Instrumental enrichment in a technical high school for disadvantaged adolescents: a pilot evaluation

Abstract

In the light of deficits in the Black Education system, historically entrenched by the ruling political hegemony. Black education has been severely compromised in S.A. ln an attempt to redress the situation CEFSA, a non-governmental organisation, has set up a technical high school for adolescents, founded on the principles of Fcuersteins Instrumental Enrichment Programme. Five Instruments were taught in 1992. This study is an evaluation of the changes in the students over the year on dimensions of Cognitive Processes, Learning Styles, Creativity and Self-esteem. Changes were related to both the FIE programme, as well as to broader Mediated Learning Experience opportunities both within and outside the school. N = 114. Statistical procedures included a range of descriptive statistics, a stepwise regression and a principal components analysis. Results indicated that changes on the above dimensions occurred in both positive and negative directions. T-tests highlighted significant changes. Demographic variables were use to explain these changes in a stepwise regression procedure. Competence on Instruments were found to be significantly positively related to end of year academic results, irrespective of demographic variables. The Influences of the IE intervention were then discussed, both positive and negative in an attempt to gain understanding of future directions to be taken in teaching thinking skills within a rapidly changing socio-political context.