An exploration of the female adolescent learner-educator interaction within the youth care centre
Van Tonder, Rene (2008-03)
Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2008.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study aims to explore and describe the Youth Care learner's relational interaction with her educators in order to establish what could enhance this relationship with her educators. The specific focus is on the female Youth Care learners' experiences of this relationship and how they impact on the learners' sense of well-being within a particular Youth Care Centre. The participants for this study consisted of eight female learners from the Youth Care Centre. The research methods which were used are semi-structured interviews with each participant. I also conducted focus groups with educators which resulted in confirmation of data. The analysis of the interview guides' data provided themes which are discussed according to certain categories that emerged in the data produced during the interviews.
The study shows that various factors such as lack of empathy, trust, respect and understanding impact on the educator-learner relationship within a Youth Care Centre. These factors directly impact on Youth Care learners' well-being. The study shows that the presence of these factors could be used to decrease the number of Youth Care learners who have sad or hopeless feelings. The Youth Care learners also made suggestions on how this relationship with their educators could be enhanced. Thus, it can be concluded that Youth Care educators who possess superior competency in the different realms of emotional skills have many advantages that lead to mutually satisfying and responsible interpersonal relationships. This research therefore calls for a greater focus on the development of the emotional skills of Youth Care educators, which could lead to better interactions with their learners. I conclude by suggesting that further studies be conducted to assess the emotional skills of Youth Care educators and to determine in which realm they need improvement.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ondersoek is daarop gemik om die aard van die jeugsorgleerder se verhouding met haar opvoeders te eksploreer en te beskryf met die doel om vas te stel wat gedoen kan word ten einde hierdie verhouding te verbeter. Die spesifieke fokus is op hoe jeugsorgleerders hierdie verhoudinge ervaar en die uitwerking daarvan op die leerders se verhouding met en gehegtheid aan hulle opvoeders in 'n besondere Jeugsorgsentrum. Die deelnemers aan die studie was agt vroulike leerders van die Jeugsorgsentrum. Die navorsingsmetodiek het bestaan uit semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude wat op elke deelnemer toegepas is. Opvoeders was ook by fokusgroep besprekings betrokke, wat gelei het tot bevestiging van my data. Data-analise van die vraelyste het die navorser voorsien van temas wat bespreek is volgens kategorieë wat na vore gekom het tydens die proses van dataversameling gedurende die individuele onderhoude.
Die ondersoek toon dat 'n verskeidenheid faktore soos gebrek aan empatie, vertroue, respek en begrip 'n beduidende invloed op opvoeder - leerder verhoudinge binne 'n Jeugsorgsentrum uitoefen. Hierdie faktore het 'n direkte invloed op jeugsorgleerders se welsyn. Die ondersoek toon dat die aanwesigheid van hierdie faktore aangewend kan word om die aantal leerders te verminder wat gevoelens van hartseer of hopeloosheid ervaar. Die jeugsorgleerders het ook voorstelle gemaak wat gedoen kan word om hierdie verhoudinge te verbeter. Daar kan dus afgelei word dat dit voordelig is vir opvoeders van Jeugsorgsentrums om oor superieure emosionele vaardighede te beskik, omdat dit wedersyds bevredigende en verantwoordelike interpersoonlike verhoudings tot gevolg het. Hierdie navorsing vra dus vir 'n groter fokus op die ontwikkeling van die emosionele vaardighede van opvoeders, wat kan bydra tot verbeterde verhoudings met hulle leerders. Ten slotte wil ek verdere navorsing op hierdie terrein aanbeveel ten einde die emosionele vaardighede van die opvoeders te bepaal en om vas te stel op watter gebied hulle kan verbeter.
Please refer to this item in SUNScholar by using the following persistent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/20863