A trans-disciplinary collaborative team's facilitated understanding(s) of 'self-esteem development in the (South African) educational context(s)'

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: 'Self-esteem development' is an outcome in the South African education curriculum.However, it does not appear to be underpinned by (a) clear and/or comprehensive understanding(s),potentially endangering its realisation. Rationale: In developing (a) contextualised understanding(s) incosmopolitan South Africa, extant scholarship offers a limited resource. It is largely 'westernised',quantitative, and privileges the often conflicting understandings of academics thereby marginalising'non-academic' role players. Gaining currency, inclusive Mode 2 hybrid trans-disciplinary researchaims to augment understandings by bridging the academic – practice disconnect, championingepistemological contextualisation, democratisation and collaboration between different role players.Furthermore, Shavelson, Hubner and Stanton's (1976) classic review of 'self-concept' scholarshipwhich generated a landmark new model, and Marsh and O'Mara's (2008) declaration of itsmultidisciplinarity, resonate with this study's approach. Main Research Question: Focusing on thefrequently associated concept of 'self-esteem', this study asked the main research question: 'Whatis/are a trans-disciplinary collaborative team's facilitated understanding(s) of 'self-esteem' and 'selfesteemdevelopment in the (South African) educational context(s)'? Aim: This study involved hybridtrans-disciplinary collaboration between the voices of scholarship and 'non-academic' and 'local'voices aiming to develop a 'new' inclusive and contextually sensitive model. This study's hybridEMDC or local education authority trans-disciplinary collaborative team consisted of school, intern oreducational psychologists, social workers, learning support advisors, life orientation curriculumadvisors, life orientation educators, and the voices of literature (scholarship and 'non-academic'and/or local literature). Design and Implementation: A hybrid qualitative, participatory 'action'research design employed four workshops and inter-workshop periods with action including withinthe team and somewhat within their contexts. 'Transgogy' based on trans-disciplinary collaborationprinciples and Mezirowean and Freirean andragogic theories, facilitated the process. DataConstructions: A 'self-ecosystemic model of 'self-esteem' and 'self-esteem development in the (SouthAfrican) educational context(s)'' was developed, with the process and 'product' concept of 'meta selfesteem'or 'the evaluation of the evaluation or self-esteem' at the apex of a novel self-esteemhierarchy conceptualisation. The 'optimal' meta self-esteem 'product' or nature status is a 'highhealthy self-esteem' and with the concomitant process, provide the prime aims of self-esteemdevelopment. An intact 'core self-esteem' or 'I matter no matter what' is a sine qua non of the metastatusof 'healthy', as is evenly dovetailing individualism with, for example, the African collectivisticphilosophy of 'ubuntu'. Discussion of the Data and 'Concluding' the Journey: This data, model, theimplications, recommendations, and evaluation of this study are presented and discussed. This journeyis then 'concluded'.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University