Using HIVetAIDS Statistics in Pre-service Mathematics Education to Integrate HIVetAIDS Education

ABSTRACT

In South Africa; the HIVetAIDS education policy documents indicate opportunities for integration across disciplines/subjects. There are different interpretations of integration/inclusion and mainstreaming HIVetAIDS education; and numerous levels of integration. Integration ensures that learners experience the disciplines/subjects as being linked and related; and integration is required to support and expand the learners' opportunities to attain skills; acquire knowledge and develop attitudes and values across the curriculum. This study makes use of self-study methodology where I; a teacher educator; aim to improve my practice through including HIVetAIDS statistics in Mathematics Education. This article focuses on how I used HIVetAIDS statistics to facilitate pre-service teacher reflection and introduce them to integration of HIVetAIDS education across the curriculum. After pre-service teachers were provided with HIV statistics; they drew a pie chart which graphically illustrated the situation and reflected on issues relating to HIVetAIDS. Three themes emerged from the analysis of their reflections. The themes relate to the need for further HIVetAIDS education; the changing pastoral role of teachers and the changing context of teaching. This information indicates that the use of statistics is an appropriate means of initiating the integration of HIVetAIDS education into the academic curriculum