This chapter evaluates Dewey's thinking in relation to the theorization of Prior Learning Assessment (PLA). It compares Dewey's concepts with ideas from social realism, Vygotsky, and cultural historical activity theory, illustrated by PLA research in South Africa.

Sex education within the formal bounds of school curricula or clinic consultation is traditionally conceived as age-appropriate and accurate information, delivered by a sanctioned adult such as a nurse or teacher. This article explores another kind of curriculum -- taught and learned among young men themselves in the "kasi" (township) in…

New forms of classroom participation, envisioned as contributing to democracy, are advocated by the South African national curriculum. This paper investigates what form participatory science teaching can and should take in South Africa where the legacy of colonialism and apartheid remains and considers this question through the efforts of two…

The university period provides a critical developmental transition from adolescence to adulthood. During this period, young people establish patterns of behaviors and make lifestyle choices that affect their current and future health. Using the social constructionist paradigm that examines the development of masculinities as a mutual construct of…

This paper examines how WhatsApp can be used to build learning communities and facilitate interaction, through the lens of Ubuntu -- an African concept of humanness, which means that an individual person owes his or her existence to the existence of others. The Afrocentric concept of Ubuntu and interaction work concomitantly towards the…

African women in the Xhosa culture used to hold powerful positions in the sexuality arena. That has since changed and in contemporary Xhosa culture, they take up submissive roles. This is especially so in the teaching of certain aspects of sexuality, as Xhosa women are not supposed to give guidance in the sexuality of their male learners. In this…

Incorporating socially just concepts into classrooms means students' needs are considered and pedagogic activities recognise everyone and make sure that student voices are heard, acknowledged and affirmed. Art has historically provided alternative ways of making sense of our worlds, commenting on them, questioning practices and structures, and…

The study sought to explore the manifestations and effects of patriarchy in female-led secondary schools in South Africa. The thesis advanced was that despite government initiatives towards gender parity in the employment social structure, the prevalence of patriarchal tendencies continues unabated. Located in the pragmatic paradigm and adopting a…

Over the past forty years, media education research has emerged as a historical, epistemological and practical field of study. Shifts in the field--along with radical transformations in media technologies, aesthetic forms, ownership models, and audience participation practices--have driven the application of new concepts and theories across a…

Objective: Rising incidence of acquired multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in South Africa suggests low knowledge and implementation of infection prevention and control strategies in household and congregate settings. This study contributes to the under-researched area of non-biomedical responses to sub-adherence to treatment. Design: The…

The aim of this chapter is to discuss the parameters for a construction of a scholarly Cultural History of Education in South Africa. The historiography of South African education reflects the context (demographic and otherwise) of the country. Three clearly distinguishable paradigms are evident: a conservative Afrikaner paradigm, a liberal…

Nudging is increasingly used in public health interventions in Western societies to produced health-promoting behavior changes; however, there is lack of clarity as to what constitutes a nudge, scant knowledge of the effectiveness of nudging techniques in public health lifestyle interventions and a number of ethical and value-based concerns. The…

The aim of this study was to explore Black South African adolescents' sense of self as it emerges through their direct and indirect environments. Black African adolescents (N = 57; 52.63% male; 47.37% female) participated in eight focus groups, which were analyzed thematically. The emphasis fell on the interconnectedness and interdependency…

This article offers narratives of individual journeys through the scholarship of leading in three different contexts--Asia, Europe, and Africa. Together, these narratives argue for the need to make explicit the diversity of practices of the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), with each practice inextricably tied to specific geographical,…

The dance world is dominated by instilling technique and discipline in the dance training. Technique and discipline have been inculcated through training regimes that are dogmatically transferred through the generations -- from teacher to dancer --and who in turn perpetuate technique and discipline in their teaching. Within a multicultural…