Abstract:
Children are exposed to influential role models, such as parents, peers, teachers, fictional
characters and humans in virtual and physical environments. Utilising role modelling as a teaching
approach or rich teaching resource not only appeals to the social learning preference of a young
child but also supports teachers in reaching out to virtual and physical communities to enrich
literacy learning experiences. The perspective of role models to promote acceptable social and
academic behaviour in young children has progressively introduced scholarly views on the
achievability and importance thereof in education and its applicability as a hybrid pedagogy. With
rapid technological advancements and increased access to the Internet, an integrated platform is
provided which teachers can benefit from when incorporating role models to help cultivate
responsible social and academic behaviour. In this study, we implemented a literacy programme
– the Reading, Rugby and Responsibility project – as a community project to improve our
understanding of how rugby students, as role models, can intentionally inculcate responsible
social and reading behaviour in Grade 3 children. We aligned the outcomes of the project with
the Community of Inquiry framework to hypothesise the value and feasibility of using role models
as a hybrid pedagogy and resource in early childhood education. We utilised a qualitative case
study design and purposefully selected five rugby students to interact with 35 Grade 3 children at
an inner-city primary school in Pretoria. The data generated from informal discussions with the
rugby students and reflections of their experiences, as well as the children’s narrative accounts
and drawings, were thematically analysed. The findings revealed that children yearn to engage
with role models and be part of a community. Further investigation on how the Community of
Inquiry framework can inform and utilise role modelling as a hybrid pedagogy and resource is
beckoned and recommended.
