4.3. Research Design and Methodology
4.3.4 Data Generation
4.3.4.3 Participatory Methods
To examine the ways in which the learners experienced and made meaning of the HIV and AIDS messages that they received from the school curriculum, I used participatory methods to engage the participants. Participatory research is “built on the premise that communities must be catalysts of their own change and development” (Pinel, 1992, p. 4). As such, it views knowledge production as involving the active participation of the affected communities (Babbie & Mouton, 2010). It allows for the voices, the views and opinions of those previously excluded to be included and listened to, regarding the issues they face (Marshall and Rossman, 2011). Further, participatory research attempts to conscientize people so that they can explore alternative approaches to basic problems (Babbie and Mouton, 2010) and stimulate “self-critical awareness’ among participants (Rahman, 1993, p.81).
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Significantly, participatory research privileges participants’ local knowledge as they reconstruct their experiences within the context in which they occur (Fargas-Malet et al., 2010; Ferreira, 2013;
Meyiwa, Letshekha, & Wiebesiek, 2013). As a qualitative researcher, I used data generation methods that would enable me to engage in on-going dialogue with the participants and for them to engage in dialogue among themselves. These dialogues, I assumed, create opportunities for social change (Barnes & Kelly, 2007; Moletsane, 2012) as participants collaborate in meaningful ways and actively participate in understanding the issues and identifying alternatives (Henning et al. (2004). Mukeredzi (2012) points out that participatory research does not only enhance the researcher’s own reflexivity but can also develop new ideas that bring together different perspectives from the participants. Thus, in this study, to elicit data that helped me to understand the learners’ experiences of HIV and AIDS messages and their role in the fight against the epidemic, I used three participatory methods: role- plays, letter writing and focus group discussions.
a) Role Plays
To address the question: How do learners understand HIV and AIDS and what factors inform the meaning that the young people attach to HIV and AIDS, I used role-plays with the 12 grade 8, 9 and 10 learners who participated in the study. Role plays are “a dramatic way of presenting a problem or an issue and stimulating discussion, as well as of providing clues to possible solutions and explore them without the dangers inherent in a real-life trial and error approach” (Bwatwa, 1990 p. 35). They have been used to examine delicate situations in human relations and to explore possible solutions to problems. Further, role-plays give participants a chance to empathise with others, by assuming the life of another human being, to imagine what that person thinks, how they feel and how they might act in the situation being role-played (HIV and AIDS Counselling and Psychosocial support training Manual, 2009-2010).
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Using prompts (see Appendix G for an example) that address HIV and AIDS issues, the participants role-played various scenarios in pairs or small groups. In this method “some members act out a real- life situation in front of the group, but there is no script or set dialogue” (Bwatwa, 1990 p. 35). The participants make up the narratives that portray their understanding of the issues. Neff and Paterno (1972) contend that role-playing can be a valuable learning experience but that the complexity of the involves human interaction requires alert researchers to handle the method. Accordingly, I selected the participants for the role-play just before they were to begin in order to avoid them being influenced by the views of the group and to ensure that they portrayed the various issues with honesty and authenticity. After the role-play, the 12 learners discussed the role-play and the issues that it raised.
Both the role-plays and the discussions were tape recorded and later transcribed for analysis.
b) Letter writing
To answer the question, what meaning do young people make of the messages that they receive from the school HIV and AIDS programme and what factors inform it, I engaged the participants in a letter writing activity. Connelly and Clandinin (1990) argued that letter writing is a way of having a conversation. My opinion is that there was a need for a tool that would permit young people to have deep conversations about HIV and AIDS and the issues around sex and sexuality which may not be possible by other means. This tool would provide learners with the opportunity to air their views in this matter which is which is regarded as a taboo. I asked the participants to write letters using pseudonyms to the principal on their views about the content of the HIV and AIDS curriculum in their school. As indicated throughout this thesis, HIV and AIDS and the issues that involve sex and sexuality are regarded as taboo and are, therefore, not talked about publicly, particularly between
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adults and young people. The letter writing activity was used with the belief that learners would feel freer to express themselves through letter writing than they would in face-to-face interviews. I gave the participants different scenarios (Appendix H provides an example) on which they could base their letters. I prepared scenarios in order to focus their writing in the direction of my research questions.
The letters were written anonymously and placed in sealed envelopes, which were then dropped in a box. In this way, the participants were assured of their anonymity.
The letter writing activities were followed by group discussions in which the learners discussed their views about HIV and AIDS in more detail. By so doing, participants exchanged ideas so that this could become a learning experience. The letters were analysed thematically and the discussions that emanated from them were recorded and later transcribed for analysis.