100%
HED2601
EXAM PACK
DISTINCTION QUALITY
UNISA EXAM
,HED2601 EXAM
19 JANUARY 2026
QUESTION 1
1.1 Name TWO (2) minerals that were discovered in South Africa in the 1800s,
resulting in significant social and economic changes.
Diamonds
Gold
Diamonds were discovered in Kimberley in 1867, and gold was discovered on the
Witwatersrand in 1886. These discoveries led to rapid industrialisation, urbanisation,
migrant labour, and major social and economic changes in South Africa.
1.2 Define the concept of ubuntu in your own words.
Ubuntu is an African philosophy that emphasises humaneness, compassion, respect,
and togetherness. It is based on the belief that a person becomes a person through
their relationships with others – “I am because we are.”
,1.3 Briefly explain how you could apply the philosophy of ubuntu in your teaching
in the Foundation Phase.
I could apply ubuntu in the Foundation Phase by encouraging learners to share,
cooperate, and help one another in the classroom. Group activities can be used to
teach learners teamwork and respect. I would also model kindness, fairness, and
empathy, and teach learners to respect differences. In this way, children learn social
values and develop a sense of belonging (Letseka, 2013).
1.4 Name TWO (2) prominent early childhood development (ECD) theorists that
you studied in this module.
Maria Montessori
Lev Vygotsky
1.5 Briefly discuss the importance of class size (teacher-to-learner ratio) as an
indicator of the quality of education.
Class size is an important indicator of quality education because smaller classes allow
teachers to give individual attention to learners. When the teacher-to-learner ratio is low,
teachers can better support children’s learning, behaviour, and emotional needs. Large
classes make it difficult to manage learners and meet their developmental needs.
According to quality ECE principles, appropriate class size improves interaction and
learning outcomes (Bronfenbrenner, in HED2601 Study Guide).
, 1.6.1 In view of the passage, briefly discuss the kind of education that children
received in indigenous African homes. Your answer must focus on the knowledge
and skills that were taught and how they were taught.
Children in indigenous African homes received informal, practical, and community-
based education. Knowledge and skills such as pastoral farming, herding cattle,
gathering food, storytelling, and social values were taught. Learning took place in the
home and community rather than in formal schools.
Children learned mainly through observation, imitation, participation, and guided
practice. Adults and older siblings acted as role models, and children gradually moved
from watching to doing. Storytelling was used to teach moral values, cultural traditions,
and history. This form of education was child-centred, meaningful, and closely linked to
daily life (Afrolayan, 2004; Nsamenang & Tchombe, 2011; Van Wyk & Adeniji-Neill,
2014).
HED2601
EXAM PACK
DISTINCTION QUALITY
UNISA EXAM
,HED2601 EXAM
19 JANUARY 2026
QUESTION 1
1.1 Name TWO (2) minerals that were discovered in South Africa in the 1800s,
resulting in significant social and economic changes.
Diamonds
Gold
Diamonds were discovered in Kimberley in 1867, and gold was discovered on the
Witwatersrand in 1886. These discoveries led to rapid industrialisation, urbanisation,
migrant labour, and major social and economic changes in South Africa.
1.2 Define the concept of ubuntu in your own words.
Ubuntu is an African philosophy that emphasises humaneness, compassion, respect,
and togetherness. It is based on the belief that a person becomes a person through
their relationships with others – “I am because we are.”
,1.3 Briefly explain how you could apply the philosophy of ubuntu in your teaching
in the Foundation Phase.
I could apply ubuntu in the Foundation Phase by encouraging learners to share,
cooperate, and help one another in the classroom. Group activities can be used to
teach learners teamwork and respect. I would also model kindness, fairness, and
empathy, and teach learners to respect differences. In this way, children learn social
values and develop a sense of belonging (Letseka, 2013).
1.4 Name TWO (2) prominent early childhood development (ECD) theorists that
you studied in this module.
Maria Montessori
Lev Vygotsky
1.5 Briefly discuss the importance of class size (teacher-to-learner ratio) as an
indicator of the quality of education.
Class size is an important indicator of quality education because smaller classes allow
teachers to give individual attention to learners. When the teacher-to-learner ratio is low,
teachers can better support children’s learning, behaviour, and emotional needs. Large
classes make it difficult to manage learners and meet their developmental needs.
According to quality ECE principles, appropriate class size improves interaction and
learning outcomes (Bronfenbrenner, in HED2601 Study Guide).
, 1.6.1 In view of the passage, briefly discuss the kind of education that children
received in indigenous African homes. Your answer must focus on the knowledge
and skills that were taught and how they were taught.
Children in indigenous African homes received informal, practical, and community-
based education. Knowledge and skills such as pastoral farming, herding cattle,
gathering food, storytelling, and social values were taught. Learning took place in the
home and community rather than in formal schools.
Children learned mainly through observation, imitation, participation, and guided
practice. Adults and older siblings acted as role models, and children gradually moved
from watching to doing. Storytelling was used to teach moral values, cultural traditions,
and history. This form of education was child-centred, meaningful, and closely linked to
daily life (Afrolayan, 2004; Nsamenang & Tchombe, 2011; Van Wyk & Adeniji-Neill,
2014).
