Date of Award
2016
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Education
Abstract
The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if a relationship exists among reasons self-contained kindergarten through fifth grade teachers entered the profession, factors that influence job satisfaction, and whether they would encourage others to become teachers. Each variable contained sub-elements which were further analyzed. Sub-elements for the variable reasons teachers joined included environmental influences and motivational influences. Motivational influences were further divided between intrinsic/altruistic motivations and extrinsic motivations. Sub-elements for the variable factors influencing job satisfaction included job demands, working conditions, and teacher autonomy/efficacy. Sub-elements for the variable willingness to encourage others included students, family/friends, and own children. Reasons teachers joined the profession, influences on job satisfaction, and willingness to encourage others to the profession were collected using a self-designed instrument. In all, 965 kindergarten through fifth grade teachers responded to the survey instrument. A descriptive analysis showed that the majority of respondents joined the profession as a result of intrinsic/altruistic reasons. For job satisfaction, in the area of job demands, all items were factors of negative job satisfaction. Working conditions were more neutral with a slight indication of positive influence on job satisfaction. All items for teacher autonomy/efficacy were factors of positive influence for teachers job satisfaction. This study indicated that teachers were less willing to encourage their family members, including their own children, while being more willing to encourage either students or student teachers to join the profession. As a result of the inferential analysis, significant relationships were found to exist among all variables tested. Furthermore, several correlations were found to exist among the sub-elements of the variables. Many of the intrinsic/altruistic motivations significantly positively correlated with the sub-elements for job satisfaction and encouraging others. Fallback career significantly negatively correlated with four of the five items for teacher autonomy/efficacy and seven of the nine items for encouraging others. All sub-elements for factors influencing job satisfaction significantly correlated with all sub-elements for willingness to encourage others. This significance indicated job satisfaction as a major influence on whether teachers willingness to encourage others to join the profession. A multiple regression analysis conducted on the variables indicated reasons teachers entered the profession and factors influencing job satisfaction predicted 29% of the variance in encouraging others. A series of multiple regression analyses were then conducted on the sub-elements for reasons teachers entered the profession and factors influencing job satisfaction as predictors for sub-elements for the willingness to encourage others. The results indicated that the sub-elements for reasons teachers entered the profession and factors influencing job satisfaction were significant predictors of the variance for the sub-elements of encouraging others. Job demands were the most significant predictor in each model while extrinsic motivations were the only negative predictor in each model.
Recommended Citation
England, E. Scott, "The Relationship Among Reasons Teachers Entered The Profession, Job Satisfaction, And Encouraging Future Teachers" (2016). All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1784.
https://scholars.indianastate.edu/etds/1784