Browsing by Author "Thilakdhari, Jayshree."

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Cultivating professional agency: stories of novice teachers in public primary schools in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2018) Thilakdhari, Jayshree.; Pillay, Daisy Guruvasagie.
This research dissertation entitled ‘Cultivating Professional Agency: Stories of Novice Teachers in Public Primary Schools in KwaZulu-Natal’ presents an understanding of the lived personal and professional experiences of novice teachers and the ways in which they cultivate professional agency in public primary schools in KwaZulu-Natal. This research study aimed at generating in-depth information in order to explore and understand deeply the novice teachers’ stories of cultivating professional agency. This study was conducted with a specific group of novice teachers. Each of the four research participants are either a male or female; Indian or African; a Foundation Phase, Intermediate Phase or Senior Phase teacher; and are teaching in quintile rank 5 public primary schools in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This qualitative research study is located within the interpretivist paradigm and uses narrative inquiry as the research methodology. This allowed me to understand the lived experiences of the novice teachers from the perspective of the participants as they negotiated their meanings of self. Multiple methods of generating data were used for this research study, which included: collage inquiry, artefact retrieval, metaphor drawing and unstructured interviews. The data generated allowed me to produce rich and thick stories of novice teachers. From the storied narratives, I was able to get glimpses of their lives as novice teachers and understand how they make meaning of self in their public primary schooling context in KwaZulu-Natal. The storied narratives were then analysed and interpreted through storied vignettes and themes. According to literature, novice teachers possess a weak sense of professional agency. However, the analysis and interpretation of this research study revealed that Luke, Lucy, Diya and Zenzile (pseudonyms) negotiated particular meanings of self, learning practices and relationships in and through which they exercised their professional agency in order to be agentic novice teachers within their public primary schooling contexts in KwaZulu-Natal. This research dissertation contributes uniquely to the field of education, more specifically adding to the growing body of knowledge on novice teachers and professional agency in public primary schools in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Psychosocial experiences of foundation phase teachers in South Africa during the Covid-19 pandemic.
(2022) Thilakdhari, Jayshree.; Jairam, Visvaranie.
This research dissertation entitled ‘Psychosocial Experiences Of Foundation Phase Teachers In South Africa During The Covid-19 Pandemic’ presents an exploration and understanding of the lived psychosocial experiences of foundation phase teachers in South Africa during the Covid-19 pandemic. This phenomenological research study supports the value of experiences and was aimed at generating in-depth information to deeply understand the psychosocial experiences of foundation phase teachers in South Africa during the Covid-19 pandemic. This research study was conducted with a specific group of six foundation phase teachers from 3 provinces in South Africa, namely: KwaZulu-Natal; Gauteng and Western Cape. Purposive sampling was chosen alongside, availability and convenience of the research participants. This qualitative study is located within the interpretivist paradigm and uses phenomenology as the research methodology. This allowed the researcher to understand the psychosocial experiences of the foundation phase teachers in South Africa from the perspective of the research participants at a particular point in time: the Covid-19 pandemic. Multiple methods of generating data were used for this research study, which included: semi-structured interviews, collage inquiry and metaphor drawing. The data generated allowed the researcher to produce rich and thick information of the research participants. The Psychosocial Development Theory was used as a theoretical framework to offers lenses in exploring and understanding the psychosocial experiences of foundation phase teachers in South Africa during the Covid-19 pandemic. Collage Portraiture was used as an analysis tool to support and enliven the analysis, and Vignettes were presented through themes and subthemes. The research findings indicated that foundation phase teachers in South Africa have knowledge and understandings of the Covid-19 pandemic, experience a variety of challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic, and need intervention strategies to support them during the Covid-19 pandemic. The analysis of this research study revealed that the research participants negotiate their psychosocial experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic which leads to psychosocial development. A Psychosocial Development Research Intervention Model has been created for foundation phase teachers in South Africa, so they may develop psychosocially, work effectively during the crisis, minimize challenges, increase support and become resilient.