Female academics in higher education institutions face numerous challenges in the continuously ch~nging landscape of South African Higher Education. Numerous mergers between different institutions, increasing job demands, ever increasing class sizes and the unique demands of role conflict, inherent to the female role, contribute to the manifestation of stress and burnout (80) in this population group. The research is conducted from a salutogenic paradigm, seeking to find ways of avoiding the negative consequences of 80 and contributing towards the positive experience of Work Engagement (WE) for the female academic. The research also explores the effect of the individual academics' Sense of Cohrence (SOC) on the experience of BO and WE. The research is quantitative in nature. A psychometric instrument was sent to all the permanently employed female academics employed by Unisa and TUT, measuring their levels of 80, WE and SOC. The completed questionnaires were statisticaily analysed. The findings included average levels of 80, with definite signs that the experience of 80 is on the increase. The Cy sub-dimension of BO showed increased levels. The WE scores of the female academics were just above average. The SOC scores of the female academics were low. The main recommendations were that University management need to take cognisance of the symptoms of BO that are present in this population. Strategies need to be put in place to address these issues and the experience of WE need to be treasured and grown through definite actions from Management. Female academics also need to take personal responsibility for their own wellness and act on the initial signs of 80, rather than dismissing it as mere tiredness or lack of energy. There are also a number of recommendations on actions to be taken to experience WE in the academic work that the population undertake on a daily basis / Industrial & Organizational Psychology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Industrial & Organizational psychology)

The aim of this study was to identify the kinds of disciplinary problems educators experience in schools, their causes, as well as their impact on the morale of educators. The researcher made use of a quantitative approach whereby questionnaires were completed by educators from five secondary schools in the Zebediela area. In total, 89 respondents completed the questionnaires. They were from both genders, with various years’ of teaching experience, and generally well qualified. The results indicated that there indeed existed disciplinary problems in the schools. These problems were caused by factors relating to the learners, to their parents, the educators, as well as to the school principal. The impact of a lack of discipline on educator morale included anger, irritability, tiredness, loss of control, and expressing the wish to leave the teaching profession. The study made recommendations for managers on how to improve the situation, and also for further study. Some limitations of the study were also identified. / Further Teacher Education / M.Ed. (Education Management)

The aim of this study was to investigate, from an educational management perspective, the factors that influence job satisfaction amongst special needs educators in selected New Zealand special needs schools. A qualitative research method was utilised to investigate the educational management strategies that influence the job satisfaction of special needs educators in selected New Zealand special needs schools. This dissertation presents the findings from a questionnaire on participants’ geographical details and data from related interviews. The findings from this study indicate that the job satisfaction of special needs educators is mainly influenced by factors such as management support, adequate resources, collaborative working relationships, ability of students with special educational needs to progress, and communication, among others. The study makes certain recommendations to help special needs educational managers effectively manage factors that influence job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction for special needs educators. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Education Management)

This study aimed at establishing the role played by school management teams in managing teacher-occupational-stress in Sedibeng West District primary schools in the Gauteng province. The investigation was conducted using a quantitative research approach. The changes in South African schools’ curriculum which did not have a life span of ten years post-apartheid; the rate of absenteeism pointed out by the Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshega. She believed that these may be caused by serious illness; therefore it impressed the idea of investigating the role played by school management teams in managing teacher-occupational stress. The study looks at the following two research questions:  What are the causes of teacher-occupational-stress?  What role can the school management teams play in managing teacher-occupational-stress? A questionnaire was used as an instrument of data collection from primary schools in Sedibeng West district 8 in the Gauteng province. The researcher’s sample size was 32 (n=32). Findings were that the school management teams are playing their roles and supporting teachers. However, teachers find their teaching job to be stressful. The study found significant factors causing teacher-occupational-stress. One of the factors is failure by the school management team to acknowledge teachers hard work. Recommendations are outlined at the end of this study indicating how the Department of Basic Education can intervene and what the school management teams can do to manage teacher occupational stress. / Educational Management and Leadership

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The impact of transpersonal psychology techniques presented in Capacitar workshops as a prevention intervention for burnout amongst HIV/Aids coordinator teachers has not been studied to date in South Africa. This research project utilised a mixed-method approach in a pre-test and post-test quasi-experimental design. Educators from South Metro, who were HIV/Aids co-ordinators in their schools, were invited to attend six days in total of Capacitar workshops. Measures of their levels of stress and burnout were taken before and after the intervention. Thirty teachers volunteered to take part in the workshops and 27 completed the training. A control group (n=27) was chosen from a group of teachers in the Central and South Metros of the Western Cape, South Africa. The Capacitar workshops were presented by facilitators who had been trained and accredited by Dr Pat Cane, founder of Capacitar International, California, USA. The overall theoretical perspective adopted in the transformative approach was transpersonal psychology. While equal priority was given to both the quantitative and qualitative legs of the study, the quantitative data were gathered first. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) was used to measure anxiety and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) was used to measure three dimensions of burnout: personal, work and client burnout. The means of the intervention and control groups of teachers were found to be similar on the BAI and CBI prior to the intervention. After the workshops, there were significant reductions in anxiety, personal and work burnout in the post-test measures of the intervention group. There were also significant differences in personal and work burnout of teachers between the intervention and control groups. Although reduction in the levels of anxiety and client burnout (working with children) was evident in the intervention group, this was not significant. The control group showed no significant improvement on any measures and in some cases, levels of burnout increased. Qualitative data in the form of global analysis of focus group interviews provided insights into the experience of workshop delegates, and their teaching contexts. To cope with work and personal stressors, teachers turned to physical (n=29), mental (n=17) and spiritual activities (n=15), with many (n=19) using negative coping tools. Individual line sketches, a collage of outliers and mind maps, together with portraits of delegates, highlighted the context and experiences in the Capacitar workshops. As a result of exposure to transpersonal practices, HIV/Aids coordinator teachers were first able to start the process of healing themselves, and then turn to their families, learners and the community at large to share the tools offered. The qualitative data also yielded sixteen themes: Increased consciousness; personal empowerment; role empowerment as carers; emotional intelligence; mindfulness; heart coherence; processing traumatic pain; multiculturalism; self-acceptance; light heartedness; interconnectedness, sharing; forgiveness; holistic, right brain healing; changing brain patterns; mind-body-spirit integration and a return to wholeness. The results of this study showed both quantitatively and qualitatively that transpersonal psychological techniques mediated burnout amongst HIV/Aids coordinator teachers in Metro South, Western Cape Education Department, Mitchells Plain, Cape Town. Recommendations are made in the light of the findings and the limitations of the study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die impak van transpersoonlike sielkundige tegnieke wat aangebied is in Capacitar werkswinkels, as „n voorkomings-intervensie rakende uitbranding op onderwysers wat as MIV/Vigs ko-ordineerders funksioneer, is nog nie voorheen in Suid-Afrika ondersoek nie. Hierdie navorsingsprojek het „n kwantitatiewe-kwalitatiewe benadering gebruik met ‟n vooren natoets kwasi-eksperimentele ontwerp. Opvoeders van die suidelike metropool/grootstad wat werk as MIV/Vigs ko-ordineerders in hulle skool, is uitgenooi om altesaam ses dae van die Capacitar werkswinkels by te woon. Die deelnemers se vlakke van stres en ooreising is voor en na die intervensie gemeet. Dertig onderwysers was gewillig om deel te neem aan die werkwinkels en sewe-en-twintig het die opleiding voltooi. „n Kontrole groep (n=27) is gekies vanuit „n groep onderwysers in die sentrale en suidelike metropool van die Wes-Kaap, Suid- Afrika. Die Capacitar werkswinkels is aangebied deur geakkrediteerde fasiliteerders wat opgelei is deur dr. Pat Cane, die stigter van Capacitar Internasionaal, California, VSA. Transpersoonlike sielkunde is die oorhoofse teoretiese perspektief wat gehandhaaf is in die transformatiewe benadering. Alhoewel gelyke prioriteit verleen is aan beide die kwantitatiewe en die kwalitatiewe komponente van die studie, is die kwantitatiewe data eerste ingesamel. Die “Beck Anxiety Inventory” (BAI) en die “Copenhagen Burnout Inventory” (CBI) is gebruik om die drie dimensies van uitbranding te bepaal: Persoonlike-, werk- en kliëntooreising. Daar is vasgestel dat die gemiddeldes van die intervensie en die kontrole groepe dieselfde is vir die BAI en die CBI meet-instrumente voordat die intervensie aangebied is. Betekenisvolle verskille is gevind met die na-toets vir die intervensie-groep, naamlik die vermindering van angs, persoonlike- en werks-ooreising. Daar is ook betekenisvolle verskille getoon in persoonlike en werksuitbranding tussen die intervensie en die kontrole groepe. Alhoewel nie betekenisvol nie, het daar „n duidelike vermindering in die vlakke van angs en kliënt-ooreising (werk met kinders), voorgekom in die intervensie-groep. Die kontrole groep het geen betekenisvolle verbetering getoon met betrekking tot enige van die meet-instrumente nie, en in sommige gevalle het die vlakke van uitbranding toegeneem. Kwalitatiewe data in die vorm van die globale analise van fokusgroep-onderhoude het insigte verskaf rakende die ervaring van die deelnemers, en hul kontekste van onderrig. Onderwysers het fisiese (n=29), intellektuele (“mental”) (n=17) en spirituele aktiwiteite (n=15) gebruik, om werk-en persoonlike stressors te hanteer en vele opvoeders het (n=19) negatiewe hanteringmeganismes gebruik. Individuele lyn-sketse, „n collage/plakskildery van uitlopers en geheue-kaarte, tesame met foto-weergawes van die deelnemers het die konteks en belewings van die Capacitar werkwinkels gekenmerk. As gevolg van die blootstelling aan die transpersoonlike gebruike was dit in die eerste plek vir die MIV/Vigs onderwysers moontlik om self innerlike genesing te ervaar, en ook om hul familie, die leerders en die gemeenskap te bemagtig met die aangebode toerusting. Sestien tema‟s is geïdentifiseer met die kwalitatiewe studie: Verhoogde bewustheid; persoonlike bemagtiging; rol-bemagtiging as deernisvolle persoon; emosionele intelligensie; gefokusde belewing (“mindfulness”); sin vir koherensie; die verwerking van traumatiese pyn; multi-kulturalisme; lighartigheid; onderlinge verbondenheid; mededeelsaamheid; vergewing; holistiese, regterbrein-genesing; veranderde breinpatrone; liggaam-siel-gees integrasie en die herstel van heelheid. Die resultate van beide die kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe benadering het getoon dat transpersoonlike sielkundige tegnieke uitbranding bekamp onder onderwysers wat as MIV/Vigs ko-ordineerders werk in die suidelike metropool, Wes-Kaap departement van onderwys, Mitchells Plain, Kaapstad. Aanbevelings word aangebied in die lig van die bevindings, asook die beperkings van die studie.

Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Stress has become endemic amongst teachers globally. Although there are common factors that account for the increased levels of stress among teachers, the particular factors involved differ from country to country. South Africa has gone through more than a decade of political and social change. Coping with the extended transitions within the educational system has affected teachers’ wellness. Emotional intelligence or emotionalsocial competencies, the term used in the study, offers a way of viewing the means of primary prevention as a whole, rather as loosely related elements. This offers a practical way of describing the key range of competencies that make it possible to modulate emotions, to solve social problems creatively, to be effective leaders or collaborators, to be assertive and responsible, or to be able to ask evocative and/or social questions that lead to new learning. This study focuses on the need for teachers to develop specific social and coping skills, as well the need for them to have the necessary environmental support, to prevent stress and promote wellness in teachers. This interpretive study used questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and "a day in the life of" interviews to explore the perceptions of Life Orientation teachers about the emotionalsocial competencies that improve and support their wellness. The South African teachers surveyed consider that certain emotionalsocial competencies enhance their wellness. In their view, all teachers would benefit from having a toolkit emotionalsocial competencies. They also expressed the need for pre-service teacher education to offer training in these competencies.

Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / During the previous political dispensation, the educators in the Western Cape were captured in a process of ideological influencing. This crisis became evident in the 1976 and 1985 uproars. Although the educators attempted to act in the best interest of the learners, they were in many cases blamed by the ruling government as being liberalists. The subsequent experience of fear and anxiety endangered the emotional well-being of many educators. The election of the first democratic government in 1994 held promises of a better work environment for educators. Far-reaching transformations in education policies and the implementation of new curricula presented educators with new challenges. Disciplinary problems, multicultural classrooms, teaching in a language other than the home language, and the inclusive handling of various external as well as internal barriers to learning, became stressors that educators in the Western Cape were subjected to. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of stressors on the emotional wellbeing of educators in high schools in the Western Cape. I aimed to determine how educators in high schools perceived their own emotional well-being. Furthermore, I explored possible reasons for this and how their emotional well-being had influenced other dimensions of their wellness. I finally focused on educators’ recommendations to improve their emotional well-being. A qualitative research design, which was guided by an interpretive paradigm, was employed. During data analysis I operated in a critical paradigm. The data was collected by means of a literature review, interviews, reflective diaries, observations, documentation and artefacts. The research findings indicated that educators generally are experiencing low levels of emotional well-being. In extreme cases it is associated with emotional illnesses such as depression and burnout. It seems as if the low levels of emotional well-being experienced by educators have a negative influence on their social and physical wellbeing. Possible reasons that can explain the low levels indicate the impact of various role players, namely the type of school, an additional work load, the head master, the school management team, colleagues, learners, parents, the Western Cape Education Department, and educators’ families and friends. In spite of the experienced low levels educators were still at times committed to their occupation. Recommendations on improving emotional well-being were associated with factors in the workplace itself.

Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Education systems are in a constant change, more so now in the post-modern global era that we live in. With change comes the stressors associated with it. Some of us are able to cope while others are unable. This thesis focuses on the effect of stress on educators who have learners with physical disabilities in their classroom as well as the coping methods used by these educators to manage these learners in the classroom. Participants were five female educators from disadvantaged areas of the Western Cape. A qualitative research approach was taken and the results indicate the following: Major stress experienced by educators is caused by the fact that educators do not know how far to sustain, let alone challenge an active learning environment, because of lack of experience and relevant in-service training relating to learners with physical disabilities. It was found that the nature of the disability and its severity influences the attitudes of the educators in inclusive practice. The absence of communication or rather the lack of information about the learner from the parent and other parties involved caused stress amongst the participants. Participants identified that improving their self-esteem was one of the key coping methods in dealing with stress. It is clear that educators need some form collaborative support to know they are on the right path or in order to progress in the right direction. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Opvoedkundige stelsels is gedurig onderworpe aan verandering, veral tans in die post-modêrne globale era waarin ons leef. Verandering word vergesel deur stressors wat daarmee geassosieer word. Sommige van ons is instaat om hierdie te hanteer en ander nie. Hierdie tesis fokus op die effek van stres op opvoeders wat leerders met fisies gestremde in hul klaskamers het, asook die hanteringsstrategieë wat deur hierdie opvoeders gebruik word om hierdie leerders in die klaskamer te hanteer. Deelnemers was vyf vroulike opvoeders uit agtergeblewe areas in die Wes-Kaap. 'n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering is gevolg en resultate dui op die volgende. 'n Belangrike stressor wat deur opvoeders ervaar word, is dat hulle nie weet hoe om 'n aktiewe leeromgewing te volhou of uit te daag nie. Dit is die gevolg van 'n tekort aan ondervinding en relevante indiensopleiding aangaande leerders met fisiese gestremdhede. Daar is gevind dat die tipe en graad van gestremdheid die ingesteldheid van die opvoeders in 'n inklusiewe praktyk beïnvloed. Die afwesigheid van kommunikasie of liewer die gebrek aan informasie deur die ouer of ander betrokke partye aangaande die leerder, het stres onder die deelnemers veroorsaak. Deelnemers het die verbetering van hulle eie selfbeeld as 'n belangrike hanteringstategie geïdentifiseer. Dit is duidelik dat opvoeders 'n vorm van samewerking en ondersteuning benodig om te weet of hulle op die korrekte weg is óf om hulle in die regte rigting te stuur.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Magister Technologiae: Human Resources Management, Durban University of Technology, 2012. / The research project focussed on the effectiveness of an induction programme for newly appointed staff at Coastal KZN FET College in Kwa-Zulu Natal. The main aim of the study was to investigate the perceptions of educators with regard to the effectiveness of the induction programme for newly appointed lecturers. The key findings of the research were that newly appointed lecturers experienced various problems. The study also explored experiences faced by newly appointed lecturers at Coastal KZN FET College. The challenges arise from the lack of an effective induction programme. These problems resulted in poor productivity among newly appointed lecturers. The empirical component underpinned the review and analysis of the effectiveness of an induction programme for newly-appointed lecturers as they adjust to their entry into the teaching profession. The study also investigated the high turnover (lecturer attrition) among newly appointed lecturers as well as the possible solutions which can be implemented. The survey method was used to administer the questionnaire to all 45 target respondents using the personal method. The study adopted the quantitative research method with precoded close ended questions. The personal method was used to administer the questionnaire to all 45 target respondent and in this way a high response rate of 100% was obtained. An important finding in this regard was that the induction programme was not evaluated and improved frequently. The induction programme should ensure that new lecturers are treated with dignity and are allowed the opportunity to display their strengths and the knowledge they bring to their new College by implementing an effective induction programme. Arising out of the empirical analysis the researcher has recommended and developed a set of guidelines which could be used in developing an effective induction programme for the Coastal FET College in Kwa-Zulu Natal. The study concludes with directions for future research to expand on the body of knowledge in this field. / M