Teach with purpose: The impact of life’s meaningfulness to educator’s motivation—A case study from Cendekia Harapan School, Bali

Abstract

This mixed-methods study investigates the role of life meaning in teaching motivation among educators at Sekolah Cendekia Harapan, employing a concurrent design to integrate quantitative and qualitative data. The research encompasses a sample of 22 teachers, with a subset of 12 participating in detailed interviews. The quantitative analysis reveals a multifarious influence of life meaning on teaching motivation. While some aspects of life meaning significantly bolster motivation, others show negligible or even inverse effects. These findings illuminate the complexity of motivational factors, challenging the conventional wisdom of a uniform influence of life meaning as posited in Viktor Frankl’s theory. The qualitative insights enrich these findings, underscoring the nuanced interplay between educators’ life meaning and their professional drive. The study underscores the necessity of accounting for broader contextual factors—including working conditions, social support systems, and educational policies—to fully comprehend the motivational landscape of teachers. It concludes that while life meaning is a vital element, it is not the exclusive determinant of teaching motivation. Further inquiry is warranted to delineate the intricate dynamics of this relationship, with a particular focus on the reciprocal impact of teaching on life meaning within diverse cultural settings. Such understanding is pivotal for crafting targeted professional development initiatives.