Exploring student teachers’ resilience on teaching practice in the COVID-19 era in Masvingo district, Zimbabwe

Abstract

Die doel van die navorsing is om onderwysstudente se veerkragtigheid ten opsigte van onderrigpraktyke in die Covid-19-era in die Masvingo-provinsie in Zimbabwe te ondersoek. Meer spesifiek, die navorsing het beoog om insig te kry oor die vernaamste stressors wat die onderrigpraktyk tydens Covid-19 ervaar het, asook faktore wat die veerkragtigheid van onderwysstudente op onderrigpraktyk belemmer het, persoonlike en kontekstuele hulpbronne wat bydra tot veerkragtigheidsuitkomste en ondersteuning wat onderwysstudente ontvang het oor onderwyspraktyke tydens Covid-19. Hierdie navorsing dra nuwe kennis by tot die voortdurende diskoerse oor onderwysstudente se veerkragtigheid oor onderrigpraktyke in die Covid-19-era. Ten einde onderwysstudente se veerkragtigheid wat betref onderrigpraktyke in die pandemie te bepaal het die navorsing ’n kwalitatiewe sosiaal-konstruktivistiese benadering deur ’n fenomenologiese navorsingsontwerp gebruik. Data is gegenereer deur fokusgroepbesprekings en semi-gestruktureerde indiepte onderhoude. Een onderwyskollege is vir die steekproef gebruik en 21 onderwysstudente en ses onderwysstudente se mentors is doelbewus uit drie laerskole in die Masvingo-distrik in Zimbabwe gekies. Data is ontleed deur die tematiese inhoudontledingsbenadering te gebruik. Die tematiese bevindinge toon dat onderwysstudente onderworpe was aan onderrigpraktyk-stressors wat deur die Covid-19-pandemie veroorsaak is, onderworpe was aan vrees om die virus op te doen, siekte, isolasie, stigmatisering en dood, angs, onsekerheid, hopeloosheid, ekonomiese lyding, verlengde onderwyspraktykperiode, skoolsluitings en gewone onderrig wat na aanlyn-onderrig verander is. Dit het uit hierdie navorsing geblyk dat die gebrek aan onderrigbevoegdhede, swak verhoudings, gedragsprobleme, klas- en klaskamerbestuur, werkoorlading en onderrigpraktyktoesig die veerkragtigheid van onderwysstudente ten opsigte van onderrigpraktyk belemmer het. Die navorsing het bewys dat persoonlike en kontekstuele hulpbronne veerkragtigheid by onderwysstudente in die konteks van onderrigpraktyke tydens Covid-19 bevorder het. Die navorsing het bepaal dat kontekstuele ondersteuning van belanghebbendes die veerkragtigheid van onderwysstudente bevorder het. Laastens het tematiese resultate getoon die kapasiteit vir veerkragtigheid in aanvanklike onderwyservoorbereiding ontwikkel kan word, daarom word aanbeveel die onderwyseropleidingskurrikulum sluit ’n vak in oor veerkragtigheid. Gevolglik word ’n konseptuele model vir voordiensonderwyserveerkragtigheid voorgestel as ’n riglyn vir belanghebbendes betrokke in voordiensonderwysersopleiding om kapasiteit vir veerkragtigheid in onderwysstudente se onderrigpraktyk te ontwikkel.

This study aimed to explore student teachers' resilience on teaching practice in COVID-19 era in Masvingo District, Zimbabwe. More specifically, the study was intended to gain insights into the major teaching practice COVID-19 induced teaching practice stressors, factors that hinder the resilience of student teachers on teaching practice during the COVID-19 era, personal and contextual resources that contribute to resilience outcomes in student teachers on teaching practice in COVID-19 era and support student teachers receive on teaching practice in the COVID-19 era. This research study contributes new knowledge to the ongoing discourses about student teachers' resilience on teaching practice in COVID-19 era. In order to explore student teachers' resilience on teaching practice in COVID-19 era, the study employed a qualitative social constructivist approach through a phenomenological research design. Data were generated through focus group discussions and in-depth semi-structured interviews. One teachers' college was conveniently sampled, and twenty-one (21) student teachers and six (6) student teachers' mentors were purposively sampled from three primary schools in Masvingo District, Zimbabwe. Data were analyzed using the thematic content analysis approach.

The thematic findings revealed that student teachers on teaching practice in the COVID-19 era are subjected to teaching practice stressors induced by the COVID-19 pandemic such as fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus, illness, isolation, stigmatization and death, anxiety, uncertainty, hopelessness, economic hardships, prolonged teaching practice period, school closures, transference of face-to-face teaching to online learning. It emerged from this study that lack of teaching competences, poor relationships, behavioral problems, class and classroom management, work overload and teaching practice supervision hinder the resilience of student teachers on teaching practice in the COVID-19 era. This research uncovered that personal and contextual resources promote resilience in student teachers on teaching practice in COVID-19 era. The study established that contextual support from stakeholders cultivates the resilience of student teachers' resilience in teaching practice during theCOVID-19 pandemic. Finally, thematic results revealed that the capacity for resilience can be developed during initial teacher preparation, so the study recommends that the teacher education curriculum include a resilience subject. Hence, a pre-service teacher resilience conceptual model is proposed as a guideline for stakeholders involved in pre-service teacher education to develop capacity for resilience in student teachers' teaching practice.

Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuthola okwenziwa ngothisha abasaqeqeshwa esiFundeni iMasvingo eZimbabwe ukuze bakwazi ukumelana nobunzima obadalwa yisikhathi seKhovidi (Covid-19). Ikakhulukazi, lolu cwaningo lwaluhlose ukuthola imibono emayelana nengcindezi eyalethwa yiKhovidi ekufundiseni, izinto ezaba yizithiyo emizamweni yothisha ababesaqeqeshwa ukuthi bamelane nezinselelo zesikhathi seKhovidi ekufundiseni, imithombo emayelana nomuntu uqobo lwakhe nangokomlando ngokobunjalo bendawo okunomthelela emiphumeleni yokukwazi ukumelana kothisha ababesaqeqeshwa nobunzima besikhathi seKhovidi, kanye nokwesekelwa othisha ababesaqeqeshwa abakuthola mayelana nokufundisa ngesikhathi seKhovidi. Lolu cwaningo luphosa esivivaneni ngolwazi olusha ezingxoxweni eziqhubekayo ezimayelana nokukwazi kothisha abasaqeqeshwayo ukumelana nokufundisa ngesikhathi seKhovidi. Ukuze kucwaningwe ngokukwazi kothisha abasaqeqeshwa ukumelana nokufundisa ngesikhathi seKhovidi, lesi sifundo sasebenzisa indlela yocwaningo yekhwalithethivu yesocial constructivist ngokuhambelana nesakhiwo sokucwaninga ifenomenoloji (phenomenological research design). Ulwazi lwaqoqwa ngokusebenzisa izingxoxo zeqembu (focus group discussions) kanye nama-inthaviyu ajulile navulelekile. Ikolishi lothisha eliliodwa laba yisampula, nothisha abasaqeqeshwa abangama-21, kanye namamento othisha abasaqeqeshwa abayi-6 abakhethwa ngokwenhloso ezikoleni zamazinga aphansi zasesiFundeni iMasvingo eZimbabwe. Idatha yahlaziywa ngokwendikimba yokuqukethwe (thematic content analysis). Izindikimba ezatholakala ngokwemiphumela yokuhlaziya zaveza ukuthi othisha ababesaqeqeshwa ababekwiprakthisi yokufundisa ngesikhathi seKhovidi babengaphansi kwengcindenzi yokwesaba ukutheleleka ngegciwane, ukugula, ukuzivalela, ukubandlululeka, ukufa, ukungasiqondi isimo, ukwethuka, ukulahla ithemba, ubunzima kwezomnotho, isikhathi sokuprakthizela ukufundisa eseluleka kakhulu, ukuvalwa kwezikole, kanye nokushintshelwa ekufundiseni ngobuchwepheshe. Kwavela kulesi sifundo ukuthi ukwesweleka kwamakhono okufundisa, ubudlelwano obuphansi ngezinga, izinkinga zokuziphatha, ukuphathwa nokulawulwa kwamakilasi, umsebenzi ongaphezulu kwesilinganiso esifanele, nokulawulwa kweprakthisi yokufundisa, konke kwavimbela ukuqina (resilience) kothisha ababesaqaqeshwa ngesikhathi seKhovidi. Ucwaningo lwaveza ukuthi imithombo yomuntu noma yendawo ithuthukisa izinga lokuthi othisha abasafundayo bakwazi ukumelana nezimo ezinzima ezinjengezokufundisa ngesikhathi seKhovidi. Isifundo saphinde sakhombisa ukuthi ukwesekwa kwababambiqhaza kuyasiza ekugqugquzeleni ukubaluleka kokukwazi kwezitshudeni ezisaqeqeshelwa ubuthisha ukumelana nezimo ezifana neKhovidi ekufundiseni. Okokugcina, imiphumela yezindikimba yakhomba ukuthi ukuqina kungathuthuka ngenkathi othisha besesekungeneni oqeqeshweni lwabo. Ngakho-ke, isifundo sinikezela ngezincomo zokuthi ikharikhulamu yemfundo yothisha kufanene yengeze isifundo sokuqina. Ngalesi sizathu, lesi sifundo sincoma ukuthi kwenziwe imodeli engasiza ekutheni isetshenziswe ekuvezeni imibono yokungenziwa ukusungula isifundo sokuqina kothisha abangakaqali ukufundisa.

Sepheo sa diphuputso tsena ke ho sibolla ho tiisetsa ha matitjhere a maithutwane ha ba le boikwetlisong ho ruta ka nako ya COVID-19 seterekeng sa Masvingo, Zimbabwe. Ka mokgwa o tobileng, diphuputso tsena haholoholo di reretswe ho sibolla lesedi ka tlwaelo ya ho ruta nakong ya sewa sa COVID-19 ho baithuti ba boikwetlisong ba ho ruta. Bomaithutwane bana ba matitjhere ba hlohlelleditswe ke diketsahalo tsa ho inahana le ho hlokoleha maikutlo ba le kwetlisong ya ho ruta. Tsena di ile tsa ba sitisa ho tiisetsa hona nakong eo ya boikwetliso ba ho ruta ka nako ya sewa sa COVID-19, ka bomong le ka disebediswa tsa moo tse bileng le seabo ho sephetho sa tiisetso ya baithuti bana ba matitjhere ka nako ya sewa sa COVID-19. Diphuputso tsena tsa thuto di kenya letsoho ka tsebo e ntjha ho dipuo tse ntseng di tswela pele ho hlahloba tiisetso ya bomaithutwane ba matitjhere ka tiisetso ya bona boikwetlisong ba ho ruta ka nako ya sewa sa COVID-19. Ho ba boemong ba ho sibolla tiisetso ya bomaithuwane ba matitjhere boikwetlisong ba ho ruta nakong ya sewa sa COVID-19, diphuputso tsena di sebedisa mokgwa wa ho hlalosa wa Social Constructivists o dumellang ditsebo tsa mofuputsi le tsa bafuputsuwa e le moralo wa tshebetso. Ditaba di bokelletswe ka mokgwa wa sehlopha se kgethehileng ho buisana le ka dipotso tsa dipatlisiso tse tebileng tse sekgeqe tsa dipatlisiso. Titjhere e le nngwe ya koletjhe e ile ya etswa e le mohlala o sa sitiseng, le bomaithutwane ba matitjhere ba mashome a mabedi a metso e mmedi (22) le batataisi ba matitjhere ba tsheletseng (6) ba ile ba kgwethwa ka lefupu dikolong tse tharo tsa mathomo seterekeng sa Masvingo, Zimbabwe. Ditaba di manollotswe ka tshwebediso ya tlhophiso ka ho ya ka mekgahlelo ya mookotaba. Ditshibollo ho ya ka mookotaba di bontsha hore bomaithutwane ba matitjhere ba neng ba le boikwetlisong ba ho ruta ba bile le kgatello ya maikutlo e kentsweng ke sewa sa COVID-19 jwale ka tshabo ya ho tshwaetswa ke kokwanahloko ya COVID-19, bokudi, ho behellwa ka thoko, sekgobo, le ho hlokahala, letswalo, ho se tsitse, ho lahla tshepo, ho ba le bothata ba ditjhelete, nako ya boikwetliso ba ho ruta e eketsehileng, ho kwalwa ha dikolo, ho fetolwa ha mokgwa wa ho ruta wa ho tla diphaposing tsa ho rutela, esita le mokgwa wa ho ruta ka marangrang. Diphuputso di hlahisitse hore hore ho haellwa ke diketso tsa ho ruta, dikamano tse bosula, mathata a boitshwaro, dihlopha le taolo ya sehlopha, boima ba mosebetsi le tlhokomelo ya boikwetlisong ba ho ruta di sitisitse bomaithutwane ba matitjhere hob a le tiisetso ha ba le boikwetlisong ba ho ruta ka nako ya sewa sa COVID-19. Diphuputso tsena di sibollotse hore bomong le disebediswa tse loketseng ho phahamisa tiisetso ya bomaithutwane ba matitjhere ba neng ba le boikwetlisong ba ho ruta ka nako ya sewa sa COVID-19 di bakile tshitiso. Diphuputso di pepesitse hore tshehetso e ikamahanyang le maemo ho ba nang le kobo ya bohadi, e phahamisa tiisetso ho bomaithutwane ba matitjhere, tiisetso ya ho tswela pele ho ruta ka nako ya sewa sa COVID-19. Qetellong diphetho tsa mookotaba di sibollotse bokgoni ba tiisetso hore bo ka ntshetswa pele nakong ya kwetliso ya matitjhere. Kahoo diphuputso tsena di kgothaletsa hore moralo wa thuto ya matitjhere o kenyelletse tiisetso e le e nngwe ya dirutwa. Ka hona, matitjhere a kwetlisong ya nako yohle; mohlala wa matitjhere wa tiisetso, o hlahiswe e le leikokotlelo bakeng sa ba nang le seabo kwetlisong ya nako yohle ya matitjhere ho hodisa bokgoni ba tiisetso ho bomaithutwane ba matitjhere boikwetlisong ba ho ruta.