Publication: An investigation of the effectiveness of teachers’ coping mechanisms in managing Workload stress in public primary schools in Banisa Sub-county, Mandera county, Kenya
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2015-10
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Mount Kenya University
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Abstract
Teachers adopt different mechanism to cope with workload stress. Though the effectiveness of such mechanisms on leveraging workload stress has not been fully realized. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of teachers’ coping mechanisms in managing workload stress in public primary schools in Banisa Sub-county, Mandera County, Kenya. The objectives of this study included; teachers’ social support, teachers’ self-efficacy and teachers’ preparedness. This study was guided by the Social Cognitive Theory. This study applied mixed methods approach, that is, both quantitative and qualitative methods. The study applied explanatory sequential design which involved collecting, analyzing, and mixing both quantitative and qualitative research and methods in a single study to understand a research problem. The target population for this study comprise of 22 public primary school head teachers, 150 teachers and 250 members of BOM all totaling to 422. Using the Central Limit Theorem, 5 public primary schools, that is, 22.7% of 22 and 118 respondents, that is, 27.96% of 422, were sampled. Stratified sampling was used to create 5 different strata based on the number of wards in Banisa Sub-county. From each ward, 1 primary school head teacher and 8 teachers were selected using purposive sampling and inclusion criteria was based on the experience of teaching. At the same time, from each ward, 15 members of BOM were selected using simple random sampling. This sampling procedure enabled the researcher to realize a sample of 5 head teachers, 38 teachers and 75 members of BOM. Questionnaires were used to collect data from teachers, interview schedules from head teachers and members of BOM. Piloting of research instruments was conducted amongst 2 teachers from 2 schools in Banisa Sub-county to generate data for testing the validity, reliability, credibility and dependability. Reliability coefficient, r = 0.65 was obtained indicating higher internal consistency. The researcher established the credibility of qualitative data by data triangulation through multiple analysts or experts whereas the dependability of qualitative data collection process was established by reporting in detail to enable the researcher to repeat the inquiry and achieve similar results. The process of data analysis began by cleaning data and identifying common themes from the respondents’ description of their experiences. Frequencies of the responses were then obtained to generate information about the respondents and to illustrate the general trend of findings on the various variables that were under investigation. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically along the objectives whereas basic quantitative data was analyzed using ANOVA in Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS Version 21). The findings of the study were presented using tables. The study established that there are different coping mechanisms which teacher have adopted to cope with stress. These include social support, self- efficacy and provision of instructional resources. However, these mechanism have not effective. The study thus recommends that stakeholders should accord teachers the necessary support to act as a mitigant against workload stress. This may go a long way in providing conducive environment for improving academic grades of pupils. Teachers should be encouraged to develop and innovate new strategies on self-efficacy on how to cope with workload stress. The education stakeholders and Ministry of Education should equip schools with relevant, suitable, appropriate and quality instructional resources as a strategy for leveraging the impact of workload stress
Teachers adopt different mechanism to cope with workload stress. Though the effectiveness of such mechanisms on leveraging workload stress has not been fully realized. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of teachers’ coping mechanisms in managing workload stress in public primary schools in Banisa Sub-county, Mandera County, Kenya. The objectives of this study included; teachers’ social support, teachers’ self-efficacy and teachers’ preparedness. This study was guided by the Social Cognitive Theory. This study applied mixed methods approach, that is, both quantitative and qualitative methods. The study applied explanatory sequential design which involved collecting, analyzing, and mixing both quantitative and qualitative research and methods in a single study to understand a research problem. The target population for this study comprise of 22 public primary school head teachers, 150 teachers and 250 members of BOM all totaling to 422. Using the Central Limit Theorem, 5 public primary schools, that is, 22.7% of 22 and 118 respondents, that is, 27.96% of 422, were sampled. Stratified sampling was used to create 5 different strata based on the number of wards in Banisa Sub-county. From each ward, 1 primary school head teacher and 8 teachers were selected using purposive sampling and inclusion criteria was based on the experience of teaching. At the same time, from each ward, 15 members of BOM were selected using simple random sampling. This sampling procedure enabled the researcher to realize a sample of 5 head teachers, 38 teachers and 75 members of BOM. Questionnaires were used to collect data from teachers, interview schedules from head teachers and members of BOM. Piloting of research instruments was conducted amongst 2 teachers from 2 schools in Banisa Sub-county to generate data for testing the validity, reliability, credibility and dependability. Reliability coefficient, r = 0.65 was obtained indicating higher internal consistency. The researcher established the credibility of qualitative data by data triangulation through multiple analysts or experts whereas the dependability of qualitative data collection process was established by reporting in detail to enable the researcher to repeat the inquiry and achieve similar results. The process of data analysis began by cleaning data and identifying common themes from the respondents’ description of their experiences. Frequencies of the responses were then obtained to generate information about the respondents and to illustrate the general trend of findings on the various variables that were under investigation. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically along the objectives whereas basic quantitative data was analyzed using ANOVA in Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS Version 21). The findings of the study were presented using tables. The study established that there are different coping mechanisms which teacher have adopted to cope with stress. These include social support, self- efficacy and provision of instructional resources. However, these mechanism have not effective. The study thus recommends that stakeholders should accord teachers the necessary support to act as a mitigant against workload stress. This may go a long way in providing conducive environment for improving academic grades of pupils. Teachers should be encouraged to develop and innovate new strategies on self-efficacy on how to cope with workload stress. The education stakeholders and Ministry of Education should equip schools with relevant, suitable, appropriate and quality instructional resources as a strategy for leveraging the impact of workload stress
Teachers adopt different mechanism to cope with workload stress. Though the effectiveness of such mechanisms on leveraging workload stress has not been fully realized. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of teachers’ coping mechanisms in managing workload stress in public primary schools in Banisa Sub-county, Mandera County, Kenya. The objectives of this study included; teachers’ social support, teachers’ self-efficacy and teachers’ preparedness. This study was guided by the Social Cognitive Theory. This study applied mixed methods approach, that is, both quantitative and qualitative methods. The study applied explanatory sequential design which involved collecting, analyzing, and mixing both quantitative and qualitative research and methods in a single study to understand a research problem. The target population for this study comprise of 22 public primary school head teachers, 150 teachers and 250 members of BOM all totaling to 422. Using the Central Limit Theorem, 5 public primary schools, that is, 22.7% of 22 and 118 respondents, that is, 27.96% of 422, were sampled. Stratified sampling was used to create 5 different strata based on the number of wards in Banisa Sub-county. From each ward, 1 primary school head teacher and 8 teachers were selected using purposive sampling and inclusion criteria was based on the experience of teaching. At the same time, from each ward, 15 members of BOM were selected using simple random sampling. This sampling procedure enabled the researcher to realize a sample of 5 head teachers, 38 teachers and 75 members of BOM. Questionnaires were used to collect data from teachers, interview schedules from head teachers and members of BOM. Piloting of research instruments was conducted amongst 2 teachers from 2 schools in Banisa Sub-county to generate data for testing the validity, reliability, credibility and dependability. Reliability coefficient, r = 0.65 was obtained indicating higher internal consistency. The researcher established the credibility of qualitative data by data triangulation through multiple analysts or experts whereas the dependability of qualitative data collection process was established by reporting in detail to enable the researcher to repeat the inquiry and achieve similar results. The process of data analysis began by cleaning data and identifying common themes from the respondents’ description of their experiences. Frequencies of the responses were then obtained to generate information about the respondents and to illustrate the general trend of findings on the various variables that were under investigation. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically along the objectives whereas basic quantitative data was analyzed using ANOVA in Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS Version 21). The findings of the study were presented using tables. The study established that there are different coping mechanisms which teacher have adopted to cope with stress. These include social support, self- efficacy and provision of instructional resources. However, these mechanism have not effective. The study thus recommends that stakeholders should accord teachers the necessary support to act as a mitigant against workload stress. This may go a long way in providing conducive environment for improving academic grades of pupils. Teachers should be encouraged to develop and innovate new strategies on self-efficacy on how to cope with workload stress. The education stakeholders and Ministry of Education should equip schools with relevant, suitable, appropriate and quality instructional resources as a strategy for leveraging the impact of workload stress
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work stress management, workload and stress management