Working Conditions Of Teachers Research Articles

Influence of School Working Conditions of Teachers’ Turnover on Learning Achievement in Biology in Public Secondary Schools in Garissa County, Kenya

The modern propensity toward multi-disciplinary research and the alignment of scientific knowledge from different fields has led to significant overlap of the field of Biological sciences with other scientific disciplines. Modern principles of other fields such as Chemistry, Medicine, and Physics are integrated with those of Biology in areas such as Biochemistry, Biomedicine, and Biophysics, making Biology a valuable subject to humankind. However, the government’s inability to retain qualified and experienced teachers in some schools due to high turnover impacts negatively on the students’ learning achievement in this subject. This paper looks into the influence of school working conditions of teachers’ turnover on learning achievement in Biology in public secondary schools in Garissa County. The study was conducted using pragmatic worldview and adopted a convergent mixed-methods design. With a target population of 2786 respondents from 40 public secondary schools, a sample size of 387 respondents was obtained. Using stratified random sampling, 27 schools were selected from which 336 students and 51 teachers of Biology were randomly and purposively drawn respectively. Data collection was done using Biology teacher questionnaire and document analysis guide. The quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics while qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The study findings showed that school working conditions (r=0.73, p<0.05) had a positive significant correlation with students’ learning achievement in Biology. Qualitative data findings revealed that majority of the teachers intended to transfer from rural to urban schools on the basis of unsuitable working conditions and insecurity. The study concluded that school working conditions of teachers’ turnover influenced low learning achievement in Biology in the study area. The study therefore, recommended strategies that should lower teacher turnover and increase learning achievement in Biology as follows; school principals should provide good leadership and adequate instructional resources for effective teaching of Biology while the government should post security officers to every learning institution in Garissa County to safeguard the non-local teachers’ safety and security

An Assessment of the Working Conditions in Enhancing Teachers’ Job Motivation in Public Secondary Schools Bunda Town Council-Tanzania

The study is based focused on assessment of working conditions of secondary teachers’ job motivation; teaching facilities in Bunda Town Council, Tanzania. The paper discusses the factors of motivation that can lead to teacher’s job satisfaction, Data were collected through questionnaires, interview and documentary review. Qualitative data were coded and transcribed and subsequently analyzed thematically. With regard to quantitative data: descriptive analysis was done including index scale measurement. The findings of the study indicate that one of the motivation factors is to have autonomy in decision-making and be involved in decision-making when discussing about school affairs, it is in this sense, teachers can feel that they are accepted and recognized by the administration and the community at large. As such, teacher can be collaborative among themselves and collaborate with the school administration and make the school a better place to teach. The study concluded that, when teachers are given autonomy in decision making and involved in decision-making, they feel that they are accepted and recognized by the administration and the community at large. It was also concluded that, teachers can teach based on the current curriculum and hence students become updated. Teacher feels comfortable when they are teaching a manageable class

Public opinion and the teaching profession

Negative public perception of schools nationally impacts the teaching profession in direct and indirect ways. This perception has depressed the number of students in teacher preparation programs at universities. Indirectly, public perception affects teacher working conditions, compensation, and morale. Education advocates and researchers talk about the historical roots of perception of teachers, how and why negative perceptions persist, and how teachers can change the narrative.

Exploring associations between teacher perceptions of working conditions and immediate professional plans at a Chinese internationalised school

This longitudinal, quantitative study utilised 2019-2022 survey data from teachers at one Chinese internationalised high school in Jiangsu Province, China to examine teachers’ immediate professional plans through the lens of teacher working conditions (TWCs). The relationship between teacher perceptions of working conditions and their immediate professional plans was further explored in light of teachers’ status as international vs local, and the primary factor affecting teachers’ willingness to stay at the school. Results from the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis revealed that teachers planning to leave or move; international teachers; and teachers who indicated primary stay factors (the most important factors affecting teachers’ willingness to continue teaching at the school) of instructional practices and support, school leadership, or time during the work day (adequate time during the school day to plan and collaborate) were associated with lower scores on the overall teacher working conditions perceptions index. These findings add to a growing body of research examining TWCs in international school contexts, specifically within Chinese internationalised schools. Given the transformational shifts these schools have recently experienced due to educational policy changes and COVID-19-related restrictions, school leaders may want to re-examine the organisational characteristics and supports at their schools with an eye toward retaining members of their ethnically heterogeneous teaching faculties.

The working conditions of Icelandic upper secondary school teachers during the first year of the COVID‐19 pandemic: A gender inequality against all odds

AbstractIn Iceland, and around the world, the working environment in upper secondary schools changed dramatically with the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic. In our research, we aimed to illuminate the ever‐changing working conditions of teachers in Icelandic upper secondary schools during the first year of the pandemic, especially in the context of gender and family composition. Data came from interviews with 12 teachers and surveys administered to upper secondary school teachers in 33 out of 37 upper‐secondary schools in Iceland with participation from approximately one‐third of the teacher population. The results show that teachers felt increasingly stressed throughout the pandemic and that gender played a significant role. Women, who often also served as primary caregivers at home, found it more strenuous to fulfil their teaching duties than men. The results raise important questions about teachers' working conditions and gender's role therein, especially in a country considered an emblem of success when it comes to gender equality.

Demographics and job satisfaction as predictors of mental well-being of Filipino teachers

Teachers worldwide have had to change how they work because of the COVID-19 health crisis. These work changes and pandemic challenges have affected teachers in one way or another. There is a need to investigate teachers' welfare and how contented they are with their jobs two years after the onset of the pandemic and nationwide lockdown. This study examined the factors predicting the subjective mental well-being of teachers in the Philippines. Using a cross-sectional study design, the survey responses of 218 Filipino teachers were analyzed. Data were gathered electronically using the demographic profile form, a short version of the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, and the Short Index of Job Satisfaction. Results indicated that the majority of teachers had average to high job satisfaction and average subjective mental well-being. Regression analysis revealed that the type of school employed, residence, and job satisfaction were significant predictors of the mental well-being of teachers. This study affirms that certain demographic variables and satisfaction at work exert a positive influence on the mental health of teachers. Continuously making improvements in the working conditions of teachers and devising ways to enhance their well-being are vital.

Risk factors and integrated assessment of health disorders in teachers of rural comprehensive schools

Teaching is an occupation with high stress levels and extremely poor health indicators, which tend to decline as working records become longer. The aim of this study was to investigate risk factors able to cause health issues in teachers of rural comprehensive schools and to determine the significance of clinical and laboratory indices as early indicators. The work uses the results of hygienic, clinical and laboratory studies aimed at assessing health and working conditions of teachers employed at comprehensive schools in rural areas of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Sanitary and hygienic conditions in classrooms of rural comprehensive schools were assessed in conformity with the Guide R 2.2.2006-05. Medical check-ups resulted in 255 various somatic diseases diagnosed in 70 teachers, overall, 3.64 diseases per one examined teacher. Laboratory tests revealed elevated hemoglobin levels in 20.00 % of the examined female teachers and low ones in 8.57 %. Erythrocytosis was established in 64.29 % of the examined teachers. We also established some slight changes in hematocrit levels, which were elevated in 4.29 % and low in 8.57 % of the examined teachers. Accordingly, in case hemoglobin levels were low, erythrocyte indices MCV and МСН went down as well in 30.00–32.86 % of the female teachers. The number of workers with elevated glucose and cholesterol levels went up as their work records grew longer (the correlation coefficients were 0.94÷0.98). Examination of microflora found in the upper airway mucosa revealed clinically significant contamination, which was mostly represented by cocci bacteria, the most significant microorganisms being Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus spp and β-hаemolytic streptococci. Our integrated study has shown that working conditions at workplaces of teachers in rural comprehensive schools do not conform to safety standards as per work hardness and work intensity (intellectual, emotional and sensory loads). The study results confirm high importance of diagnostic methods as indicators of health issues in teachers employed at comprehensive schools. Preventive measures aimed at protecting teachers’ health in rural areas should consider peculiarities of pathomorphosis that determines their health status.

Факторы риска и комплексная оценка нарушений здоровья педагогов общеобразовательных школ в сельской местности

Teaching is an occupation with high stress levels and extremely poor health indicators, which tend to decline as working records become longer. The aim of this study was to investigate risk factors able to cause health issues in teachers of rural comprehensive schools and to determine the significance of clinical and laboratory indices as early indicators. The work uses the results of hygienic, clinical and laboratory studies aimed at assessing health and working conditions of teachers employed at comprehensive schools in rural areas of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Sanitary and hygienic conditions in classrooms of rural comprehensive schools were assessed in conformity with the Guide R 2.2.2006-05. Medical check-ups resulted in 255 various somatic diseases diagnosed in 70 teachers, overall, 3.64 diseases per one examined teacher. Laboratory tests revealed elevated hemoglobin levels in 20.00 % of the examined female teachers and low ones in 8.57 %. Erythrocytosis was established in 64.29 % of the examined teachers. We also established some slight changes in hematocrit levels, which were elevated in 4.29 % and low in 8.57 % of the examined teachers. Accordingly, in case hemoglobin levels were low, erythrocyte indices MCV and МСН went down as well in 30.00–32.86 % of the female teachers. The number of workers with elevated glucose and cholesterol levels went up as their work records grew longer (the correlation coefficients were 0.94÷0.98). Examination of microflora found in the upper airway mucosa revealed clinically significant contamination, which was mostly represented by cocci bacteria, the most significant microorganisms being Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus spp and β-hаemolytic streptococci. Our integrated study has shown that working conditions at workplaces of teachers in rural comprehensive schools do not conform to safety standards as per work hardness and work intensity (intellectual, emotional and sensory loads). The study results confirm high importance of diagnostic methods as indicators of health issues in teachers employed at comprehensive schools. Preventive measures aimed at protecting teachers’ health in rural areas should consider peculiarities of pathomorphosis that determines their health status.

Influence of Principal’s Experience and Leadership Style on Senior Secondary School Student’s Academic Performance in Katsina Zonal Education Quality Assurance, Katsina State, Nigeria

This study examined how Katsina State Zonal Education Quality Assurance principals' leadership styles affect student achievement. The study found that principals must involve all stakeholders in decision-making and school administration and that their leadership style positively affects SSCE student achievement. Teachers, students, and subordinates must make decisions to increase performance. Democratic leadership styles got a high response, suggesting they may outperform authoritarian leadership approaches if applied effectively. SSCE test success is not due to one leadership style. Principals must use these two leadership styles into their school management to achieve great results. Based on these findings, the recommend that the state education ministries should organise programmes to educate principals on effective leadership styles for better results. More so, to improve teacher working conditions and student academic performance, principals should adopt democratic leadership styles that involve all members of the school community in decision-making. Furthermore, school principals should use transformational leadership, which involves individuals investing in decisions they have a say in. finally, regular discussions between principals, teachers, and students should address students' academic weaknesses. Keywords: Academic performance, Leadership style, Principals’ experience, Quality assurance, Senior Secondary students

Food consumption and remote working conditions among Brazilian Primary Schools teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: Teaching work, which is characterized by being exhausting, with a significant workload, with synchronous and/or asynchronous remote classes. Objective: To describe associations between the working conditions of school teachers at home and their food consumption during the suspension of face-to-face classes. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study using a self-administered online questionnaire with 15,372 working teachers from Minas Gerais, Brazil. The dependent variables analyzed were the consumption of healthy and unhealthy foods. Independent variables included sociodemographic factors, remote work conditions, understanding of online technologies, computer access, and quality of Internet connection. The Poisson model with robust variance was used to determine the association between working conditions and food consumption. Results: In the analysis of the adjusted multivariate model, there was a significant association between eating habits and the following variables: gender, age, working hours (per week), feelings regarding teachers’ work during the pandemic, working hours during the pandemic and quality work internet connection. Our data shows that teachers’ remote working conditions are associated with worse food consumption. They also showed that working hours equal to or greater than 40 hours per week, feelings of dissatisfaction with working conditions during the pandemic, increased working hours during the pandemic and poor quality of internet connection were variables correlated with the consumption of unhealthy foods. Conclusions: Remote working conditions during the pandemic influenced primary school teachers’ food choices. More studies are needed to delve deeper into issues related to teachers’ working conditions and the implications for food choices.

Points of Incompatibility Between the Turkish Education System and Human Resources Management

This study aims to explain the reasons for the difficulties in the implementation of Human Resources Management (HRM) in the Turkish education system by revealing the incompatibilities between them. A literature review and document analysis on official statistics, laws, and newspapers were conducted. First, we reviewed the implementation of HRM functions in Turkey. After that, we tried to reveal its basic features by examining the factors that led to the emergence of HRM in the historical process and the new forms it took over time. In addition, we examined the effects of neoliberal policies on the working conditions of teachers in public and private schools. We discussed the working conditions of teachers in public and private schools in Turkey separately. As a result of the review, we argue that acting in line with the efficiency/success target and the contradictions between Industrial Relations and HRM are among the main reasons for the incompatibility between the education system and HRM in Turkey.

Poll Points: Public perceptions of teacher working conditions

Most Americans express compassion for public school teachers. About three-quarters say they are undervalued in society, 66% say teacher salaries in their community are too low, and 58% think teachers in their area are overworked.

The prevalence of anxiety and related factors among primary and secondary school teachers in Hanoi, Vietnam, during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The working conditions for teachers in Vietnam were characterized by increased workload and pressure, burdening teachers' well-being. The study aims to investigate anxiety prevalence and identify some related factors among primary and secondary school teachers in Hanoi after the first COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. This paper analyzed data of 481 teachers working at ten primary and secondary schools in Hanoi city. Anxiety was measured using the anxiety component of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress scale 42 items. Multivariable logistics regression was performed to examine anxiety-related factors using SPSS 20.0 at a significant level p less than 0.05. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms was 42.4% and similar between primary and secondary school teachers. More secondary teachers reported moderate to severe anxiety symptoms than primary teachers did (31.6% and 27.7%). Primary school teachers who felt discomfort with their supervisor's assessment, high responsibility for student safety, and ever thinking of leaving their current job were more likely to report anxiety symptoms (OR (95%CI) = 2.8 (1.2-6.5), 3.6 (1.0-12.8), and 2.6 (1.3-5.4), respectively). Meanwhile, the discomfort of caring for many students or problematic students, repetitive work, and disagreement with coworkers were risk factors of anxiety among secondary school teachers (OR (95%CI) = 2.6 (1.2-5.8), 3.2 (1.1-9.2), 3.4 (1.3-8.8), and 3.7 (1.1-12.6), respectively). In conclusion, the prevalence of teachers with anxiety symptoms is on the rise, caused by the characteristics of the job and professional relationships. Tailored support for teachers in different grades is necessary to improve and prevent teachers' anxiety.

Teacher Working Conditions and Dissatisfaction Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

With a goal of contextualizing teacher job dissatisfaction during the first full school year of the COVID-19 pandemic, we contrast teachers’ experiences with the decade and a half leading up to the pandemic. We draw on nationally representative data from the Schools and Staffing Survey and National Teacher and Principal Survey from the 2003–04 to 2020–21 school years. Through descriptive and regression analysis, we show that (1) increases in teacher dissatisfaction beginning in the 2015–16 school year persisted into the 2020–21 school year, (2) levels of dissatisfaction during the pandemic were not equal across subpopulations of teachers, and (3) positive working conditions consistently predicted lower job dissatisfaction, including in the 2020–21 school year.

Identifying an educational praxis of culturally relevant female school leadership in urban Pakistani schools

ABSTRACT Using a culturally relevant leadership lens, this phenomenological study looks at the lived experiences of two female urban school leaders in Pakistani private schools. It highlights the structural enablements and barriers they faced across two different periods – the 1990s and the 2020s providing reflectively-nuanced insight into female school leadership in a Pakistani context. The findings from this small-scale study recommend further enhancing and developing female school leaders’ skills through targeted leadership development programmes and mentoring experiences that assist in developing their strong educational praxis as they create their own practice architectures. The findings contribute towards current educational leadership literature through a feminist approach to understanding how Pakistani female school teachers and leaders can exercise educational praxis within their school systems. It is anticipated that this approach will contribute towards the discourse on improving the working conditions for female teachers and school leaders working within this developing world context.

The Role of Teacher Trade Unions in Preventing Staff Victimisation: Voices from the South African Teachers

Teacher Trade Unions remain an integral part of stakeholders within the basic education sector and the school organogram. However, research pertaining to the role that can be played by Teacher Unions in preventing staff victimisation remains restricted globally, and with no enquiry arising within the South African milieu. Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate the lived experiences of teachers regarding the role of Teacher Trade Unions in preventing staff victimisation, in the District 10 schools of the Province of Gauteng. The researchers used a qualitative approach, grounded in phenomenology as the research design. The sample consisted of five teachers who belong to various unions and data was collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The data collected was analysed using thematic content analysis. The study revealed that teacher unions were found to be the main perpetrators of staff victimisation particularly when it comes to promotional positions. The study concluded that for teacher unions to protect teachers’ rights, they should not be aligned with political parties. The study recommended that teacher unions should instead conduct training and workshops on pro-social behaviour, peaceful conflict resolution and how teachers are supposed to protect themselves from retribution and threats. The study aims to advance scholarship on the role of teacher unions in creating safer working conditions for teachers. Keywords: Teacher Unions, Socio-Ecological, Violence, Victimisation.

The problem of technical teacher training in modern conditions

Introduction. The article deals with the problem of selecting the content of the training of future teachers of general technical disciplines. It is proved that in conditions of multi-vector technical development, and turbulence associated with the transition to a multi-polar world order, the content of this training should change rapidly. Not only the given invariant of this content is important, but also the methodology of its formation.Aim. The present research aims to formulate the problem of developing the content for technical teacher training.Methodology and research methods. The developed methodology foundations for the selection of optimal content for technical teacher training are based on activity, competence-based, transfessional and transprofessional approaches. The empirical base was obtained using a distance questionnaire to technical teachers from 26 universities. The following theoretical methods were applied: retrospective analysis of the working conditions of teachers of technical disciplines; analysis of scientific and methodological literature on the problem of combining subject-professional and pedagogical training of a technical teacher; analysis of disciplines from professional training programmes in the Russian universities.Results. The analysis of vocational training programmes of technical and pedagogical universities made it possible to compare them with each other and to correlate the disciplines of the general professional block and elective courses to the main current directions of the Russian technical development in the current conditions. This made it possible to identify the content of the professional activity of the future technical teacher, as well as to indicate the possibilities for changing this content both in technical and pedagogical universities in order to more accurately match it with the existing tasks of technical development of the state. As a result of a retrospective analysis, a historically formed “portrait” of a technical was described. The following problems were indicated: “physical and technical snobbery” as unwillingness to enter the humanities and pedagogical field of professional activity from the physical and technical content of their subject; a low level of methodological knowledge and skills; lack of erudition in technical fields among young teachers; low professional self-esteem.Scientific novelty consists in the fact that for the first time the analysis of the disciplines of the general professional module and elective courses of technical and pedagogical universities of Russia revealed their correlation with the main directions of the development of science, technology and engineering.Practical significance. The conducted research allowed the authors to raise questions about the selection of the content of technical teacher training. This should help in the formulation of the principles of content selection to develop its methodology.

Teachers' perspectives on the adoption of a Chatbot in the teaching and learning process

Chatbots are programs that, with respect to the principles of Artificial Intelligence, have the ability to engage in a conversation either through the use of text messages or through oral speech and offer services such as assisting program users, guiding web visitors, customer service, product advertising, or even answering questions about a specific subject matter. Considering the usefulness and proven benefits of Chatbots in numerous areas of daily life, a careful study, regarding the utilization / adoption of Chatbots in the teaching/learning process, is necessary. The introduction of Chatbots in the field of education, attributing to them the role of a teacher assistant who, on the one hand, will be available 24/7 to the students, supporting the learning process and answering their questions and, on the other hand, improving the working conditions of teachers, offering them more free time and the opportunity to add more quality features to their teaching work, constitutes a great challenge. In that context, the results of a relative research are presented, where teachers in secondary education after having tested Chatbots at a pilot stage, express their opinions.

Educational policies and their impact on the Basic Education Development Index of the State of Amapá: case studies

This research deals with educational policies and their impact on the Basic Education Development Index (Ideb), with the aim of analyzing the measures adopted by the State of Amapá to increase the Basic Education Development Index in the Irmã Santina Rioli and Nilton Balieiro schools. Machado and its effects on student learning. This is qualitative research, using the technique of focus groups and interviews aimed at teachers, managers and the Basic Education Coordinator of the State Department of Education of Amapá. It was verified that there is a lot to be done to improve student performance, highlighting the need to expand the number of vacancies and improve working conditions for teachers, through the creation of learning laboratories, availability of digital devices with internet access, adapting the career plan of education professionals.

Poll Points: Who supports raising teacher pay?

The PDK poll shows that a majority of Americans support raising teacher salaries, even if it means higher taxes. This infographic shows how the data breaks down by party and perceptions of teacher working conditions.