Motivation and Development of the University Teachers’ Motivational Competence

Abstract

Human potential represents a competitive advantage not only of the companies but also the Universities. Universities form the intellectual level and motivation of all individuals and groups in the country. From this point of view, the paper pays attention to the motivation of University teachers, points to connections between the motivation of teachers and motivation of students, and suggests the ways for developing motivational competence of the teachers. Methodological part presents results of our questionnaire survey realized at the Universities in two countries: Slovak Republic and Poland. This one searched the strength of motivation of the University teachers and managers (e.g. motivation to new ideas, creative suggestions and complex improvement), frequency and efficiency of applied motivators, existence of the motivational programs, etc. Negative knowledge flows from this survey the motivation of teachers is disturbed and does not reach its maximum. Therefore the application part of the paper deals just with the motivational competence of teachers that we consider as the most important competence. Motivational competence is viewed as the synthetic competence and consists of the competence of motivating oneself, competence of motivating students, and competence of motivating colleagues. On the basis of theoretical issue, survey results and own empirical experience, paper suggests several individual and group methods and techniques intended for developing motivational competence of the teachers (e.g. creative discussions with colleagues, keeping and activating the motivational journal/diary, accepting and using motivational impact of the managers, colleagues and students, etc.).