Enabling spaces in education research: an agenda for impactful, collective evidence to support all to be first among un-equals

Single case studies are prolific in South African education research. I equate the abundance of case studies to the urgency for evidence to transform the highly unequal landscape of education opportunities. In contrast however, stand-alone case study evidence does not offer much impact in building an evidence-based body of knowledge for education interventions. I posit an alternative for education research in the absence of collective studies, and propose for education researchers to collaborate in order to be deliberate in building a collective body of knowledge on circumstances that enable positive education outcomes given a postcolonial context, such as South Africa. I use an egalitarian political philosophy position to posit the notion of schools as enabling spaces, so as to counter a dis-enabling disaster perspective and promote dialogue on evidence of that which supports positive learning and development, given high structural disparity. I show that, as with studies in which I participated, many studies exist locally to generate evidence on education responses given adversity. However, insights thus derived are fragmented, regional and mostly single case studies using multiple conceptualisations, measures and indicators. I argue that an intentional education research agenda to coordinate inquiries could inform design, conceptualisation, measurement, comparative value and data sharing. An enabling schools research agenda could intentionally guide inquiry into that which supports education, where chronic poverty renders society as characteristically less equal.Keywords: barriers to education; buffers in education; egalitarian political philosophy; equality of opportunity; global South education; high risk schools; poverty and education; protective resources; resilience; risk factor

A resilience, health and well-being lens for education and poverty

In this paper I argue that the health and well-being outcomes of people at different levels of a social hierarchy, as studied by epidemiologists and psychologists has  relevance for educational research, especially in unequal societies. When addressing poverty-associated risk, the educational emphasis need not only be on attaining more individual wealth in society, but could rather be to improve the educational,  psychological and social well-being. I draw on four ethnographic studies to construct a bricolage of narratives to show how resilience, health and well-being agendas may lead to positive education outcomes given inequality.Keywords: bricolage; epidemiology; ethnography; global south; health and well-being in education; inequality; positive education outcomes; positive psychology; poverty and education; resilience and educatio

Training educational psychology professionals for work engagement in a context of inequality and trauma in South Africa

Educational psychology professionals working in highly unequal societies require training that prepares them to resile professionally irrespective of on-going hardship and a lack of policy-level support. Educational psychology professionals who had participated in a school-based intervention study in a remote high school during their training at university-level were sampled to generate retrospective data on their work engagement experiences during the school-based training. A third of the population who had participated in school-based academic service-learning training (for whom current contact details were available) were purposively sampled (n = 38, female = 31, male = 7) to be representative of diversity (training objective, year group, home language, gender). Subsamples included academic service-learning educational psychology professionals (n = 22, female = 18, male = 4) and educational psychology research graduates (n = 16, female = 13, male = 3). Retrospective qualitative data sources include open-ended questions (verbatim transcriptions of audio-recorded interviews, electronically captured questionnaires), and long-term observation data (visual data and researcher journals) of school-based training. From thematic analysis it appeared that professionals recollect experiencing work engagement (positive emotions, involvement and dedication) during their training with minimal instances of student-related occupational distress ascribed to contextual and diversity constraints. Data was silent on work engagement from research graduates, with an instance of cynicism regarding long-term benefits to clients of short-term services. Academic service learning in a challenging education setting afforded educational psychology professionals training opportunities to be energized, absorbed in developing professional efficacy to address barriers, and empathetically committed to contribute professionally. Implications of training educational psychology professionals for work in transferable challenging school settings are discussed.Keywords: academic service learning; challenging education setting; educational psychology training; inequality; rural school; work engagemen

Identifying asset-based trends in sustainable programmes which support vulnerable children

In this article we argue that the asset-based approach is one explanation for sustainability in programmes supporting vulnerable children. We structure our argument by formulating five questions and then pursuing tentative answers to them. We start our contention by highlighting the particularity of the challenges faced in schools to support vulnerable children. We then consider the common denominators in programmes that have shown evidence of sustainable practices for supporting vulnerable children. This is followed b y a deliberated link of the identified sustainability factors (e.g. common denominators) with the asset-based approach as a theoretical framework. Subsequently, we consider why the asset-based approach can be considered in terms of supporting vulnerable children in education. We indicate the similarities between the asset-based approach and current discourses focusing on the notion of schools as nodes of support and care.1 We conclude by suggesting that knowledge of asset-based good practices could be shared with families in school-based sessions, thereby developing schools', families' and communities' capacity to support vulnerable children. South African Journal of Education Vol. 26(3) 2006: 457–47

Administering narrative career counselling in a diverse setting: trimming the sails to the wind

No Abstract.South African Journal of Education Vol. 26(1) 2006: 49-6

Batemobilisering as strategie vir die hantering van MIV/VIGS

This article reports on the findings of an empirical study aimed at empowering ten selected educators to mobilise potential yet unused assets within a community, in order to support that community in coping with HIV/AIDS. Despite numerous studies on various aspects of HIV/AIDS, limited research is currently undertaken on intervention strategies, especially within communities facing the challenge. The application of the asset-based approach is explored, against the background of community-based coping. It is argued that asset mobilisation can indeed be regarded as a viable strategy for coping with HIV/AIDS. Findings reveal empowerment of individuals (the participants), of the school where the study was undertaken, as well as of other community members

Youth Resilience to Drought:Learning from a Group of South African Adolescents

Exposure to drought is on the increase, also in sub-Saharan Africa. Even so, little attention has been paid to what supports youth resilience to the stressors associated with drought. In response, this article reports a secondary analysis of qualitative data generated in a phenomenological study with 25 South African adolescents (average age 15.6; majority Sepedi-speaking) from a drought-impacted and structurally disadvantaged community. The thematic findings show the importance of personal, relational, and structural resources that fit with youths’ sociocultural context. Essentially, proactive collaboration between adolescents and their social ecologies is necessary to co-advance socially just responses to the challenges associated with drought.UK Natural Environment Research Councilhttp://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerphpm2021Educational Psycholog

Exploring the structure and content of discourse in remote, rural South African classrooms

The nature of discourse within classrooms strongly predicts students’ ability to think about, around, and with text and content (i.e. comprehension and critical-analytic thinking). However, little is known about the nature of classroom discourse in remote, rural South African schools, a context in which students face well-documented language challenges. The central aim of the present study was to explore the structure and content of discourse in South African classrooms using the 4 components of the Quality Talk model as a frame for our exploration (i.e. instructional frame, discourse elements, teacher moves and pedagogical principles). Grade 8 student participants from 3 classes and their teacher were sampled. Data sources included individual student language assessments, digital video recordings of classroom literacy practices and field notes. Findings revealed that discourse was predominantly characterised by an efferent stance toward text, and the discussions were primarily teacher controlled and directed. There was little, if any, evidence of students’ critical-analytic thinking. Observations in terms of resilience and narratability as well as implications for research and practice are forwarded. Keywords: comprehension; critical thinking; discourse; language in education; literacy; rural classroom

The significance of feeling safe for resilience of adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa

IntroductionAdolescents in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are exposed to several challenges and risk factors, linked to historical legacies. Sub-Saharan Africa has one of the highest rates of poverty and inequality in the world, is one of the regions most negatively affected by climate change, performs poorly on many health measures, and has high rates of different forms of violence, especially gender-based violence. These contextual challenges impact adolescent mental health outcomes, preventing them to access resilience-enabling pathways that support positive outcomes despite adversity. This study aimed to contribute to knowledge generation on resilience of young people in the understudied SSA region by investigating which variables directly (or indirectly) affect the resilience of adolescents.MethodsPurposive sampling was used to collect quantitative survey data from 3,312 adolescents (females = 1,818; males = 1,494) between the ages of 12 and 20 years, participating in interventions implemented by a non-governmental organization, the Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative. Data were collected in Angola (385, 11.6%), Eswatini (128, 3.9%), Kenya (390, 11.8%), Lesotho (349, 10.5%), Mozambique (478, 14.4%), Namibia (296, 8.9%), South Africa (771, 23.3%), Uganda (201, 6.1%), and Zambia (314, 9.5%). The survey collected data on socio-demographic status, resilience (CYRM-R), depression (PHQ-9), self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale) and feelings of safety (self-developed scale). Mental health was defined as lower levels of depression, higher levels of self-esteem and higher levels of feeling safe. A mediation analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship between the predictors (the socio-demographic variables) and the output (resilience), with the mediators being depression, self-esteem and feeling safe (which all link to mental health).ResultsThis study contributes to a gap in knowledge on country-level comparative evidence on significant predictors that impact resilience outcomes (directly or indirectly) for adolescents in sub-Saharan African countries. The results indicate that, when considering all countries collectively, feeling safe is the only predictor that has a significant direct effect on overall resilience and personal resilience, but not on caregiver resilience. When considering each country separately, feeling safe has a direct effect on overall, personal and caregiver resilience for all countries; but not for South Africa and Mozambique.DiscussionThe results provide evidence on which to craft youth development interventions by measuring mediators (depression, self-esteem and feeling safe) and resilience for adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. The overall results of the present paper point toward a contextually relevant pathway to supporting their resilience, namely, the need to systemically target the creation and/or strengthening of structures that enable adolescents to feel safe

Negotiating Leadership in Interdisciplinary Co-Productive Research:A Case Study of An International Community-Based Project Between Collaborators From South Africa and the United Kingdom

In the absence of empirical and conceptual considerations of the negotiation of leadership in teams doing communitybased research, this article adds to the leadership literature by offering a critical reflection on positioning and collaborative teams in the context of one interdisciplinary, co-productive, cross-generational and international research project. The project focused on youth and community resilience to drought in South Africa. Fourteen co-researchers reflected on their experiences of leadership within the project, using a collectively developed questionnaire. Findings uniquely highlight wider ethical considerations when youth and novice researchers are included in research teams. A strong emphasis on cultural responsiveness was found; with local and culturally led leadership seen to positively influence both processes and outcomes. Reflections suggest collaboration may be approached as an “ethos” and aided by transformational leadership theories and methodologies. Findings may be especially relevant to research teams, funders, and ethical bodies.The Natural Environment Research Council, as part of the Global Challenge Research Fund, and the Economic and Social Research Council.http://journals.sagepub.com/home/sgoam2021Educational Psycholog