A narrative review on the integration of digital technologies in MFP1501: A mathematics module for foundation phase pre-service teachers in OdeL

This narrative paper focuses on redesigning the MFP1501, a mathematics module for Foundation Phase pre-service teachers offered at a higher education university in South Africa, an Open Distance e-Learning (ODeL). ODeL means physical distance from the university, self-managed studies, and mostly digital interactions, with written study materials. This study examined the MFP1501 to prepare pre-service teachers to integrate digital technologies in teaching mathematics. The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework underpinned this study because it provides a lens on interconnected content, pedagogy and technology to guide pre-service teachers in teaching mathematics to young learners. Through Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), fourteen studies from 2020 to 2025 were selected from Google Scholar, Research Gate, Scopus (Elsevier), Web of Science (Clarivate), and the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) and reviewed to tap into how other higher learning institutions design their modules. The findings revealed that pre-service teachers have limited knowledge of integrating digital technologies and pedagogical approaches in their practice, with access to digital tools and uneven professional development limiting their readiness in the practical world. This paper suggests guidelines for redesigning MFP1501 to integrate content, pedagogical and technological knowledge to support pre-service teachers in their practical work environments. This research contributes to a transformative approach to the redesign of modules using the TPACK framework within the ODeL context, not limited to the MFP1501 module.