Thesis (MComm (Industrial Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Teachers in the post-apartheid South Africa experience multiple, complex and
constantly changing requirements within the teaching context, which contributes to high
levels of stress. They are often faced with different challenges than those in more
developed countries. For example, a lack of sufficient resources is a common
occurrence in schools in South Africa. Furthermore, teachers regularly engage in
multiple roles (e.g. that of the educator, social worker, nurse, etc.) Hence, some
researchers identify teaching as a particularly stressful occupation, and suggest that
teachers experience disproportionately high levels of stress, when compared to other
occupations. Some reasons provided for the occurrence of this include long working
hours, high workloads, lack of discipline and respect from learners, and the new South
African curriculum, enforcing learner-centred or cooperative teaching methods.
Consequences of teachers experiencing high levels of stress have ultimately resulted in
the South African government admitting that they are facing a shortage in skilled
teachers. Therefore, promoting the well-being of teachers is crucial. There is a need to
invest in teacher well-being, in order to reduce the occurrence and consequences of
stress in the workplace.
The central role that emotions play in the stress process is increasingly recognised. It is
said that an individual will experience stress and strain, if they perceive the situation as
negative or stressful. For this reason, emotional intelligence (EI) has led to a new focus
on the role of emotions in the workplace. More specifically, EI involves expressing,
recognising, understanding and managing emotions. Research has proven that EI
serves a buffering role against stress, and those individuals with higher EI experience
better overall health. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In ‘n post-apartheid era kom Suid Afrikaanse onderwysers te staan teen ‘n stel
vereistes wat voortdurend verander, asook kompleks en veelvoudig van aard is. Binne
die opvoedkunde konteks dra hierdie faktore by tot hoë vlakke van stres. In kontras met
ontwikkelde lande, staar Suid Afrikaanse onderwysers verskillende uitdagings in die
gesig. Een voorbeeld behels die gebrek aan genoegsame hulpbronne, `n algemene
verskynsel in Suid Afrikaanse skole. Voorts vervul onderwysers ook voortdurend
verskeie rolle (bv. opvoeder, maatskaplike werker, verpleegster ens.). In vergeleke met
ander beroepe, het sommige navorsers al uitgewys dat onderwysers aan buitengewone
hoë stresvlakke blootgestel word. Hierdie hoë voorkoms van stres kan toe geskryf word
aan lang werksure, hoë werkslading, gebrek aan dissipline en respek van leerders,
asook die nuwe Suid-Afrikaanse kurrikulum wat leerder-gefokusde en uitkomsgebaseerde
metodes afdwing. Gevolglik het die Suid-Afrikaanse regering onlangs
erken dat daar tans ‘n gebrek aan opgeleide onderwysers bestaan. Daar is `n behoefte
om in onderwysers se welstand te belê, ten einde die voorkoms en gevolge van stres in
die werksplek te verminder.
Die sentrale rol wat emosies speel in die stres-proses ontvang toenemend meer
erkenning. Daar word aangevoer dat individue stres en spanning sal ondervind, indien
hulle die situasie as negatief evalueer. Emosionele intelligensie (EI) het dus gelei tot ‘n
nuwe bewustheid van die rol wat emosies in die werksplek speel. EI behels die
uitdrukking, erkenning, begrip en bestuur van emosies. Navorsing toon dat EI ‘n buffer
teen stres vorm, en diegene met hoër vlakke van EI ervaar beter algehele gesondheid.
Tot op hede, is daar egter min navorsing gedoen ten opsigte van die rol wat EI vertolk
in die stres-proses soos wat dit spesifiek deur onderwysers ervaar word. Hierdie tesis
het die verwantskap tussen EI en beroepsverwante stres, spanning (fisiese- en
sielkundige welstand), en die uitkomste van stres (werksatisfaksie, organisatoriese toewyding en werk-familie konflik) ondersoek.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/1727 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Burger, Trudie |
| Contributors | Ekermans, Gina, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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