Beyond metaphor drawings to envisage integration of HIV & AIDS education: a self-study in primary mathematics teacher education
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Date
2014
Authors
Van Laren, Linda
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of Education, University of the Free State
Abstract
Researchers using participatory methods that are engaging, purposeful and facilitate
social change may need further pragmatic strategies to encourage the required
change. Using pencil-and-paper drawings to introduce HIV & AIDS integration in a
discipline such as Mathematics Education is an innovative participatory strategy to
initiate change. However, following up on such innovations to encourage take-up of
HIV & AIDS integration would benefit the initiative. The following research question
guides this study: What pragmatic strategy could I use in pre-service Mathematics
Education to further take-up of HIV & AIDS education integration in school disciplines?
I explore HIV & AIDS integration in a pre-service Primary Mathematics Education
module that I taught at a higher education institution in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa,
by studying the drawings and experiences of eight final-year pre-service teachers. I use
a metaphor-drawing activity to disrupt the ‘comfort zone’ of teaching Mathematics,
following up by providing the pre-service teachers with learner activities suitable for
primary school classrooms. When asked if they were able to integrate HIV & AIDS in
Mathematics classrooms, these generalist pre-service teachers appeared to rely on
phase-specific teaching material in order to take up the initiative. There is a need to
use innovative participatory methods to initiate change and to provide pragmatic
support for this envisaged change.
Description
Keywords
HIV & AIDS education integration, Primary Mathematics, Self-study, Metaphor drawings, Pre-service teachers
Citation
Van Laren, L. (2014). Beyond Metaphor Drawings to Envisage Integration of HIV & AIDS Education: A Self-Study in Primary Mathematics Teacher Education. Perspectives in Education, 32(2), 21-36.