Towards an appropriate pedagogy for community psychology: the University of South Africa experience

Abstract

English: This article describes a new approach to teaching community psychology. Rather than attempting to “transmit” a body of knowledge, students’ intellectual and creative abilities are drawn upon to recruit them for the project of “re-imagining” communities and community psychology. The article describes the development and implementation of new courses at second- and third-year, as well as honours levels. Students are encouraged to move from experience to theory, rather than from theory to experience, in order to develop their own authentic voice in contributing to the sub-discipline, and to become part of a collaborative network of community psychology students and practitioners.

Afrikaans: Die artikel beskryf ’n nuwe benadering tot die doseer van gemeenskapsielkunde. In stede daarvan om inligting direk aan studente te probeer oordra, word gebruik gemaak van studente se intellektuele en skeppende vermoëns om hulle te werf as aktiewe deelnemers aan die projek om gemeenskappe en gemeenskapsielkunde te her-bedink. Die artikel skets die ontwikkeling en implementering van nuwe kursusse op tweede jaar, derde jaar en honneursvlak. Studente word aangemoedig om van belewing na teorie te beweeg (eerde as anders om), om hulle eie, outentieke stem te ontwikkel as ’n bydrae tot die subdissipline, en om deel te word van ’n medewerkingsnetwerk van gemeenskapsielkunde studente en praktisyns.