The roles of biological knowledge while exploring action-oriented knowledge and the S-Ivac methodology in sex education

Abstract

Today there is a strong trend in educational research to focus on the methodological aspects within the health area. In this paper we argue that health education has to deal with an interdisciplinary context oriented at specific health problems. Biological knowledge can describe the extension of health problems which typically empower us to consider statements such as: “if I do this, this will happen” or “if these are the conditions or circumstances, the risks may increase”. This knowledge is important because it arouses our concerns and attention and, consequently, creates a starting point in order to feel the desire to act. In this sense, it can be one of the prerequisites to develop students’ empowerment and action competence. Besides the construction of this scientific knowledge, if we only consider this perspective and students are not given any explanation as to the reasons why problems exist and how we can contribute to solving them, we run the risk of contributing simultaneously to the arousal of concern and the formation of action paralysis among pupils. The S – IVAC methodology (Selection of the problem – Investigation, Vision, Action & Change) has been developed as a practical instrument to construct the action oriented knowledge of students and to promote the development of actions to increase their action competence. As a result of this, the contribution of participatory-action-research in an actionoriented sex education project applying the S-IVAC methodology, whose main aims were to analyse what the dimensions of student action-oriented knowledge regarding sexuality are and the level of their participation, will be presented. Three hundred and fifty students from the 7th to the 12th grade constituted the sample of this research. The results obtained through participatory observation, individual and group interviews, online class diaries and discussion e-forums will be presented.