HED2601 Assignment 2 2025: Complete
Verified Answers with Detailed Explanations
| Due 30 July 2025 University of South Africa
Department of Early Childhood Education and Development
Submission Date: 30 July 2025 Prepared for Students of HED2601:
History of Education in Foundation Phase
, Contents
1 Introduction 2
2 Assignment Questions and Answers 2
2.1 Question 1: Theorists in Early Childhood Education (25 Marks) . . . . . 2
2.1.1 1.1 Name three prominent theorists whose approaches to learning
have had a profound impact on Early Childhood Education (ECE).
(3 Marks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2.1.2 1.2 Summarize the theory or focus of each theorist named in 1.1
in one or two sentences. (6 Marks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2.1.3 1.3 Identify one principle from Montessori’s approach to learning
and briefly explain how it supports child development. Provide
a brief example of how you would apply this principle in your
teaching. (6 Marks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.1.4 1.4 Draw a table comparing Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s views on how
children learn, showing two differences and two similarities. (8
Marks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.1.5 1.5 Substantiate the importance of the HED2601 module in your
training as a teacher. (3 Marks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.2 Question 2: Benefits and Historical Context of ECE (20 Marks) . . . . . 4
2.2.1 2.1 Discuss the benefits of early childhood education in the South
African context. (8 Marks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.2.2 2.2 Explain how indigenous practices influenced early childhood
education before colonial times. (6 Marks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.2.3 2.3 Discuss the impact of apartheid on early childhood education.
(6 Marks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.3 Question 3: Curriculum Evolution in South Africa (20 Marks) . . . . . . 5
2.3.1 3.1 Create a flow diagram showing the evolution of the South
African school curriculum from 1990 to 2025. (8 Marks) . . . . . 5
2.3.2 3.2 Describe the features of each curriculum in 3.1 and how it
differs from its predecessor. (8 Marks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.3.3 3.3 Indicate whether you agree or disagree with the statement:
“Changing the curricula or policies does not automatically equal
transformation.” Provide two reasons. (4 Marks) . . . . . . . . . 5
3 Additional Questions and Answers 6
4 Conclusion 14
5 Honesty Declaration 14
1
Verified Answers with Detailed Explanations
| Due 30 July 2025 University of South Africa
Department of Early Childhood Education and Development
Submission Date: 30 July 2025 Prepared for Students of HED2601:
History of Education in Foundation Phase
, Contents
1 Introduction 2
2 Assignment Questions and Answers 2
2.1 Question 1: Theorists in Early Childhood Education (25 Marks) . . . . . 2
2.1.1 1.1 Name three prominent theorists whose approaches to learning
have had a profound impact on Early Childhood Education (ECE).
(3 Marks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2.1.2 1.2 Summarize the theory or focus of each theorist named in 1.1
in one or two sentences. (6 Marks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2.1.3 1.3 Identify one principle from Montessori’s approach to learning
and briefly explain how it supports child development. Provide
a brief example of how you would apply this principle in your
teaching. (6 Marks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.1.4 1.4 Draw a table comparing Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s views on how
children learn, showing two differences and two similarities. (8
Marks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.1.5 1.5 Substantiate the importance of the HED2601 module in your
training as a teacher. (3 Marks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.2 Question 2: Benefits and Historical Context of ECE (20 Marks) . . . . . 4
2.2.1 2.1 Discuss the benefits of early childhood education in the South
African context. (8 Marks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.2.2 2.2 Explain how indigenous practices influenced early childhood
education before colonial times. (6 Marks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.2.3 2.3 Discuss the impact of apartheid on early childhood education.
(6 Marks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.3 Question 3: Curriculum Evolution in South Africa (20 Marks) . . . . . . 5
2.3.1 3.1 Create a flow diagram showing the evolution of the South
African school curriculum from 1990 to 2025. (8 Marks) . . . . . 5
2.3.2 3.2 Describe the features of each curriculum in 3.1 and how it
differs from its predecessor. (8 Marks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.3.3 3.3 Indicate whether you agree or disagree with the statement:
“Changing the curricula or policies does not automatically equal
transformation.” Provide two reasons. (4 Marks) . . . . . . . . . 5
3 Additional Questions and Answers 6
4 Conclusion 14
5 Honesty Declaration 14
1
