The Factors Influencing Teaching (FIT)-Choice scale in a Dutch teacher education program

Abstract

This study examined the suitability of the FIT-Choice scale in a Dutch educational context among two cohorts of preservice teachers (Ns = 62, 89), surveyed at the end and the beginning of their one-year program respectively. The relationships between the motivations for becoming a teacher and concurrent commitment were examined, as well as the differences between the two cohorts. The factor analyses were consistent with the original FIT-Choice structure. The main motivation for becoming a teacher was the self-perception of teaching-related ability. Affective commitment was predicted by the motivations of teaching ability, working with children, prior teaching and learning experiences, and time for family, as well as satisfaction with the choice of teaching and perceived task demand. Lastly, preservice teachers at the end of their teacher education considered social influences and teaching ability to be more important motivations for becoming a teacher.

Why Teach? A Project-ive Life-world Approach to Understanding What Teaching Means for Teachers

“…Interview-based studies found the desire to help children, to make a positive difference in society, to experience personal growth (Struyven, Jacobs, & Dochy, 2013), and to experience high job satisfaction (Williams & Forgasz, 2009) as the most prevalent motives among teachers in addition to widespread attitudes of selflessness and altruism (May, Mand, Biertz, Hummers-Pradier, & Kruschinski, 2012). Additionally, studies using the factors influencing teaching (FIT) measurement revealed high levels of motivation to teach in those who desired to enhance social equity (Fokkens-Bruinsma & Canrinus, 2012) and had high levels of intrinsic career value (Klassen, Al-Dhafri, Hannok, & Betts, 2011) as well as social utility value (Lin, Shi, Wang, Zhang, & Hui, W 2012). In contrast, external factors including time for family, salary, status (Fokkens-Bruinsma & Canrinus, 2012), and self-expression (Lin et al, 2012) were lower in participants motivated to teach.…”

“…Studies have found that those highly motivated to teach were also motivated by positive teaching and learning experiences (Fokkens-Bruinsma & Canrinus, 2012), a high perceived ability to teach (Klassen et al, 2011), positive experiences with adolescents or young people, positive training or instructing roles experience, and the feeling that teaching would coincide with their skill set, interests (Williams & Forgasz, 2009), and future goals (Richardson & Watt, 2006). Both the intrinsic and extrinsic motives to teach as well as the experienced self-efficacy and altruism of teachers presented in the literature suggest a nexus of meaning out of which teaching emerges as attractive and desirable to certain individuals.…”

“…Additionally, studies using the factors influencing teaching (FIT) measurement revealed high levels of motivation to teach in those who desired to enhance social equity (Fokkens-Bruinsma & Canrinus, 2012) and had high levels of intrinsic career value (Klassen, Al-Dhafri, Hannok, & Betts, 2011) as well as social utility value (Lin, Shi, Wang, Zhang, & Hui, W 2012). In contrast, external factors including time for family, salary, status (Fokkens-Bruinsma & Canrinus, 2012), and self-expression (Lin et al, 2012) were lower in participants motivated to teach.…”

Full Issue 6(3)

“…Additionally, studies using the factors influencing teaching (FIT) measurement revealed high levels of motivation to teach in those who desired to enhance social equity (Fokkens-Bruinsma & Canrinus, 2012) and had high levels of intrinsic career value (Klassen, Al-Dhafri, Hannok, & Betts, 2011) as well as social utility value (Lin, Shi, Wang, Zhang, & Hui, 2012). In contrast, external factors including time for family, salary, status (Fokkens-Bruinsma & Canrinus, 2012), and self-expression (Lin et al, 2012) were lower in participants motivated to teach.…”

“…Interview-based studies found the desire to help children, to make a positive difference in society, to experience personal growth (Struyven, Jacobs, & Dochy, 2013), and to experience high job satisfaction (Williams & Forgasz, 2009) as the most prevalent motives among teachers in addition to widespread attitudes of selflessness and altruism (May, Mand, Biertz, Hummers-Pradier, & Kruschinski, 2012). Additionally, studies using the factors influencing teaching (FIT) measurement revealed high levels of motivation to teach in those who desired to enhance social equity (Fokkens-Bruinsma & Canrinus, 2012) and had high levels of intrinsic career value (Klassen, Al-Dhafri, Hannok, & Betts, 2011) as well as social utility value (Lin, Shi, Wang, Zhang, & Hui, 2012). In contrast, external factors including time for family, salary, status (Fokkens-Bruinsma & Canrinus, 2012), and self-expression (Lin et al, 2012) were lower in participants motivated to teach.…”