The aim of the research study, Combatting the Downward Spiral: Burnout, Support Networks and Coping Strategies of TESOL Teachers at Private Language Schools in Johannesburg, South Africa was firstly to determine whether TESOL teachers working in private language schools in Johannesburg, South Africa suffered from burnout. Secondly, the aim was to discover which factors caused stress for TESOL teachers inside and outside the classroom, what support structures were available for burned out TESOL teachers and the type of coping strategies TESOL teachers used to manage burnout. Using a mixed method design which consisted of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey and semi-structured interviews, the findings revealed that 46% of the TESOL teachers who participated in the research study were suffering from high levels of burnout. Interviews revealed three main areas that caused stress for TESOL teachers: the job of teaching, relationships at work and organisational and TESOL-related issues. These areas were divided further into various sub-themes. Furthermore, support structures for burned out TESOL teachers were generally inadequate and although TESOL teachers attempted to manage burnout by using a variety of coping strategies, these did not seem to be effective in the long-term. / English Studies / D. Lit. et Phil. (English)

This study investigated teachers' attitudes towards a career in rural schools. The aims of this study were broken into two, namely, the primary and secondary aims. The primary aim was to find out whether rural secondary school teachers hold a positive or a negative attitude towards a career in rural schools. The secondary aim was also broken into two. The first secondary aim was to find out whether rural secondary school teachers' personal characteristics such as age, sex, marital status, rank, qualification and teaching experience in rural school(s), as well as the school in which the teacher teaches, have a significant influence on their attitudes towards a career in rural schools. The second secondary aim was to determine the nature of attitudes with regard to A-B-C components of attitudes. To this end, a questionnaire was compiled and used as an attitude rating scale. The questionnaire was administered to a representative sample of one hundred and thirty four rural secondary school teachers from six schools, under Mehlwesizwe circuit in KwaZulu-Natal. Statistical analyses were conducted to fulfil the aims of the study and to test the research hypotheses stated. This study revealed that rural secondary school teachers hold a negative attitude towards a career in rural schools. It also revealed that, irrespective of teachers' personal characteristics, their attitude towards a career in rural school is the same, that is, it is negative. Therefore it was concluded that teachers' personal variables have no significant influence on their attitudes. This study also revealed that, statistically, there were significant differences in the affective and cognitive components of attitude but differences in the behavioural component were not significant. This indicated that the affective and cognitive components are more closely related to each other than they are with the behavioural component. On the basis of teachers' responses to attitude statements, the researcher offered two lines of direction as recommendation, namely, "Rethink resource allocation" and "Direction of restructuring". The former will assist in improving the conditions under which rural teachers work and the circumstances surrounding their workplace. The latter will assist in collaborating the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) structures at national, regional and local level with the Department of Education and Culture, as well as with the private sector, for improving the conditions under which rural teachers work. In that case teachers' attitudes towards a career in rural schools might be changed from negative to positive. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This is an exploratory study of how school leaders can negotiate the various spaces in their schools in order to promote teacher motivation and, by implication, learner achievement. This research focuses on how three principals in the Western Cape Province have produced or re-appropriated spaces to create new, productive learning environments which positively engage the users of these spaces. According to section 4 of the Employment of Educators Act 76 of 1998 (PAM), all school leaders are expected to create a learning space that is conducive to teaching and learning. In order to know what such a leadership responsibility may entail, this study tries to capture the dynamic interplay between physical (perceived) and mental (conceived) spaces as embodied in social (lived) spaces in a school. It uses Lefebvre‟s spatial triad as its theoretical lens. Linked to the study‟s aim to investigate what the interplay is between the various Lefebvrean spaces in schools, is an examination of how school leaders can manage to negotiate the production of these spaces. For lived school spaces to have embodied meaning that is conducive to teaching and learning, they must be co-produced and co-owned by the users of that space. To illuminate the way in which school leaders can achieve this, the study draws on a model of transformational leadership. The qualitative study uses a focus group, individual interviews and observations of three schools that have all achieved recognition as schools with excellent learner achievement: a public primary school, a public high school and an independent high school. The main research findings are that each of the three school leaders instinctively followed a transformational leadership style, and produced spaces that encouraged professional interaction amongst their teachers as well as strong collegial support for their spatial changes. The staffrooms have been modernised and equipped with lush furniture, flat screen TV‟s, appealing decorations and stimulating pictures, all with the purpose of lifting the spirits and energy levels of the staff. In addition, teachers‟ professional meeting rooms and confidential workspaces have been established. Classrooms have been changed into inviting and functional 21st century ICT learning spaces, with flexible use of furniture and stimulating visuals. Outdoor learning spaces and safe “emotional zones” have been constructed At all three schools the entrances and receptions areas have been made into welcoming spaces in which learners can gather for meetings, and the schools‟ symbols and achievements are showcased. Clear signposting makes the visitor feel engaged. Braai areas for teacher and parent functions ensure that the school keeps parents involved. The main findings about the embodied spaces in the school are that the three school leaders have changed the physical spaces at their schools into new mental spaces which influence the perception, mood and motivation of the users of that space. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie verken hoe skoolleiers die verskillende ruimtes in hul skole kan aanwend ten einde onderwysermotivering, en gevolglik ook leerderprestasie, te bevorder. Die navorsing konsentreer op hoe drie skoolhoofde in die Wes-Kaapse provinsie ruimtes geskep of heringerig het om nuwe, produktiewe leeromgewings teweeg te bring wat die gebruikers van hierdie ruimtes op 'n positiewe manier by onderrig betrek. Ingevolge artikel 4 van die Wet op Indiensneming van Opvoeders, Wet 76 van 1998 (PAM), moet alle skoolhoofde 'n bevorderlike ruimte vir onderrig en leer skep. Ten einde vas te stel wat sodanige leierskapsverantwoordelikheid behels, probeer hierdie studie die dinamiese wisselwerking tussen fisiese of waargenome (“perceived space”) en voorgestelde of veronderstelde (“conceived space”) ruimtes beskryf soos dit in die sosiale of belewingsruimtes (“lived spaces”) in 'n skool vergestalt word. Die navorsing gebruik Lefebvre se ruimtelike triade as teoretiese lens. Benewens die studiedoelwit om ondersoek in te stel na watter wisselwerking daar tussen Lefebvre se verskillende ruimtes in skole plaasvind, val die soeklig ook op hoe skoolleiers die skepping van hierdie ruimtes kan hanteer. Belewingsruimtes in skole sal slegs oor die nodige vergestalte betekenis beskik om onderrig en leer te bevorder indien die gebruikers van daardie ruimtes dit help skep en as hul eie aanvaar. Die studie put uit 'n model van transformasionele leierskap om lig te werp op hoe skoolleiers dít kan bereik. Hierdie kwalitatiewe studie gebruik 'n fokusgroep, individuele onderhoude sowel as waarnemings in drie skole wat bekend is vir hul uitnemende leerderprestasie: 'n openbare laerskool, 'n openbare hoërskool en 'n onafhanklike hoërskool. Die hoofbevindinge is dat elk van die drie skoolleiers instinktief 'n transformasionele leierskapstyl volg en ruimtes geskep het wat professionele wisselwerking tussen hul onderwysers sowel as sterk kollegiale steun vir hul ruimtelike veranderinge aanmoedig. Die personeelkamers is modern ingerig met gemaklike meubels, platskermtelevisies, aantreklike versierings en stimulerende prente, wat alles ten doel het om personeel se geesdrif en energievlakke te verhoog. Voorts is professionele vergaderlokale en vertroulike werkruimtes vir onderwysers tot stand gebring. Klaskamers is omskep in aantreklike en funksionele, 21ste-eeuse IKT-leerruimtes, met buigsame gebruik van meubels en stimulerende visuele elemente. Buitelugleerruimtes en veilige "emosionele sones" is ook geskep. By ál drie skole is die ingange en ontvangslokale in aanloklike ruimtes verander waar leerders vir vergaderings kan byeenkom en die skole se simbole en prestasies ten toon gestel word. Duidelike aanwysings betrek besoekers onmiddellik by die skoolomgewing. Braaigeriewe vir onderwyser-en-ouergeleenthede verseker ook voortdurende skakeling tussen die skool en ouers. Die hoofbevinding oor die belewingsruimtes in die skole is dat die drie skoolleiers die fisiese ruimtes by hul skole in nuwe geestesruimtes omskep het, wat die opvattings, gemoed en motivering van die gebruikers van daardie ruimtes beïnvloed.

This study investigated teachers' attitudes towards a career in rural schools. The aims of this study were broken into two, namely, the primary and secondary aims. The primary aim was to find out whether rural secondary school teachers hold a positive or a negative attitude towards a career in rural schools. The secondary aim was also broken into two. The first secondary aim was to find out whether rural secondary school teachers' personal characteristics such as age, sex, marital status, rank, qualification and teaching experience in rural school(s), as well as the school in which the teacher teaches, have a significant influence on their attitudes towards a career in rural schools. The second secondary aim was to determine the nature of attitudes with regard to A-B-C components of attitudes. To this end, a questionnaire was compiled and used as an attitude rating scale. The questionnaire was administered to a representative sample of one hundred and thirty four rural secondary school teachers from six schools, under Mehlwesizwe circuit in KwaZulu-Natal. Statistical analyses were conducted to fulfil the aims of the study and to test the research hypotheses stated. This study revealed that rural secondary school teachers hold a negative attitude towards a career in rural schools. It also revealed that, irrespective of teachers' personal characteristics, their attitude towards a career in rural school is the same, that is, it is negative. Therefore it was concluded that teachers' personal variables have no significant influence on their attitudes. This study also revealed that, statistically, there were significant differences in the affective and cognitive components of attitude but differences in the behavioural component were not significant. This indicated that the affective and cognitive components are more closely related to each other than they are with the behavioural component. On the basis of teachers' responses to attitude statements, the researcher offered two lines of direction as recommendation, namely, "Rethink resource allocation" and "Direction of restructuring". The former will assist in improving the conditions under which rural teachers work and the circumstances surrounding their workplace. The latter will assist in collaborating the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) structures at national, regional and local level with the Department of Education and Culture, as well as with the private sector, for improving the conditions under which rural teachers work. In that case teachers' attitudes towards a career in rural schools might be changed from negative to positive. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Text in Afrikaans / Sedert 1994 het drastiese veranderinge in die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysstelsel plaasgevind, wat ’n direkte invloed het op die vlak van werkstevredenheid wat opvoeders ervaar. Alhoewel die ongelykhede van die verlede in hierdie beleid ondersoek is, word sekere organisatoriese faktore wat die moraal van opvoeders beïnvloed egter nie hierin erken nie. In hierdie navorsingstudie maak die navorser gebruik van die kombinasie van kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe navorsingsmetodes wat as triangulasie bekend staan. Semigestruktureerde onderhoude (kwalitatief) en vraelyste (kwantitatief) is as data-insamelingstegnieke gebruik om vas te stel wat die aard, omvang en moontlike oplossings vir die navorsingsprobleem is. Faktore wat werksbevrediging by opvoeders beïnvloed, is geïdentifiseer en ondersoek. Aanbevelings is gemaak rakende die rol van die Onderwysdepartement, prinsipaal, kollegas en ouers in opvoeders se werksbevrediging. Die vernaamste hiervan is dat prinsipale werkstevredenheid by opvoeders kan verhoog deur die bou van verhoudings van vertroue, betrokkenheid in die besluitnemingsproses en deur ondersteuningstrukture vir opvoeders in plek te stel. / Since 1994, drastic changes occurred in the education system in South Africa, which had a direct impact on the level of job satisfaction that teachers experienced. Although this policy addressed the inequalities of the past, certain organisational factors influencing the morale of teachers were not recognised herein. In this research study the researcher made use of a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, known as triangulation. Semi-structured interviews (qualitative) and questionnaires (quantitative) were used as data collection techniques to determine the nature, extent and possible solutions to the research problem. Factors affecting job satisfaction among educators were identified and examined. Recommendations were made regarding the role of the Department of Education, principals, colleagues and parents in teachers' job satisfaction. The main recommendation is that principals may maximise teachers’ job satisfaction through building relationships of trust, involvement in the decision-making process and by implementing support structures. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Onderwysbestuur)

The study was conducted to determine strategies that could be used by relevant managers and authorities in promoting the morale of lecturers at a TVET College, in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal. A qualitative research design and methodology was used to gather data from semi-structured interviews with the participants by means of two focus groups of six lecturers each and face to face interviews with the three programme managers. Purposive sampling was used to select the lecturers from the two engineering campuses of the sampled college. Data were constantly compared and analysed using the constant comparative analysis of data. The study found that aspects that contribute to low morale exceed those for high morale in the sampled college. Therefore, by studying the results obtained from the data, it can be deduced that lecturers at the College are not content with the current working conditions and the senior management style of the college. It is the duty of managers to consider the holistic welfare of employees. This is necessary for the creation of a suitable workplace for all staff of the college. To achieve this, supervisors and lecturers need to know what aspects influence staff morale. Henceforth, this study focused on effective strategies and recommendations that could be implemented to promote the morale of lecturers at the college. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The aim of the research study, Combatting the Downward Spiral: Burnout, Support Networks and Coping Strategies of TESOL Teachers at Private Language Schools in Johannesburg, South Africa was firstly to determine whether TESOL teachers working in private language schools in Johannesburg, South Africa suffered from burnout. Secondly, the aim was to discover which factors caused stress for TESOL teachers inside and outside the classroom, what support structures were available for burned out TESOL teachers and the type of coping strategies TESOL teachers used to manage burnout. Using a mixed method design which consisted of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey and semi-structured interviews, the findings revealed that 46% of the TESOL teachers who participated in the research study were suffering from high levels of burnout. Interviews revealed three main areas that caused stress for TESOL teachers: the job of teaching, relationships at work and organisational and TESOL-related issues. These areas were divided further into various sub-themes. Furthermore, support structures for burned out TESOL teachers were generally inadequate and although TESOL teachers attempted to manage burnout by using a variety of coping strategies, these did not seem to be effective in the long-term. / English Studies / D. Lit. et Phil. (English)

No description available.

In 2014, Gauteng Education MEC announced the “Big Switch On” project in which he envisaged paperless classrooms in Gauteng schools over the next three years. He also said that this would see digital media such as iPads and other electronic Tablets replacing textbooks and stationery. He had a vision that the chalkboard would disappear and projectors would take their place. When the MEC for Education introduced the Big Switch On project, he emphasised the positive effects that paperless classrooms will have on the learners. Education authorities were concerned about and wanted to improve the quality of learning and teaching for disadvantaged learners. However, the MEC for Education failed to highlight the possible impact that paperless classrooms will have on educators. It is important that educators are given an opportunity to provide input with regard to the implementation of paperless classrooms. This study will focus on the perceived stress experienced by teachers in Gauteng, whose schools have been part of the Big Switch On project and have had to mandatorily include the use of digital tablets in their classrooms. This study sought to investigate the influence of digital media use in classrooms on teacher stress in Gauteng schools. It is important to conduct a contextual study that explores the perceived stress factors experienced by teachers in the Gauteng schools that were selected in the Big Switch On project. The research from other contexts can only provide general frameworks regarding the constructs involved. It cannot replace the research conducted specifically for the Big Switch On project. The purpose of this study is threefold. Firstly, the Big Switch On project has been introduced in 2015 in seven Gauteng schools, and was expanded to 375 schools in the following two years. For many schools, this is a first time, thereby rendering it a scarcely researched topic. The implications and effects of the project have yet to be considered. Secondly, it is often assumed that the use of digital tablets in the classroom makes teachers lives easier and reduces their workload. The research that will be undertaken will address this question scientifically to make reliable and valid conclusions that go beyond assumptions. Thirdly, related research has indicated barriers and challenges to the implementation of digital tablets in the classroom. The research will address these barriers and make recommendations regarding future implementation of digital tablets in the classroom. In this qualitative study, I chose a multi-site case study with purposeful, convenience sampling. Two secondary schools that were part of the Big Switch On project were selected. The classrooms in the schools had smartboards, the teachers were given laptops and learners were given tablets. Furthermore, a lot of money was spent on the upgrade of the infra-structure of the schools. These schools were chosen as sites to study the influence of digital media use in the classroom on teacher stress. I chose to interview all levels of teachers and principals, which would allow me to make comparisons as well as provide me with data from which I would be able to reflect on my own practices. I chose to gather data by means of semi-structured face to face interviews. The data revealed that teachers were not part of the decision-making process to introduce digital media in the classroom. Although teachers cited benefits, they felt that the challenges were frustrating with the implementation of digital media in the classroom. Teachers expressed that the initial workload increased but felt that it would decrease over time. Whilst teachers felt that the quality of teaching has improved, they indicated that the quality of learning has deteriorated because learners use the tablets for off-task behaviour. Teachers made recommendations that mirrored the recommendations from the literature and if these concerns are addressed, it would make the implementation of digital media in the classroom more effective and at the same time empower teachers. In order to address school effectiveness, one needs optimum levels of commitment and performance from teachers. Therefore, it is important to emphasize any notion affecting the performance capability of teachers and learners and to create stress free working conditions. It is with this in mind that the study was conducted. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Educational Leadership and Management)