Abstract
D.Ed.
Societal structures are undergoing drastic changes at present. In the
modern technological community, increasing pressure is placed on the child
to achieve, particularly in the scholastic field. The urgent need for
higher scholastic achievement makes greater demands on both the educator
(parent and teacher) and the child. A positive self-concept can provide the
motivation which could lead to higher scholastic achievement, but the way
in which the child plans and uses his time, and works towards future
success, may be of the utmost importance for high average scholastic
achievement.
Against this background, the aim of this research was to investigate selfconcept
and time-concept within an educational context. The study probed
the issue of whether there is a difference between the self -concept and
time-concept of pupils with a high average scholastic achievement and those
of pupils with a low average. Further, the possible relationship between
the self-concept and the time-concept of these pupils was investigated. To
achieve this goal, the research was based on seven sub-goals. The first
three of these goals were realised by investigating a theoretical framework
regarding the self-concept and time-concept of pupils within an educational
context, and also by educationally founding self-concept, time-concept and
scholastic achievement.
An empirical investigation was undertaken on the basis of the theoretical
framework mentioned. Standard six, eight and ten pupils who were enrolled
at an Afrikaans-medium and an English-medium high school in the Roodepoort
area falling under the ex-Transvaal Education Department, as well as such
pupils at an English-medium high school in the Johannesburg area, falling
under the ex-Department of Education and Training, were involved in the
investigation. A structured questionnaire in Afrikaans and English was
developed on the basis of the above-mentioned self-concept and time-concept
by adapting and refining already existing instruments. In accordance with
the fourth sub-goal, this questionnaire, consisting of two instruments, was
used to investigate the pupils' self-concept (instrument one) and timeconcept
(instrument two).
The approach followed for analysing and interpreting the data entails six
steps. The data on self-concept and time-concept were analysed separately
in steps 1, 4 and 5. In step 1 the validity and reliability of the
measuring instruments were investigated. First order factor analytical
procedures and item analyses were applied respectively in this regard. In
each case only one variable (scale), namely self-concept and time-concept, was identified in this way.
In step 2 the calculation of the correlation between the average percentage
of the previous examination (biographical information) and the calculated
average percentage (from information in Annexure C) was done on the basis
of the data obtained from the Afrikaans-medium high school. This
calculation was aimed at using the data from the questionnaire (obtained
from the one English-medium high school that failed to provide the
information required in Annexure C) for further statistical analyses.
Step 3 entailed the determination of the cut-off points for pupils with a
high average and those with a low average in scholastic achievement. Two
groups of pupils were thus identified, namely the group of pupils with a
high average scholastic achievement and the groups of pupils with a low
average.
The variables (number of factors) of self-concept and time-concept that
could be used in the further analyses of the data, were identified by means
of a prime factor analysis (PFA1), together with a Doblimin rotation method
identified in step 4.
The variables of self-concept and time-concept were subsequently used to
conduct multi-variable and single variable analyses according to step 5 on
the data of the pupils. These analyses were aimed at establishing whether
there was a difference between the self-concept and the time-concept of the
pupils with a high average and those of the pupils with a low average in
scholastic achievement. The Hotelling T 2 test and MANOVA were used to test
multi-variable hypotheses. The Student's t-test, ANOVA and the Scheffe test
were used to test the single variable hypotheses. In step 6 of the analyses
a canonical correlation analysis was performed on the data to establish
whether there were statistically significant relationships between the
self-concept and the time-concept of the pupils with a high average
scholastic achievement. The same procedure was followed to determine
whether there were statistically significant relationships between the
self-concept and the time-concept of the pupils with a low average
scholastic achievement.
The findings obtained from all these analyses are stated briefly:
There is, in fact, a difference between the self-concept and time-concept
of pupils with a high average scholastic achievement and those with a low
average. With regard to self-concept, the pupils with a high average have
a more positive academic self, a better relationship with family and
relatives, a more supportive religious orientation and a better attitude towards values than the pupils with a low average in scholastic
achievement. With regard to time-concept, the pupils with a high average
are more future-oriented, more conscientious in their time management,
experience less anxiety about the future and are less focused on the
present than the pupils with a low average in scholastic achievement.
With regard to the relationships between the self-concept and the timeconcept
of the pupils, the findings include the following:
* Pupils with a high average scholastic achievement - there is a
relationship between academic self, relationship with family and -
relatives, social relations, religious orientation, physical
self, negative experience of frustration, attitude towards
values and future orientation, conscientious time management,
negative in anxiety about the future, independent utilisation
of time and contentment with the present and the past.
Pupils with a low average scholastic achievement - there is a
relationship between academic self, relationship with family and
relatives, social relations, religious orientation, physical
self, attitude towards values and future orientation,
conscientious time management, time-consciousness, focus on the
present, independent utilisation of time and contentment with
the present and the past.
On the whole, it would therefore appear that two variables of the timeconcept,
namely anxiety about the future and focus on the present, can give
rise to an inability to achieve a high scholastic average.
It could therefore be in the interest of the child that the educators
(parents and teachers) should make every effort to foster a positive selfconcept
and a future-oriented time-concept in the child. The emphasis
should be placed on planning and working towards a future goal. In
addition, it should also be stressed that the enjoyment of the moment
should be exchanged for future success.