Degrees Held
- Master’s in educational psychology (cum laude), University of Durban-Westville, 2003
- PhD., University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2011
- Honours in Psychology, University of Durban-Westville,1996
- Bachelor of Paedagogics, University of Durban-Westville, 1985
Research Interests
- Child Sexual Abuse
- Learning Disorders
- Psycho–educational assessments (intellectual, scholastic, socio-emotional, school readiness)
- Behavioural Disorders (Attention deficit hyperactivity, conduct, oppositional defiant disorders)
- Substance-related Disorders (Drugs, alcohol).
Teaching Interests
- Psychological Interventions in Education
- Psychological Assessments in Education
- School Psycho-educational Support
- Human Development and Learning
- Perspectives on Human Nature
- Introduction to Inclusive Education
- Assessment and Educational Intervention
- School Guidance
- Education Studies
- Life Orientation
- Guidance and Counselling
Selected Publications
Journal Articles
Chapters in Books
Journal Articles
- Jairam, V. (2023). Experiences of parental involvement in privileged and underprivileged schools. Journal of Education, 43(3), 1-10.
- Jairam, V. (2017). New wine in new wine-skins. International Journal of Law, Humanities and Social Science, 5(1), 104-118.
Chapters in Books
Jairam, V. (2009). “I’m not trained as a counselor, but I know I have to do something”: Basic counseling strategies for teachers. Teaching and HIV & AIDS. Claudia Mitchell and Kathleen Pithouse (Editors). Gauteng. Macmillan.
Community Involvement
- Conduct pro bono psychological assessments on learners with learning difficulties.
- Pro bono counselling to students.
- Talks to schools on learning difficulties and psychosocial issues.
- Enhancing well-being in schools and communities.
- 11 October 2017. Hosted at UKZN the initial learning barriers workshop attended by teachers and UKZN student teachers from various schools in the Wentworth, Bluff and Merewent areas.
- 30 January 2020. Served on the panel to review the HIV/AIDS unit at the Nelson Mandela University.
- Psycho-educational assessments. Conduct pro bono psycho-educational assessments on learners with learning difficulties.
- Workshops/Seminars/Conferences organised and conducted:
- Child Sexual Abuse
- Substance Abuse
- HIV/AIDS
- Sexual Responsibility
- Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder,
- Stress Management
- Time Management
- Bereavement Counselling
- Crisis Intervention/Trauma Counselling
- Sexuality Education
- Assertiveness Skills
- Study Methods
Workshops/Seminars/Conferences
- Child Sexual Abuse
- Substance Abuse
- HIV/AIDS
- Sexual Responsibility
- Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism
- Prenatal Care to Female Prisoners at Westville Prison
- Stress Management
- Time Management
- Bereavement Counselling
- Crisis Intervention/Trauma Counselling
- Sexuality Education
- Interpersonal Relationships
- Assertiveness Skills
- Study Methods
- Hosted the initial learning barriers workshop attended by teachers and UKZN student teachers from various schools in the Wentworth, Bluff and Merewent areas
Teaching Expertise
- 20 years experience as a lecturer at tertiary level (undergraduate, honours and masters)
- 21 years experience at school level (special needs education; and senior, intermediate and FET phases)
- Co-ordinating the honours and masters qualification at discipline level.
- Co-ordinating the discipline of educational psychology.
Student Supervision
Masters
PhD
Masters
- Sindisiwe Precious Cele (2023): Exploring the academic experiences of intellectually superior high school learners, their proclivity to perform well academically and the challenges they experience.
- Mfanelo Prince Zulu (2023): Training Pre-service teachers for inclusion within a teacher education curriculum.
- Valentine Nontsikelelo Madlala (2023): Teachers’ experiences of working with learner-teacher support material resources in the 21st
- Henna Moosa (2023): Exploring learners’ challenges and positive experiences of e-learning during the era of Covid-19 in the Chatsworth region.
- (2022) Naidoo, Verusha. Foundation Phase Educators’ Understanding of Emotional Intelligence.
- (2021) Pillay, Lucas. Teachers’ Understanding of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Public Primary Mainstream Classrooms: A Narrative Inquiry.
- (2020) Ntuli, Thobekile Leanet. Promoting literacy using Short Messaging Services (SMS) to rural learners with reading difficulties.
- (2019) Mulovhedzi, Ntokozo. Challenges encountered by primary school learners from single-parent households to attain academic achievements.
- (2019) Mbili, Thamekile Patricia. Enhancing inclusive expressive skills in the English language intermediate phase classroom.
- (2019) Msomi, Nosipho Phumelele Princess. Exploring inclusive practices in the Intermediate Phase Mathematics classroom at Umlazi district.
- (2019) Chetty, Jade Crystal. An inclusive learning environment for culturally and linguistically diverse learners.
- (2019) Magardie, Soraya Juditha. The experience of learners diagnosed with learning disabilities at a LSEN (Learning Special Education Needs) school
- (2017) Rajpal, Uvisha. The use of digital media in enhancing teaching and learning in a secondary school in the Pinetown District
- (2016) Soobramoney, Shavon Berinica. The effects of parental support on the academic performance and self-esteem of learners with learning disabilities.
- (2016) Mantshongo, Lungisile Agness. Teachers’ experiences of their professional development in identifying and addressing barriers to learning in the Sizabantwana primary schools support project.
- (2016) Naidu, Soshendri. Investigating educators’ experiences of teaching learners who have barriers to learning at a public secondary school in Newlands West.
- (2015) Mohamed, Aneesa. The scholastic experiences of immigrant learners at a secondary school in Sydenham.
- (2015) Paragoo, Sivashnee. Educators’ experiences of teaching sexuality education in the FET phase.
- (2014) Ngeleka, Nombuso Cecilia. Teachers’ experiences in teaching sexuality education in the foundation phase in rural schools in the Ugu district.
- (2014) Msomi, Veronica Delisile. Experiences of learners with Albinism (LWA) in primary and secondary schools in the Umlazi district.
- (2014) Dlamini, Nhlanhla Aaron. The psychosocial experiences of teenage learners in two selected secondary schools in the Ubumbano circuit in Impendle.
- (2014) Shezi, Sindiswa Mbali. An exploration of school based interventions adopted by educators in under-resourced high schools to combat substance abuse.
- (2014) Maharaj, Clara Olive. Conflict resolution strategies used by grade 4 children in a primary school in the Umlazi District.
- (2013) Chili, Sthembile Emily. Experiences of learners who witness bullying: Case study of one school in Umlazi.
- (2013) Ranjith, Ameetha. Foundation phase educators’ conceptualizations of emotional intelligence and its influence on teaching
- (2013) Sewraj, Areshnie. The experiences of learners assessed as intellectually superior in a school for learners with special needs.
- (2013) Weber, Jan Pia. Teachers’ experiences of teaching learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the mainstream classroom.
- (2013) Pillay, Sargoonam. Pre-vocational education: Teaching experiences of novice pre-vocational teachers at a pre-vocational school.
- (2013) Ramlucken, Afsana. From OBE to CAPS: Educators’ experiences of the New Life Skills curriculum in the Foundation phase.
- (2013) Sililo, Ntombifuthi Julie Jane. Exploring the experiences of educators teaching sexuality education in Life Orientation to grade 6 and 7 learners in a selected school in the Westville Ward, Pinetown district.
PhD
- Lucas Pillay (2023). Victors Or Victims? An Exploration of How Teachers Navigate Changes in Teaching and Learning During the Covid-19 Pandemic.
- Jayshree Thilakdhari (2023): Psychosocial experiences of foundation phase teachers in South Africa during the covid-19 pandemic.
- Sindiswa Mbali Shezi (2023): Teaching grade 7 Life Orientation in South African schools through the story reading technique: An African Centred Perspective.
- (2022) Guvakuva, Rose, Sustainable learning for immigrant learners in a multilingual classroom.
- (2019) Pillay, Sargoonam. Prevocational Education: A sociocultural perspective of the skills curriculum.
- (2018) Manilal, Rubaina. The Use Of Digital Media In Education In An Ex-Model C School In The Durban North Region.