Challenges of novice teachers in Covid-19 at a rural school in Thabo Mofutsanyane district, South Africa

This study explored the challenges faced by novice teachers during COVID-19 at a selected rural school in the Thabo Mofutsanyane District, Free State province of South Africa. It adopted the qualitative multiple case studies research method to analyse the problem statement comprehensively. Telephoni...

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Main Author: Refilwe Mofokeng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Global Association of Educational and Research in Psychology 2023-12-01
Series:International Journal of Studies in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://pubs.ufs.ac.za/index.php/ijspsy/article/view/896
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author Refilwe Mofokeng
author_facet Refilwe Mofokeng
author_sort Refilwe Mofokeng
collection DOAJ
description This study explored the challenges faced by novice teachers during COVID-19 at a selected rural school in the Thabo Mofutsanyane District, Free State province of South Africa. It adopted the qualitative multiple case studies research method to analyse the problem statement comprehensively. Telephonic semi-structured interviews were held involving eight novice teachers (five females and three males) selected from two rural schools. Moreover, an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis was used for data analysis. The results revealed novice teachers lacked psychological and emotional support services during COVID-19. They became vulnerable to the uncertainty of tomorrow, stress, depression, isolation, anxiety, the need to change to online learning abruptly, and the need to adapt to advanced technology. The results further found that Covid-19 and its related consequences will deteriorate as novice teachers become used to the new norm of doing things. Therefore, it is recommended that decision-makers and school managing bodies should support novice teachers by developing structural support strategies to help improve teacher well-being and mental health. Because without proper coping mechanisms, the negative feelings experienced by teachers could affect rural schools' teaching and learning processes.
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spelling doaj-art-99577d8de8834b5dba6b0ab1ed9f16312024-11-27T10:40:14ZengGlobal Association of Educational and Research in PsychologyInternational Journal of Studies in Psychology2710-23192710-23272023-12-01311510.38140/ijspsy.v3i1.896925Challenges of novice teachers in Covid-19 at a rural school in Thabo Mofutsanyane district, South AfricaRefilwe Mofokeng0University of the Free State, South AfricaThis study explored the challenges faced by novice teachers during COVID-19 at a selected rural school in the Thabo Mofutsanyane District, Free State province of South Africa. It adopted the qualitative multiple case studies research method to analyse the problem statement comprehensively. Telephonic semi-structured interviews were held involving eight novice teachers (five females and three males) selected from two rural schools. Moreover, an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis was used for data analysis. The results revealed novice teachers lacked psychological and emotional support services during COVID-19. They became vulnerable to the uncertainty of tomorrow, stress, depression, isolation, anxiety, the need to change to online learning abruptly, and the need to adapt to advanced technology. The results further found that Covid-19 and its related consequences will deteriorate as novice teachers become used to the new norm of doing things. Therefore, it is recommended that decision-makers and school managing bodies should support novice teachers by developing structural support strategies to help improve teacher well-being and mental health. Because without proper coping mechanisms, the negative feelings experienced by teachers could affect rural schools' teaching and learning processes.https://pubs.ufs.ac.za/index.php/ijspsy/article/view/896novice teachersteacher well-beingrural schoolscovid19
spellingShingle Refilwe Mofokeng
Challenges of novice teachers in Covid-19 at a rural school in Thabo Mofutsanyane district, South Africa
International Journal of Studies in Psychology
novice teachers
teacher well-being
rural schools
covid19
title Challenges of novice teachers in Covid-19 at a rural school in Thabo Mofutsanyane district, South Africa
title_full Challenges of novice teachers in Covid-19 at a rural school in Thabo Mofutsanyane district, South Africa
title_fullStr Challenges of novice teachers in Covid-19 at a rural school in Thabo Mofutsanyane district, South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Challenges of novice teachers in Covid-19 at a rural school in Thabo Mofutsanyane district, South Africa
title_short Challenges of novice teachers in Covid-19 at a rural school in Thabo Mofutsanyane district, South Africa
title_sort challenges of novice teachers in covid 19 at a rural school in thabo mofutsanyane district south africa
topic novice teachers
teacher well-being
rural schools
covid19
url https://pubs.ufs.ac.za/index.php/ijspsy/article/view/896
work_keys_str_mv AT refilwemofokeng challengesofnoviceteachersincovid19ataruralschoolinthabomofutsanyanedistrictsouthafrica