The formative evaluation of a HIV/AIDS module for first-year teacher education students at the Central University of Technology, Free State

This study presents the embodiment of an evaluation of a compulsory HIV and AIDS modular (pilot) training programme for first-year Teacher Education students at the CUT: FS. The study focussed extensively on the evaluation of the HIV/AIDS module content with comparative norms and dimensions identified from contemporary literature on HIV and AIDS. Living positively with HIV and AIDS was evaluated in terms of the following: • How to prevent the spread of the disease: bio-medical knowledge base • How to care and support people living with HIV and AIDS • How to handle grief caused by the deaths of loved ones, and • How to support orphans and vulnerable children. Data were obtained from a group of (n=90) Teacher Education students that completed the modular course during the latter part of 2011. An appropriate questionnaire covering the respective dimensions was completed by 90 out of 200 students under controlled conditions. The data collected were professionally analysed by the Department of Statistics at the University of the Free State. The results obtained provided sufficient information reflecting that the module was not successful in altering the respondents’ attitudes, knowledge or skills regarding people living with HIV/AIDS, or that the retention of what was learned was not lasting.