EduPeg - Empowered teachers create empowered learners

Edupeg is a unique educational concept which creates opportunities for children to be actively engaged in their own learning. The Edupeg exercises promote written activities, which enhance the understanding of mathematical concepts and which promote neat and systematic recording, incorporating the attained answer. The bright, attractive and colourful pictures promote language discussion, vocabulary enrichment and opportunities for extended writing exercises, which involve more complex sentences and higher cognitive skills. Edupeg seeks to support the cultivation of a strong work ethic, where children work responsibly, using their skills and initiative, to ultimately become informed, capable, and responsible democratic citizens.

Edupeg is a multiple-choice, self-corrective, integrated teaching programme, which promotes the participation of children in their learning.
The activities are contained in 22 individual colour-coded workbooks and commence with perceptual activities, upon which all learning is based.
The activities graduate to cross-curricular exercises including language and literacy, numeracy, life skills, human and environmental sciences. The main focus is on numeracy and literacy.
A unique injection-moulded plastic pegboard is utilized in conjunction with the workbooks and provides the opportunity for the multiple-choice activities to be effected and to then be immediately assessed for accuracy. Should correction be necessary, this is done in context. By correcting their own work, learners take control of their own learning.
The manipulation of the pegboard helps to promote dexterity and to develop fine motor skills.
The versatility of the programme enables learners to interact with the material individually, or within a group (which may be teacher directed), or co-operatively, as in a peer tutoring situation.
Opportunities are created to support development of social and co-operative skills, so essential in life.
Edupeg is indigenous to South Africa and is available in English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu, seSotho, sePedi, and Portuguese.

Edupeg can be used in a classroom situation, as a teaching resource to promote the active participation of pupils in their own learning. It can be used for either individual work, group work, or for peer tutoring. The varied developmental levels of pupils can be catered for simultaneously and children can work at a level appropriate for their level of skill and capacity. Teacher training forms an essential component of the Edupeg programme.

Edupeg can also be used successfully in a Home School environment, or as a personal individual development programme.

Edupeg materials are indigenous and available in mother tongue.
They contain no cultural, racial or gender bias.
The approach and content of the Edupeg materials is versatile and appropriate for the curriculum.
The resources are durable and cost effective.
Instructions are simple and easily understood by learners.
Activities stimulate the learners’ interest and expand their often limited world.
Differing abilities of learners are catered for.

For many children, their first school experiences are of bewilderment, frustration and defeat. Frequently the primary teaching method is that of “talk and chalk”, including a “question and answer” strategy to obtain information from children. Multiple children require visual and tactile experiences to promote and enhance their understanding of concepts, which are seldom evident in the classrooms in poor communities. Before attempting learning through technology, children must have established sound understanding of concepts that they are able to apply when engaging with computerised learning programmes. Edupeg provides a highly visual and tactile learning experience.

Learning takes on aspects of fun and enjoyment.
Addresses low morale of teachers.
A balance is created between teacher exposition and learner activity.
The pace and content of the lesson is not dictated by the slowest student.
Provision is made for pupils to methodically and accurately fulfil written activities.
Promotes reasoning, observation and deduction and encourages pupils to think and determine answers.
Improves vocabulary, language, sentence structure and communication.
Improves the responsiveness of pupils.
Diminishes teachers’ need to be prescriptive.
Promotes dexterity and fine motor skills.
Provides opportunities to promote and develop social skills.
Includes comprehensive perceptual development activities, crucial to initial learning.

Engagement with Edupeg activities promotes pupil involvement, concentration, critical cognitive development and problem solving strategies.
Working independently promotes self reliance and the ability for children to work without constant teacher intervention.
The opportunities provided for interactive group work promote dialogue, verbal communication, vocabulary enrichment, sentence construction, tolerance and essential listening skills.
Pupils are encouraged to think, to determine answers, and to record these neatly, accurately and systematically.
Pupils of varying levels of ability can be catered for simultaneously.
Learning takes on an aspect of fun and enjoyment and levels of anxiety and feelings of inadequacy are diminished, through providing positive learning experiences.
The pace and content of the lesson is not dictated by the slowest pupils.
Fine motor control is developed.
Essential perceptual development activities form part of the programme.

Possibly the greatest challenge is to assist teachers to embrace new teaching and learning techniques and to translate what they have learned into classroom practice. Our training and support model focuses on creating a mutually supportive and enabling environment where schools can eventually drive their own development.
Edupeg activities assist teachers to promote reasoning, observation and deduction.
Assessment of pupils is simplified as teachers can see and evaluate what children can do.
The multiple pictures, rubrics, and graphical representations assist teachers to support children who require visual stimulation to learn.
Teachers who have limited knowledge/experience of a subject/concept can utilise the activities to promote their own understanding.
The self-corrective aspect of the programme allows for increased learning opportunities for differentiated pupil groups.
With children absorbed in their tasks, discipline problems diminish.
Pupils of varying levels of ability can be catered for simultaneously.

Edupeg materials are durable and do not need annual replacement. Utilizing the workbooks within the provided plastic protective sleeve ensures a teaching and learning resource for many years. The multiple colourful and attractive activities provide detail and interest and precluded the necessity to photocopy, thus saving paper (and cartridge ink) and creating a huge cost saving with an environmentally positive impact.

The broad community can be made aware of the support of the donor involved. Many corporates in both South Africa and in developing countries recognise the value of education. The sponsorship into schools can be linked directly with the corporate social investment policy of the donor.