The relationship between education students’ perceptions and motivation towards teacher profession

Abstract

Teacher profession is a noble and professional job. Being a noble and professional teacher requires individual having graduated from undergraduate teacher education. Indeed, on being a professional teacher; an individual should initially begin with having the correct perception and motivation towards the teaching profession. For this reason, this study aims to describe 1) students of education’s perception towards the teaching profession and 2) students of education’s motivation towards the teaching profession. This study was designed with quantitative research method and used simple random sampling technique, and additionally used descriptive research design. The data were technically collected through questionnaires, observation, and interviews. The subjects of the study were students of Pancasila and Civics Education at the Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta. The findings reveal that teaching profession is a job with highly demanding competence and expertise that systematically needs to be prepared since becoming a teacher training student to be a graduate of Civics Education study program. The results of this study indicate that: Firstly, the study shows that the students’ perception variable in achievement amounted to 30 data showing a maximum score of students’ perception questionnaire of 59 while a minimum score of 30 with an average of 54,754 and a standard deviation of 7,400. Secondly, it shows that students’ variable motivation were found 30 data that have a maximum score of students’ learning motivation questionnaire was 26 while a minimum score was 10 with an average 18.77 and a standard deviation was 4.141. Thus showing positive correlation results can be expressed the stronger their perception, the higher students’ motivation to learn.