Sociocultural Functional Literacy As a Planned Learning Outcome of a Primary Schoolchild

The article highlights the problem of the formation of socio-cultural literacy in a junior schoolchild, which is considered as the planned result of his education in primary school. The characteristic of the concept of “socio-cultural literacy” is given, the difficulties of the formation of its individual components are discussed: civic identity; legal and financial culture; tolerance, etc. The examples of methods and techniques aimed at the development of socio-cultural literacy are given, the expediency of using different forms of organization of education is revealed, which contributes to the formation of the ability of primary schoolchildren to constructively build relationships in children’s society and successfully interact.

GAMBUS PASER PERFORMANCE AS A CULTURAL LITERACY ENHANCEMENT OF PASER CULTURE FOR INDONESICAN CAPITAL RELOCATION TO EAST BORNEO

Gambus Paser music is one among traditional perfoming arts belongs to Paser tribe. Contextually, gambus Paser performing art cannot be detacted from its socio-culural since it geographically affects the characteristic of that cultural music. Generally, the culture of Gambus Paser music has its various values according to its various geographical dispositions. Geographically varied characteristic of Gambus Paser music is reflected on the interpretation of the music especially on the style of pentengan (picking technique) and the lyric of Gambus song. Gambus Paser music is also characteristically identified by the use of that pentengan style. On the other hand, coastal area also affects Gambus Paser characateristic which tends to be expressive and dynamic. Conceptually speaking, this research is qualitative research with descriptive analytical method. This research focuses on Gambus Paser performing art as the cultural (music) literacy enhancement. The purpose is to analyze the form of Gambus Paser performance as Paser cultural literacy. The result shows that literature related to Paser art is still hardly found, while on the other hand, we have also found how potential this performance as sustainable literacy and identity enhancement for Paser community to welcome the Indonesian capital relocation to East Borneo. A concrete step which is taken is to documenting and disseminating the Gambus Paser performance to create a cultural literacy and a sustainable traditional art.

Watchmen, Scientific Imaginaries, and the Capitalocene: The Media and Their Messages for Science Educators

This chapter explores the generativity of comics/graphic novels and their filmic adaptations as contributions to the “cultural literacy” of science educators by examining: (i) representations of science in Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ graphic novel Watchmen; (ii) the unique capability of sequential art to depict key scientific imaginaries, such as complexity and simultaneity; (iii) the treatment of these imaginaries in Zack Snyder’s (Watchmen. Universal Pictures, 2009) filmic adaptation of Watchmen; and (iv) the shift from the novel’s threats of Cold War nuclear annihilation toward the film’s concern with contemporary fears of a climate crisis. Many science educators treat comics/graphic novels (and much science fiction) with suspicion, tending to focus on their fidelity (or lack thereof) with canonical “textbook science” and the im/plausibility of their narratives. We argue that both versions of Watchmen constitute distinctively generative media resources (with cross-generational relevance) for rethinking science education in the Capitalocene.

“We have to learn to cooperate with each other”: a qualitative study to explore integration of traditional healers into the provision of HIV self-testing and tuberculosis screening in Eswatini

Background Traditional healing plays an important role in healthcare in Eswatini, and innovative collaborations with traditional healers may enable hard-to-reach men to access HIV and tuberculosis diagnostic services. This study explored attitudes towards integration of traditional healers into the provision of HIV self-testing kits and sputum collection containers. Methods A qualitative study was conducted in 2019–2020 in Shiselweni region, Eswatini. Eight male traditional healers were trained on HIV and tuberculosis care including distribution of HIV self-testing kits and sputum collection containers. Attitudes towards the intervention were elicited through in-depth interviews with the eight traditional healers, ten clients, five healthcare workers and seven focus group discussions with community members. Interviews and group discussions were conducted in SiSwati, audio-recorded, translated and transcribed into English. Data were coded inductively and analysed thematically. Results 81 HIV self-testing kits and 24 sputum collection containers were distributed by the healers to 99 clients, with 14% of participants reporting a reactive HIV self-test result. The distribution of sputum containers did not result in any tuberculosis diagnoses, as samples were refused at health centres. Traditional healers perceived themselves as important healthcare providers, and after training, were willing and able to distribute HIV self-test kits and sputum containers to clients. Many saw themselves as peers who could address barriers to health-seeking among Swazi men that reflected hegemonic masculinities and patriarchal attitudes. Traditional healers were considered to provide services that were private, flexible, efficient and non-judgemental, although some clients and community members expressed concerns over confidentiality breaches. Attitudes among health workers were mixed, with some calling for greater collaboration with traditional healers and others expressing doubts about their potential role in promoting HIV and tuberculosis services. Specifically, many health workers did not accept sputum samples collected outside health facilities. Conclusions Offering HIV self-testing kits and sputum containers through traditional healers led to high HIV yields, but no TB diagnoses. The intervention was appreciated by healers’ clients, due to the cultural literacy of traditional healers and practical considerations. Scaling-up this approach could bridge testing gaps if traditional healers are supported, but procedures for receiving sputum samples at health facilities need further strengthening.

Conclusions: Cultural Literacy in Action

In this chapter, the authors emphasize how even very young children can deal with complex and abstract ideas and emotions through creative practices and how the differences between people are not an issue for children. The analysis indicates that children have a multifaceted capacity for empathy. The authors stress that image-making is an important mode of communication through which children and young people shape their understanding of the world. This is a constructive and dialogic process of thinking in action. It allows children and young people to develop their imagination, emotional responses, personality, and position in the community, in relationship with others, and with the external world. The “dialogic chain of thinking” occurs not only in linguistic, but also in visual communication.

Cultural Literacy During COVID-19

As implementation of the CLLP was challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, the DIALLS project included in the program an additional lesson in which children reflected on its impact on their social environment. In this chapter, the authors analyze how the children’s artifacts express their understanding of the COVID-19 situation, including themes such as care and protection. The chapter focuses on how the students address empathy, tolerance, and inclusiveness under pandemic conditions. It starts by contextualizing the artifacts with international COVID-19 imagery and nationally similar or differing COVID-19 circumstances. Then, it analyzes the artifacts and their textual narratives.

Introduction: Cultural Literacy and Creativity

The introductory chapter explains the core concepts of the book: Cultural literacy and creativity. Cultural literacy is defined as a social practice that is inherently dialogic and based on learning and gaining knowledge through emphatic, tolerant, and inclusive interaction. Creativity is seen as stimulating cultural literacy learning through openness and curiosity to test and develop something new or imaginative. The chapter introduces the Cultural Literacy Learning Programme (CLLP) and the research data: 1906 works created by 5–15-year-old children and young people who participated in the program in 2019 and 2020 in Cyprus, Germany, Israel, Lithuania, Spain, Portugal, and the UK. The authors discuss how the data is explored through data-driven content analysis and self-reflexive and collaborative interpretation.

Tolerance, Empathy, and Inclusion

In this chapter, the authors analyze the artifacts in which the students explore the key attitudes of cultural literacy within the CLLP: Tolerance, empathy, and inclusion. The chapter introduces each attitude with critical discussion of its meanings, connections, and relations to other key concepts of cultural literacy, such as diversity, equality, and democracy. The authors explore how the program addresses these attitudes and the cultural texts it includes. The analysis of the artifacts reveals the variety of ways in which children give meanings to tolerance, empathy, and inclusion, such as helping others. In this meaning-making process, the students draw from their own experiences and emotions.