Investigating factors relevant to a multicultural HIV/AIDS Curriculum for Assemblies of God

[摘要] The HIV/AIDS crisis in South Africa has reached pandemic levels, with over 1 000 deathsper day. The church in South Africa represents a largely untapped resource for addressingthis problem. One of the largest Evangelical church groups in South Africa is the Assembliesof God (AOG/SA). This church group consists of three culturally distinct fraternals: TheGroup (white), The Association (coloured), and The Movement (black). Although theyfunction under one executive committee, these fraternals have remained organizationallydistinct even after the dismantling of apartheid laws in 1991. On the issue of HIV/AIDS, allthree fraternals have remained largely quiet and uninvolved. They have made no attempt tostrategize on a unified response to the pandemic, nor have they attempted to promoteculturally relevant curricula capable of empowering their pastors and theological students torespond effectively to this crisis.The research consisted of two phases, following Rothman and Thomas's InterventionResearch model (1994), with special emphasis on the design and development component.The first phase identified and assessed educational, cultural, and religious factors relevant tothe development and delivery of a clergy-focused multicultural curriculum interventionaddressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic in South Africa. Data-gathering strategy for the firstphase consisted of semi-structured interviews with ethnographic notions.The target groups for the first phase of the research included 15 credentialed AOG/SA pastorsand the three fraternal leaders. The leaders and fraternal members participated in semistructuredinterviews designed to establish cultural and religious points of divergencepertaining to topics surrounding the AIDS pandemic (e.g. sickness, death, sexuality andgender roles).The second phase of the research consisted of the development and delivery of a curriculumintervention. Integrating the cultural and religious factors identified in the first phase of theresearch, the nine-day curriculum intervention was presented to 34 tertiary-level theologicalstudents in two culturally distinct venues. The content of the curriculum primarilyemphasized aspects of gender, tradition, and culture as they relate to HIV/AIDS andsurrounding issues. The intervention utilized three curriculum theories that were deemedrelevant to the educational context of South Africa: humanistic curriculum theory, socialreconstructionist curriculum theory and dialogue curriculum theory.Data-gathering strategies for the second phase of the research utilized both quantitative andqualitative instruments with ethnographic notions. The quantitative instruments included theScale of Basic HIV/AIDS Knowledge (SHAK), Personal Reflections of Men with HIV/AIDS(PRM) and Personal Reflections of Women with HIV/AIDS (PRW). Reflective journalingwas used to acquire qualitative data from student participants.Scores significantly improved on the SHAK in both venues. Scores on the PRW improved inboth venues, significantly so in one. Unexpectedly, scores on the PRM declined at bothvenues, although not significantly so. Males with HIV/AIDS were viewed more negatively byboth genders at the end of the intervention in both venues. Reflective journal entries indicatedthat students at both venues clearly perceived a need for the church to be involved in thepandemic; many proposed that sex education should be taking place within the context ofchurch youth ministry. Affective responses were markedly positive for those suffering withAIDS, particularly females. The data clearly indicated that the curriculum was effective intwo culturally distinct venues.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University