Do Gender-Specific Influences on the Career Choice Motives of Future Teachers Differ Between Countries?

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 7
  In Roundtable Session: Teachers' Career Choices: Motivations, Persistence, and Patterns

Abstract

The issue of gender in career choice is well researched and an important part of many career choice models. In the context of German teachers, gender related differences belong to the most stable patterns regarding the career choice motives of teachers. But are those patterns generalizable? Or can country-related differences help us to understand the reasons for gender-specific career choice patterns? This contribution presents results from a direct comparison of career choice motives from German, Romanian, Swedish and U.S.-American students. While all countries show gender-specific patterns, their characteristics differ wildly. There is no natural, generalizable pattern, but each country shows their own pattern that is influenced by individual, country-specific elements which have not been fully understood yet.

Authors

• Jonas Scharfenberg, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

• Sabine Weiß, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

• Meeri A Hellsten, Stockholm University

• Ewald Kiel, Ludwig Maximilians University München