Reducing HIV-related stigma through arts-based pedagogies in the Life Skills class : an action research approach

Abstract

The literature indicates that children have ‘AIDS fatigue‘, that teachers are not making the content of HIV education relevant to children and that lessons and curriculum material are based on what adults think children need to know. The danger of this is that HIV is taught from a biomedical perspective to reduce infection, ignoring the social aspects that fuel the pandemic. HIV education should also include developing an understanding of the pandemic from an intersectional, social perspective so that children become aware of the complex social factors that, when combined, could worsen HIV infection among social groupings. This study aimed at using educational action research to find out how an arts-based approach to teaching HIV can help children develop a more nuanced understanding of HIV and related social issues. It is assumed that this will help reduce the stigma directed at those infected and affected by HIV, as well as in the creation of age-appropriate, child-friendly strategies for teaching HIV in the Life Skills classroom. The study engaged 21 Grade 5 children as participants to explore the following primary research question: How could the use of arts-based pedagogies in the Life Skills class reduce HIV stigma among Grade 5 children? To address the primary research question, the following secondary questions were formulated:  What are children’s perceptions of HIV?  How can arts-based pedagogies help to disrupt these perceptions and encourage children to develop a new understanding of HIV?  What guidelines can be developed from the findings to inform teaching to reduce HIV stigma among children? The study consisted of two cycles of action research to disrupt the children’s stigmatising perceptions of HIV and HIV-related stigma: Cycle 1 addressed the first secondary research question. The children explored their perceptions of HIV and HIV-related stigma through a draw and write activity where three themes emerged from the data created by the children. They had knowledge of the biomedical aspects linked to HIV but lacked knowledge on the social aspects linked to the disease; they were aware that HIV carried stigma; and some of them empathy towards those affected by the disease. Cycle 2 addressed the second and third secondary questions. Here, the children were encouraged to use their creative and critical thinking skills to work collaboratively to develop

their empathy towards those affected by HIV and HIV-related stigma. They needed to think about what a better response would be when faced with stigmatising situations in their social environments. They collectively engaged in storyboarding and puppetry to display more empathetic understandings. Two themes emerged from the data in this cycle. The arts-based methods used, encouraged the development of critical and creative thinking, as well as communication and collaborative working skills among the children, and enabled them to embody improved attitudes and behaviour. The knowledge generated from this study could be used to inform how HIV education, or indeed any topic in Life Skills, could be taught using arts-based pedagogies to deepen learner understanding and engagement.