Differences in Teacher Efficacy Related to Career Commitment of Novice Agriculture Teachers

M Susie Whittington,Neil Knobloch

doi:10.21061/jcte.v20i1.625

M Susie Whittington, Neil Knobloch

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.21061/jcte.v20i1.625

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Abstract

This exploratory descriptive study investigated the differences between teacher efficacy of novice teachers based on relatively low and high levels of career commitment. The population was 91 novice teachers in their first, second, and third years of teaching in agricultural education in Ohio. The teachers were split into two groups based on their median scores of career commitment. Although the two groups had the same teacher efficacy at the beginning of the school year, teachers with higher career commitment were more efficacious after the first 10 weeks of the school year than the teachers with lower career commitment. Moreover, teachers with lower career commitment experienced a decline in their teacher efficacy while teachers with higher career commitment did not change in their teacher efficacy from week 1 to week 10. There was a small relationship between career commitment and tenth week teacher efficacy.

Highlights

This exploratory descriptive study investigated the differences between teacher efficacy of novice teachers based on relatively low and high levels of career commitment
Heath-Camp and Camp (1990) found that 15% of career and technical teachers quit within their first year and more than half left the profession within six years
Secondary career and technical education teachers left the teaching profession because of job-related stress (Ruhland, 2001); concerns about their own safety; a perceived lack of fairness and support; inadequate facilities and materials, resources; and, time consuming tasks that were perceived as unnecessary (Kirby & LeBude, 1998)

Summary

Introduction

This exploratory descriptive study investigated the differences between teacher efficacy of novice teachers based on relatively low and high levels of career commitment. Beginning career technical education teachers were more willing to stay in the teaching profession if they had positive teaching experiences, inner satisfaction, administrative support, adequate time to do their job, and job security (Ruhland, 2001). Teacher efficacy can contribute to teaching effectiveness (Tschannen-Moran, Woolfolk Hoy, & Hoy, 1998), student achievement (Armor, Conroy-Osegurea, Cox, King, McDonnell, Pascal, Pauly, & Zellman, 1976), professional commitment (Coladarci, 1992; Evans & Tribble, 1986; Trentham, Silvern, & Brogdon, 1985), and career longevity (Burley et al, 1991). A teachers’ commitment to teaching plays an important role in determining how long one remains in the profession (Chapman, 1982; Chapman & Lowther, 1983; McCracken & Etuk, 1986)

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