Locus of Control, Organizational Climate, and Participation in Staff Development: A Study of College Instructors

Abstract

This study identifies some factors affecting community college instructors' participation in staff development activities. Social learning theory suggests that both situational and personal factors explain the behaviour of individuals. Consequently, a theoretical model explaining staff development participation rates was developed, and tested on community college instructors. Sex, academic attainment, college teaching experience, locus of control, and perception of organizational climate, were included as independent variables. In addition, locus of control, and perception of organizational climate, were considered as intervening between these variables and staff development participation rates. The results illustrated that college teaching experience, and perception of administration climate, which is one aspect of organizational climate, were the most important determinants of staff development participation rates. This suggests that administrators play a key role in determining staff development participation rates, first by making the funds available that enable staff to access staff development opportunities, and second by establishing an administrative and reward structure that encourages and facilitates continuous enhancement of instructors' skill levels.