International Association of Educators   |  ISSN: 2834-7919   |  e-ISSN: 1554-5210
International Journal of Progressive Education
International Association of Educators

Original article | International Journal of Progressive Education 2022, Vol. 18(6) 29-41

Investigating how School Ecologies Mediate Sexuality Education: A Cybernetic Analysis Within the Free State Province, South Africa

Eben Swanepoel & Christa Beyers

pp. 29 - 41   |  DOI: https://doi.org/10.29329/ijpe.2022.477.3   |  Manu. Number: MANU-2103-27-0001.R3

Published online: December 11, 2022  |   Number of Views: 139  |  Number of Download: 386

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Abstract

Sexuality education has become the cornerstone to curbing risky adolescent behaviour as a means to decrease the spread of unsafe sexual practices and prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS. While the implementation thereof has shown effectiveness in practice, the desired change at the community level remains a challenge, especially in relation to multicultural norms and disparities with which educators are faced in different school contexts in Southern Africa. This paper raises the question: How do schools mediate sexuality education in Free State provincial schools to accommodate contextual challenges? In order to investigate how schools mediate uniform national- and curriculum-based benchmarks, 10 participants from five schools within the Free State province were purposefully sampled. Data from semi-structured interviews with participants were coded and themed, with this paper specifically reflecting on the theme of school and community boundaries influencing the implementation of sexuality education. Through a First and Second Order Cybernetic perspective, it was found that challenges of gender and race are among the barriers prohibiting positive feedback within school structures, as well as the need to allow communities and parents to become stakeholders in tailoring sexuality education to be relevant to expected national standards as well as contextual and relevant cultural and traditional values.

Keywords: Cybernetics; Sexuality Education; Social Justice; Systems; First Order Cybernetics

How to Cite this Article?

APA 6th edition
Swanepoel, E. & Beyers, C. (2022). Investigating how School Ecologies Mediate Sexuality Education: A Cybernetic Analysis Within the Free State Province, South Africa . International Journal of Progressive Education, 18(6), 29-41. doi: 10.29329/ijpe.2022.477.3

Harvard
Swanepoel, E. and Beyers, C. (2022). Investigating how School Ecologies Mediate Sexuality Education: A Cybernetic Analysis Within the Free State Province, South Africa . International Journal of Progressive Education, 18(6), pp. 29-41.

Chicago 16th edition
Swanepoel, Eben and Christa Beyers (2022). "Investigating how School Ecologies Mediate Sexuality Education: A Cybernetic Analysis Within the Free State Province, South Africa ". International Journal of Progressive Education 18 (6):29-41. doi:10.29329/ijpe.2022.477.3.
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