In response to my Research Question two, I have discovered that teachers experience moderate to high levels of job demands. In particular, they reported experiencing cognitive demands quite frequently and fairly strongly agree that their lessons are disrupted by learners. These are followed by high levels of emotional demands and moderate to high levels of workload. My results are aligned with my work in the Literature Review. Numerous teachers complained about disruptive learners in their open-ended responses, and many selected this as an option often when asked if they experience disruptive learners. Motseke (2020) explains that learners' misbehaviour and ill-discipline are major job demands of South African teachers (cf. 2.2.3.2). Makhasane and Khanare (2018) further elucidate that violence is rampant amongst learners against the teacher, leaving teachers fearful for their lives (cf.
2.2.3.2).
Teachers expressed moderate to high levels of workload. It is possible that having to maintain requirements by the Department of Basic Education (DBE), to complete the syllabus and
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manage demanding learners has added to this high workload. Additionally, teachers faced moderate to high levels of workload. Van Tonder and Fourie (2018) contend that teachers are left ‘drowning’ in the number of work tasks they have to complete (cf. 2.2.3.1). Moreover, Philipp and Kunter (2013) state that teachers faced high levels of workload and time constraints, which left them highly burnt out (cf. 1.3). Additionally, Sellen (2016) states that workload brings barriers to engaging in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) activities in some cases (cf. 2.2.3.1).
Cognitive demands occur when teachers are forced to teach while having to keep their eyes on lots of things at once. Teachers face high levels of cognitive demands, as stated by Boston and Smith (2009) that teachers found it extremely difficult having to juggle many tasks at once. They have to teach the material to the class, ensuring everyone understands. Monitor projects, get involved in CPD activities, meet other administration deadlines. Teachers experienced very high levels of cognitive demands. Additionally, along with cognitive demands, came a very high demand, namely the disruptive learners (cf. Fig 3).
Teachers also report that they experience infrastructural demands. Teachers in this study did not experience very high levels of infrastructural demands. This could be because teachers involved in this study were predominantly from quintile 4 and 5 schools. Meaning that these schools were well resourced and had access to libraries, the internet, and computers. Perhaps the results would have been different if more quintile 1 and 2 schools were involved in the research. I have been at various schools, and some schools are well ventilated and have proper sanitation, which makes it a pleasure going to school. Whereas, on the other hand, some schools do not have these facilities and make it a stressful and frustrating working environment. Some schools have one or no computer for teachers to share, whereas others have a well-equipped room where teachers can effectively use the resources and prepare for their lessons. Roschelle et al. (2009) state that when teachers do not have the correct material or technological devices to teach lessons, it hinders both the teacher and learners' understanding remains limited as well. Aremu (2012) explains that in some cases, when there is a lack of proper sanitation at schools, this leaves teachers and learners ill and frequently becoming absent, leaving gaps in learning and is seen as a demand. This is a Nigerian study, however, in South Africa, a relevant number of teachers are confronted with similar issues related to school infrastructure. For example, Khumalo and Mji (2014) mention that pit latrines cause health and safety concerns for teachers and learners in South African schools.
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Katumbi and Oribo (2019) argue that the government needs to do more for schools to receive adequate electricity so that effective teaching and learning can take place. This is difficult for both the teacher and the learners. Nicodemus and Magutu (2018) argue that the government needs to do more for schools to receive adequate electricity so that effective teaching and learning can take place. Moreover, Khan and Iqbal (2012) contend that overcrowded classrooms make it difficult for teaching and learning to take place effectively. This is difficult for both the teacher and the learners.
Teachers also frequently experience emotional demands in the interaction with their learners. Teachers showed high levels of emotional demands (cf. Table 5). This is relevant as teachers are constantly using their emotions within their professions, which is potentially leaving them highly exhausted. Moreover, Tuxford and Bradley (2015) contend that teachers face numerous emotional demands that put teachers in enormously distressing circumstances. Teachers have to get their emotions involved when they are dealing with disruptive learners or having to also assist with learners' personal issues. Moreover, the teaching profession itself, dealing with learner behaviour and teaching tasks, makes teachers emotionally exhausted (Chang, 2009). Furthermore, Santavirta et al. (2007) state that teachers being exposed continuously to emotional demands makes it difficult for them to keep themselves going forward. Linking back to research on job demands, as stated by Van Tonder and Fourie (2018) and Motseke (2020), demands may weigh teachers down. Van Tonder and Fourie (2015) also state that high workload demands negatively affect teachers' physical and mental health. Teachers who face high levels of job demands may, in turn, be less likely to engage in CPD activities.
With all these job demands mentioned by respondents and the various obstacles that teachers face in the profession, I can state that teachers in the sample seemed to experience a set of job demands which may potentially affect their engagement in CPD activities.
Below is a hierarchical representation of the demands of teachers, namely the three major demands expressed by teachers. The most predominant job demands mentioned by teachers are cognitive demands (teachers having to juggle numerous tasks at once), followed by learner ill-discipline (rude and disrespectful behaviour in class). This is followed by the emotional demands teachers face and their workload (c.f Fig. 3 for a graphical representation of the results).
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Figure 3: Hierarchical representation of the demands of teachers (Three main job demands of teachers).
These effects were tested using inferential statistics. The results of the bivariate correlations show that emotional demands are associated with reduced CPD engagement. Disruptions by learners also contributed to less engagement in CPD activities. Teachers were less likely to study towards a degree when experiencing a set of job demands (e.g., emotional demands or disruptions in class).
In the next step, a set of hierarchical regressions were conducted to estimate the relative effect of these job demands on CPD activities. As explained above by Chatterjee and Hadi (2012), regressions are analyses used to find the relationships between dependent variables and independent variables. In step one of my model, I entered my control variables. Then in step two, I took job demands into account, and in a third step, I took job resources into account.
The results highlight the relevance of disruptive learners. Teachers are less likely to attend workshops or study towards a degree when such disruptions are high. Nkambule and Amsterdam (2018) concur that when teachers face high disruptions in class from ill- disciplined learners, they are less likely to engage in CPD activities because they are highly strained. Moreover, Motseke (2020) advocates that teachers spend a tremendous amount of time having to discipline learners, and this leaves them drained and burnt out. Therefore, fewer teachers are likely to engage in CPD activities when in this situation.
Motseke (2020) states that learner misbehaviour and ill-discipline of learners is a major contributing factor to teacher demands. Teachers feel frustrated and spend most of their time
Jo b D em an ds
Cogntive demands Learner ill-disciplineEmotional demands and workload
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being tired out by disciplining learners. As a result, they may be less likely to engage in CPD activities.
Moreover, infrastructural demands seem to reduce the likelihood that teachers engage in CPD activities. Other studies have shown that the school context does have little effect on teacher wellbeing (Klusmann, Kunter, Trautwein, Lüdtke & Baumert, 2008) argue that teachers can be affected by other general demands in the profession and not necessarily their physical environment that has a negative impact. It is shown by Klusmann, Kunter, Trautwein, Lüdtke and Baumert (2008) that school-level variables only explain little variance in the emotional exhaustion of teachers. In my study, I believe the same is true. However, I also believe that because teachers in this study were predominantly from the quintile 4 and 5 groups, this could have affected the results. Perhaps, if more quintile 1 and 2 schools were involved in the research, the results would have differed. As mentioned previously, some schools have one or no computer for teachers to use. In contrast, other schools may have a room full of computers or books for teachers. For example, Shalem and Hoadley (2009) claim that teachers' work is bi-modal and covers a vast range of tasks. Shalem and Hoadley (2009) argue that the current curriculum tries to recompense past disparities. However, the harsh reality is that teachers are spread across the quintiles of schools. Moreover, Hoffman et al.
(2016) establish that as teachers work in dissimilar schools, they are exposed to different environments, therefore having disparate experiences and practices. Depending on the school the teacher is in, they will require different resources needed to do their job. So, upon analysing the different nature and environments teachers are placed in, it is noticeable that their needs will differ.
In terms of the Job Demands – Resources (JD-R) model (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007), the energetic pathway explicates that certain demands may be associated with more strain, making it less likely to engage in additional activities. In line with this, the COR theory, Hobfoll (1989) argues that when teachers feel highly exhausted and stressed, they experience a loss spiral. They deplete their current resources while trying to accomplish their goal, which leaves them more exhausted and strained than when they had initially started. When teachers go through a loss spiral, they are negatively affected by experiencing individual health impairments, for example, and this negatively affects the productivity of the organisation as well, causing more costs for the organisation and the teacher. For example, suppose the teacher uses their own money to buy resources to use in the class but is not reimbursed. In
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that case, the teacher will eventually become highly frustrated. Moreover, suppose a teacher has to constantly deal with the same problematic learners' behaviours; they may become highly strained and ill, leaving them worse off than when they started.
Interestingly, cognitive demands showed a positive effect on CPD activities. This means that even though teachers experience high levels of cognitive demands, they are able to engage in CPD activities. A gain spiral may unravel (in line with COR theory) cognitively challenging tasks, which may trigger an interest in further cognitive engagement and might, thus, result in engagement in and profiting from CPD activities. As teachers are faced with cognitive demands, they might be motivated to explore this, further triggering a gain spiral and breeding a positive mindset, motivating them to engage in more CPD activities that will benefit them as individuals and the organisation at large (Frederickson, 2000).