Motivations for Choosing Teaching as a Career: Comparing Australian, U.S., German, and Norwegian Teacher Candidates

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

Abstract

Objectives & Framework. Our study had 2 aims; i) to examine the utility of the FIT-Choice scale (Factors Influencing Teaching Choice; Watt & Richardson, 2007) to assess preservice teachers’ motivations to teach, across 4 sample settings; and ii) to gain first indications of country differences. The FIT-Choice scale is grounded in expectancy-value theory (Eccles et al., 1983; Eccles, 2005), and examines different classes of motivations: perceived abilities; intrinsic, personal & social utility values; and task perceptions (Richardson & Watt, 2006; Watt & Richardson, 2007, 2008). Key differences in demand and reward structures between the countries in our sample led us to speculate about differences. The strongly egalitarian schooling system in Norway suggested that social utility values may be less influential motivations for those participants; we thought personal utility values may differ most across samples; and, we expected perceptions about the profession, rather than motivations to teach, may be most susceptible to contextual conditions.

Methods & Data. Motivations were investigated using the FIT-Choice scale, developed and validated in the Australian context. We tested its utility across Australian (N=1438), United States (N=511), German (N=210), and Norwegian samples (N=131), with good evidence for construct validity, and strong factorial invariance implying it functioned similarly across samples, thereby providing a psychometrically and theoretically strong framework to examine motivations to teach.

Results. In general our hypotheses were supported: perceptions tended to reflect country differences, motivations for teaching were more similar than they were different, although Norwegian participants rated social utility values lower. Highest rated motivations were intrinsic value, perceived teaching ability, the desire to make a social contribution, work with children/adolescents, and having had positive prior teaching and learning experiences. This raises questions such as whether individuals having certain personality types choose teaching, since cross-cultural features did not produce greatly different patterns of motivations. The desire for job security, to enhance social equity, and for choosing teaching because of its provision for family time were rated lower. The literature has frequently cited time for family as one of the most influential factors, related to the highly feminised profession. When contextualised within a framework of competing motivations we see that it is relatively less important than others. The least influential motivation was social influences to pursue teaching.

Significance. Our study is timely as governments around the world confront growing teacher shortages, with attempts to improve teacher recruitment and supply, to restructure teachers’ work and careers, and to reform initial teacher education and professional development. Our empirical findings regarding those motivations which have attracted people to pursue teaching as a career will be of particular use to employing authorities and recruitment efforts. Current and recent recruitment campaigns have tended to focus on a limited subset of motivations, predominantly relating to the opportunity to make a social contribution and the opportunity to work with children, likely limiting their audience and effectiveness. An expanded focus which includes the additional motivations identified in our study promises to yield more effective results. Research in more different contexts is needed.

Authors

• Helen M.G. Watt, Monash University

• Paul W. Richardson, Monash University

• Uta Klusmann, University of Kiel

• Mareike Kunter, Goethe University

• Beate Beyer, University of Leipzig

• Ulrich Trautwein, Universitat Tubingen