Improving my pedagogical approach to teaching sexuality education at a technical and vocational education and training college: a teacher’s self study.

Abstract

This thesis is based on a self-study, which I conducted as a Life Orientation lecturer in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Sector. I undertook a journey on exploring how I could improve my sexuality education teaching practice. In order to improve my pedagogical approach in teaching sexuality education, I had to first develop three research questions that were the foundation of the study. These included: How have my lived experiences contributed to my pedagogical choices when I teach the sexuality education component in the Life Orientation curriculum? How do students experience and respond to my teaching of the sexuality education component of the Life Orientation curriculum? What can I learn from my teaching experiences to improve my teaching practice of the Life Orientation curriculum? To address these questions, my self-study took me through a journey of discovery into my personal history and the role of sexuality education and how it has influenced my life and my teaching practice. In doing this, I had to make use of artefact retrieval and memory drawings that took me back in time as I engaged in this retrospective process. In this study, my students were my participants and using their class activities as one of my data methods, I identified how students experienced my teaching of sexuality education. My critical friends also played an important role in this self-study as it was their input and comments that assisted me in improving my pedagogical approach in teaching sexuality education. In working on improving my pedagogical approaches in teaching sexuality education, I had to first understand my study from a socio-cultural theoretical perspective. This perspective helped me in understanding that my students come into the learning environment with different backgrounds and cultures and as their lecturer, I need to acknowledge this when planning my lessons. This work brought an understanding for me, that teaching sexuality content needs a collaborative process of engagement with students. That implies the use of teaching strategies that would provide those collective opportunities. There is valuable input that can be drawn from the students, to facilitate effective and productive learning for all. It lies in the pedagogical choices I make as a lecturer that moves the process of learning beyond my own limitations.