Department of Psychology

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Browsing Department of Psychology by browse.metadata.advisor "Cilliers, Charl Daniel"

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    The development of a school subject, textbook-based programme as a positive psychology intervention to promote well-being in learners
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-12) Gush, Marianne; Cilliers, Charl Daniel; Greeff, A. P.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Positive Psychology has emerged as a paradigm of psychology which emphasises research on and optimisation of well-being and human potential. In light of the rapid development of Positive Psychology and research regarding Positive Psychology Interventions (PPI’s) aimed at improving the well-being of various populations, this thesis had two main goals: firstly, to develop a school textbook for an academic subject (Grade 8 Afrikaans First Additional Language) which, in a natural manner, incorporates the themes and interventions of Positive Psychology into the language learning content; and secondly, to gauge, through a focus group discussion, the reactions to and suggestions for such a textbook from teachers currently teaching the subject. Drawing from seminal works by Abraham Maslow (Self-actualisation) and Hettler (Wellness) and merging them with the developing theories within Positive Psychology (PERMA and the Psycho-social system approach (DPF-5)), as well as the 24 universal character strengths, as identified by Peterson and Seligman (2004), a framework for the textbook was developed. PPI’s were then included systematically to match the existing framework, most commonly as written or oral exercises. Following the development of the preliminary textbook, five experienced teachers currently teaching Afrikaans First Additional Language at three different private schools participated in a focus group discussion in order to illuminate their thoughts, feelings and suggestions relating to the textbook. The discussion was audio-recorded and the recording transcribed for analysis, using a grounded theory approach. The themes identified from the focus group discussion were: the uniqueness of the approach, the hidden curriculum (teaching beyond a subject / teaching as preparing a learner for the future), the learners (what learners enjoy and the relatability of the textbook), standard textbooks or notes, and the academic content. The results indicate a positive view of the textbook as a whole and, specifically, as far as its unique, positive nature is concerned. Surprisingly, the participants felt that using such a textbook would also hold personal advantages for the teacher and not only the learners. The results further pointed out specific areas of concern (difficulty level) or possible difficulty (resistance to change by other teachers) and also possible ways to overcome these potential obstacles (a teacher’s guide, an introduction to the approach and a progression in difficulty level from the first to the last chapters). The collected data from the focus group discussion influenced the textbook development on different levels and served to fill a gap in the literature with regards to teachers’ reactions to Positive Psychology as applied in schools (Positive Education). The textbook itself is the first of its kind and provides a new means by which several PPI’s can be made available to a large population in order to improve adolescent well-being in general. Further research regarding Positive Education as experienced by teachers (in both public and private schools), and the effectiveness of subject, textbook-based PPI, is needed.