Decolonizing Evaluation of Indigenous Guidance and Counseling Approaches: A Review of Selected Evaluated Programs

Indigenous guidance and counselling approaches in Africa have been discussed in different counselling forums and platforms. While there are several, including Ubuntu philosophies from which indigenous counselling therapies used in clinical work are developed (Chigangaidze, 2021; van Dyk & Matoane, 2010), the researcher experiences these therapies as being pushed to align with the colonial counselling therapies. In this research article, the researcher makes an analysis of five articles on evaluations of indigenous guidance and or counselling therapies. Although most programmes developed for indigenous people may follow curricula and culturally suitable activities (Ridani, Shand, Christensen, Mckay, Tighe, Burns, & Hunter, 2015),  rather than to appreciate the metaphysical and cognitions, connectedness and relatedness of Africanism, evaluations seem to be linear from the literature reviewed (Poirier, 2015; Craig,1979), pointing to the grip colonialism still has on evaluation of counselling therapies.  This understanding has led one to wonder if evaluation of African indigenous counselling procedures has been decolonized or continue to follow colonial methods of evaluation. The author proposes in this article, the use of African-Relational models of evaluation, in assessing indigenous counselling programmes, where African researchers can make conclusions that resonate with African contexts (Chilisa, Major, Gaotlhobogwe, & Mokgolodi, 2016)

Indigenous Marital Therapy: A Case of Botswana

Botswana has a long history of indigenous marital therapy. This indigenous therapy is embodied in the indigenous philosophy of motho ke motho ka batho (I am because we are). This philosophy promotes togetherness, connectedness, collectiveness, compassion, love and harmony and the building of sustainable relationships among families. The paper explores some of the indigenous therapeutic marital approaches used during wedding ceremonies amongst them, songs, proverbs and group counselling.  It also argues that these indigenous marital approaches build family relations and are a continuous source of therapy for the married couple; in addition to relieving women from marital stress and maintaining strong family relationships even after the marriage has ended

Teaching Learners with Visual Impairment

This book, Teaching Learners with Visual Impairment, focuses on holistic support to learners with visual impairment in and beyond the classroom and school context. Special attention is given to classroom practice, learning support, curriculum differentiation and assessment practices, to mention but a few areas of focus covered in the book. In this manner, this book makes a significant contribution to the existing body of knowledge on the implementation of inclusive education policy with learners affected by visual impairment

Teaching Learners with Visual Impairment

This book, Teaching Learners with Visual Impairment, focuses on holistic support to learners with visual impairment in and beyond the classroom and school context. Special attention is given to classroom practice, learning support, curriculum differentiation and assessment practices, to mention but a few areas of focus covered in the book. In this manner, this book makes a significant contribution to the existing body of knowledge on the implementation of inclusive education policy with learners affected by visual impairment

Harnessing experiential knowledge and skills of retired educators to inform career development programmes in Botswana

The purpose of this study was to understand what knowledge and skills retired educators have and how these skills can be harnessed and utilised to benefit career development programmes in Botswana. The Tri-KCC conceptual model of career development was deductively and inductively developed from an interplay of the economics of knowledge management, the epistemology of constructivism, career psychology and gerontology. A mixed methods-sequential explanatory was used in this study, following assumptions of pragmatism. The participants of the study were retired educators in Botswana, with a convenience sample located in Gaborone. The participants had retired between 2000 and 2012. One hundred and eight participants (108), out of a sample of 200 responded to a survey questionnaire. Sixteen (16) participants from the survey formed focus group discussions of 5, 5 and 6 participants each. The participants were purposively selected through respondent directed and snowball techniques. The quantitative aspect of the study was conducted first, followed by the qualitative aspect. The quantitative phase helped to explore the concept of harnessing experiential knowledge of the retired educators. The survey questionnaire highlighted the following soft skills of retired educators: self-awareness and others-awareness, leadership, mentoring and counselling. The quantitative stage informed the qualitative stage during which the focus groups took place. Thus the qualitative phase had more weighting in the study. Quantitative data was analysed descriptively and inferentially, while thematic analysis was used for qualitative data. Results confirmed that retired educators have acquired a great wealth of knowledge and skills and that the success of being an educator is linked to both professional and personal identities. In addition, experiences that were meaningful to the retired educators were those where self-discovery boosted their self-esteem. Botswana is losing skilled resources to the early retirement age. In view of the findings, the Tri-KCC conceptual model was constructed to incorporate knowledge capture and management to guide practice. Career construction theory, through narratives of retired educators, was proposed to guide the practice of career development. Based on the results, it appears that an improved career development theory and practice that utilises retired professionals may not only benefit Botswana but other countries as well.Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014.tm2015Educational PsychologyPhDUnrestricte