Life after training: professional experiences of recently qualified clinical and counselling psychologists in South Africa
- Authors: Haine, Phillipa
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Clinical psychologists – South Africa , Counseling psychologists – South Africa , Psychologists -- Job stress -- South Africa , Psychologists -- Employment -- South Africa , Career development -- South Africa , Psychologists -- Training of -- South Africa , Life change events , Qualitative research
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/142421 , vital:38078
- Description: Professional psychology in South Africa has experienced numerous transformations since its tainted historical affiliation with the apartheid regime. However, despite the profession’s attempts to respond to the burgeoning mental health needs of the country, psychologists in South Africa continue to be confronted by a number of challenges within the professional field. International research suggests that early career psychologists, in particular, experience further challenges in adjusting to new professional careers. Considering the dearth of research on this topic within local literature, the aim of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the lived professional experiences of recently qualified clinical and counselling psychologists in South Africa, following training. An interpretive phenomenological method was employed to investigate the fundamental early career professional experiences of participants, as well as the meanings participants attributed to these experiences. Four participants were recruited using purposive sampling. Data was collected through the use of semi-structured, one-on-one, Skype interviews, and the interview data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The study revealed four super-ordinate themes, including: (i) Training as a ‘rite of passage’; (ii) Expectations for a professional future; (iii) Professional psychology: Entering the work space; and (iv) Future directions. The findings suggest that clinical and counselling psychologists’ experiences as recently qualified professionals in South Africa are both positive and negative, with the overall experience being positive. Emerging themes suggest that early career psychologists are faced by a number of personal and professional challenges on entering the work place. Furthermore, findings suggest that the early career experiences of recently qualified clinical and counselling psychologists in South Africa might not necessarily be due to personal choice, but rather due to greater systemic factors, such as limited available posts, maladministration, the devalued status of mental healthcare in comparison to other healthcare concerns in the country, an unresponsive marketplace and limited efforts by government to accommodate psychologists in different contexts
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- Authors: Haine, Phillipa
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Clinical psychologists – South Africa , Counseling psychologists – South Africa , Psychologists -- Job stress -- South Africa , Psychologists -- Employment -- South Africa , Career development -- South Africa , Psychologists -- Training of -- South Africa , Life change events , Qualitative research
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/142421 , vital:38078
- Description: Professional psychology in South Africa has experienced numerous transformations since its tainted historical affiliation with the apartheid regime. However, despite the profession’s attempts to respond to the burgeoning mental health needs of the country, psychologists in South Africa continue to be confronted by a number of challenges within the professional field. International research suggests that early career psychologists, in particular, experience further challenges in adjusting to new professional careers. Considering the dearth of research on this topic within local literature, the aim of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the lived professional experiences of recently qualified clinical and counselling psychologists in South Africa, following training. An interpretive phenomenological method was employed to investigate the fundamental early career professional experiences of participants, as well as the meanings participants attributed to these experiences. Four participants were recruited using purposive sampling. Data was collected through the use of semi-structured, one-on-one, Skype interviews, and the interview data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The study revealed four super-ordinate themes, including: (i) Training as a ‘rite of passage’; (ii) Expectations for a professional future; (iii) Professional psychology: Entering the work space; and (iv) Future directions. The findings suggest that clinical and counselling psychologists’ experiences as recently qualified professionals in South Africa are both positive and negative, with the overall experience being positive. Emerging themes suggest that early career psychologists are faced by a number of personal and professional challenges on entering the work place. Furthermore, findings suggest that the early career experiences of recently qualified clinical and counselling psychologists in South Africa might not necessarily be due to personal choice, but rather due to greater systemic factors, such as limited available posts, maladministration, the devalued status of mental healthcare in comparison to other healthcare concerns in the country, an unresponsive marketplace and limited efforts by government to accommodate psychologists in different contexts
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A case study of emergent environmental pedagogical content knowledge in a Fundisa for Change teacher professional development course
- Authors: Brundrit, Susan
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Career development -- South Africa , Environmental education -- South Africa , Teachers -- Training of --South Africa , Environmental education -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Fundisa for Change
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62850 , vital:28301
- Description: This study set out to explore and describe in the form of a qualitative case study, an iteration of a Fundisa for Change teacher professional development programme, in this case the Teaching Life & Living short course presented to seventeen teachers as part of their Advanced Certificate in Teaching (ACT) Senior Phase Natural Sciences, at the University of Cape Town. The focus of the research was on describing how the development of teacher environmental pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) was supported and constructed in the course. The Consensus Model of Teacher Professional Knowledge and Skill, an outcome of the 2012 PCK Summit, was used to define the concept of PCK and also contributed the concept of amplifiers and filters as processes that mediate the development of teacher PCK. The study drew on Borko’s (2004) model of a professional development system, using the elements of course, teachers, facilitators and context as an analytical framework. Data generated included a teacher contextual profile questionnaire, audio-recordings of group work, course outputs and reflection and evaluation forms. Data analysis had two phases: the first phase concentrated on the development of analytic memos based on particular data sources whereas the second phase worked across data sources to present the evidence relating to each of the professional development system elements. The study found that teachers were supported in the development of their environmental PCK by the collaborative learning opportunities afforded by the course. Emergent PCK was organised according to five components: assessment knowledge; pedagogical knowledge; content knowledge; knowledge of learners; and, curricular knowledge. Emergent teacher learning ranged in specificity from general, to subject-specific, to domain-specific, and lastly to topic-specific knowledge. Teacher beliefs and orientations, prior knowledge and contexts brought into the professional development system were described as amplifiers and filters to teacher learning of PCK. In particular there were several contextual factors that emerged as themes from the data that had potentially filtering effects. Recommendations included that facilitators create an atmosphere conducive to collaborative learning, that evidence of learner conceptual understanding be examined during the course, that teachers be exposed to in-depth examples of canonical PCK and that more modelling of formative assessment strategies are presented.
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- Authors: Brundrit, Susan
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Career development -- South Africa , Environmental education -- South Africa , Teachers -- Training of --South Africa , Environmental education -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Fundisa for Change
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62850 , vital:28301
- Description: This study set out to explore and describe in the form of a qualitative case study, an iteration of a Fundisa for Change teacher professional development programme, in this case the Teaching Life & Living short course presented to seventeen teachers as part of their Advanced Certificate in Teaching (ACT) Senior Phase Natural Sciences, at the University of Cape Town. The focus of the research was on describing how the development of teacher environmental pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) was supported and constructed in the course. The Consensus Model of Teacher Professional Knowledge and Skill, an outcome of the 2012 PCK Summit, was used to define the concept of PCK and also contributed the concept of amplifiers and filters as processes that mediate the development of teacher PCK. The study drew on Borko’s (2004) model of a professional development system, using the elements of course, teachers, facilitators and context as an analytical framework. Data generated included a teacher contextual profile questionnaire, audio-recordings of group work, course outputs and reflection and evaluation forms. Data analysis had two phases: the first phase concentrated on the development of analytic memos based on particular data sources whereas the second phase worked across data sources to present the evidence relating to each of the professional development system elements. The study found that teachers were supported in the development of their environmental PCK by the collaborative learning opportunities afforded by the course. Emergent PCK was organised according to five components: assessment knowledge; pedagogical knowledge; content knowledge; knowledge of learners; and, curricular knowledge. Emergent teacher learning ranged in specificity from general, to subject-specific, to domain-specific, and lastly to topic-specific knowledge. Teacher beliefs and orientations, prior knowledge and contexts brought into the professional development system were described as amplifiers and filters to teacher learning of PCK. In particular there were several contextual factors that emerged as themes from the data that had potentially filtering effects. Recommendations included that facilitators create an atmosphere conducive to collaborative learning, that evidence of learner conceptual understanding be examined during the course, that teachers be exposed to in-depth examples of canonical PCK and that more modelling of formative assessment strategies are presented.
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Professional development among counselling psychology interns : exploring critical incidents
- Authors: Teixeira, Beverley
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Counseling psychologists -- Training of -- South Africa , Critical incident technique , Career development -- South Africa , Internship programs -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3265 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017888
- Description: The journey towards becoming a counselling psychologist, in South Africa, includes the completion a 12 month internship. The internship year holds many challenges and demands for novice professionals and aims to assist them in making the transition from student to professional. This study aims to explore the subjective experiences of intern counselling psychologists and the critical incidents which assist them in making this transition. In addition, it aims to identify experiences impacting on the interns’ professional development and professional identity. Three registered counselling psychologists, who completed their internship at a South African university counselling centre within the last year, were recruited and participated in individual interviews. These interviews were semi-structured and followed the Critical Incident Technique method. Each interview was voice recorded and transcribed. The data collected was analysed using thematic content analysis. As the research design is qualitative, using a phenomenological approach, the focus is on presenting information-rich and detailed descriptions of participants “lived” experiences of their internship year. It attempts to understand significant incidents or events which influenced the participants’ professional and personal development as they navigate through this ambiguous period to become independent and ethical practitioners. Four predominant themes emerged from the data collected, which include a discussion pertaining to professional boundaries and limitations, learning within the internship environment, the effects of professional and personal support and, lastly, the transition from dependent to independent professional functioning.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Teixeira, Beverley
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Counseling psychologists -- Training of -- South Africa , Critical incident technique , Career development -- South Africa , Internship programs -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3265 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017888
- Description: The journey towards becoming a counselling psychologist, in South Africa, includes the completion a 12 month internship. The internship year holds many challenges and demands for novice professionals and aims to assist them in making the transition from student to professional. This study aims to explore the subjective experiences of intern counselling psychologists and the critical incidents which assist them in making this transition. In addition, it aims to identify experiences impacting on the interns’ professional development and professional identity. Three registered counselling psychologists, who completed their internship at a South African university counselling centre within the last year, were recruited and participated in individual interviews. These interviews were semi-structured and followed the Critical Incident Technique method. Each interview was voice recorded and transcribed. The data collected was analysed using thematic content analysis. As the research design is qualitative, using a phenomenological approach, the focus is on presenting information-rich and detailed descriptions of participants “lived” experiences of their internship year. It attempts to understand significant incidents or events which influenced the participants’ professional and personal development as they navigate through this ambiguous period to become independent and ethical practitioners. Four predominant themes emerged from the data collected, which include a discussion pertaining to professional boundaries and limitations, learning within the internship environment, the effects of professional and personal support and, lastly, the transition from dependent to independent professional functioning.
- Full Text:
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