Job Motivation Profiles of Physical Educators: Theoretical background and instrument development

Abstract

Motivation of physical educators at work was investigated within the perspective of Rusbult and Farrell's (1983) Investment Model. This involved the development of theory‐driven instrumentation to assess elements of motivation hypothesised to underpin job commitment—the degree of psychological attachment to the job. Two separate data collections were undertaken involving 60 and 183 British physical education teachers. Through item analyses, factor analyses, and estimates of internal reliability, the Motivation Profile for Physical Educators (MPPE) was developed. This profile includes scales to assess levels of (a) job satisfaction, (b) job dissatisfaction, (c) personal investments in the job, and (d) perceived career alternatives. The first three scales incorporate intrinsic and extrinsic subscales established through factor analysis. Internal reliability was acceptable for all scales although marginal for perceived career alternatives and the intrinsic job satisfaction subscale. Preliminary validity for the MPPE was indicated by its capacity to differentiate late career from early and mid‐career male but not female teachers, to explain significant variance in job commitment, and in logical relationships with job seeking behaviour, job seeking intentions, and also life satisfaction. The MPPE provides the first attempt at theoretically driven and systematic documentation of the complex nature of the attachment of physical educators to their work. Further research is required to replicate current findings, assess the generalisability of the MPPE to other cultures, and to more closely investigate the role that motivation plays in teacher performance. Furthermore, the theory and instrumentation may be useful for the investigation of work motivation of teachers in general.

The Reasons And Motivation For Pre-Service Teachers Choosing To Specialise In Primary Physical Education Teacher Education

“…These attractors to and facilitators of physical education career choice have been labelled as motives in the literature (Richardson & Watt, 2006) but provide a description of the choices rather than identifying the psychological mediators of behavioural outcomes. Relatively little attention has been given to the motivation of physical education teachers (Moreira, et al, 2002), or more importantly the determinants of physical education teachers' motivation (Lindholm, 1997).…”

“…For example, self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985) could be applied as a motivational framework to explore these reasons and facilitators and how they impact on Motivation for teaching, and for choosing primary physical education teaching specifically, has rarely been explored using self-determination theory, but such a theoretical framework may be useful in understanding the reasons for this choice of specialisation and how they impact on motivation of pre-service teachers. This should provide for a much needed, comprehensive evaluation of the motivation of pre-service teachers in primary physical education in relation to their work and their career development (Moreira, Fox, & Sparkes, 2002). While some research has investigated teacher motivation and its influence on teacher engagement and behaviour, there is much less research on the motivation of preservice teachers and in particular the evolution of their motivational characteristics during their studies (Malmberg, 2006).…”

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“…Motivation is connected with pre-school teachers' enthusiasm, determination to work and decision-making. Moreira, Fox & Sparkes (2002) conducted a research in Great Britain on the motivational profile of pre-school teachers during physical activities with children. The research included four areas: work satisfaction, work dissatisfaction, personal satisfaction and possibility to choose another job.…”

As dimensões da satisfação e da insatisfação de professores do ensino médio

“…Para esse artigo a satisfação no trabalho é definida como uma reação afetiva de um indivíduo em relação ao seu trabalho (Robbins, 1998, p.98 A pesquisa prévia na satisfação no trabalho de professores sugere que a maior realização vem de ajudar os alunos a atingir e superar seus problemas e também do desenvolvimento pessoal que a profissão pode propiciar. As maiores fontes de satisfação são usualmente a liderança na escola, o comportamento dos alunos e a infra-estrutura (DINHAM e SCOTT, 1998;FRASER et al, 1998;MOREIRA, 2002;2005;NIAS, 1981 Com base nessa revisão e no conceito de satisfação no trabalho apresentado acima, julgamos que o estudo da satisfação dos professores no trabalho é importante por várias razões.…”

“…Existem algumas evidências obtidas em outros estudos na área (MOREIRA, 2002;2005) de que o desafio do ensino e o ato de ensinar são considerados por muitos professores como extremamente agradáveis e que as relações professor/aluno são freqüentemente fontes de satisfação, mas ao mesmo tempo podem se tornar fontes de insatisfação. É um paradoxo que essas características do trabalho docente, que melhor predizem a satisfação no trabalho, estejam geralmente entre as mais resistentes em termos de intervenção direta.…”