Shifting Demographics and Changing Expectations: Lecturers’ Experiences in Teaching HIV and Aids Course for Transformative Learning in Higher Education (original) (raw)
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Teachers' experiences in teaching HIV and Aids education in Masvingo district, Zimbabwe
2014
This study explored teachers' experiences in teaching HIV and AIDS as a subject in secondary schools in Zimbabwe. The Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) guided the study. Twenty teachers, four school heads and two Ministry of Education officials in Masvingo district comprised the sample. A qualitative research design was applied. Data were collected via individual interviews, focus group interviews and open-ended questionnaires. The study found that teachers had diverse experiences in teaching HIV and AIDS. All twenty teachers (100%) experienced frustration, lack of direction, being overburdened and fear regarding teaching HIV and AIDS. Some teachers 15 (75%) experienced the subject as sensitive. Yet others experienced uncertainty and insecurity. 14 (70%) teachers experienced lack of information and confusion regarding the subject and its execution thereof. Overall, there were inconsistencies regarding teacher experiences in executing the subject due to lack of professional qualifications and the non-availability of policy and curriculum documents. It is recommended that the Ministry should become proactive in developing teachers' knowledge and skills through ongoing professional development. HIV and AIDS teachers should lessen negative affects and low self efficacy. School heads should provide resources and develop teachers' experiences in HIV and AIDS so that the subject area is well received in schools.
The current framework for integrating HIV/AIDS into university curriculum is mainly informed by the need to make HIV/AIDS education relevant to specific disciplines, and to equip graduates with necessary skills to respond to HIV/AIDS in their professional capacities. This strategy mainly emphasizes content and knowledge and largely ignores the current context in which students live and make sexual decisions. This paper explores the opportunities for utilizing multidisciplinary, and participatory integrated HIV/AIDS education programmes to address sexual risk-taking and students' vulnerabilities to HIV/AIDS within their university campuses. It examines students' preferences regarding development and implementation of HIV/AIDS programmes based on the findings of a PhD study conducted at three universities in KwaZulu-Natal province. Data was obtained through a questionnaire survey involving 1400 students, and in-depth interviews with 24 students and three HIV/AIDS coordinators drawn from across the three universities. Non-participant observations were also conducted at each of the three universities. Study findings indicate that participatory programmes and those that have an entertainment component demonstrate currency within student communities. Students rejected the didactic approach undertaken by some communication programmes with some participants arguing that " young people don't want be told what to do ". A comparative semiotic analysis of HIV/AIDS posters within university campuses revealed a huge disparity between posters designed by students and those obtained from national communication campaigns. The choice of imagery and semantic codes differed significantly. The paper suggests the adoption of a Freirian pedagogical methodology in implementing an integrated and multidisciplinary HIV/AIDS education programmes so as to generate conditions in which students are able to reflect on their own realities and personalize the risk of HIV infection. HIV/AIDS Impact on the Day-toDay Activities in South African Universities The education sector is regarded as the " best hope for survival " against HIV/AIDS due to its leadership role in research and knowledge development (MacGregor, 2001). Educational institutions possess both the human capacities and resources that place them at a better position to contribute in the management of the HIV/AIDS epidemic (Kelly, 2000). Education also equips individuals with a better understanding of the epidemic and the skills to protect themselves against HIV infection. Some studies have shown a negative correlation between education levels and HIV prevalence rates, with higher levels of infection being found among the less educated people (Vandemoortele & Delamonica, 2000; World Bank, 2002). Nevertheless, the most profound effects of the HIV/AIDS epidemic are felt in the education sector (Coombe, 2000). Diminishing population growth rates have raised fears that the pool of applicants and range of abilities among candidates could drastically reduce in the near future (Van der Merwe & Gouws, 2005). The proliferation of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS and the child-headed households has also led to a significant increase of learners dropping out of school thus further complicating the situation in the education sector (Rispel, Letlape, & Metcalf, 2006; Van der Merwe & Gouws, 2005). The epidemic has dealt a double blow to higher education sector through its devastating effect on both the university community – composed of staff and students – and the general population that the universities interact with and from which they draw their staff and students (Kelly, 2001). Quality and quantity of production has been compromised by the increasing morbidity and mortality rates within universities due to HIV/AIDS (Raijmakers & Pretorius, 2006). Also, loss of qualified academic, administrative and support staff has led to the depletion of the skilled and experienced staff hence affecting the output from universities (Rispel et al., 2006; Van der Merwe & Gouws, 2005). Researchers have also predicted a decline in admission and an increase in drop-out rates and in time taken to complete studies in the higher education sector as a result of HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS educators: The challenges and issues for Namibian bachelor of education students
Teaching and Teacher Education, 2009
The Life Skills course is offered to Namibian students in grades eight through twelve. It includes lessons on HIV/AIDS, imparting information and equipping them with the necessary psycho-social skills to assist in reducing the risk of becoming infected. Teachers are the impetus for the success of the course. As such, research was undertaken to understand the knowledge, attitudes, and concerns of Namibian Bachelor of Education students in order to be effective HIV/AIDS educators. Findings determine a gap in knowledge about HIV/AIDS-related issues. Moreover, many students indicated reluctance and a lack of self-efficacy to properly implement HIV/AIDS education.
Breaking out of the cocoon' : academics' experiences of integrating HIV and AIDS into the curriculum
2013
The South African Higher Education Policy Framework on HIV and AIDS tasks universities to address HIV and AIDS in teaching, research and community engagement. In a global economy, integration in academic disciplines is a cost-effective method, simultaneously allowing for multiple perspectives of engaging with the epidemic. This study uses a qualitative approach to explore the sharing experiences of academics who integrate HIV and AIDS issues into the curriculum. Academics from three South African higher education institutions were interviewed. Three themes emerged from an analysis of their experiences: to share or not to share; how academics view integration in terms of their role as an academic, and who is integrating what. The findings indicate that academics are taking up the challenge, but that they require collegial support. 'Ontsnap uit die kokon': akademici se ervarings oor die integrasie van MIV en VIGS in die kurrikulum Die Suid-Afrikaanse hoeronderwys beleidsraamwe...
International Journal of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education, 2019
Many countries have faced up to the systemic impact of HIV on education and are doing something about it. But currently the objective of these interventions is to ensure that education systems can continue to function—essentially that they can continue their education business as usual. Undoubtedly, much energy has been spent on the curriculum and the integration of content relevant to the AIDS epidemic. But to what extent has this been little more than curriculum tinkering, the consideration of an almost infinite variety of models, but no real fundamental examination of the kind of education needed in a world with AIDS?
Challenges of HIV/AIDS education in a South African rural- based university
Whilst it can be confidently assumed that institutions of higher education are attempting to mainstream HIV/AIDS into the curriculum, the impact of doing this as far as reducing HIV infections is concerned is simply not visible. This can be seen by the continued increase in HIV infections and the persistence of behaviour that increases the risk of infection among university students. The purpose of the study was to explore and describe approaches used in a South African, rural-based university for HIV/AIDS education. A qualitative design using descriptive, contextual and exploratory approach was undertaken. In-depth, face-to-face interviews and focus group discussion were conducted with key informants such as students, HIV/AIDS coordinators, campus health personnel and health promoters. The data were analysed according to the guidelines suggested by Tesch. Although the institution had several approaches to HIV/AIDS education, the findings suggest that these approaches failed to yield positive results. The study found evidence of stigma and discrimination on campus, limited access to HIV/AIDS programmes by academics, and high-risk sexual behaviour. The HIV/AIDS education is also negatively affected due to inadequate financial, infrastructural and, human resources. It was concluded that HIV/AIDS education approaches should take into consideration the rural-based university community and the context of the risk of HIV infection for this community
Theorizing the implementation of the HIV/AIDS curriculum in Zimbabwe
Journal of Curriculum Studies, 2014
While teachers are strategically positioned to mediate school-based HIV/AIDS education interventions which provide information on HIV/AIDS to young people, how individual teachers experience the implementation of Zimbabwe's primary school AIDS curriculum in specific work conditions has seldom been questioned. This qualitative case study explores some of the practical experiences that 20 grade 6 primary school teachers encountered as they implemented the mandatory Zimbabwe's primary school AIDS curriculum. A purposive sample of 6 schools and 20 teachers was used from which 3 teachers were observed teaching 5 lessons each. Findings from data collected during lesson observations and semi-structured interviews revealed an admixture of positive and negative cognitive and emotional implementation encounters that prompted teachers to cope with the curriculum in complex ways. The study established some dilemmas that the teachers confronted in their enactment of this curriculum in the context of a myriad of curriculum implementation factors that played out on their work. For example choosing between discussing openly, sexually sensitive issues with students and omitting the issues in a bid to respect the cultural conventions of the community influenced teachers' work.
SAHARA-J: Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS
In spite of the importance of sexuality education and HIV and AIDS education in preventing HIV infections, Zimbabwean secondary school Guidance and Counseling teachers are not engaging optimally with the current Guidance and Counseling, HIV and AIDS & Life Skills education curriculum, and hence, they are not serving the needs of the learners in the context of the HIV and AIDS pandemic. The aim of the study, therefore, was to explore how Guidance and Counseling teachers could be enabled to teach the necessary critical content in sexuality education in the HIV and AIDS education curriculum. A qualitative research design, informed by a critical paradigm, using participatory visual methodology and methods such as drawing and focus group discussion, was used with eight purposively selected Guidance and Counseling teachers from Gweru district, Zimbabwe. The study was theoretically framed by Cultural Historical Activity Theory. Guidance and Counseling teachers found themselves in a community with diverse cultural practices and beliefs of which some seemed to contradict what was supposed to be taught in the curriculum. The participatory visual methodology, however, enabled a process in which the Guidance and Counseling teachers could reflect on themselves, the context in which they taught, their sexuality education work and learn how to navigate the contradictions and tensions, and to use such contradictions as sources of learning and sources for change. The results have several implications for policy in terms of the Guidance and Counseling curriculum and engaging with cultural issues; and for practice in terms of teacher professional development, teacher training, and for stakeholder contribution.
Staff and Students` Perception of an HIV/AIDS` Strategy:
Background: South African communities have high rates of people living with HIV and AIDS. Universities, particularly those in rural regions are examples of communities noted to be high risk areas of these infections. HIV/AIDS strategies were developed and implemented by higher education institutions to address this concern. Despite this, the prevalence and incidence of HIV and AIDS remain high in academic settings. Yet studies in this area in South Africa are rare. Aim: This paper reports on a study that explored the perceptions of students and staff of the HIV/AIDS strategy of a rural-based university in South Africa. Method: Hermeneutic phenomenological methodology was adopted. Data were collected using semi-structured individual interviews (n=12 student, n= 10 staff). The data were analysed thematically using Diekelmann, Allen & Tanner`s (1989) seven-stage framework of data analysis. Results: Three major themes emerged from the data analysis: HIV/AIDS services, management of HIV/AIDS services, and barriers to utilisation of HIV/AIDS services. Conclusion: Staff working in HIV/AIDS service requires training and support to enhance their skills, knowledge and adopt non-discriminatory practices. Keywords: hermeneutic phenomenology, HIV/AIDS strategy, rural-based university, perceptions, South Africa