Burnout and health of primary school educators in the North West Province

No Abstract.South African journal of Education Vol. 25(4) 2005: 266-27

Investigating the Appropriateness and Validity of the Academic Motivation Scale-College Version for South African First-Year University Students

South African universities have one of the lowest graduation rates in the world, especially amongst first-year university students. South Africa’s first-year university students are taxed with tremendous challenges. One of the most important amongst these challenges is considered to be academic motivation, which is strongly related to students’ academic success. Despite this, to date, little work has been undertaken to source and validate a reliable instrument to measure students’ academic motivation. This article is based on the proposition that there is a pressing need for a valid and reliable instrument that measures academic motivation and its effect on students’ academic success. The psychometric properties of the Academic Motivation Scale-College version were examined for first-year university students. The findings are promising for using this scale to measure academic motivation of first-year university students. Keywords:  Academic Motivation Scale-College version; convergent validity; criterion validity; discriminant validity; factorial validity; first-year university students; reliabilit

Investigating the Appropriateness and Validity of the Academic Motivation Scale-College Version for South African First-Year University Students

South African universities have one of the lowest graduation rates in the world, especially amongstfirst-year university students. South Africa’s first-year university students are taxed with tremendouschallenges. One of the most important amongst these challenges is considered to be academicmotivation, which is strongly related to students’ academic success. Despite this, to date, little work hasbeen undertaken to source and validate a reliable instrument to measure students’ academic motivation.This article is based on the proposition that there is a pressing need for a valid and reliable instrumentthat measures academic motivation and its effect on students’ academic success. The psychometricproperties of the Academic Motivation Scale-College version were examined for first-year universitystudents. The findings are promising for using this scale to measure academic motivation of first-yearuniversity students

Coping Processes of South African First-Year University Students: An Exploratory Study

South African higher education institutions (HEIs) face significant challenges with high first-year student drop‑out rates due to various stressors students are facing. The current study explores the coping of first-year students studying at a South African university. This qualitative study followed anexploratory, descriptive, interpretive strategy to gain a deeper understanding of students’ coping during their first academic year at university. Ten participants were recruited through a trusted gatekeeper using purposive voluntary and later snowball sampling methods. Data were collected using theMmogo method ® and semi-structured individual follow-up interviews. Interactive qualitative and thematic analyses generated three themes: (1) the availability of and access to coping resources for first-year students; (2) coping strategies first-year students rely on to manage stressors at university; and (3) the effectiveness of selected coping strategies. Understanding the coping of first-year students could assist HEIs in intervening and supporting first-year students appropriately, to enhance theirfirst-year experience (FYE) and overall student well‑being. Though limited to a small qualitative study, the contribution to FYE literature is through exploring nuanced coping resources, strategies, and the effectiveness thereof for students, which challenges the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach many universitiesmay use. However, there are strategies and awareness of resources that could, in general, be helpful

Coping Processes of South African First-Year University Students: An Exploratory Study

South African higher education institutions (HEIs) face significant challenges with high first-year student drop-out rates due to various stressors students are facing. The current study explores the coping of first-year students studying at a South African university. This qualitative study followed an exploratory, descriptive, interpretive strategy to gain a deeper understanding of students’ coping duringtheir first academic year at university. Ten participants were recruited through a trusted gatekeeper using purposive voluntary and later snowball sampling methods. Data were collected using the Mmogo method ® and semi-structured individual follow-up  interviews. Interactive qualitative and thematic analyses generated three themes: (1) the availability of and access to coping resources for first-year students; (2) coping strategies first-year students rely on to manage stressors at university; and (3) the effectiveness of selected coping strategies. Understanding the coping of first-year students could assist HEIs in intervening and supporting first-year students appropriately, to enhance their first-year experience (FYE) and overall student well-being. Though limited to a small  qualitative study, the contribution to FYE literature is through exploring nuanced coping resources, strategies, and the effectiveness thereof for students, which challenges the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach many universities may use. However, there are strategies and awareness of resources that could, in general, be helpful. Keywords: Coping effectiveness; coping resources; coping strategies; first-year experience; first-year students; South African universit

A structural model of job resources, organisational and individual strengths use and work engagement

Orientation: Organisations will not be able to maintain a competitive advantage by merely focusing on the development of their employees’ weaknesses. Employees should also be provided with sufficient job resources and opportunities to develop and use their strengths, as this could lead to work engagement. Research purpose: To test a structural model of job resources, perceived organisational support for strengths use, proactive behaviour towards strengths use and work engagement amongst South African employees. Motivation for the study: To gain more knowledge and a better understanding of the outcomes of following an organisational and individual strength-based approach focused on the use of strengths within the South African context. Research approach, design and method: A quantitative approach with cross-sectional research design was used. An availability sample (N = 401) of employees from various occupational groups in South Africa was used. Structural equation modelling was used to test the model. Main findings: The results indicated that perceived organisational support for strengths use and employees’ proactive behaviour towards strengths use were strongly and positively associated with work engagement in the structural model. Practical/managerial implications: Knowledge of using strengths from an organisational and individual perspective could assist organisations in gaining a better understanding of the relationship with work engagement. Contribution/value-add: This study adds to the limited research on using strengths from both an organisational and individual perspective and possible outcomes within the South African context

Work-home interaction of employees in the mining industry

This study aimed to test the construct validity, factorial invariance and reliability of the Survey Work-Home Interaction-NijmeGen (SWING) and to explore whether and how the work-home interaction of various socio-demographic groups differ. Random samples (n = 320) were taken of employees in the mining industry. The confirmatory factor analysis results supported the proposed four-factor structure measuring negative/positive work-home interference and negative/positive home-work interference. The multi-group invariance analyses’ results for two language and ethnic groups also supported the factorial invariance of the SWING. All the scales were found to be reliable. Statistically significant differences in work-home interaction were found, based on age, ethnicity, gender, education, marital status, parental status, language, flexibility at work and individuals who had a partner with a paid job

An exploratory study of the interaction between work and personal life: Experiences of South African employees

Orientation: The interaction between work and personal life is an important field of research in the 21st century and of pressing concern for various individuals and organisations internationally and in South Africa. Research purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the interaction between work and personal life and the experiences thereof in the South African context. Motivation of the study: South African employees are faced with various circumstances which could influence the interaction between their work and personal life and which could constitute different/unique experiences regarding this interaction. Research design, approach and method: A non-probability purposive voluntary sample was used. Data collection was done by means of semi-structured in-depth interviews with 92 participants. Content analysis was used to analyse and interpret the research data. Main findings: Four main themes (i.e. the experience of work, experiences and domains in the personal life, interaction between work and personal life, consequences associated with the interaction) were extracted from the data. Participants indicated stressful and supportive aspects in their work as well as additional personal dimensions in their personal life. Interaction between work and various personal dimensions were indicated, as well as consequences associated with different types of interaction. Practical and managerial implications: Individuals experienced interaction between their work and various other personal dimensions, where the forms of interaction were associated with certain consequences (i.e. spillover of emotions, energy depletion). Contribution/value-add: Compared to international findings, unique findings were obtained relating to individuals’ personal life and the consequences associated with the interaction

Reasons and strategies associated with positive interaction between work and home amongst managers: An exploratory study

Orientation: In order to facilitate positive interaction between work and home, it is necessary to understand the reasons for and strategies used by managerial employees to manage this interaction. Research purpose: The objectives of this study were to determine, (1) reasons why employees experience high or low positive work–home interaction and (2) strategies that employees with high and low positive interaction use. Motivation for the study: Positive interaction between work and home, particularly in managerial employees, is becoming increasingly more important with a view to ensuring a stable and healthy work–home life. Research design, approach and method: A random clustered sample (n = 275) was taken from managerial employees in a multinational organisation and the Survey Work–Home Interaction-Nijmegen (SWING) was administered to identify participants with high and low positive interaction between work and home respectively. Thereafter, exploratory qualitative interviews were conducted with selected participants (n = 32) to deduce themes for the above-mentioned objectives. Content analysis was used to analyse, quantify and interpret the research data. Main findings: Reasons for high or low positive interaction were identified in conjunction with previous research. Ten successful strategies for positive interaction between work and home were identified and reported. Managerial/practical implications: Organisational recommendations made include changing the organisational culture to being more supportive, developing employees for future positions and creating social networks. In addition, individual strategies and recommendations for future research are identified. Contribution/value-add: This study contributes to the limited research on strategies for positive interaction between work and home among managerial employees

Well-being of first-year students: The role of study characteristics, strengths and deficits

Orientation: Higher education institutions (HEIs) are crucial in preparing students for the workforce. Practitioners, such as industrial psychologists, can aid HEIs to enhance student development and improve university efficiency. Research purpose: This study aims to investigate the relationship between student demands and resources, proactive behaviour towards strengths use (PBSU) and proactive behaviour towards deficit improvement (PBDI), and students’ well-being (emotional, social and psychological). Motivation for the study: Two specific types of proactive behaviour, namely PBSU and PBDI, have been identified that may contribute to student success. Investigating the impact of these behaviours on student antecedents and outcomes could offer valuable insights for designing student development initiatives. Research approach/design and method: This study included 773 South African first-year university students studying at different campuses of a South African university. Structural equation modelling was used to test the structural model and investigate the regression weights. Main findings: Students’ personal problems were found to predict both PBSU and PBDI negatively. Autonomy positively predicted both types of proactive behaviour. Proactive behaviour towards strengths use was strongly related to emotional and psychological well-being, while PBDI was strongly related to social well-being. Practical/managerial implications: This study highlights the direct impact of PBSU and PBDI on students’ well-being. Practitioners in university settings can benefit from the recommendations provided in this article to inform and implement initiatives related to student development and assist students in developing the necessary skills to enhance their work readiness. Contribution/value-add:This study’s findings contribute to the relatively small body of research on implementing strengths-based and deficit improvement initiatives in South African universities