The Effect of Positive Working Conditions on Work Engagement and Teaching Classroom Practices: A Large Cross-Sectional Study in Switzerland

Abstract

IntroductionTeaching methods and techniques represent important classroom practices that promote both academic achievement and the efficacy of learning processes: the use of a complex array of teaching practices by educators in the classrooms has been frequently associated with better student academic outcomes (Hattie, 2012, 2009). So far, less is known about the psychological aspects linked to the working endeavors able to promote the adoption of different teaching techniques in educational contexts.AimThe present cross-sectional quantitative research aimed at estimating the cumulative network of associations between psychological resources at work (e.g., social support, sense of autonomy, and job satisfaction) and both work engagement and the use of teaching classroom practices.Sample and MethodThe sample was composed of in-service teachers (N = 1,370) recruited in primary and lower secondary public schools in urban and suburban areas of Canton Ticino (Switzerland). Self-administered quantitative measures were used to evaluate the following constructs: social support, job satisfaction, teachers’ autonomy, work engagement, and teaching classroom practices. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling with decomposition analysis of total effects in direct and indirect effects.ResultsThe hypothesized structural model reported a good fit with the empirical data (normed χ2 (NC) = 2.7; root mean square error of approximation = 0.051, normed fit index (NNFI) = 0.951, non normed fit index = 0.950, comparative fit index = 0.968) and support the interpretation of the structural model. The main results revealed a large positive association between psychological resources at work and teaching classroom practices (β = 0.37). The level of work engagement seemed to be a minor element in promoting the use of teaching classroom practices (β = 0.10).DiscussionOverall, the results provide a fresh piece of evidence for the association between working conditions and teaching practices. In fact, teachers who perceive a supportive and satisfying working environment (both in terms of internal and external resources) are more likely to be engaged in their activities, and this in turn leads to a more heterogeneous array of teaching practices with students. The practical implications in terms of professional training and on-field intervention are discussed.

Patterns of Teachers’ Occupational Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Relations to Experiences of Exhaustion, Recovery, and Interactional Styles of Teaching

“…Teachers' work engagement has been positively associated, for example, with their satisfaction with work (Perera et al, 2018;Granziera and Perera, 2019), their organizational commitment (Hakanen et al, 2006), as well as higher relatedness with their students (Klassen et al, 2012). In addition, engaged teachers typically have better job performance (Bakker and Bal, 2010), and use more heterogeneous array of teaching practices (Addimando, 2019). It is also possible that teachers' work engagement is reflected in their interactional styles of teaching, that is, adjusting the levels of affection and control toward their students (for more about teaching styles, see Kuntsche et al, 2006;Walker, 2008).…”

“…Second, based on prior findings suggesting that recovery from work is associated well-being (Virtanen et al, 2020), it was expected that subgroups would differ with respect to teachers' recovery from work (Hypothesis 2b). Finally, while the lack of similar studies hampers setting a specific hypothesis concerning the differences between profile groups with respect to interactional styles of teaching, based on prior findings suggesting that different aspects of teachers' occupational well-being are generally associated with ways in which the teachers teach (Addimando, 2019;Bakker and Bal, 2010;Whitaker et al, 2015) and experiences of relatedness with their students (Klassen et al, 2012), it was expected that subgroups would differ with respect to interactional styles of teaching as well (Hypothesis 2c).…”

Emotional Regulation as a Remedy for Teacher Burnout in Special Schools: Evaluating School Climate, Teacher’s Work-Life Balance and Children Behavior

“…Work climate calculated the impact working conditions exert on the teacher’s burnout pattern. It was measured using five items adopted and restructured from the previous works ( Marinette, 2018 ; Addimando, 2019 ). The questionnaire aimed at measuring working condition was developed explicitly for educational purpose.…”

The Economic and Social Value of Science and Technology Parks. The Case of Tecnocampus

“…If we multiply this by the number of workers who are no longer over-educated for their work, thanks to the existence of Tecnocampus, we obtain the social benefit for the reduction of over-education: 25,696,443 euros. It is also important to notice that this estimation may be undermining the total social value of reducing over-education in terms of job satisfaction or the increase in performance due to better organisation support ( Addimando, 2019 ).…”