Motivation Profiles of Urban Preservice Teachers: Relations to Antecedents, Outcomes, and Demographics

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: Motivation Models and Applications

Abstract

Given the challenge of attracting and retaining high-quality teachers, especially in large cities, there is a need to understand why preservice teachers in urban districts choose a teaching career. Using latent profile analysis, we examined patterns of motivational perceptions with variables from the Factors Influencing Teacher Choice model (FIT Choice) alongside perceived task effort cost, opportunity cost, and emotional cost of teaching. We identified four distinct profiles that differentially related to theorized social antecedents and initial career commitment, satisfaction, and aspirations. Race, gender and certification-level were distributed in unique patterns across profiles. Results provide a holistic perspective of preservice teacher motivations and indicate that perceived costs in relation to FIT Choice variables may be a defining characteristic of motivational patterns.

Authors

• Bradley W. Bergey, Queens College, CUNY

• John Ranellucci, University of Ottawa