Motivational Factors in Choosing a Teaching Career from Students: A Comparison Between Philology and Physical Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/17.3/1011Keywords:
teaching career, pedagogical practice, students, motivational factors, professional trainingAbstract
The teaching profession, in particular, requires a unique blend of passion, expertise, dedication, and ethical responsibility, and the motivations behind this career choice are a topic of considerable interest and importance. This study aims to identify whether there are motivational differences related to the choice of teaching career in terms of students from the Faculty of Letters and those from Physical Education and Sport at the University of Oradea. The study is based on the application of a 20-item questionnaire to a group of 227 students, in relatively equal proportions from Letters and Physical Education and Sport. Analyzing the differences between the faculties regarding each factor, it turned out that there is no significant difference between the processed responses. The most important predictors, as we have mentioned, were long-term attractiveness and perceived training. Even though the teaching profession for the students included in the research sample presents numerous challenges, and even though, from their point of view, it is not the most appreciated profession in Romania, this aspect has shown to have a smaller influence compared to the other two factors. Another conclusion that is required is the need to rethink and reconsider the specific pedagogical practice under the current requirements.References
Ambo, A. A. (2024). Challenges and prospects: Understanding teachers' attitudes towards the teaching profession in Ethiopia. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 10(3), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2024.100933
Bay, A., & Harapan, E. (2021, July). The Role of Teacher Professionalism in Improving the Quality of Education at the First Middle School Level. In International Conference on Education Universitas PGRI Palembang (INCoEPP 2021) (pp. 746-750). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.210716.141
Blândul, V. (2022). Teachers' perspectives on developing their teaching career by attending non-formal training programs. Global Journal of Guidance and Counseling in Schools: Current Perspectives, 12(1), 40–51. https://doi.org/10.18844/gjgc.v12i1.5426
Camacho, Á. S., Buñuel, P. S., Moreno, J. I., & Noguera, M. A. (2009). El desarrollo curricular de la educación física en primaria y secundaria: Un análisis desde la perspectiva del profesorado. Apunts: Educación Física y Deportes, 4, 23–32. https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:190593227
Carreiro da Costa, L., & Onofre, M. (2005). Active lifestyles: The impact of education and sport. In Proceedings of the AISEP 2005 World Congress (pp. 293–305). Lisboa: Edicoes FMH. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262141780_Active_Lifestyles_The_Impact_of_Education_and_Sport
Chesnut, S. R., & Burley, H. (2015). Self-efficacy as a predictor of commitment to the teaching profession: A meta-analysis. Educational Research Review, 15(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2015.02.001
Cojocaru, V., Stănescu, M., Ciolcă, C., & Stoicescu, M. (2015). The contribution of research projects to the consolidation of professional identity in physical education and sports. In National Conference on Quality Didactics (pp. 47–52). Oradea: University of Oradea Publishing House.
Cristea, D. I., & Sabău, A. M. (2017). Aspects related to the conduct of the physical education class in primary school. Annals of the University of Oradea - Physical Education and Sport Fascicle, 27, 10–17.https://www.fefsoradea.ro/Fascicula_Educatie_Fizica_si_Sport/2017/FEFS_2017.pdf#page=11
Da-Yong, L. (2020). Research on measures to improve the effect of teacher training. DEStech Transactions on Social Science Education and Human Science. https://doi.org/10.12783/dtssehs/aems2019/33508
Desimone, L. M., & Garrett, M. S. (2017). Effective teacher professional development. Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/product-files/Effective_Teacher_Professional_Development_REPORT.pdf
Duraku, Z. H., & Hoxha, L. (2021). Impact of transformational and transactional attributes of school principal leadership on teachers' motivation for work. Frontiers in Education, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.659919
Fatima, S., Rasheed, S., & Sundas, T. (2020). Identification of the learning choices of undergraduate students in district Bahawalpur. Global Regional Review, 5(4), 59-66. https://doi.org/10.31703/grr.2020(V-IV).06
Fokkens-Bruinsma, M., & Canrinus, E. T. (2014). Motivation for becoming a teacher and engagement with the profession: Evidence from different contexts. International Journal of Educational Research, 65, 65–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2013.09.012
Gil-Madrona, P., Perona-Andres, J. M., Prieto-Ayuso, A., & Saez-Sánchez, M. B. (2017). Evolución de los intereses y opiniones curriculares del área de Educación Física de padres y alumnos. Movimento, 23(3), 1065-1078. https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/1153/115352985021.pdf
Goller, M., Ursin, J., Vähäsantanen, K., Festner, D., & Harteis, C. (2019). Finnish and German student teachers' motivations for choosing teaching as a career. Teaching and Teacher Education, 85, 235–248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2019.06.023
Hafeez, M. (2021). Impact of teacher's training on interest and academic achievements of students by multiple teaching methods. Pedagogical Research, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.29333/pr/11088
Hattie, J. A. C. (2003). Teachers make a difference: What is the research evidence? University of Auckland http://research.acer.edu.au/research_conference_2003/4/
Kambeyo, L., & Julius, L. H. (2020). Motivating factors that influenced student teachers to choose teaching as career: A case study. Journal of Studies in Education, 10(3), 97. https://doi.org/10.5296/jse.v10i3.17250
Kang, J., Viljaranta, J., George, S., & Jäppinen, I. (2024). Science teachers’ motivations and career aspirations. European Journal of Teacher Education, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2024.2311698
Kılınç, A., & Seymen, H. (2014). Preservice teachers’ motivations and epistemological beliefs. Journal of Turkish Science Education, 11(1), 115–132. https://doi.org/10.36681/
Marcut, I., & Kifor, S. (2017). How did I become a good teacher? Implications for teacher education. Balkan Region Conference on Engineering and Business Education, 3, 207–213. https://doi.org/10.1515/cplbu-2017-0030
Marshall, J., & Hardman, K. (2000). The state and status of physical education in schools in international context. European Physical Education Review, 6, 203–229. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X000063001
Mâţă, L., Cîrtiţă-Buzoianu, C., Cojocariu, V.-M., Mareş, G., & Amălăncei, B.-M. (2024). Students’ perceptions on online teaching and learning in higher education. Revista Romaneasca Pentru Educatie Multidimensionala, 16(1), 623–644. https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/16.1/841
Ministry of Education. (2024). OM nr. 7.386/11.11.2024 - Profile and professional standards of teachers in pre-university education. https://www.edu.ro/sites/default/files/Profilul_cadrului_didactic_brosura.pdf
Nelin, I. V. (2024). Existential analysis in theory and practice of education. Anthropological Measurements of Philosophical Research, 26, 149–156. https://doi.org/10.15802/ampr.v0i26.319741
Oblina, A. C., Linh, T. P., & Phuong, H. T. M. (2021). Job satisfaction of basic education teachers in Southeast Asia. VNU Journal of Science Education Research. 37(3).https://doi.org/10.25073/2588-1159/vnuer.4438
OECD. (2005). Teachers matter: Attracting, developing and retaining effective teachers – Final report. https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2005/06/teachers-matter_g1gh5af3/9789264018044-en.pdf
OECD. (2017). Reviews of evaluation and assessment in education: Romania 2017. https://www.edu.ro/sites/default/files/Studiu_OECD.pdf
Pop, C., & Bradea, A. (2024). Supporting teacher well-being by creating a suitable environment for their professional development. ICERI2024 Proceedings, 2178–2184. https://doi.org/10.21125/iceri.2024.0608
Pudełko, W., & Wojtowicz, A. (2024). Motivation and Satisfaction with Choosing a Teaching Career as Perceived by Students and Teachers. Multidisciplinary Journal of School Education, 13(2 (26), 91-113. https://doi.org/10.35765/mjse.2024.1326/04
Rahim, S. A. A., Hamid, H. S. A., Samsudin, N., & Ghani, M. F. A. (2020). Teacher leadership models: A directed content analysis. In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Research of Educational Administration and Management (ICREAM 2019). https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.200130.164
Richardson, P. W., & Watt, H. M. G. (2006). Who chooses teaching and why? Profiling characteristics and motivations across three Australian universities. Asia Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 34(1), 27–56. https://doi.org/10.1080/13598660500480290
Sánchez, P. A., Rodríguez, R. de H., Caballero, C. M., & Martínez-Abellán, R. (2023). Barriers to educational inclusion in initial teacher training. Societies, 13(2), 31. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020031
See, B. H., Munthe, E., Ross, S. A., Hitt, L., & Soufi, N. E. (2022). Who becomes a teacher and why? Review of Education, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3377
Sultan, S. (2020). Importance of pre-service teacher training and need to strengthen it at national level. Sir Syed Journal of Education & Social Research, 3(3), 326–334. https://doi.org/10.36902/sjesr-vol3-iss3-2020(326-334)
Suryani, A. (2017). Motivations and aspirations of teacher education students in Indonesia. In H. M. G. Watt, P. W. Richardson, & K. Smith (Eds.), Global perspectives on teacher motivation (pp. 297–321). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316225202.010
Toon, D., & Jensen, B. (2017). Teaching our teachers: A better way – Connecting teacher preparation and practice. Melbourne: Learning First.
Triegaardt, P. K., & Hugo, J.-P. (2020). The supportive role of school management on work satisfaction of male teachers in South Africa. Journal of Social Science Research, 15, 136-153. https://doi.org/10.24297/jssr.v15i.8604
Tsangaridou, N. (2006). Teachers' beliefs. In D. Kirk, D. Macdonald, & M. O’Sullivan (Eds.), The handbook of physical education (pp. 486–501). Sage Publications.
Ventista, O. M., & Brown, C. (2023). Teachers' professional learning and its impact on students' learning outcomes: A systematic review. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2023.100565
Vergara, J. D. (2023). Students’ career choice in TVL track and educational engagement. Psychology, Education and Multidisciplinary Journal, 10(5), 470–483. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8122242
Wang, W., & Wang, Z. (2022). Why choose a career in teaching? Motivational factors influencing the decision to teach. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 51(1), 46–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2022.2040003
Watt, H. M. G., Richardson, P. W., Klusmann, U., Kunter, M., Beyer, B., Trautwein, U., & Baumert, J. (2012). Motivations for choosing teaching as a career: An international comparison using the FIT-Choice scale. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28, 791–805. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2012.03.003
Yüce, K., Şahin, E., Koçer, Ö., & Kana, F. (2013). Motivations for choosing teaching as a career: A perspective of pre-service teachers from a Turkish context. Asia Pacific Education Review, 14(3), 295–306. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-013-9258-9
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 The Authors & InManifest Network
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant this journalright of first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work, with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g. post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g. in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as an earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala Journal has an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs
CC BY-NC-ND
