Teacher’s motivation for teaching: questionnaire validity evidence

Abstract

Objective: The teacher’s motivation is associated with his/her achievements, health and well-being, which reflect on the quality of teaching. Based on the Theory of Self-Determination, validity evidence of an instrument to assess teacher’s motivation for teaching was developed, containing 26 items to be answered on a Likert-type scale. Method: The questionnaire Teacher’s motivation for teaching was applied online in a sample of 509 higher education teachers, 50.39% female and 49.41% male, with ages ranging from 25 to 73 years. Data were analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis, using the Parallel Analysis method. Results: Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed a two factors structure with a few structural problems that required the deletion of some items. The 17-item version of the teacher’s motivation for teaching was simple and the estimated adjustment indexes were very good. Conclusion: The high factor loadings obtained among the items and the two factors to which they clustered allow to consider them representatives of the constructs Autonomous and Controlled Motivation.