Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Teachers have a central role to play in the process of educational transformation.
Given their deep contextual understanding of their school it is important to
provide a safe space, so that their voices can be heard. Within the context of
educational transformation, educational psychologists are challenged to redefine
their role and to become more involved in the general process of schooling. The
new role envisaged for educational psychologist suggests an enlargement of
their scope of practice to include both individual work as well as work within the
different systems. The role as organizational consultants suggests that the
educational psychologist must assist with professional teacher development and
organizational development in order to equip schools to become more effective in
their purpose and goals.
The study attempts to explore the directive use of sandtray as a non-verbal and
projective technique, within the framework of school development planning, to
facilitate school development. It is envisaged that the outcomes of the research
can contribute towards the range of skills and interventions that educational
psychologists can use to effect school reform and development.
A qualitative case study within the interpretive paradigm was chosen as research
design. The case was a high school in the Namaqua District of the Northern
Cape Province. The sample for this study consists of 6 teachers that were
representative of the staff.
The data was collected through 6 individual sandtray sessions, semi-structured
interviews and 1 focus group discussion. Photographs of the subjects sand
worlds were also taken.
The review of literature and the findings of this research, suggest that sandtray,
as a projective technique, when used in an ethical and responsible way, during
the auditing phase of school development, can give the educational psychologist
access to the underlying personal and structural dynamics that hinders the process of development and renewal within a school. Secondly, it helps to
develop an understanding of the individual perspectives, point of views and
emotional reactions of teachers towards the existing context of the school. Since
school development is also concerned with personal and professional
development of teachers, it is important to provide psychosocial support for
teachers to deal with personal issues that emerge out of the sandtray process as
well as the challenges within the context of their school. To develop a composite
picture of the school it seems important to involve all role-players in the initial
phases of school development planning.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2538 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Newman, Thomas Sebastian Mark |
| Contributors | Newmark, R., Perold, M. D., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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