Diversity and inclusivity represention in the Life Orientation Further Education and Training Phase in South African school textbooks

A visual analysis was used for this study, individually coding the images according to definitions found in the literature review. A coding framework was developed from the literature review and a template adapted from the Ministerial Task Team Report compiled by the Department of Education.

The data findings from the visual analysis determined the extent to which diversity is represented in the Life Orientation Further Education and Training Phase and the extent to which the different coding aspects have been well represented or underrepresented. The findings from the data analysis were compared to the findings in the literature review and the Ministerial Task Team Report. These results suggest that factors such as age, disability, sexuality, location, etc. are underrepresented, and content creators and textbook publishers must deliberately include the diversity elements not sufficiently covered to create diverse content that is also inclusive for learners in South African schools.</p>