Improving foundation phase learners' addition skills using digital interventions: A hermeneutic meta-synthesis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.38140/ijer-2026.vol8.1.12Keywords:
Addition skills, digital intervention, foundation phase, mathematics education, TPACKAbstract
The purpose of this paper was to identify the predominant pedagogical roles of digital interventions in improving Foundation Phase learners’ addition skills. Global curriculum education advocates for the integration of digital interventions to enhance numeracy, with additional skills being a critical topic for early mathematical success. However, a significant gap persists between this policy encouragement and its effective implementation in classrooms, particularly in contexts such as South Africa. Framed by the Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, teachers require both content and pedagogical knowledge to utilise digital interventions effectively in assisting learners in acquiring mathematical skills beyond rote memorisation. This study employed a hermeneutic meta-synthesis to critically interpret and integrate findings from 16 qualitative studies conducted between 2020 and 2025, utilising the Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. The findings indicate that digital interventions serve as conceptual bridges and cognitive scaffolds, making abstract ideas tangible and enhancing executive functions in the improvement of addition skills. However, their transformative potential is entirely mediated by teacher expertise. Significant systemic barriers, including inadequate teacher technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge, insufficient professional development, and constraining curriculum policies, routinely lead to the underutilisation or misuse of technology as mere digital worksheets. This paper concludes that improving addition skills requires the construction of a coherent pedagogical ecosystem rather than reliance on superior interventions. Consequently, it recommends a fundamental reconceptualisation of teacher preparation and support concerning digital interventions aimed at improving Foundation Phase learners' addition skills.
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