HIV and me: The perceptions of children aged 10–12 living with HIV, and their expectations for adulthood

This article explores the understanding that children living with HIV have of their condition, and the physical and psychosocial challenges they face in pursuit of their ideals for adulthood. Analysis of the interview data, preceded by drawing-and-telling, confirmed literature findings on the importance of communication for complete disclosure and the need for repetitive discussions about HIV-related burdens to supplement medicine and treatment in pursuit of holistic well-being for children living with HIV. Research findings revealed children’s limited cognition of their HIV condition and their challenges with physical pain (attributable to their medicines and treatment) and psychosocial pain (stemming from family fragmentation and stigma). The children exhibited an intense desire for respect for their existence and for the realisation of their right to participate actively in communication regarding their HIV status. Their ideals for adult life pertained to being of benefit to others. The findings contribute to the discourse on effecting holistic wellbeing for children living with HIV. Key words: complete disclosure, draw-and-tell technique, family fragmentation, living with HIV, physical challenges, psychosocial challenges, stigma VIGS en ek: Die beskouinge van kinders in die ouderdoms-groep 10–12 wat met VIGS lewe, en hul verwagtinge vir volwassenheid Opsomming Hierdie artikel ondersoek die begrip wat kinders wat met VIGS lewe van hul toestand het, asook hul fisiese en psigososiale uitdagings in die nastreef van hul ideale vir volwassenheid. ’n Analise van die onderhouddata, voorafgegaan deur teken-en-vertel, bevestig literatuurbevindings oor die belangrikheid van kommunikasie vir volledige bekendmaking. Hierdie bekendmaking moet gevolg word deur herhaalde besprekings van VIGS-verwante struikelblokke om medikasie en behandeling te rugsteun in die strewe na holistiese welstand vir kinders wat met VIGS lewe. Navorsingsbevindinge het kinders se beperkte kennis van hul VIGS-toestand belig, asook hul uitdagings met fisiese pyn (vanweë medikasie en behandeling) en psigososiale pyn (vanweë gesinsfragmentasie en stigma). Kinders het ’n intense behoefte aan respek vir hul menswees, en aan die reg om aktief deel te neem aan kommunikasie oor hul VIGS-status. Hul ideale vir die volwasse lewe is daarop gemik om diensbaar te wees vir hul medemens. Die bevindinge dra by tot diskoers oor die holistiese welstand van kinders wat met VIGS lewe. Kernbegrippe: fisiese uitdagings, gesinsfragmentasie, lewe met VIGS, psigososiale uitdagings, stigma, teken-en-vertel tegniek, volledige bekendmaking https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.85.1.2467 &nbsp

A lifebuoy environment for successful learning in conditions of multiple deprivation: What are the basics?

My field of interest is instructional leadership that relates to all the actions taken at school to ensure that learning takes place. The eventual success of this learning is defined by academic outcomes in standardised tests. School leaders account for these outcomes by implementing a triadic school management construct related to mission formulation, instructional programme management, and school-learning culture promotion. Teachers serve as co-managers to obtain these outcomes with their pursuit of successful learning, through effective teaching. An important factor for successful learning is knowledge of the specific context that determines the construction and implementation of specific teaching and learning actions, with cognisance of learners’ own input for success. Multiple deprivation as a specific context is characterised by factors that inhibit successful learning. I share with you the intervention programme applied by a township school to arrange for positive academic outcomes in the matric examination. Against the background of a sea of dysfunctional schools in our society, this township school’s actions represent a pocket of excellence and an example of what is possible. Phillip Hallinger, a renowned American academic who specialises in instructional leadership, emphasises that “we need to obtain better information not just about ‘what works’ but ‘what works’ in different settings”. The intervention programme which the school principal and staff of the specific township school implement to ensure that their pupils pass the matric examination, represents ‘what works’ in a South African setting of multiple deprivation to ensure success in the final school examination.Educational Leadership and Managemen

Mentoring teaching skills to newcomer academics

To sustain and develop teaching skills relevant to a contextualised Open Distance Learning environment, a college at the University of South Africa embarked on a formal mentoring programme, with the aim of mentoring newcomer academics in appropriate teaching skills. The mentors were experienced academics, who will be retiring from the system over the next decade. The aim of the research was to investigate which Open Distance Learning-related teaching skills are ideally conveyed through formal mentoring. A mixed-methods research approach was followed, employing document study and individual e-interviewing. It was found that due to a student corps with diverse characteristics and needs, the emphasis remained on preparing mentees for tuition via the print media, while incorporating technology to arrange for constructive learning through interactive communication. Major teaching skills to be mentored related to presenting quality study material in the proper register for reader understanding, providing constructive feedback on evaluated assignments and employing myUnisa (a web-based learning system) to facilitate learning. The study contributes to the refining of the discourse on mentoring for constructive Open Distance Learning teaching.Educational Leadership and Managemen

The postmodern life-buoy character of higher education

In this article the effect of postmodern influences on higher education, linked with the metaphor of a postmodern ocean and life-buoy reactions, is examined by way of a dual approach. Firstly the main trends of postmodernism, as they are realised within the broad functioning of this postmodern 'ocean', are identified. This is followed by a determination of appropriate 'life-buoy' reactions needed in the area of higher education to ensure viability and effectiveness within this postmodern 'ocean'. Met betrekking tot postmodernisme word aanvaar dat dit manifesteer as 'n korrigerende verlengstuk van die modernisme deurdat dit die oordrewe rasionalisme van die modernisme wil uitbalanseer en aanvul met klem ook op ander funksies en aspekte van menswees. Go phološa thuto ye e phagamego 'lewatleng' la postmodernism, dinyakwa mabapi le kamano ya tsebo, bokgoni bja go phadišana mo lefaseng la boiphedišo le tlhokego ya dinyakwa tša go sekaseka dikgoplo, di swanetšego go latelwa.College of Educatio

The Vudec merger: a recording of what was and a reflection on gains and losses

The restructuring of higher education in South Africa is being dually steered by an equity and a merit imperative. In the move towards creating a single dedicated distance-education institution, the outcome of the merged incorporation of Vista University Distance Education Campus (Vudec) into the University of South Africa (UNISA) implied the obliteration of the Vudec culture. This has warranted the recording of the Vudec culture based on the valid need to document the existence of an institution of higher education over a period of 21 years. It has also warranted an assessment of gains and losses as a result of the merger. Based on literature and a qualitative study undertaken in Vudec, the Vudec institutional culture has been documented and gains and losses for Vudec students and staff determined. It is argued that although significant gains were made, such as better opportunities for students and staff due to improved resources, a serious loss has been incurred in the disappearance of the under-developed student corps of practising teachers. Apart from not fully accomplishing the equity goal, this loss also jeopardises merit achievements.Educational Leadership and Managemen

Mentoring as a response to merit demands on account of equity

In a formal mentoring programme at the University of South Africa (Unisa), the mainly black newcomers are mentored by productive white academics. This article aims to determine how mentors perceived their mentoring task in this context. The findings revealed that mentors understand their mentoring task as pertaining exclusively to the development of research skills in order to sustain research outputs. No problems were encountered with cross-race mentoring. However, a lack of self-efficacy on the part of some of the protégés called for mentoring involving implicit goal-setting and affirming feedback, based on a radical humanist perspective on mentoring

The gist of instructional leadership practised in Swaziland primary schools

A growing body of scholarship links instructional leadership to effective teaching and learning. This article looks at the ‘what’ of instructional leadership as practised in Swaziland primary schools. A qualitative investigation was undertaken based on individual and focus group interviews conducted at eight primary schools in the Hhohho region of Swaziland. The findings show that demonstrative leadership accompanied by collaborative support and recognition for achievement are important features of an effective instructional leadership programme. The main limitations to optimal learning are the collection of school fees during school hours and balancing English as the language of instruction with preserving the indigenous language. The findings emphasize the importance of mutual effort as the main component of effective teaching and learning.IS

Quality assuring multiple-choice question assessment in higher education

A growing scholarship links quality-assured multiple-choice testing to accountable outputs. This article looks at the use of multiple choice assessment and the quality assuring of item development through a structured process of systematic steps. A qualitative investigation was undertaken based on individual e-interviews with participants who are experts in the use of multiplechoice question assessment. The investigation was conducted at the College of Education of a higher education institution. The findings confirm the potential of multiple-choice assessment to test factual knowledge and higher-order learning. The findings also show that the main components in a systematic process of quality assuring the construction of multiple-choice items include training in the skills of item development, peer reviewing of constructed items, professional editing, and the interpretation of statistical analysis of student performance and student feedback for future constructions. The findings contribute to literature that argues for credible assessment practices to ascertain relevant outputs.College of Educatio

A formal mentoring programme to align equity mandates with research outputs: A case study

To sustain research outputs while progressively ensuring that staff profiles reflect demographic realities, the College of Human Sciences at the institution under study embarked on a formal mentoring programme in April 2009. The focus of the programme is to mentor newcomers to academe by productive academics who will be retiring from the system over the following decade. The aim of the research was to investigate the functioning of the formal mentoring programme and to determine the extent to which the programme provided for research output opportunities after one year of implementation. A qualitative intrinsic case study approach was followed, employing document study and in-depth individual interviewing. It was found that planning had been thoroughly done and the formal mentoring programme was professionally implemented. Concerns about an initially too formalised approach were counteracted by building flexibility into the reporting on mentoring initiatives. A cost to mentoring was found to arise from the fast-tracking of unrealistic research output expectations.Educational Leadership and Managemen

Mentoring as a response to merit demands on account of equity

In a formal mentoring programme at the University of South Africa (Unisa), the mainly black newcomers are mentored by productive white academics. This article aims to determine how mentors perceived their mentoring task in this context. The findings revealed that mentors understand their mentoring task as pertaining exclusively to the development of research skills in order to sustain research outputs. No problems were encountered with cross-race mentoring. However, a lack of self-efficacy on the part of some of the protégés called for mentoring involving implicit goal-setting and affirming feedback, based on a radical humanist perspective on mentoring