Why Choose Electrical Subjects? Profiling and Analyzing Motivations of Kuwaiti Pre-Service Teachers

Ebrahim Alanezi

doi:10.5539/ies.v15n1p32

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine factors that influence Kuwaiti pre-service teachers&rsquo; choice of Practical Electrical Subjects by profiling and analysing their motivations. Unlike previous studies that focused on the traditional conceptualisations of intrinsic, altruistic, and extrinsic motivations, this study uses the interpretive lens of Expectancy Value Theory which forms the foundation for the Factors Influencing Teacher Choice model to analyse and describe factors that influence the pre-service teachers&rsquo; career choice decisions. One hundred fifty-six pre-service teachers enrolled in a teacher education programme completed the Factors Influencing Teacher Choice survey on which they rated 25 motivational factors. T-tests and One-way ANOVA were used to examine differences based on gender and year of study. Self-efficacy beliefs, social utility value, time for family, job security and prior teaching and learning experiences were important career choice determinants. Fall back career was the least important motivational factor. Gender was found to significantly influence their career choice while year of study did not significantly influence their decision. In general, female pre-service teachers appeared to be more motivated to choose teaching electricity as a practical subject than males. The pre-service teachers&rsquo; year of the study showed significant variations only regarding social utility values and fallback career. The results of this study would contribute to existing literature on factors influencing pre-service teachers to choose a teaching career that involves vocational or practical subjects&rsquo; teachers. Some theoretical and practical implications are drawn for pre-service teacher education.

Highlights

1.1 BackgroundTeachers are considered responsible for promoting the social and emotional development of learners (Schonert-Reichl, 2017)
The first research question asked what motivational factors influenced pre-service teachers to choose a career in teaching electricity as a practical subject
The results of this study showed that self-efficacy beliefs, social utility value, and prior experience of teaching and learning are important determinants to the decision of becoming pre-service teachers

Summary

Introduction

1.1 BackgroundTeachers are considered responsible for promoting the social and emotional development of learners (Schonert-Reichl, 2017). TPACK and skills are important factors contributing to teacher effectiveness, academics claim that quality education cannot be achieved without teachers who are motivated (Han & Yin, 2016; Ng, 2015). Students are entering teacher training colleges as they are influenced by good remuneration and other workplace perks and benefits as well as perceptions of the prestige and social standing associated with the teaching profession (Martin & Mulvihill, 2016). Such reasons are expected to raise public concerns about the quality of the teacher workforce (Floden, Stephens, & Schere, 2020). Questions remain as to whether pre-service teachers are choosing to pursue a degree in teaching as a fallback career or whether they are opting to enter the profession out of a sense of duty or pressure from others, or because they are interested in teaching for altruistic reasons (Moss, 2020)

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