LINKS
B: PARTICIPATIVE LEARNING
4.4 Part Three - Explanation Of Each Model
4.4.5 Other HIV/AIDS Education - Taught Informally/Incidentally
Although not included as a model of formally integrating HIV/AIDS Education into academic curricula, it is worth highlighting a number of examples of informal education.
Example 1 - TheEng~eeringExample
In the School of Chemical Engineering I initially spoke to Professor Amold the head of the school. He explained that HIV/AIDS is not taught formally at the school but is highlighted in a final year management course and that it is covered from an industrial labour point of view. He then suggested that I contact John Buzzard who is a consultant and comes in to lecture on labour relations. (Telephone conversation with Prof Amold, 1stAugust 2002)
Purpose
To get the students to think about the long term planning and management issues in a HIV/AIDS world and 'to wake up the students to the realities of the HIV/AIDS pandemic'. (Interview with John Buzzard, 8thAugust 2002)
Format/Teaching Methods
HIV/AIDS issues are covered, but with difficulty. In the lectures it is covered in a mainly anecdotal way i.e. the problems of HIV/AIDS in the workplace, particularly staffing issues. John stated that 'I do not officially cover HIV/AIDS in any of my lectures, it is mainly anecdotal as I have had considerable exposure to he problems.' (Interview with John Buzzard, 8th August 2002)
Assessment
When I asked about the examination of HIV/AIDS issues it was explained that this education was not examinable at present.
(Interview with John Buzzard, 8thAugust 2002)
Learning/Impact of this module on the students
Itwas stated that 'The attitude of the students are either straight disbelief or a lack of comprehension of the size of the problem, I find both attitudes really scary'.
(Interview with John Buzzard, 8thAugust 2002)
Ann-Mane Williams
STUDENT NUMBER 201509038 Page 88
Disciplinary Link
The main disciplinary link is with the legal and managerial side of engineering, covering long tenn planning, personnel development and union relationships. Itwas stated that 'if the course is to have any relevance it is impossible not to cover the effect AIDS will have both on the workforce and managerially'. (Interview with John Buzzard, 8th August 2002)
~
Example 2 - The Economics Example
In the School of Economics a number of courses are including HIVIAIDS
Education. These included the 'Quantitative Management Course' , the 'Business Statistics Course' for second year students, undertaking the Bachelor of Business Science Degree, and the Postgraduate Health Economics Course.
(Interview with Christopher Maxwell Brown,
i
hAugust 2002) PurposeThe purpose of the HIVIAIDS education in the Quantitative Management Course was simply to highlight statistical concepts, using an important subject, in order to raise awareness of the problem.
The purpose of the Business Statistics Course was to give the students a real world problem so that they can see the relevance of statistics, for example the prevalence rates of HIVIAIDS by province, and then is able to look at what the data tells them about the statistics for KZN compared to other provinces.
At the Postgraduate Health Economics Course the students already have the statistics knowledge, so the purpose of the health economics course is to teach students general health econOlnic principles and applications, this includes HIV/AIDS issues.
(Interview with Christopher Maxwell Brown,
i
hAugust 2002) Format/Teaching MethodsThe Quantitative Management Course is a first year undergraduate course, designed for students who need to brush up on their statistics skills. Itis open to students from all faculties and has about 1000 students per year. Itis a 13-week course.
The first half of the course is descriptive statistics and HIV/AIDS issues are
introduced into the course using statistical data so that the course seems more real to the students. With this course HIVIAIDS issues are used as a vehicle for teaching statistics to first year students.
In the Business Statistics Course they use real life case studies from the ministry to show that HIVIAIDS has a real role to play in infonning business planning.
Ann-Mane Williams
STUDENT NUMBER 201509038 Page 89
In Health Economics they are looking at major diseases in South Africa today i.e.
HIV, malaria and TB. HIVIAIDS issues were integral to the health economics course, and the main aspects of HIVIAIDS covered on this course were economic aspects, treatment and prevention and cost effectiveness of drugs.
(Interview with Christopher Maxwell Brown,
i
hAugust 2002)Assessment
When I asked about examining the HIV/AIDS education within the School of Economics, it was explained that such knowledge is not really examined at present.
Itis intended though that such knowledge can be examined (certainly at the postgraduate level) in the future through, project work, research and case studies.
(Interview with Christopher Maxwell Brown,
i
hAugust 2002)Learning/Impact of this module on the students
I contacted a third year economics student and asked what they had covered regarding HIV/AIDS as part of their course. The student felt that they hadn't
covered HIV/AIDS in any depth but said that it definitely had covered been brought up in most subjects over the three years. (Interview with Economics Student, l ih August 2002)
Disciplinary Link
Itwas explained that there is a shortage of health economic specialists at present so it is possible that these students could potentially reach quite high positions in future employment - they could be the planners of the future. Itwas therefore felt that they need to be equipped to handle the HIVIAIDS crisis in South Africa.
(Interview with Christopher Maxwell Brown,
i
hAugust 2002)Ann-Marie Williams
STUDENT NUMBER 201509038 Page 90
Example 3 - The Architecture Example
In the School of Architecture HIVIAIDS education is incorporated into the research projects for third year students.
Purpose
The main purpose of the HIVIAIDS education was to get Students to think about their future work/employment as architects. (Interview with Kevin Bingham, 2nd August 2002)
Format/Teaching Methods
Although there is no formal lecturing on HIVIAIDS the students are encouraged to include it in their research and many of the students undertake research into this field. (Interview with Kevin Binghmn, 2ndAugust 2002)
Assessment
Although the research is examined and marked, at present there are no guidelines drawn up for examining on HIV/AIDS issues and this poses a problem for examining on such issues. (Interview with Kevin Bingham, 2ndAugust 2002)
Learning/Impact of this module on the students
Itwas explained that the School of Architecture is very socially driven, and some students sometimes get fed up with such issues and want to move on to more 'glitzy' projects such as Office buildings and Luxury apartments. (Interview with Kevin Bingham, 2ndAugust 2002)
Disciplinary Link
Itwas stated that within architecture there is a real need for a new type of work and thinking. The need is becoming greater for work in less glamorous roles in
architectural terms, this type of work may not pay as much and may not be as glamorous as some learners are hoping. The main link was that architects provide buildings for every walk of life and the students will need to think about new designs for a future HIV/AIDS society, prisons for example will require more medical facilities or will need cells designed for people living with HIV/AIDS.
(Interview with Kevin Bingham, 2ndAugust 2002)
Ann-Mane Williams
STUDENT NUMBER 201509038 Page 91
Limitations and Possibilities of teaching HIY/AIDS Education informally/incidentally
I feel that for a vast majority of schools and programmes throughout the university, this is probably how they undertaking HIV/AIDS education. HIV/AIDS issues are arising on an informal incidental basis, but we are not yet quite sure how we can take it that one step further and beginto~formalise it.
The main problems with this type of teaching are firstly that there is no structure to the education and no documentation and therefore it is not consistent. Secondly, the purpose and outcome of the education is not defined and the education is very much dependant on the lecturers own interest. Lastly the examples here have shown that such education is difficult to exatnine and at present goes unexamined.
Mike Newman, when writing about adult education, has documented this type of learning as:
'This sort of learning occurs when people consciously try to learn from experiences.
Itinvolves individual or group reflection on experience, but does not involve formal instruction. There is no planned and structured educational program, but learning is consciously done. Such learning is incidental to the activity in which the person is involved, and is often tacit and not seen as learning. Incidental learning often occurs during action and cab be very real and empowering, but it is incidental to the action taken, and may not be accredited as learning.' (Newman, 1995: 247-248,
paraphrased)
The challenge now is for universities to find ways of documenting, recognising and accrediting this learning and giving it the value it deserves.
Ann-Marie Williams
STUDENT NUMBER 201509038 Page 92