The Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) 2025 Annual Conference takes place March 22-26, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The JET Team Daniel Mashilo, Eleanor Hazell and Rachel Neville will be representing JET at the CIES 2025 Conference. 
Presentation 1 will be on the relationship between support for self-sustained engagement and learner outcomes on developmental domains related to school readiness for four to five-year-olds in South Africa. This is a follow-up to CIES 2023 which introduced the PLAY (Playful Learning Across the Years) measurement toolkit and described its development. The study by the JET team: Rachel Neville, Nkhensani Baloyi, Daniel Mashilo and Roelien Herholdt, looks at the relationship between classroom observation data and learner outcome data to understand where significant associations exist between classroom practices that support children’s self-sustained engagement and learner outcomes related to school readiness. The Lego Engage classroom observation tool for three-to-five-year-olds measures support for children’s self-sustained engagement across four constructs: agency, exploration, personal and social connection, and a positive emotional climate. Classroom observation data was collected at 150 classrooms in impoverished communities in KwaZulu Natal province in South Africa. Learner outcome data was collected using the Early Learning Outcome Measure (ELOM), a standardized developmental assessment for four to five-year-olds.
Presentation 2 will be on the Blended CPD for teaching of reading in isiZulu Home Language: Reflections and lessons from a quasi-experimental study by: Sahar Mohy-Ud-Din, (VVOB), Joshua Engelbrecht, (JET), Eleanor Hazell, (JET), and Sharon Schroen, (VVOB). Persistent low literacy among South African children underscores the need for effective teacher development interventions. The Early Grade Reading Instruction (EGRI) programme addresses this by implementing a blended Continuous Professional Development (CPD) model for Foundation Phase teachers in isiZulu Home Language instruction. EGRI integrates online learning modules with Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). This paper explores how blended CPD strengthens teacher knowledge and practice in teaching early-grade reading and literacy development.
About CIES 2025
Envisioning Education in a Digital Society, the CIES 2025 conference theme, is inspired by rapid transformations taking place due to technological advancements (e.g., Generative Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, and Connectivity Technologies) that are reshaping our daily lives, the future of work and our society, all of which have profound impacts on education. These advancements bring complex challenges, including the adoption of technology in educational settings, ethical concerns, and the new digital divide that technologies can create. Moreover, the growth of connectivity and the widespread use of devices and digital applications are pushing forward digital transformations in education at a rapid pace.
