M.A. / This research was undertaken to explore how Black South African children experience hope in general, and secondly, whether the constructs of pathways and agency are evident in their experiences of hope. The research was conducted in the hope that it will contribute to the existing theory of Hope in children and as no research could be found on hope in Black South African children. Specifically, the researcher wanted to gain insight into whether hope, as conceptualised by Snyder (2000), is experienced by Black South African children. Hope reflects individuals’ perceptions regarding their capacity to clearly conceptualise goals, develop strategies to reach those goals (pathwaysthinking), and initiate and sustain the motivation for using those strategies (agency-thinking) (Snyder et al., 2003). Hope is a motivational construct that falls within Positive Psychology, a movement that has called for an examination of psychological strengths, rather than of pathology. Existing literature is largely focused on earlier positive psychology constructs such as coping, and there had been limited focus on children and the manifestation of psychological strengths in South Africa. Therefore, the aim of the present research was to explore strengths, like hope, in Black South African children. The dissertation first focuses on the review of the literature on positive psychology, hope, and the use of stories and narratives to facilitate the understanding of hope in children. The literature review provides a history of psychology and the development of positive psychology. Hope as conceptualised by Snyder is reviewed, as well as a focus on how hope affects children. In this study a qualitative approach was used to explore the stories of hope by Black primary school children. The participants consisted of six children who were interviewed. The narratives and data were analysed using thematic iv analysis. The themes that emerged from the analysis are presented in the results chapter. It is evident from the narratives that some of the children experienced difficulties expressing what hope meant to them, as they did not have an understanding of the construct. Although some of the children experienced problems engaging with the construct, some of the children were able to talk about hope and what it meant to them, and also relate to past experiences where they displayed hopeful behaviour. The differences in how the children experienced hope could be attributed to whether their family and school experiences and environment enhance hope in the children. The results are discussed in terms of the literature, as well as in the South African context. Finally, a summary of the research together with the limitations and recommendations for further research is offered.

D. Phil. / Human development is a universal phenomenon, characterized by various stages. These stages differ from one culture to the other. Furthermore, each developmental stage tends to bring about expectations that are in accordance with a particular culture. In addition, in each culture there exist problems that are specific to a given stage as well as to the manner in which these problems are resolved. Erikson=s stages of human development are generally regarded as universal. The universal acceptance of Erikson=s stages seems to be based on a study he conducted, involving a variety of cultures. A question that needed to be addressed was whether Erikson=s developmental stages are similar to those which an African child goes through. This study is an attempt to investigate developmental stages of Africans and compare them to those outlined by Erikson. To investigate the developmental stages of an African child and to establish the relationship between Erikson=s stages of development and those of Africans, an exploratory study was conducted among the people of the Bolobedu community in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. The Balobedu people were regarded as an ideal study sample because of their relatively unchanged lifestyle which still resembles the traditional African way of life. Subjects were interviewed individually, by using an open-ended questionnaire. The results were then interpreted and analyzed. The results show that children among the Balubedu also go through various stages of development which have distinct names. Furthermore, like in many other cultural groups, these stages are accompanied by various problems and expectations. In addition, these people use different methods to address problems experienced during each of the stages identified. The study further reveals that although the developmental stages among the Balobedu have much in common with those of Erikson, there exist differences between the two approaches. These differences are identified. Of the most significant differences is that developmental stages are not defined by age alone, but by other factors such as readiness and ability to perform certain tasks as well. In addition, the study did not indicate the presence of psychological problems that are caused by the developmental process, when these stages among the target group were compared to those identified by Erikson. In conclusion, this study illuminates that there are both similarities and differences between the two approaches. One such difference is that whereas Erikson=s theory describes stages in terms of age associated with some psycho-social problems, the results of the investigation revealed that among Africans, developmental stages are described in terms of the child=s readiness, and that no indication of the presence of psycho- social problems was found. This, it would seem, does not necessarily mean that traditional African children do not experience psychological problems. Instead, it suggests that there are other methods of dealing with these psychological problems, which this study did not reveal. This raises the need to explore the developmental stages and their psychological effects among African children by using a larger sample than the one used in this study. Another distinction is that the definition of various stages is based on cultural values. While Erikson emphasizes the importance of concepts such as competition, independence and egoism, Africans tend to put more emphasis on cooperation, inter-dependence and altruism respectively. Lastly, among Africans, each stage is characterized by rituals and ceremonies. These are meant to mark the beginning or the end of a particular stage or phase, thereby psychologically preparing the individual to adjust to the new position. Erikson=s stages of development seem to have ignored the importance of rituals in the various developmental stages. Therefore, his theory can not be said to be universally applicable.

D.Litt. et Phil. / The present study examined the development of an understanding of the concept of death by Black African learners residing in a rural area in the Eastern Cape. The study was set against the background of the African cultural meaning systems related to death. There were 31 learners whose ages ranged between 6-8, 9-12, and 13-16 years. Only learners whose parents gave consent were included in the study. Data were collected using drawings and semi-structured tape-recorded interviews from a modified version of the Smilansky (1987) Death Questionnaire. Drawings were analysed following Marton’s (1981) phenomenographic method. Pattern coding was used to pull the paraphrased segments of the interview transcripts into meaningful themes. The responses specific to the five components of death were analysed using Smilansky’s scoring method. From the analysis of drawings 9 categories of description emerged and these reflected a contextualised understanding of death. The overview of the drawings reflected more similarities than differences between the age groups. The referent object influenced the pattern of component acquisition. For instance, the level of understanding was better for human death compared to the level of understanding for animal death among the 6-8 age group. The reversal was true for older learners whose level of conceptualising animal death was more advanced than the level of conceptualising human death. This finding demonstrates the influence of cultural practices on the development of the conceptualisation of death. The conceptualisation of old age seemed to develop before the other components followed by inevitability, then irreversibility, and last, finality and causality. Gender differences were noted only in the explanations of causes of death. The conclusions reached demonstrated that the development of an understanding of death is affected by age, cognition, and by other familial and cultural factors depending on the context within which such development takes place. The principles of the neo-Piagetian theory proved useful in explaining the findings of the present study. Finally, recommendations regarding guidelines for handling death-related issues with children and regarding directions for future research are provided.

We investigated the relationship between glucose tolerance and birth weight in a group of 7-year-old black South Africans on whom longitudinal anthropometric data were available. Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT’s) were carried out on 152 subjects and inverse correlations were found between birth weight and the total amount of insulin secreted during the first 30 minutes (r= -0.19, p=0.04) and the last 90 minutes (r= -0.19, p=0.04) of the oral glucose tolerance test and also between birth weight and the 30 minute glucose concentrations (r= -0.20, p=0.02). Children born with low birth weights but who had high weights at 7 years, had higher insulin concentrations and indices of obesity compared with those with low birth weights and low weights at 7 years of age. There were also positive correlations between weight velocity and BMI (r=0.24, p=0.02) and weight velocity and postprandial insulin levels (r=0.31, p=0.001). Thus low birth weight in conjunction with rapid childhood gains in weight especially as subcutaneous fat, produces poor glucose tolerance in 7-year-old children and may make them susceptible to the development of Type II diabetes later in life.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Georgia State University, 2006. / Ralph E. LaRossa, committee chair; Elisabeth O. Burgess, Charles A. Gallagher, Romney S. Norwood, committee members. Electronic text (264 p.) : digital, PDF file. Description based on contents viewed June 29, 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 222-248).

The purpose of this study was to compare PPVT scores of Black children and language delayed White children in order to determine whether the patterning of errors can be differentiated between the two groups. The study involved twenty Black children and twenty language delayed White children between the ages of six years, six months, and seven years, six months. The subjects were from families of lower socioeconomic status. The White subjects were given the Utah Test of Language Development to establish degree of language delay. The study was designed to determine whether either the language delayed White subjects or the Black subjects would miss any items on the PPVT significantly more often than the other group. The study sought to determine whether either group consistently made the same incorrect choice on items which they miss more frequently than the other group. Finally, the study was conducted to find whether the mean ceiling item reached by the two groups would be significantly different. The results of the study indicate the patterning of errors cannot be differentiated between the two groups. No significant difference was present between the mean ceiling item reached by the groups, and only two test items were missed significantly more often by the language delayed White subjects than by the Black subjects. It is postulated that factors which might influence PPVT results in the Black population, as well as the White population, are: 1) the mean level of education of the community; 2) the residential stability of the population; and 3) the regional area from which new residents migrate.

A major challenge facing parent educators and professionals who provide prevention and early intervention programs/services for people of colour, specifically Black families in Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), is the lack of culturally relevant programs. An Afrocentric approach that incorporates concepts from the Empowerment and Ecological Systems theories will bridge this gap because it provides a framework for examining the impact of culture and race on Black family life and parenting. Reflecting on the African proverb, "it takes a village to raise a child", the study emphasizes the role of Black communities in supporting families for enhancing the healthy development of their children. The study examines Black parents' beliefs and goals about using racial socialization as a parenting strategy to address issues of race and discrimination that impact Black parenting. Findings indicate that parents in HRM are currently practicing some form of racial socialization, and are receptive to this model.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:39:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 4402.pdf: 794536 bytes, checksum: d435e279bba803bdbd6168127f6304e9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-02-15 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / This study aimed to understand that childhood perceptions of black children are unveiled in the process of childhood education teachers. To this end, I present a brief reflection to contextualize my training black woman activist, professor of Early Childhood Education and researcher. Following aboard a history on the establishment of early childhood education affects a federal university in which research collaborators are working in recent years and has sought to develop a work to combat the distortions and inequalities experienced by black. The theoretical references were prepared from the position of rethinking and combat situations that marginalize and disqualify in this case black children, always from the guiding question: "What childhood perceptions of black children reveal kindergarten teachers from their experiences". References are presented in the theoretical understandings and insights into: totality, perceptions, horizon, early childhood education, experience, childhood education teachers, coloniality, children and childhood. The methodological approach was built with help and inspiration in the Phenomenology of the African philosophies. So I relied on three collaborators who are experienced teachers childhood education, they all have more than fifteen years of experience and proven commitment to the education of ethnic-racial relations. Data were collected through in-depth conversations, which were identified as the meanings and themes unfold the same units that are grouped in dimensions. Data analysis revealed the dimensions: the time a former, former to child education, experiences his own childhood, childhood black - deny and doubt, this black child, missing, racialized perceptions and feelings, and finally, black marks and white markings. That reveal the training of teachers is an ongoing process and as they learned the techniques of education for ethnic-racial relations, but also realize the childhood of black children stereotypically and Eurocentric. In the final considerations introduce the concept of time to educate and racial-ethnic relations, drawing some insights about the training courses for teachers, the specificities of early childhood education and questions about childhood understandings grounded in Eurocentric values. In this chapter, I highlight that black children who are the lead teachers to seek knowledge about black / as, however, of black children is perpetuated as fragments distorted by an atmosphere of racism and inequality. / A pesquisa busca compreender percepções de infância de crianças negras, desveladas nos processos de formar-se professora de Educação Infantil. Para tanto, é apresenta breve reflexão para contextualizar formação da pesquisadora como negra, mulher, militante e professora de Educação Infantil. Na seqüência é feito um histórico da instituição de Educação Infantil afeta a uma universidade federal em que as colaboradoras da pesquisa atuam, buscando desenvolver trabalho que combata as visões distorcidas sobre os negros/as e as desigualdades vivenciadas por negros/as. A questão orientadora da pesquisa é: Que percepções de infância de crianças negras revelam professoras de Educação Infantil a partir de suas experiências de formação . As referências teóricas elaboradas com o propósito de discorrerem sobre entendimentos e compreensões relativos a: totalidade, percepções, horizonte, Educação Infantil, experiência de formar-se professora, crianças e infâncias. A postura metodológica foi construída com inspirações na Fenomenologia e o auxílio de filosofia de raiz africana. Os dados foram coletados por meio de conversas aprofundadas com três colaboradoras que são professoras de Educação Infantil com mais de quinze anos de profissão que cujo trabalho tem evidenciado compromisso com a educação das relações étnico-raciais. Os dados foram coletados por meio de conversas aprofundadas, na qual foram identificadas as unidades de significados e as mesmas unidades desvelam temas que são agrupados em dimensões. Com a análise dos dados identificaram-se dimensões em que a percepções de crianças negras se traduzem em: tempo um formador, formando-se para e na Educação Infantil, vivências da própria infância, a infância negra negação e dúvida, criança negra presente, criança branca ausente percepções e sentimentos racializados, e por fim, negros marcos e marcas brancas. Revelam que na formação as professoras aprenderam técnicas de educar para as relações étnico-raciais, porém, continuam percebendo a infância de crianças negras de forma estereotipada e eurocentrada. Nas considerações finais são tecidas compreensões acerca da concepção de tempo de educar para e nas relações étnico-raciais, com questionamentos acerca das compreensões de infância pautada, em valores eurocentrados, fica sublinhado que são as crianças negras quem conduzem as professoras a buscarem conhecimentos sobre os negros/as, e que, a infância de crianças negras se perpetua como fragmentos distorcidos por uma atmosfera de racismo e desigualdades.

Orientador: Ângela Fátima Soligo / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-20T20:17:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Feitosa_CarolineFelipeJango_M.pdf: 11680926 bytes, checksum: 9e86ab199c161045ce738f5d92bdafd9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar as representações sociais que a criança negra tem acerca da escola, bem como compreender a construção de sua identidade e sua integração no espaço escolar. Participaram da pesquisa 58 estudantes dos três últimos anos do Ensino Fundamental I, de escolas municipais localizadas na Região Metropolitana de Campinas, sendo que 31 meninos e 27 meninas, de 7 a 13 anos de idade, todos pertencentes ao segmento racial negro. O instrumento utilizado foi uma ficha de pesquisa desenvolvida pela autora, composta por cinco etapas reciprocamente complementares. Na primeira etapa os questionamentos foram voltados para a representação de si, do professor e da localização das crianças na sala de aula. A segunda etapa abarcou a percepção e integração das crianças no espaço extra sala de aula e suas expectativas acerca da escola. Na terceira etapa questionamos as crianças sobre quais elementos eram bons e quais eram ruins na escola, já na quarta etapa questionamos as mesmas sobre as situações boas e ruins que elas vivenciaram neste espaço. E, por fim, na quinta etapa as crianças foram questionadas acerca de sua cor e sobre sua autoimagem. As entrevistas foram feitas individualmente e pela pesquisadora. O estudo aponta relações assimétricas de raça dentro da sala de aula, ou seja, a organização do espaço escolar, orientada pelo preconceito racial, contribui para a estigmatização e exclusão da criança negra na escola. Percebemos que os professores e gestores escolares apresentam posturas negligentes e muitas vezes racistas ao abordar a temática racial no interior da escola. As crianças negras vivenciam um espaço que as discrimina e são constantemente humilhadas por apelidos depreciativos de sua condição racial. Ademais, a pesquisa demonstra que as crianças negras tendem, em sua maioria, a negar sua condição racial e a se aproximar dos padrões brancos mais aceitos socialmente, influenciando negativamente sua identidade, uma vez que buscam modelos impostos socialmente que jamais serão alcançados. A escola e os profissionais da educação têm respeitado muito pouco ou nada a valorização da diferença e a promoção da igualdade racial na escola, porém as crianças ainda têm uma representação positiva dos elementos escolares de um modo geral e da professora em especial, mesmo reconhecendo os pontos negativos dos mesmos. / Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the social representations that black children have about the school, as well as understanding the construction of their identity and their integration within the school. The participants were 58 students in the last three years of elementary school, in public schools located in the Metropolitan Region of Campinas, with 31 boys and 27 girls, 7-13 years of age, all belonging to the segment black race. The instrument used was a form of research developed by the author, consists of five steps mutually complementary. In the first stage, the questions were focused on the representation of themselves and the teacher and the location of children in the classroom. The second phase encompassed the perception and integration of children in outer space classroom and their expectations about the school. In the third stage questioned the children about what elements were good and which were bad in school, since the fourth stage the same question about the good and bad situations that they experienced in this space. And finally, the fifth stage the children were questioned about their color and on their self-image.The interviews were conducted individually by the researcher. The study showed asymmetrical relations of race in the classroom, the organization of the school, guided by racial prejudice, contributes to the stigmatization and exclusion of black children in school. We realize that teachers and school managers have postures and often negligent in addressing the racist racial issue within the school. Black children experience a place that discriminates and are constantly humiliated by his nicknames derogatory racial condition. Moreover, research shows that black children tend mostly to deny their racial condition and approaching whites socially accepted standards, negatively influencing their identity, since taxes are seeking social models that will never be achieved. The school and education professionals have observed little or no appreciation of difference and promoting racial equality in school, but children still have a positive representation of the elements of a general school and the teacher in particular, while acknowledging the points negative thereof. / Mestrado / Psicologia Educacional / Mestre em Educação

Children of African descent gather information about the world from various sources such as school, television, toys, and books. This research focuses specifically on books as an educational tool. The dominant focus of this work is to evaluate the ideas communicated to black children in books. Additionally, this is an Afrocentric work that is invested in black children's books that teach black children to resist white supremacy by achieving academic excellence, valuing their African culture, and having high self-esteem. Ultimately, these acts will lead children of African descent to reach their full potential. However, this cannot be done if the books read to and by black children have negative or minimal depictions of black people. To this point, this work demonstrates the efficacy of constructive representations of black people in children's books. It also examines how the authors' and illustrators' views about blackness are conveyed throughout the books. The ramifications of negative or positive ideas about black people illustrated in children's books are powerful and must be analyzed critically. This thesis explains why and how reading for black children should be utilized as a resource for development. / African American Studies