Abstract
Abstract : South Africa has a Special Schools’ population of 119 403 learners who present with neurodevelopmental disorders, wherein 2.49 % of learners have been diagnosed with ADHD. Schooling for these learners can be frustrating in many respects, for both the teacher, parents and the learner. As the Foundation Phase is of great importance in developing fundamental knowledge and skills, most ADHD learners develop academic difficulties during this phase. Teachers teaching in the Foundation Phase are therefore vital to the lives and success of learners with barriers to learning and development, including ADHD learners, as this is the period where their education for the future is underpinned. The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) believes that mobile digital learning technology, i.e. MLT, plays a central role in ensuring all learners succeed at school stating that technology, used effectively, can help learners meet and exceed expectations. As the use of MLT, such as iPads, in schools is still in its developmental stage, continued research and empirical studies need to be conducted. The research has not been performed on teachers’ perceptions of the use of iPads in the classroom, especially in the Foundation Phase. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe Foundation Phase teachers in Remedial schools perceptions of the use of mobile learning technology to support learners presenting with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The study is set within an interpretivist paradigm and utilises a qualitative case study design. Purposive sampling was used and one remedial school in Gauteng Province was selected purposively to be the focus of the study. The Foundation Phase teachers in the selected school were also purposively selected to participate in the study. This study showed that there is clear evidence that the teacher’s perceptions of MLT and its associated apps did support learners with ADHD. Important findings indicated that greater focus on establishing a learning environment for supporting learners, more focused training on how to orchestrate and manage the learning, as well as an inherent need for agency and autonomy in deciding on and using the MLT and associated applications were needed.
M.Ed. (Educational Psychology)