Conceptions of burnout and motivation among primary and secondary school teachers in South Africa : a phenomenographic study of teacher perspectives.

The aims of this study were to explore the variation in the way primary and secondary school teachers in South Africa conceived the phenomena of burnout and motivation, using a phenomenographic research approach. The study also sought to explore the relationship among teachers’ conceptions of burnout and motivation. Accordingly, the following questions guided the research and at the same time provided structure to the thesis: l. What different conceptions of burnout exist among teachers in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa? 2. What different conceptions of motivation exist among teachers in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa? 3. What is the relationship between teachers’ conceptions of burnout and their conceptions of motivation? Theories of burnout and motivation relevant to the present study were reviewed and a relationship between burnout and motivation outlined, in order to serve as background materials against which to compare the findings from the actual data gathered. Research evidence in support of the theories was given. In particular, Maslach's theory of burnout, as well as the humanistic and cognitive approaches to motivation were used to serve as an initial basis to understand how other researchers have gone about studying the concepts of burnout and motivation. The purpose was to draw out of the literature some questions which would enable the present researcher to carry out interviews on burnout and motivation The study involved sixty teachers (twenty-seven males and thirty-three females) at primary and secondary school levels in rural and urban areas in the Transkei sub-region of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Teachers who gained their qualifications during the apartheid era and had been teaching before the new government took over in 1994 were selected. Purposive as well as snowball sampling methods were used to select participants. Data were collected using interview guides constructed by the researcher and validated by experts. The interview questions were formulated to elicit information about interviewees’ attitudes towards their job. Interviews were conducted with participants in their homes or at school, but during mutually arranged times The interviews were tape-recorded and later transcribed verbatim as is the custom with phenomenographic research. The transcripts were then subjected to rigorous phenomenographic analysis. In analysing transcript data, everything was read and taken into consideration within the context in which it was said. Analysis focused on identifying a small number of qualitatively different ways in which teachers understood and experienced the phenomena of burnout and motivation. The analysis consisted of studying the interview transcripts both individually and alongside one another, studying sets of extracts both in and out of their original contexts, seeking distinct similarities and differences. The teachers’ responses represented five and four conceptions of burnout and motivation, respectively. Overall, the respondents conceived burnout as: A. feelings of lack of job satisfaction B. feelings of loss of control C. feelings of helpless anger D. frustration related to the curriculum changes (OBE) E. feelings of physical and emotional exhaustion. In the case of motivation, the respondents conceived motivation as: A. feelings of intrinsic and extrinsic satisfaction B. feelings of personal satisfaction and enjoyment from the work of teaching C. positive feelings about non-material rewards arising from the social environment D. expectation of financial rewards. Burnout and motivation were found to be closely, albeit, inversely related. It was recommended that further replication of this study be carried out in other systems and cultures - also involving younger and less experienced teachers, and that the present findings be used to develop inventories on burnout and motivation, as well as programs for professional development of teachers.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

School of Education

Year dc:date.issued

2001

Author dc:creator

• Konyana, Z E N

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Green, Lena
• Meyer, JHF

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8773

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/8773