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An inclusive educational setting is a model in which educators must have empathic sensitivity, which will enable them to identify the different needs of the various learners. However, there is gap in research concerning educators' own experiences regarding empathy within inclusive classrooms. This qualitative study with a phenomenological research design thus aimed to identify, through the use of in-depth interviews, the educators' own empathic experiences within their inclusive classrooms in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District in the North West Province, South Africa. A sample of seven female educators from three schools participated in this study. The data were analysed thematically, and the following main themes were identified: intrapersonal pre-proficiency of educators; interpersonal understanding for learners with disabilities; having adaptive skills; and situational aspects that play a role in the empathic experiences of educators. It was determined that future research should focus on more districts in order to gain better representations of the North West Province, also in other provinces to get a better representation of South Africa. In addition, a program must be developed in which educators are trained in the necessary empathic skills.

The schools located in many township and rural areas of South Africa struggle to provide a high standard of education, because many of the inhabitants of these areas are very poor and there is, thus, a lack of the funding required for the necessary educational equipment. The Afri Twin project, started by Jayne Martin, addresses this problem. The project is collaboration among a British school, a South African town/city school and a school from a rural community in South Africa. The aims of the research project were to determine the benefits of the Afri Twin project and to investigate a unique interaction among a British school, a South African Model C School and a rural school. Data were collected through focus group interviews, in-depth interviews and questionnaires. Data analysis led to the emergence of four major themes with categories and subcategories. The conclusion underlined the cultural tolerance that is established through the Afri Twin project as well as the importance of financial support for promoting an improved learning environment. (Contains 1 footnote.)

Teaching is a stressful occupation associated with various challenges that may adversely affect schoolteachers' psychological well-being (PWB) and the provision of quality basic education. The nature and effects of teacher PWB may depend on their work context. This critical review aimed to synthesise and evaluate the evidence from available scientific literature on schoolteacher PWB within the South African context. We searched the following databases: African Journals, NWU-IR, Academic Search Complete, Africa-Wide Information, APA PsycInfo, OAlster, Directory of Open Access Journals, Library Catalogue, SciELO, SocINDEX with Full Text, MEDLINE, ERIC, CINAHL with Full Text, Springer Nature Journals, Teacher Reference Center, SPORTDiscus with Full Text, and Business Source Complete. For rigour of the search and analysis process, we employed the Search, AppraisaL, Synthesis, and Analysis (SALSA) method. This critical review research study included a final sample of 12 studies. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, and the following themes were identified: teaching as a stressful occupation; intrapersonal factors that affect teachers' PWB; contextual factors that influence teachers' PWB; differences in levels of teacher PWB; and the consequences of high or low levels of teacher PWB. To work towards the provision of quality basic education, it is vital to first acknowledge the importance of schoolteachers' PWB in South Africa. With a clear and comprehensive understanding of teacher PWB, it is possible to implement interventions to promote and enhance teachers' PWB in schools in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To establish reliability and validity of formal intelligence assessment instruments in a multicultural and multilingual society such as South Africa, context needs to be taken into consideration and existing psychological intelligence test instruments need to be surveyed carefully for cultural bias. The aim of this critical review of scientific literature was to critically appraise and synthesize data regarding intelligence instruments applied to South African school learners. The search initially yielded 405 studies of which 15 were finally included for thematic analysis. The following three main themes emerged from the included studies: Applicability of intelligence instruments administered to South African school learners; Contextual and demographic influences affecting performance on administered intelligence instruments; and Intellectual measuring instruments related to developmental and cognitive ability levels. It is recommended that the findings of this research study should be considered in the possible development of a strategic guideline to design an intelligence instrument applicable to South African school learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative interpretive description research study aimed to explore, interpret, and describe educators' and support staffs' experiences regarding the management of crises in their schools in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Informant educators (n = 7) and support staff (n = 1) from four schools (public, rural, and private) completed semi-structured interviews on their experiences. Following thematic analysis, findings revealed crisis-oriented themes regarding current policies within schools, certain crises experiences, languishing, management of these crises, and COVID-19 mitigation. Current policies needed improvement to ensure the physical, psychological, and emotional safety of school members which will in turn influence their well-being. These findings suggest a need for educators, support staff, and school learners to be trained within in-school crisis management practices to prevent avoidable trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research methods play an important role in the outcome of research projects and publication, which contribute to various aspects of a country's development and well-being. This study explored the current use of research methods in psychological research within South Africa. The South African Journal of Psychology was chosen to represent a sample for this investigation. A systematised review was used to discern what research methods are being used, how these methods are being used and for what topics. Thus, 116 articles published in the South African Journal of Psychology from 2013 to 2017 were categorised. Research articles in the selected sample generally provided fewer details with regard to the applied methodology. Therefore, only the reported methodology in these articles is documented in this study. The type of research methods used in the South African Journal of Psychology focused mainly on quantitative and qualitative methods. These methods were typically applied to 10 research topics of which Social Psychology was most dominant, and Education and Learning least dominant. Data collection mostly consisted of questionnaires or interviews using samples of convenience with various techniques of data analysis. The results are discussed from the perspective of a national and an international study to highlight South Africa's research position with regard to international publications. Overall, this investigation shows the uniqueness of South African research, areas for future study and research development, considering international trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the needs met by cell phone use by older persons. Informants were 52 older South Africans (age range 65 to 89 years, male = 8, female = 44). The older persons completed a visual representation and semi-structured interviews on the needs met by their cell phone usage. Thematic analysis of the data revealed the following needs to be met by their cell phone usage: personal safety, sense of control, managing daily routine, and staying connected with loved ones. Findings are consistent with the propositions of the basic psychological needs theory (BPNT) regarding competence, autonomy, and personal well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study validated the Adapted and Revised Organisational Climate Description Questionnaire (AAROCDQ) for school climate as experienced by teachers. Participants were 394 school teachers (72 male and 322 female) from 40 schools in South Africa. Internal consistency and factor structure were determined as well as the evidence for concurrent validity. The results of the study show that the AAROCDQ yielded reliable scores and also indicated construct validity in a sample of South African teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]