Motivation to Teach: Profiles of Chinese Teacher Candidates

• In Event: Factors Influencing Teaching Choice (FIT-Choice): International Perspectives

Abstract

Objectives & Framework: A shortage of qualified teachers has been a prevailing and enduring problem for many nations around the world. Numerous studies from nations such as the US, Canada, UK, Australia, and many European countries, have confirmed this dire situation by reporting the challenges in attracting and retaining qualified candidates to the profession over the last two decades (Brookhart & Freeman, 1992; Lai, Chan, Ko, & So, 2005; OECD, 2004; Richardson & Watt, 2006). Traditional explanations for choosing to teach as a career in Western contexts include intrinsic, extrinsic, and altruistic reasons (Anthony & Ord, 2008). However, less is known about the entry motivations of prospective teachers who enter the teaching profession in Asian contexts where countries such as Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan have experienced relative stability in attracting quality entrants to the profession.

This study explores the initial motivation for choosing teaching as a career among teacher candidates in China using the recently validated FIT-Choice scale measure (Watt & Richardson, 2007). It profiles the patterns and perceptions of their motivations in an urban Chinese context, examines the social and cultural influences, and discusses the implications in theories, policies, and practices for teacher education, teacher recruitment and retention. Consequently, this study builds on the extant literature on cross-cultural understanding of motivation to teach and better inform policymakers in recruitment strategies for strengthening the quantity and quality of the teaching pool globally.

Methods & Data: Participants included 548 teacher candidates enrolled in teacher preparation courses in an urban Southeastern University in the People’s Republic of China, seeking either elementary or secondary level licensures in multiple areas of specialization.

Using the FIT-Choice questionnaire, this survey study provides demographic information and explores the following areas of motivations that teacher candidates from China hold for choosing teaching as their career: intrinsic value, personal utility value, social utility value, self-perceptions of their own teaching abilities, social influences, prior positive teaching and learning experiences, and whether teaching was considered a “fallback” career choice.

Results: Based on mean score ranking of motivational factors, the Chinese prospective teachers held the following views. First, the highest rated motivations for choosing teaching were to make a social contribution or to shape the future, while the lowest rated motivation was a “fallback” career followed by social influences on their decision to choose teaching as a career. Second, the Chinese candidates viewed teaching to be not necessarily demanding and that it required little additional expert or specialized knowledge preparation. Yet, they tend to view themselves as not having high natural abilities associated with teaching before entering the profession. Third, they viewed teaching as offering a stable income and were satisfied with their career choice generally but they often faced influences from others who dissuaded them from choosing teaching as a career.

Significance: Findings are discussed using social and cultural-value orientations and demonstrate some complex attitudes among Chinese teacher candidates choosing teaching as a career which diverge from those commonly reported by teacher candidates in Western contexts.

Authors

• Emily Lin, University of Nevada - Las Vegas

• Jian Wang, University of Nevada - Las Vegas

• Liu Hui, Guangzhou University