Factors Predicting Teachers' Job Satisfaction in Colombia: A Multilevel Analysis Using TALIS 2018

• In Event: Approaches to enhancing remote education, teacher satisfaction and digital transformations in education

Proposal

Abstract: The Global Report on Teachers reveals an urgent need of nearly 44 million teachers worldwide by 2030 (UNESCO, 2024). It is not only predominant in high-income countries but also in developing nations including Colombia. The purpose of this study is to explore factors determining teacher job satisfaction in Colombia using TALIS 2018 survey. The sample included 141 schools, 141 principals, and 2398 teachers. A multilevel structural equation model was used to examine the effects of both individual and school level factors on job satisfaction. The results indicated self-efficacy and school climate are among the more significant predictors as well as other demographics factors. Greater element about these and other findings, as well as implications for research and practice, are discussed.

Background/Context:
Creating attractive career pathways with equitable access to professional development, autonomy, and purpose is crucial in sustaining teachers' motivation. Recognizing the multi-faceted nature of this issue and proposing comprehensive strategies is crucial to finding lasting solutions. Enhancing wages, working conditions, and investing in education significantly impact a teacher's well-being and motivation. Involving teachers in decision-making and fostering a collaborative school culture can attract and retain quality educators. Adequate investment in novice teachers can reduce attrition and address shortages sustainably. Exploring the nuanced details of these measures and their potential impact on the teaching landscape is vital to implement effective reforms.

Over the last few years, the effect that teachers’ job satisfaction have on the results achieved by their students has been widely studied. Educational research has shown that both job satisfaction and self-efficacy of teachers in their work influence their professional behavior and are associated with students’ achievement and motivation. The main aim of this work is to study the personal and contextual factors determining teachers’ job satisfaction in Colombia. Specifically, it attempts to answer the following questions: What are the main determinants of teachers’ job satisfaction? Are these factors individual or contextual? Do these determinants vary by both demographic and individual variables such gender, years of experience, among others?. Taking into account the multi-structural level of available data (teachers —level 1— are nested within schools —level 2—), data analysis has been carried out by means of multilevel structural equation modeling. More specifically, a multi- group multilevel model has been designed to study the effect of teachers’ traits (level 1 predictors) and school traits (level 2 predictors) on teachers’ job satisfaction in Colombia.

The level of satisfaction and well-being teachers experience are important determinants of teaching effectiveness and their decision to stay in the profession. Although school climate is generally associated with teacher outcomes, identifying the aspects that matter most to teacher satisfaction and well-being could contribute to the formulation of more targeted policies.

Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus Of Study
The present study focused on the relatively underexplored sample of teachers from the selected OECD member country, Colombia, to identify the aspects of both school and teacher level that matter most to teachers’ job satisfaction.
Research Design
A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the Teaching and Learning International Survey 2018. Multilevel analyses were performed to find out which teacher- and school-level indicators predict teachers’ job satisfaction in Colombia.

Results
The results show that variables relating to the teachers as professionals (Teachers’ perceived disciplinary climate, Participation among stakeholders and Teacher self-efficacy) as well as school climate and school leadership are the ones most closely related to their job satisfaction. These are more important than factors associated with the institutional setting in which they work (ownership, ratio, or shortage of resources), or strictly personal traits (age, gender, or work situation).

Regression Table of Job Satisfaction
Variable Model1 Model2 Model3
TDisC 0.538*** 0.405*** 0.326***
TStdR 0.167*** 0.040* -0.010
TStak 0.375*** 0.333***
TSelf 0.180***
_cons 19.219*** 12.103*** 11.120***

N 2398 2398 2398
bic 25836.878 25455.196 25352.438
aic 25819.531 25432.066 25323.526
r2 0.442 0.526 0.547
Legend: * p<.05; ** p<.01; *** p<.001
Where:
TDicC: Teachers’ perceived disciplinary climate
TStdR: Teacher-student relations
TStak: Participation among stakeholders, teachers
TSelf: Teacher self-efficacy, composite


Conclusions/Recommendations: Disciplinary climate and participation among stakeholders were consistent predictors of job satisfaction, whereas teacher–student relations predicted job satisfaction without controlling the significant predictors. Teacher-level, compared to school-level, school climate indicators were better determinants of Colombian teachers’ job satisfaction.

Author

• Walter Suarez, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education OISE, University of Toronto