The pastoral role of the lecturer in colleges of education.
Loading...
Date
1999
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This study investigated the nature and extent of the pastoral
role of lecturers at two colleges of education in KwaZulu-Natal.
A questionnaire was constructed based on the published findings
of Easton and Van Laar (1995) and of Hart (1996). The sample
comprised 32 lecturers at College 1 and 42 at College 2. This
was a response rate of 62 per cent.
The following issues were investigated: the perception of
lecturers of the importance of and need for providing pastoral
care to students, the types of problems on which students have
been counselled by lecturers, their confidence in dealing with
particular problems, the importance they attach to certain
helping skills, and their use of counselling skills.
The data was analysed statistically and a comparison made between
College 1, College 2 and the published findings of Easton and Van
Laar (1995) and Hart (1996) where applicable, using appropriate
methods.
All of the respondents stated that during the previous year they
had "counselled" students on problems, the most frequently
encountered being financial and health problems, examination
anxiety and lack of confidence. More than 70 per cent of the
respondents considered helping students with problems to be an
important and valuable part of their work, but more than 75 per
cent were dissatisfied with the help they gave and less than 20
per cent were very confident in dealing with problems. The need
for trained counsellors was expressed as well as for training in
counselling skills to be given to lecturers.
Given that the pastoral role of the lecturer has been neglected,
recommendations for further research were made.
Description
Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1999.
Keywords
College teachers., Theses--Education.