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A framework for the development and evaluation of a mobile training application for teachers to promote motor skills in young children in low-resource areas
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | De Wit, Monique |
| author2 | Plastow, Nicola Ann |
| author_browse | De Wit, Monique Plastow, Nicola Ann |
| author_facet | Plastow, Nicola Ann De Wit, Monique |
| author_sort | De Wit, Monique |
| collection | Thesis |
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| description | Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134597 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:47:12.516Z |
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| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
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| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134597 A framework for the development and evaluation of a mobile training application for teachers to promote motor skills in young children in low-resource areas De Wit, Monique Plastow, Nicola Ann Van Greunen, Darelle Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Occupational Therapy. Early childhood education Motor ability in children Teachers -- Training of Kindergarten teachers -- Training of Psychomotor learning UCTD Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. De Wit, M. 2025. A framework for the development and evaluation of a mobile training application for teachers to promote motor skills in young children in low-resource areas. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/f7b9e02c-1bfb-43f9-9839-ead5e0abb712 ENGLISH SUMMARY: Background: Research indicates that only about 50% of South African children entering Grade 1 are ready for school, with fewer than 50% of children in recognized early learning programmes being on track for a successful transition to Grade R. This is concerning, as school readiness is critical for future success in life. One of the key attributes of school readiness is physical development, or motor skills. Occupational therapists play a key role in promoting these motor skills and other aspects of school readiness, but poor teacher training has been identified as a major contributing factor to low readiness levels, even for children attending early learning programmes. Thus, for early childhood teachers, an affordable, accessible, and usable format of training is needed to improve the quality of teaching for all preschool children. Mobile learning (mLearning), which delivers content via smartphones or tablets, offers a potential solution for improving the quality of preschool education through teacher training. However, to be effective in ECD teacher training, these mLearning apps must consider the local context in their design. This must include ECD teachers as stakeholders in every step of the iterative process when developing the content of such mLearning modules. Usability testing and heuristic evaluation are two methods to ensure that mLearning apps meet standards of ease of use, effectiveness, and relevance for South African ECD-teachers. Aim of research: The aim of the study was to produce a framework for the development and evaluation of a teacher training app to promote motor skills in young children in low-resource areas. This was completed across four phases. Research question: The overarching research question was “What principles guide the design and usability of a mobile app for ECD teacher training to promote motor skills in young children in low-resource areas?” Objectives: • Phase 1: To identify the recommended characteristics of the content for a teacher training curriculum based on an effective and contextually relevant programme, using culture-centred education design methods. • Phase 2: To develop the relevant video content and high-fidelity prototype of a mobile learning app based on an existing, contextually relevant teacher and/or childcare provider training programme for developing gross and fine motor skills. • Phase 3: To complete a heuristic evaluation of the mobile training app. • Phase 4: To evaluate the overall usability of a mobile training app, using the Systems Usability Scale (SUS), with teachers in low-resource settings. Methods: This proof-of-concept study is a sequential mixed-method study, mainly focused on the development of a conceptual framework. This project included four phases. Phase 1 included development of the content of a teacher training curriculum based on a motor skills intervention programme designed for low-resource settings, through a consensus workshop. In Phase 2, the development of a high-fidelity training prototype was completed. In Phase 3, the heuristic evaluation of the prototype with a think-aloud protocol was conducted with experts in the field. In Phase 4 the usability and user experience evaluation of the prototype generated feedback from the intended end-users: teachers and childcare providers in low-resource settings in Cape Town, South Africa. Phase 2 of this project correlated with the design of the product development process and the testing and verification correlated with phase 3 and 4. Results: During each phase of this project, the researcher analysed the use of existing frameworks and methods and reported new or adjusted frameworks to consider for future development of such culture-centred content when developing a complete teacher training application. A new framework was formulated and tested and describes six steps in the process of developing culture-centred teacher training content for the mLearning modules and seven principles that guide the process throughout. The six steps include selection of a topic, reviewing the literature, selecting participants, running a World Café and follow-up roundtable, designing the prototype, completing a heuristic evaluation, and completing usability testing. The seven key principles needed for a successful end-product are a clear understanding of the concept of culture-centred knowledge, effective recruitment strategies, a multilingual approach, skilled facilitation, stakeholder engagement and transdisciplinarity, expert and end-user testing and an iterative approach to mLearning module development. These steps and key principles form the basis of a conceptual framework that was developed and tested through this proof-of-concept study. Conclusion: A new framework is now established for the development of ECD teacher training apps within the South African context, including end users in the design and development of each phase. This framework can be used to develop a complete preschool teacher training curriculum which will be usable and accessible to more teachers and caregivers of young children. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: Navorsing dui daarop dat slegs sowat 50% van Suid-Afrikaanse kinders gereed is vir skool wanneer hulle graad 1 betree, met minder as 50% van kinders in erkende voorskoolse leerprogramme wat op koers is vir suksesvolle oorgang na graad R. Dit is kommerwekkend, aangesien skoolgereedheid van kritieke belang is vir toekomstige sukses in die lewe. Een van die belangrikste eienskappe van skoolgereedheid is fisiese ontwikkeling, of motoriese vaardighede. Arbeidsterapeute speel 'n sleutelrol in die bevordering van hierdie motoriese vaardighede asook in ander aspekte van skoolgereedheid, maar swak onderwysersopleiding is geidentifiseer as 'n belangrike bydraende faktor tot lae gereedheidsvlakke, selfs vir kinders wat voorskoolse leerprogramme bywoon. Vir voorskoolse onderwysers, is 'n bekostigbare, toeganklike en bruikbare formaat van opleiding dus nodig om die kwaliteit van onderrig vir alle voorskoolse kinders te verbeter. Mobiele leer (mLearning), wat inhoud via slimfone of tablette lewer, bied 'n potensiele oplossing om die gehalte van voorskoolse onderwys deur onderwysersopleiding te verbeter. Om egter effektief te wees in voorskoolse onderwysersopleiding, moet hierdie mLearning-toepassings die plaaslike konteks in hul ontwerp in ag neem. Dit moet voorskoolse onderwysers as belanghebbendes in elke stap van die iteratiewe proses insluit wanneer die inhoud van sulke mLearning-modules ontwikkel word. Bruikbaarheidstoetsing en heuristiese evaluering is twee metodes om te verseker dat mLearning-toepassings aan standaarde van gebruiksgemak, doeltreffendheid en relevansie vir Suid-Afrikaanse voorskoolse onderwysers voldoen. Doel van navorsing: Die doel van hierdie projek was om 'n raamwerk te ontwikkel vir die ontwerp van mLearning-opleidingsprogramme wat gemik is op onderwysers in vroee kinderontwikkeling wat sorg bied aan kinders in gemeenskappe met min hulpbronne. Navorsingsvraag: Die oorkoepelende navorsingsvraag was "Watter beginsels rig die ontwerp en bruikbaarheid van 'n mobiele toepassing vir onderwysersopleiding om motoriese vaardighede by jong kinders in laehulpbron gebiede te bevorder?" Doelwitte: • Fase 1: Om die aanbevole eienskappe van die video-inhoud vir 'n onderwysersopleidings-kurrikulum te identifiseer gebaseer op 'n effektiewe en kontekstueel relevante program, met behulp van kultuurgesentreerde onderwysontwerpsmetodes. • Fase 2: Om die relevante video-inhoud en hoegetrouheidsprototipe van 'n mobiele leertoepassing te ontwikkel gebaseer op 'n bestaande, kontekstueel relevante onderwyser- en / of kinderversorger-opleidingsprogram vir die ontwikkeling van groot- en fynmotoriese vaardighede. • Fase 3: Om 'n heuristiese evaluering van die mobiele opleidingstoepassing te voltooi. • Fase 4: Om die algehele bruikbaarheid van 'n mobiele opleidingstoepassing te evalueer, met behulp van die Systems Usability Scale (SUS), met onderwysers in laehulpbron gebiede. Metodes: Hierdie bewys-van-konsep-studie is 'n opeenvolgende gemengde metodestudie, hoofsaaklik gefokus op die ontwikkeling van 'n konseptuele raamwerk. Hierdie projek het vier fases ingesluit. Fase 1 het die ontwikkeling van die inhoud van 'n onderwysersopleidingskurrikulum ingesluit gebaseer op 'n intervensieprogram vir motoriese vaardighede wat ontwerp is vir laehulpbron gebiede, deur middel van 'n konsensuswerkswinkel. In fase 2 is die ontwikkeling van 'n hoëgetroue opleidingsprototipe voltooi. In fase 3 is die heuristiese evaluering van die prototipe met 'n hardop-dink-protokol met kundiges in die veld uitgevoer. In Fase 4 het die bruikbaarheid en gebruikerservaring-evaluering van die prototipe, terugvoer van die beoogde eindgebruikers gegenereer: voorskoolse onderwysers in omgewings met min hulpbronne in Kaapstad, Suid-Afrika. Fase 2 van hierdie projek het gekorreleer met die ontwerp van die produkontwikkelingsproses en die toetsing en verifikasie wat met fase 3 en 4 gekorreleer is. Resultate: Gedurende elke fase van hierdie projek het die navorser die gebruik van bestaande raamwerke en metodes ontleed en nuwe of aangepaste raamwerke gerapporteer om in ag te neem vir toekomstige ontwikkeling van sodanige kultuurgesentreerde inhoud wanneer 'n volledige onderwysersopleidingstoepassing ontwikkel word. 'n Nuwe raamwerk is geformuleer en getoets en beskryf sewe stappe in die proses om kultuurgesentreerde onderwysersopleidingsinhoud vir mLearning-modules te ontwikkel en sewe beginsels wat die proses deurgaans rig. Die sewe stappe sluit in die keuse van 'n onderwerp, ‘n literatuuroorsig, die keuse van studie-deelnemers, die aanbied van 'n World Café en opvolg-rondetafel gesprek, die ontwerp van die prototipe, die voltooiing van 'n heuristiese evaluering en bruikbaarheidstoetsing. Die sewe sleutelbeginsels wat nodig is vir 'n suksesvolle eindproduk is 'n duidelike begrip van die konsep van kultuurgesentreerde kennis, effektiewe werwingstrategiee, 'n meertalige benadering, bekwame fasilitering, betrokkenheid van belanghebbendes en transdissiplinariteit, kundige en eindgebruikertoetsing en 'n iteratiewe benadering tot mLearning-module-ontwikkeling. Hierdie stappe en sleutelbeginsels vorm die basis van 'n konseptuele raamwerk wat deur hierdie bewys-van-konsep-studie ontwikkel en getoets is. Gevolgtrekking: 'n Nuwe raamwerk word nou gevestig vir die ontwikkeling van ‘n voorskoolse onderwysersopleidingstoepassings binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, wat eindgebruikers by die ontwerp en ontwikkeling van elke fase insluit. Hierdie raamwerk kan gebruik word om 'n volledige voorskoolse onderwyseropleidingskurrikulum te ontwikkel wat bruikbaar en toeganklik sal wees vir meer onderwysers en versorgers van jong kinders. Doctoral 2025-12-18T06:00:30Z 2025-12-18T06:00:30Z 2025-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134597 en Stellenbosch University xix, 263 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Early childhood education Motor ability in children Teachers -- Training of Kindergarten teachers -- Training of Psychomotor learning UCTD De Wit, Monique A framework for the development and evaluation of a mobile training application for teachers to promote motor skills in young children in low-resource areas |
| title | A framework for the development and evaluation of a mobile training application for teachers to promote motor skills in young children in low-resource areas |
| title_full | A framework for the development and evaluation of a mobile training application for teachers to promote motor skills in young children in low-resource areas |
| title_fullStr | A framework for the development and evaluation of a mobile training application for teachers to promote motor skills in young children in low-resource areas |
| title_full_unstemmed | A framework for the development and evaluation of a mobile training application for teachers to promote motor skills in young children in low-resource areas |
| title_short | A framework for the development and evaluation of a mobile training application for teachers to promote motor skills in young children in low-resource areas |
| title_sort | framework for the development and evaluation of a mobile training application for teachers to promote motor skills in young children in low resource areas |
| topic | Early childhood education Motor ability in children Teachers -- Training of Kindergarten teachers -- Training of Psychomotor learning UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134597 |
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