Teaching Science anew in the Foundation Phase: Reimagining pre-service teacher learning for Inclusive Early Pedagogy

Teaching Science anew in the Foundation Phase: Reimagining pre-service teacher learning for Inclusive Early Pedagogy

Nasaret Ruswa & Zukiswa Nhase

Issue: Vol. 7 No. 4 2026 Article 10 pp. 470 – 486
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.20267410 Published online 26th May 2026.

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ABSTRACT

This study investigated how pre-service teachers (PSTs) in South Africa experience professional learning opportunities that influence their preparedness to teach Science in the Foundation Phase. Grounded in the principles of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), the study employed thematic narrative analysis of focus group interviews and group reflections with 18 third- and fourth-year Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) students from a South African university. The participants included eleven fourth-year and seven third-year students, representing diverse linguistic, gender, and residential backgrounds. The study is underpinned by three complementary theoretical perspectives: Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), Social Network Theory (SNT), and the Integrated Pedagogical Network Support (IPNS) framework. Together, these frameworks guided the interpretation of the findings by enabling an exploration of how curriculum design, practicum exposure, and professional learning networks shape PSTs’ confidence, professional learning, and emerging identities as Foundation Phase Science teachers. The findings revealed that while participants valued collaboration, mentorship, and reflective dialogue, they encountered limited structured, practice-based opportunities to integrate inclusive and inquiry-based science pedagogy during their training. The study recommends embedding supervised practicum experiences, formalised peer mentoring systems, and professional learning communities into teacher preparation programmes. By aligning teacher education with SoTL principles of inclusivity, collaboration, and innovation, this research contributes a contextually relevant framework for preparing confident, competent, and inquiry-oriented Science educators for the early years.

Keywords: Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, inclusive pedagogy, early science education, professional identity, pre-service teachers.

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AUTHOR(S)

Dr. Nasaret Ruswa is a Lecturer in Curriculum Studies and Higher Education within the Faculty of Education at the University of the Free State, South Africa. Her research interests include teacher professional identity, beginning teacher development, professional learning, and early childhood education. Her scholarly work explores how mentorship, practicum experiences, and professional support networks shape teachers’ professional growth within South African teacher education and school contexts. Her current research contributes to scholarly conversations on induction, inclusive pedagogy, and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), with a growing focus on science education in the Foundation Phase. She also contributes to postgraduate supervision and research development at Honours, Master’s, and PhD levels within the field of education.

Dr. Zukiswa Nhase is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Childhood Education within the Faculty of Education at the University of Johannesburg. Her research is situated within the field of Science Education, with a particular focus on Early Childhood and Primary Education. Her scholarly work explores how contextual factors such as language of instruction, the availability of learning resources, and inquiry-based pedagogical approaches shape science teaching and learning in the early years, particularly within multilingual and under-resourced contexts. She has supervised numerous Honours, Master’s, and PhD students to successful completion and has contributed extensively to postgraduate research development and mentorship. She has published in several accredited national and international journals and actively contributes to scholarly conversations on inquiry-based learning, teacher development, and inclusive pedagogies in Foundation Phase education.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Ruswa, Nasaret, and Zukiswa Nhase. “Teaching Science anew in the Foundation Phase: Reimagining Pre-Service teacher learning for Inclusive Early Pedagogy.” Journal of Education and Learning Technology 7, no.4 (2026): 470 – 486. https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.20267410