Determinants of Teacher Professionalism

Abstract

Teacher professionalism is an important determinant in the pursuit of educational excellence. This study examines how the four factors: academic qualifications, professional training, teaching experience and professional development, affect teacher professionalism. A total of 338 high school teachers from 11 schools in Singapore participated in the study. Interestingly, academic qualifications and teaching experience of the subjects were not interrelated with teacher professionalism, while the variable professional development was an important contributory factor to teacher professionalism. Additionally, subjects with higher professional training had a significantly higher degree of teacher professionalism. The implications of these research findings to the professional development of teachers and their career paths are discussed.

Examining the Relationships between Occupational Professionalism and Organizational Cynicism of Teachers

“…Additionally, in Bayhan's (2011) study, whose participants were high school teachers, it was stated that teachers' levels of occupational professionalism did not differ significantly in terms of the variables, namely gender, seniority, school type, educational status and marital status. Similarly, according to Toh et al's (1996) study, teachers' occupational professionalism levels did not differ in terms of seniority.…”

“…In the literature, there is a range of studies (e.g., Basim, Begenirbas, & Yalcin, 2013;Bedeian, 2007; EDUPIJ / VOLUME 5 / ISSUE 3 / FALL / 2016 Bommer, Rich, & Rubin, 2005;Cerit, 2012;Cole, Brunch, & Vogel, 2006;Eaton, 2000;Helvaci & Cetin, 2012;Fitzgerald, 2002;James, 2005;Kalagan & Guzeller, 2010;Webb et al, 2004) which investigate the relationship between organizational cynicism and other concepts (job satisfaction, organizational commitment, organization alienation, emotional burnout, organizational citizenship, organizational justice, breach of psychological contract etc.). Similarly, there is also a line of studies examining teachers' professionalism to be found in the literature (e.g., Begenirbas & Yalcin, 2012;Cerit, 2012;Celik & Yilmaz, 2015;Evans, 2008;James, 2005;Mockler, 2005;Servage, 2009;Swann, McIntyre, Pell, Hargreaves, & Cunningham, 2010;Toh, Diong, Boo, & Chia, 1996;Yorulmaz, Altinkurt, & Yilmaz, 2015). However, no studies investigating the relationship between professionalism and organizational cynicism in the field of education could be found by the researchers.…”

Factors Contributing towards Studying Education Related Courses in Institutions in Kwara State, Nigeria: Implication on Teaching Profession

“…Even though literature revealed several factors essentially required to operationalize teacher professionalism [14], fundamental issues like academic and professional qualification, professional development, job experience, commitment, recognition and confidence were identified in the distinctions [14,15,16].…”

“…In a study of the determinants of teacher professionalism in Singaporean high school among professional training, academic qualification, professional development and teaching experiences; remarkably, of all the factors identified, professional development was the only contributory factor in teacher professionalism [7]. Similarly, evidence from industrialized countries emphasizes that students of teacher with full professional preparation for teaching learn more than students of teacher with no professional preparation.…”

Narrative learning through life: Kenyan teachers’ life-stories and narrative learning, and what this means for their relation to the teaching profession

“…Currently, in the academic world, there is no common understanding of what a teacher's professionalism is (Dahl, in press;Beijaard et al, 2004, p. 108;Lei et al, 2012Lei et al, , p. 1299. Broadly, teacher professionalism may be defined as professional and subject-related knowledge and qualifications, proven high standards, confidence, attitudes and values in complex undertakings (Edmond and Hayler, 2013;Hargreaves, 2000;Shin, 2012;Tichenor and Tichenor, 2005), life-long commitment (Toh et al, 1996) and a disposition to 'move' in the field towards professionalism (Shin, 2012). According to Hargreaves (2000, p. 175) 'postmodern teaching professionalism' includes the capacity to address a diverse and complex clientele in conditions of increasing moral uncertainty, where many methods of approach are possible, and where more and more social groups influence and decide.…”