The purpose of this study is to describe and explore the happiness, sense of coherence and resilience of rural teachers from a positive psychology framework where positive and healthy adaptation is emphasized. This study forms part of the dissemination phase of a longitudinal study known as STAR (Supportive Teachers Assets and Resilience). Completed questionnaires by twelve rural teachers in STAR schools (2 primary and 1 secondary) in rural Mpumalanga were purposively sampled as data sources for secondary analysis. The measures included the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ), Resilience Scale (RS-14) and the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (SOC-13). Results are presented as descriptive and non-parametric statistics. Results indicated that teachers possess High Moderate to High levels of happiness, Moderate to High Moderate sense of coherence, and High Moderate to high levels of resilience. There was no significant relationship between happiness, sense of coherence and resilience. No significant differences were observed between levels of happiness, sense of coherence and resilience of teachers in (Pre- STAR intervention and post- STAR intervention); nor with regards to gender. Theorizing the findings of this study within the theoretical framework of positive psychology indicates that despite significant risk and adversity, teachers are able to demonstrate positive psychological constructs in the form of happiness (extraversion, kindness, humor, sense of purpose, aesthetic appreciation, locus of control, positive affect, self-efficacy, physical health and self-esteem ), sense of coherence (comprehensibility, manageability and meaning) and resilience (self-reliance, having a purposeful and meaningful life, equanimity, perseverance and existential aloneness). / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to contribute to knowledge on teacher resilience in terms of protective resources and risk factors in rural schools by exploring the significance of higher education institutions (HEI) with rural school teachers. In the comparative case study, following a constructivist meta-theory and Participatory Reflection and Action (PRA) methodology, I used Place-based Social Mobility System theory as lens to compare teacher experiences of purposively sampled teachers (n = 6) in conveniently sampled rural schools (n = 2) with a long-term university-association to those of teachers (n = 12, male = 5, female = 7) in rural schools ( n = 4) in the same school-district without a long-term university-association. Data sources included PRA-interview data and face to face semi-structured teacher-interviews as well as observation data of the rural school context. Following inductive in-case and cross-case thematic analysis, informed by a constructivist grounded theory, it was apparent that, irrespective of a university-association, teachers shared similar experiences of protective resources and risk factors when teaching in a rural context. Feedback from the HEI members rather than parental and student feedback was valued and a lack of knowledge regarding obtaining sponsors and funds to sustain a HE intervention was identified as a constraint. A finding which merits further investigation is that the expectation from teachers in schools without a HEI association to potentially gain from a future association serves as protective resource of hope to promote teacher resilience. In contrast to other studies I found that using instructional resources available in a resource-constrained school setting, a lower student-teacher ratio, low community crime, financial compensation and informal teacher development activities as conducive to teacher resilience. Teachers were silent on the role that teacher illness and personal difficulties play in the development of teacher resilience; how teachers utilise student relationships as a protective resource; the role of hobbies and extracurricular activities in teacher resilience; and, lastly, how the effect of the unstable education system and policy demands on rural education advances/not teacher resilience. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Educational Psychology / PhD / Unrestricted

Education in rural areas coupled with poverty is shown to be a risk factor for reading failure (Bhattacharya, 2010; Morrison et al., 2005). Students who have severe reading failure are serviced in the realm of special education. To enhance a student's ability to read, special education teachers can use literacy interventions. Targeted reading intervention (TRI) is a literacy intervention that was developed to meet the requirements of rural elementary classroom teachers, who are often unready to provide diagnostic reading instruction for reading difficulty (Vernon-Feagans et al., 2012). Stevenson and Reed (2017) identified eight empirically supported methods for intensifying instruction when students are not responding to core instruction. The study sought to understand how, if at all, rural special educators altered reading instruction practices after receiving literacy intervention professional development. A case study using a qualitative design was used to observe the perceptions of three special education teachers in an impoverished, rural school district. The special education teachers received instruction on the eight components of intensifying instruction and the TRI. These specific literacy interventions were then implemented by the teachers with their students. Before and after interviews were recorded and used for data analysis. Our findings show that prior to the training the participants felt the power to teach reading resided in a formalized, commercial reading program. Following the training and implementation of these specific literacy interventions, the participants were more often able to diagnose reading difficulties and prescribe effective interventions based on the individual needs rather than relying on a scripted program. By increasing instructional match, the teachers were able to intensify instruction and could make changes to the student intervention as needed. Findings from the data analysis in this thesis study indicated that when teachers were provided ongoing professional development, there was evidence of movement towards intensification. School district-level administrators should consider creating ongoing professional development that targets intensifying instruction, particularly for special education faculty.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in Educational Management at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2014. / This study was influenced by a variety of disciplinary problems experienced by educators in rural secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal. Educators regard discipline as a problem which they have to endure everyday. Teaching and learning have become difficult in some schools, and impossible in others, because some educators do not understand how to foster discipline in classrooms. The concern here is quality management and the fostering of disciplinary measures in schools. One of the important characteristics of an effective school is good discipline. The problem is that effective school discipline does not happen by chance; it has to be planned and implemented in an organised manner. The purpose of the study was to investigate the nature of discipline, and how principals of schools in rural secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal perceive and manage discipline in their schools.The researcher chose Zululand district in KwaZulu-Natal as the field of study because that is where most rural schools are. The “mixed method research design” (the quantitative and qualitative approaches) was used in combination to provide a better understanding of research problems. Two hundred and sixty (260) schools were randomly selected. Data were collected by means of questionnaires and interviews. The following are some of the key findings that emanated from the empirical study:  Schools have the following policies: discipline policy; code of conduct for learners; code of conduct for educators and alternatives to corporal punishment but their implementation is poor.  Principals of schools still regard corporal punishment as a disciplinary option.  Schools in rural KwaZulu-Natal still resist the use of alternative punishments.  Schools have the problem of dysfunctional members of the governing bodies.  Parents do not cooperate with schools.  A high percentage of educators are not willing to enforce discipline. On the basis of the above findings the researcher recommends among other measures that principals of schools should implement the policies they have put in place. The Department of Education should empower newly appointed principals by giving them an induction course in management in order to ensure that they have the required skills. Principals should receive training in changes that are taking place in education; for instance, the implementation of alternatives to corporal punishment, legislation and regulations that govern discipline and punishment in schools and parent involvement strategies. Principals must work collaboratively with the school governing body, educators, learners and parents to formulate a unifying mission and develop school rules that will take care of discipline, the indispensable foundation for all other scholastic success.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfillment of the requirements of the Degree of Doctor Of Education in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Zululand, 2018 / Teaching is regarded by many as one of the most stressful occupations, as evidenced by reports of academic results consistently poor in rural schools and teachers leaving the profession each day. Stress in general has always been a concern in many schools. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of teacher stress on learner academic performance in rural secondary schools. This study used both quantitative and qualitative research approaches in which questionnaires and interviews were used for data collection processes. Simple random sampling and purposive sampling procedures were used to select participants from rural secondary schools in Vhembe District with a matric pass rate of less than sixty percent over a period of five years. Quantitative data was analyzed using IBM Statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 24 (IBM SPSS statistics), and Atlas.ti Version 6 programme for qualitative data. Results showed that teachers in secondary schools in the rural areas experience high levels of stress which has adverse effects on learner academic performance. These results guided me in developing the Three Pillars Teacher Stress Coping Model to assist teachers in rural areas to alleviate the stress they experience as they promote teaching and learning. The study contributed to the literature on the effect of the experience of stress by teachers on learner academic performance in rural secondary schools. / National Research Foundation Of South Africa (Grant Number CPT160513164973 and 105246

Increasing technology intervention in rural schools is still a herculean task, especially with the lack of adequate infrastructures and limited resources. The purpose of this quantitative, causal comparative study was to determine the impact of technology interventions on student achievement in rural Nigerian schools. The study explored the differences in student achievement in mathematics and English between technology and nontechnology schools and established a relationship between teachers' level of technology implementation and student achievement. The convenience sample comprised 2,369 examination scores in mathematics and English of Senior Secondary Level 2 (SS2) students and purposive sampling of 34 teachers who participated in an online survey. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), the level of technology implementation (LoTi) framework, and Pearson's correlation coefficient test. The results showed significant differences in student achievement between technology and nontechnology schools. However, the LoTi framework results indicated a low level of technology implementation in classroom instruction and no significant relationship between teachers' technology integration and student performance. Thus, the mere presence of technology seems to have more impact on student grades than the ways in which teachers use it. This study is resource material for stakeholders in education to ascertain the technology that worked best, teachers' professional development, and other infrastructures, prior to the deployment of technology interventions. The results could be useful for increasing teachers' technology integration and improving student performance, thereby leading to positive social change.

In rural and remote schools in Western Canada, researchers have discovered that high teacher turnover affects school climate as well as student achievement. The purpose of this project study was to explore novice teachers' and administrators' perceptions about the influence of school-related and classroom activities on decisions to stay or leave permanent teaching positions at a large remote school in Precambrian Shield School Division. Boylan's theory of teacher retention was the conceptual framework for the study. The guiding research questions were focused on teachers' and administrators' perceptions of various aspects of school and classroom activities in remote schools that might influence decisions to stay or leave. A bounded case study design using purposeful sampling was adopted and 11 novice teachers in their first 2 years of teaching experience in a remote school and 1 administrator agreed to participate in the study. The sample included 4 elementary and 4 middle/high school teachers along with 3 teachers with diverse teaching assignments and 1 experienced administrator. Data collection included qualitative questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and document reviews that were coded and analyzed for common themes. Key findings suggested that classroom climate, professional support structures, and student achievement were perceived to be of negative influence on retention decisions, especially inconsistent professional support structures. These findings were used to create a professional development plan to support and provide mentoring for novice teachers in remote schools. This support plan, particularly the mentoring framework, will likely reduce turnover at this school and will provide a model for helping other districts with similar high turnover in remote schools.

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