Reflections on Educational Psychology in an Emerging Democracy

This paper reflects on the changes in Educational Psychology in South Africa in a ten year period (2005 - 2015) after the first democratic elections. It shows how Educational Psychology as a scientific discipline, and as a helping profession, has responded to the changing landscape and how the post-democracy years inspired a complete departure from previous practices. It also explores an expansion of its leitmotif from ‘helping’ to leading and facilitating processes of change and support. It shows how conceptual shifts from the individual level towards systemic interventions have impacted the nature of the support provided by educational psychologists and how the creation of virtuous cycles became central their work. The shifts from individual support to systemic support interventions have also contributed to blurring boundaries between professionals and stakeholders. The paper also argues that the strong experiential nature of studies in Educational Psychology has led to gaps in the empirical database in Educational Psychology - specifically in terms of the limited comparative studies that have been conducted. Such studies were mostly conducted within bounded systems. Furthermore, the paper argues that the role of educational psychologists has been marginalized in formal education support structures even as their role increased in importance in broader society

Using vignettes to understand the social-emotional experiences of three-year-olds in diverse language contexts

This article reports on the educational experiences of young Afrikaans mother tongue South African children who are exposed to multilingual learning environments during the preschool years. Vignette research provided observational, co-experiential data of the lived experiences of three-year-old boys as they engaged with formal and informal learning. Vignette data that had been collected through observations, written teacher validation and face-to-face interviews, was controlled against existing literature to provide in-depth insights into the participants’ divergent experiences of and within their learning environment. Findings indicate specific areas in which young children may need additional support in multilingual learning environments, in terms of i) social-emotional security experienced in the learning environment; ii) intentional development of empathy for peers, iii) independence and initiative taking in informal settings, and iv) interactive communication. Although the study focused on South African contexts, its findings may inform future interventions to support multilingual language environments in the early years.&nbsp

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

Understanding, trust and authority in education

In this article I reflect on three central theoretical constructs in the work of W.A. Landman. I unpack the constructs of understanding, trust and authority, conceptualized as pedagogical relationship structures by Landman, by connecting them with more recent studies focusing on the same constructs. I do this in order to assess the relevance of Landman’s constructs to educational phenomena today. The article postulates three central tenets: I argue that i) understandings of these three constructs be expanded beyond the individual adult-child educational relationship, ii) the intrinsic associations between the three constructs still be retained as we expand their utility, and that iii) we include more systemic complexities in our theoretical understanding of the constructs understanding, trust and authority. In this manner, I hypothesize that Landman’s theory on pedagogical relationships-structures can increase its applicability and relevance in today’s complex teaching and learning contexts. The article sets out to revisit the notions of understanding, trust and authority as it was defined by Landman and his colleagues in their educational work from 1960 – 1980. It is evident that all of these constructs are defined in terms of relationships between adults and children. The constructs are strongly connected to one another in the ways in which they are theorized. The cogitations of the concepts furthermore foreground significant equality between adults and children, even though the responsibility for leading the child to independent adulthood rests upon the shoulders of the adult. “Understanding” is conceptualized in terms of the responsibility of the adult to fully understand the nature of the child – in order to create fruitful teaching and learning situations. The definition of “trust” connects the need to venture into the unknown, the importance of full acceptance and appropriate expectations, security, love and warmth. Landman defines “authority” by stressing the importance of good example and the need for children to participate in decisionmaking. He stresses that deep and mutual understanding and authentic trust are prerequisites for authority within the adult-child relationship. Throughout the article, I mirror the reflections about Landman’s work by pointing towards the key precepts of good theories, e.g. the fact that good theories consist of simple elementary theoretical constructs (such as understanding, trust and authority), that they explain observable phenomena in the natural world, they are logical, they connect certain constructs and they are descriptive in nature. Several contemporary studies on understanding, trust and authority are connected to Landman’s work. The studies quoted straddle a variety of scientific disciplines. The studies which explore “understanding” show the links between the words we use to describe the world and our understanding of it. It also shows how “understanding” is viewed beyond an individual personal relationship. Studies in this field also seem to have become strongly systemically inclined. When it comes to studies on “trust” the nuanced view of trust becomes evident. I foreground the fact that there are various types of trust as well as various degrees of trust identified in recent studies. The need to conceptualize trust on a systemic level emerges again from current studies. The anti-authoritarian intellectual discourse has changed the way in which “authority” is being conceptualized today – of the three constructs under discussion here, perhaps the most significantly. While Landman has been consistent in warning about the penurious effect of defining authority without trust and understanding, current studies have a stronger focus on the links between authority, power and knowledge production, the need for non-aggressive authority and the connections between prosperity and power. Based on these observations, the article concludes with the three arguments stated in the first paragraph of this summary, e.g. a proposal to expand Landman’s conceptualizations beyond the individual adult-child educational relationship, ii) retaining the intrinsic associations between the three constructs, and iii) including systemic complexities with regard to understanding, trust and authority in Education.Hierdie artikel reflekteer oor drie sentrale teoretiese konstrukte in die werk van WA Landman. Die konstrukte begrip, vertroue en gesag, wat as pedagogiese verhoudingstrukture deur Landman gekonseptualiseer is, word ondersoek deur dit in verband te bring met hedendaagse studies oor dieselfde konstrukte – ten einde die relevansie daarvan vir vandag se opvoedkundige fenomene te beskou. In die artikel word drie sentrale argumente voorgehou. Ek argumenteer dat i) die begryping van die drie konstrukte breër as die individuele volwassene-kind verhouding beskou moet word, dat ii) die intrinsieke verbande tussen die drie konstrukte egter behoue moet bly soos wat die konseptualisering daarvan uitbrei, en dat iii) ons meer sistemiese kompleksiteite in ons teoretiese begryping van die drie konstrukte insluit. Hierdie werkswyse lei tot die hipotese dat die toepaslikheid en relevansie van Landman se teorie rakende pedagogiese verhoudingstrukture inderdaad kan verhoog vir die komplekse onderrig-en-leer kontekste van vandag.http://www.journals.co.za/ej/ejour_akgees.htmlgv201

Language(s) in education

In this chapter the complexities and intricacies of the psychology of language in education are explored. The chapter draws primarily on the South African socio-political context to investigate shifting perceptions on language use in educational contexts of high diversity, significant inequality and historical contestations. An auto-ethnographic approach is utilised to trace the manifestations of four psychological constructs, i) emotion, ii) motivation, iii) reinforcement, and iv) problem-solving in language decision-making in relation to education, over a period of five decades (1972–2022). The personal narrative study agitates for the creation of dialogic spaces of constructive debate and negotiation, acceptance of partiality and reciprocal, inclusive participation in language landscapes. The study also positions emotion as an incitement to engagement on matters of language diversity. It elevates motivation, reinforcement and problem-solving as critical tools to create long-term solutions to multiple educational challenges. Moreover, the study echoes the effects of the psychology of language on literacy levels, language-of-instruction preferences, perception-and-science dichotomies and the politicisation of language in education. In essence, the chapter seeks to enhance the pursuit of quality education by acknowledging the integral nature of the psychology of language in education across the developmental lifespan

College students’ well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic : an exploratory study

This study explored college student’s well-being priorities and capabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 2 213 South African undergraduate students answered an open-ended question to elicit interpretive, reflective, analytic, and evaluative written response types on the factors that support their well-being at university. Two thirds of the participants were female, almost half (48.94%) were black African, and most (67.46%) were between 18 and 21 years of age. Interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) of the data revealed COVID-19 mitigation that prioritised support from family, friends, and lecturers by spending time together and connecting online. The students also relied on a variety of spiritual coping strategies to manage feelings of despair and despondency, and to cope with high workloads, social distancing, and online learning. The study revealed high resourcefulness of undergraduate students in supporting their own well-being.https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rpia202022-06-29hj2021Educational Psycholog

HIV/AIDS infected mothers’ experience of a group intervention to enhance their children’s behavior

A secondary study was conducted within a broader National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded longitudinal study on resilience in South African mothers and children affected by HIV/AIDS (Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a 24-week support group intervention programme, which was designed to enhance adaptive behaviour of latent-phase children affected by maternal HIV/AIDS as reported by the mother participants. The study was embedded in a concurrent nested mixed-method design, with a quasi-experimental and a nested multiple case study approach. The mother and child dyads (n = 139) were purposefully selected from amongst previously identified HIV-positive women (n = 220), with children between the ages of 6 and 10 years at clinics in the Tshwane region, South Africa. Data were collected over a period of five years in multiple waves of intervention implementation. The data collection strategies comprised of mother psychological questionnaires and quality assurance questionnaires. The quantitative data were analysed by means of a paired-sample t-test for within-group comparisons. The qualitative text was analysed for themes to establish defined categories. The findings of the study showed that the mothers reported that the child support group intervention sessions decreased the children’s withdrawal-, social-, attention-, rule-breaking- and aggressive behavioural problems. The findings suggest that the use of support groups should be incorporated into intervention programmes dealing with latent-phase children affected by HIV/AIDS to enhance adaptive behaviour.Keywords: child behavior; group intervention; HIV/AIDS; latency age childre

Implementing inclusive education in South Africa: teachers’ attitudes and experiences

The central argument is that the creation of inclusive schools will require more than merely the implementation of new policies. Practising teachers are the key to the successful implementation of an inclusive system and they will need time, ongoing support and in-service training. Real change therefore requires a long-term commitment to professional development. This article presents a comparative analysis of the findings of three independent studies aimed at identifying and describing teachers’ attitudes to and experiences in implementing inclusive education in South Africa. The main themes identified in all three studies include inadequate knowledge, skills and training for the implementation of inclusive education; lack of educational and teacher support; insufficient facilities and resources, and the potential effects of inclusive education on learners