Is the intrinsic motivation of career choice important for the later professional development of teachers?

Abstract

The nature of teachers' professional choice motivation has been proved important for the later professional development. The goal of the present research was to determine the role of the intrinsic motivation in the participants' decision to become teachers, as well as to establish the importance of intrinsic motivation for their later professional development. We have conducted a quantitative research, within a sample consisted of 118 secondary school teachers, by application of survey method (instrument- questionnaire in the form of Likert-type scale). Statistical analysis has consisted of: hierarchical cluster analysis, descriptive statistics, factor analysis and rank correlation. It was established that the intrinsic motivation takes precedence over the extrinsic motivation in the process of professional choice determination. We have also confirmed the hypothesis claiming that the level of intrinsic motivation correlates with the indicators of professional behavior. Besides, the level of intrinsic motivation is better predictor of the enthusiasm and growth then of the career frustration (Fessler, 1995). Our results are in favor of the teacher education system, where the candidates apply and prepare for the teacher profession from the beginning of the initial education.

Priroda motivacije profesionalnog izbora nastavnika pokazala se značajnom za kasniji profesionalni razvoj pripadnika ove profesije. Naše istraživanje sprovedeno je sa ciljem da se ispita uloga intrinzičkih motiva u odlučivanju pojedinaca da pristupe ovoj profesiji, i da se proveri koji je značaj unutrašnje motivacije za kasniji profesionalni razvoj nastavnika. Sproveli smo kvanititativno istraživanje na uzorku od 118 nastavnika srednjih škola, anketnim metodom (instrument upitnik u formi Likertove skale). Statistička analiza obuhvata: hijerarhijsku klaster analizu, postupke deskriptivne statistike, faktorsku analizu i korelaciju rangova. Utvrđeno je da intrinzički motivi ostvaruju primat nad ekstrinzičkim u procesu determinacije profesionalnog izbora, i potvrđena je hipoteza o povezanosti jačine intrinzičke motivacije i pokazatelja profesionalnog ponašanja. Pri tome, intrinzička motivacija je bolji prediktor entuzijazma i rasta nego karijerne frustracije (Fessler, 1995). Rezultati idu u prilog sistema obrazovanja nastavnika u kojem se kandidati opredeljuju i pripremaju za nastavničku profesiju od početka inicijalnog obrazovanja.