research establishes a basis for future studies to investigate the long-term effects of ECD interventions, focusing on scalability and adaptability in diverse settings. By bridging the divide between early education and workforce readiness, this study
- Description
- Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 2025
- Format
- computer
- Format
- online resource
- Format
- application/pdf
- Format
- 1 online resource (175 pages)
- Format
- Publisher
- Nelson Mandela University
- Publisher
- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences
- Language
- English
- Rights
- Nelson Mandela University
- Rights
- All Rights Reserved
- Rights
- Open Access
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- Visitors: 3
- Downloads: 0
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NMU Business School
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | MANAKANA, L.pdf | 2 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |