Date of Award

Spring 5-1-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Steve Gruenert

Second Advisor

Ryan Donlan

Third Advisor

Shelly Wilfong

Abstract

When teachers see their actions as significant and recognize they would be missed if they were gone, they realize the significance of their individual impact (Wilfong & Donlan, 2024). Understanding what matters to teachers is an important factor in the process of teacher retention. This study examined the difference in four generations of Indiana K-12 teachers against the eight elements of mattering identified by Dr. Shelly Wilfong (2021). A survey instrument utilized the Foundational Elements of Mattering Survey for K-12 Teachers (Wilfong & Donlan, 2024) and the Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale survey (1966a), and it was taken by 411 participants from diverse backgrounds and school demographics. The study compared differences in generational perspectives of mattering and perceptions of locus of control on personal fate using exploratory factor analysis, multivariate analysis of variance, and followed with univariate analysis of variance and post hoc comparisons. A review of the literature discussed teaching as a viable profession, reform efforts impacting teacher retention since 1965, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation patterns associated with public service professions, and summarized the eight elements of mattering identified by Dr. Shelly Wilfong (2021). The data revealed differences in perception by generation in five of the seven elements of mattering, no statistically significant differences by race, gender, or location when comparing variables by generation, and a statistically significant generational difference in perception of locus of control. The study serves as a starting point for future research on the generational differences of K-12 teachers.

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