The occupational commitment and intention to quit of practicing and pre-service teachers: Influence of self-efficacy, job stress, and teaching context

The interplay among EFL teachers' emotional intelligence and self-efficacy and burnout

Considering the essential role of teachers and their characteristics in language education, their emotions are the main focus of recent studies. Emotions such as burnout which usually happens due to stress, can hinder their career progress so it needs to be addressed as it affects both learners and teachers respectively. Another construct is self-efficacy which contemplates the teachers' confidence in their aptitudes and it may reduce the probability of burnout and prevent job stress. Also, Emotional intelligence (EI) is an eminent variable in this field that is a significant predictor of job performance. Therefore, this study attempted to address English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers' burnout by associating the effects of these factors such as EI and self-efficacy. Accordingly, 400 EFL teachers agreed to participate and were given three relevant questionnaires. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized and the findings indicated that both teacher self-efficacy (β = -0.123, p < .05) and emotional intelligence (β = -0.14, p < .05) are significant predictors of burnout. The two variables jointly could explain 4.3 % of variances in teacher burnout. Teacher self-efficacy has a significant direct effect on burnout with standard estimate of -0.123 (p = .03). It also has a positive effect on emotional intelligence with standardized estimate of 0.245 (p = .000). Emotional intelligence, in turn, has a negative effect on burnout with standardized estimate of 0.14 (p = .16). The mediation analysis showed that the indirect effect of teacher self-efficacy is 0.034 (p = .017). Finally, some implications and recommendations for EFL stakeholders are presented.

The impact of imposter syndrome on self-esteem and intention to quit among respiratory therapy (RT) students in Saudi Arabia

Introduction

Imposter syndrome is common among health disciplinary students, leading to serious consequences. However, the impact of imposter syndrome on self-esteem and quitting intention among respiratory therapy students has not been well researched.

Objective

To report on the prevalence of imposter syndrome and assess its impacts on self-esteem and quitting intention among respiratory therapy students in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

A nonprobability cross-sectional questionnaire using the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale was self-administered and distributed among respiratory therapy students between October 2022 and April 2023. Data analysis was performed using Descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results

Of the 1500 respiratory therapy students invited to participate in the study, 901 surveys were completed; and thus, included in the final analysis. Of whom, 92% were presented with imposter syndrome: 44% with moderate, 35% with frequent, and 13% with intense feelings. In addition, 60% of respiratory therapy students and interns experienced low self-esteem, while only 0.5% indicated high self-esteem. More than 50% of the study participants thought about quitting the respiratory therapy program, and 30% have been diagnosed with psychological disorders. Furthermore, there was a significant association between imposter syndrome and low self-esteem, p < 0.001. Factors associated with imposter syndrome and low self-esteem were family income (<0.005) and parents' education (<0.005), quitting intention (<0.005), and having been diagnosed with psychological disorders (<0.005). Genders, academic levels, and grade point average were not associated with either imposter syndrome or self-esteem (>0.005).

Conclusion

Imposter syndrome and low self-esteem are prevalent among respiratory therapy students, both of which are associated with considering leaving the respiratory therapy program. Effective interventions should be implemented to ameliorate the symptoms imposter syndrome and low self-esteem; thus, improving the academic experience of respiratory therapy students.

Student-to-Teacher Victimization and Its Negative Impact on Teaching Approaches: Applying Propensity Score Matching

The negative impact of student-to-teacher victimization on teachers' perceptions of the work environment and their well-being is supported by growing empirical literature. For instance, violence in the classroom can have a negative impact on teachers themselves and hinder teachers from playing crucial roles in students' classroom experiences, resulting in adverse effects on student performance. However, the research field is limited in understanding the adverse effects on teachers' perceptions more directly related to student learning, such as teacher neglect. To fill the gap in the literature, the current study analyzes data from a nationwide sample of 1,054 middle and high school teachers in South Korea where teachers are generally treated with high regard and social status, often exerting a strong influence and authority over students in both an educational and parental way. Specifically, we conduct propensity score matching to investigate potential influences that student-to-teacher victimization can have on the following three outcome variables: teacher neglect, commitment, and pride. Results of mean comparisons after accounting for other confounding factors show that when compared with nonvictims, victims of student-to-teacher victimization are more likely to neglect their students; these victims also tend to exhibit less pride as teachers. Yet, the results also showed no significant statistical difference in teacher commitment. The current findings highlight the importance of developing programs to prevent and intervene in students' aggressive behaviors toward teachers. Particularly, administrators are recommended to consider providing training for teachers, specific to understanding student-to-teacher victimization in order to promote a more positive school environment and better student-to-teacher relationships in classrooms, including improving teachers' job performance.

Effects of person-job fit on occupational commitment among kindergarten teachers: occupational well-being as mediator and perceived organizational support as moderator

INTRODUCTION

The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of person-job fit on occupational commitment among Chinese kindergarten teachers, and to identify strategies for improving the occupational commitment of this professional group.

METHODS

A survey was conducted among kindergarten teachers utilizing the Occupational Commitment Scale, Person-job Fit Scale, Occupational Well-being Scale, and Perceived Organizational Support Scale, resulting in the acquisition of 1539 valid data.

RESULTS

A significant positive correlation was observed between person-job fit and occupational commitment, with occupational well-being serving as a partial mediator in this association. Additionally, the direct effect of person-job fit on occupational commitment was moderated by perceived organizational support. Specifically, a significant positive correlation between person-job fit and occupational commitment was evident when the scores of perceived organizational support were below 0.21, whereas a significant negative correlation was observed when the scores of perceived organizational support were above 1.67.

CONCLUSIONS

In order to enhance the degree of occupational commitment among kindergarten teachers, it is imperative to pay attention to their person-job fit, perceived organizational support, and occupational well-being.

Modeling the predictive role of music teachers' job commitment and optimism in their sense of self-efficacy

Introduction

Teachers' psychological factors have been argued to influence various aspects of music education. However, scant research has explored the psycho-affective aspects of music teachers' work. To solve this shortage of research, this study examined the predictive role of Chinese music teachers' job commitment and academic optimism in their self-efficacy.

Methods

To this end, 340 music teachers from four universities in Henan Province completed an online survey including three questionnaires.

Results

The results of structural equation modeling (SEM) and regression analysis demonstrated that music teachers' self-efficacy could be positively and significantly predicted by their optimism and job commitment.

Discussion

The study provided implications for music education to pay further attention to the psychology of teaching in this field. Finally, directions for further research are presented to scholars, who are interested in the psycho-emotional side of music education.

Perceived organizational support and occupational commitment: A study among male kindergarten teachers

In the field of early childhood education, research has increasingly paid attention to male kindergarten teachers as research subjects. The shortage of male professionals in this field, coupled with the persistent issue of high turnover rates, presents significant challenges to the preschool education sector. Elevating the retention rate of male kindergarten teachers stands as a vital concern, with occupational commitment emerging as a pivotal factor influencing retention. This study endeavors to construct a moderated mediation model to unveil the potential pathways through which perceived organizational support, occupational well-being, and person-job fit impact occupational commitment. This study administered a questionnaire that included person-job fit, perceived organizational support, occupational well-being, and occupational commitment scales. The study collected 402 valid responses from male kindergarten teachers. The findings reveal several key insights: perceived organizational support has a positive direct influence on occupational commitment; occupational well-being acts as a mediator in the relationship between perceived organizational support and occupational commitment; and person-job fit plays a moderating role, negatively impacting the predictive effect of occupational well-being on occupational commitment. Consequently, perceived organizational support can exert both a direct influence on occupational commitment and an indirect impact, mediated by occupational well-being, with person-job fit moderating the latter pathway. These results contribute to the quantitative literature surrounding male kindergarten teachers, offering valuable insights. Moreover, they furnish policymakers in preschool education and kindergarten management with effective strategies to bolster the occupational commitment of male kindergarten teachers, ultimately addressing the pressing issue of teacher turnover in this field.

How good do you think you are with computers? The link between teachers' perceived digital literacy, occupational efficacy, and psychological distress

The present study focused on teachers' perceived digital literacy, occupational self-efficacy, and psychological distress. Our sample included 279 Romanian teachers aged 20 to 66 (M = 31.92, SD = 11.72), with professional experience ranging from 1 to 46 years (M = 8.90). We tested a moderated mediated model, exploring occupational self-efficacy as a mediator of the relationship between perceived digital literacy (moderated by gender, controlling for age and professional experience) and psychological distress. Our findings suggested that higher levels of perceived digital literacy led to higher levels of occupational self-efficacy, which led to lower levels of psychological distress. Gender moderated this relationship, i.e., the observed indirect effects were significant for both genders, but the effects were stronger for male participants. We discuss our results concerning their practical implications for teachers' mental health and professional activity and the perspectives following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Collective teacher culture and school goal structure: Associations with teacher self-efficacy and engagement

One purpose of this study was to test a model of a collective teacher culture (CTC) proposed by Skaalvik and Skaalvik (Skaalvik and Skaalvik, Social Psychology of Education 24:1389–1406, 2021). In this model, a second-order CTC variable was indicated by four first-order variables: positive and supportive social relations with colleagues, collective teacher efficacy, shared goals and values, and value consonance. A second purpose was to test how a CTC was associated with teachers’ perceptions of the school goal structure (learning and performance goal structures). A third purpose was to explore relations between the two dimensions of the school goal structure, CTC, teacher self-efficacy, and teacher engagement. Participants in the study were 1145 teachers in elementary school, middle school, and high school. The data were analyzed by means of confirmatory factor analyses and SEM analysis. The factor analyses supported the proposed model and revealed that a CTC was positively and strongly associated with a learning goal structure and positively and moderately associated with both teacher self-efficacy and teacher engagement. In contrast, a CTC was negatively associated with a performance goal structure. A learning goal structure was also positively associated with teacher self-efficacy and engagement. In the SEM model, CTC partly mediated the associations between a learning goal structure and teacher self-efficacy and engagement.

Development of preservice teachers' competence beliefs, career values, and perceptions of teaching as a profession: A longitudinal study

Competence beliefs, career values, and perceptions regarding teaching as a profession have important implications for preservice teachers' professional development. Longitudinal research concerning the development of preservice teachers' competence beliefs, values, and perceptions of teaching remains scarce. We investigated a sample of 270 Chinese preservice teachers on three measurement occasions. The expectancy-value theory framework was employed as a theoretical framework. We first tested the longitudinal measurement invariance of the FIT-Choice scale and then examined the growth trajectories of preservice teachers' competence beliefs, career values, and perceptions of teaching as a profession over time. The results showed that the FIT-Choice scale was characterized by longitudinal measurement invariance. The Chinese preservice teachers included in our sample exhibited an overall decline in the growth trajectories of values (e.g., social utility value) and perceptions of teaching (e.g., expertise, social status, salary, and career choice satisfaction) over time, with the exception of their perceptions of difficulty, which exhibited an overall increase over time. Their initial levels of all types of values and perception constructs exhibited individual variability. We did not find individual differences in the development of the constructs that we studied. Practical implications are discussed.

The development of student teachers' teacher self-efficacy before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study used latent growth curve models to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the development of teacher self-efficacy in student teachers. Results indicated that the teacher self-efficacy of student teachers taught during the first COVID-19 lockdown increased significantly less across a semester compared to student teachers taught prior to the pandemic, who gained practical experience in schools. There may be a cohort of student teachers at risk of entering the profession with lower self-efficacy than is typical. Universities and schools may wish to provide additional practical experiences to compensate for the missed opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effect of a student teaching internship program on the self-efficacy of pre-service teachers in rural China

Purpose

The purpose of the present study was to examine the impact of a student teaching internship program on the self-efficacy of pre-service teachers in China.

Design/methodology/approach

With 1,367 participants, structural equation modelling was used to evaluate the fit of the hypothetical model and a latent path analysis was conducted to identify the relationship among various variables.

Findings

The results suggested that the program had a significant impact on efficacy in terms of personal skills, general teaching skills and personal qualities of the student interns concerned. Although this study was set in rural China, the findings of this study offered insights for teacher education in other places.

Originality/value

To the best of our knowledge, no research studies have been conducted on this in-service teacher training program in a systematic and comprehensive way using a large sample size and involving all major stakeholders. The aim of the present study is to fill this gap, by exploring the experience of a large cohort of pre-service teachers participating in this student teaching internship program. Studying the experiences of these student teachers will illuminate some of the key challenges faced and how they impacted their teaching and learning during their teaching practices in rural areas. The findings may help teacher education institutions to review and enhance their existing approaches to teaching practices and professional development initiatives not only in rural China but in similar contexts in other countries.

A mixed methods study of the teachers' self-efficacy views and their ability to improve self-efficacy beliefs during teaching

Objective

The current study has the aim of investigating teachers' views about their self-efficacy and how they improve their self-efficacy beliefs during teaching practice.

Methods

The study was designed in a mixed methods research design. "Teacher's Self-Efficacy Scale," "Personal Information Form" and "Semi-structured Interview Form" were employed in the study. The quantitative data were collected from 379 teachers in public schools in the 2021-2022 academic year, whereas the qualitative data were obtained from the top 10 participants with the highest level of self-efficacy.

Results and Discussion

Based on the qualitative and quantitative results of the present study, it was revealed that teachers' self-efficacy levels were high, and they felt self-efficient in their teaching.The study is of great importance since determining teachers' opinions about their self-efficacy beliefs and how they improve their self-efficacy beliefs in the solution of the problems they encountered during teaching practice will not only raise awareness of the importance of self-efficacy in teaching profession, but will contribute to further research and qualified teacher training.

Motivation to teach and preparedness for teaching among preservice teachers in China: The effect of conscientiousness and constructivist teaching beliefs

"Preparedness for teaching" refers to the degree of confidence preservice teachers have, and reflects their ability. Developing preparedness for teaching is an important part of preservice teachers' professionalization. A substantial body of literature has documented the critical influence of the motivation to teach on preparedness; however, how this relation is impacted by mediating and moderating mechanisms remains unclear. To respond to this gap in knowledge, the present study constructed a mediated moderation model through structural equation modeling and multigroup tests using 383 questionnaires completed by preservice teachers in China. The findings indicate that the preservice teachers' genders, entry path, and levels of certainty about their future teaching career choices all influence their preparedness for teaching. Specifically, preservice teachers who believe that they will choose a teaching career in the future have more intrinsic motivation, stronger constructivist teaching beliefs, and a higher levels of teaching preparedness. Moreover, preservice teachers' motivations to teach can positively predict their constructivist teaching beliefs and preparedness for teaching, but their constructivist teaching beliefs alone do not have a mediating effect on the relationship between motivation to teach and preparedness for teaching. However, the findings reveal that the constructivist teaching beliefs of highly conscientiousness group can partially mediate the relationship between the motivation to teach and the preparedness for teaching. Additionally, conscientiousness moderates the influence of constructivist teaching beliefs on preparedness for teaching. The study provides meaningful insights into the within-personal traits of how and when motivation to teach affects preparedness for teaching, which may be useful for the motivation best practices for preservice teacher recruitment, training, and support to create high-quality teachers.

Is sustainability an exhausted concept? Bridging the gap from environmental awareness to emotional proficiency in science education through integral sustainability

Sustainability has recently become a common context for science teaching due to its potential in terms of learning the content and promoting such universal values as respect for human rights and for other forms of life, the integral development of the person, or participation in democratic processes. The treatment of the Sustainable Development Goals in higher education, improving environmental awareness and promoting sustainable attitudes through didactic interventions of some depth, is the responsibility of teachers and researchers. This study describes a didactic intervention based on the design, implementation, and testing of a Slow Sand Filter. It was carried out in a science seminar with primary teacher education students (n = 69), and served to promote sustainable awareness in addition to other skills, knowledge and competencies required for the professional development of prospective teachers. The results provide evidence that prospective teachers who feel positive and activating emotions during the implementation of the program think that the experience will modify their way of teaching science when they are teachers. Through this intervention, prospective teachers face real problems, develop sensitivity and critical thinking towards problematic situations that are being experienced on the planet, and improve their environmental attitudes, scientific knowledge, and emotional dimension towards learning the sciences.

The level and influencing factors of graduating nursing students' professional commitment from the perspective of Ecological Systems Theory: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Increased professional commitment is essential for relieving the nursing workforce shortage, which is exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The professional commitment of graduating nursing students is a powerful predictor of their work commitment. However, limited information is available regarding graduating nursing students' professional commitment. Existing studies investigating nursing students' professional commitment are limited by their lack of theoretical foundation.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the level of graduating nursing students' professional commitment and its multilevel influencing factors from the perspective of the Ecological Systems Theory in the early days following the COVID-19 outbreak.

DESIGN

A descriptive cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Three educational institutions in Shanghai, China.

PARTICIPANTS

513 nursing students who were graduating with an associate or bachelor's degree.

METHODS

The independent variables were measured by a self-designed questionnaire. The dependent variable professional commitment was measured by the Nursing Professional Commitment Scale. Hierarchical regression analyses, which allowed the independent variables entered in order, were performed to identify the significant predictor variables of the professional commitment and its dimensions.

RESULTS

The level of professional commitment was 100.15 ± 20.35 (score ranged between 34 and 136). The individual factors (degree, whether had received a scholarship during the past academic years, ΔR² = 0.142), family factors (parents and siblings' attitudes towards one's majoring in nursing, ΔR² = 0.153), educational factors (academic faculty's belief in nursing profession, leaders' emphasis on nursing profession, satisfaction with clinical instructors' role modeling, ΔR² = 0.097), and social factors (reason for majoring in nursing, perceived nurse-patient relationship, ΔR² = 0.153) were significant predictors of the graduating nursing students' professional commitment (R² = 47.6 %, F = 32.277, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The graduating nursing students had a moderate level of professional commitment, which needed to be improved. Nursing educators should comprehensively consider various factors to understand the relationship between individuals and environmental systems, and implement targeted interventions to shape the positive professional values of nursing students.

Stress Factors Among Grade 2 Teachers: Links to Classroom Activities and Teacher Interaction Styles

This study involved a comparison of the prevalence of two work-related stressors (job-related issues and information and communications technology [ICT] use) and three situational stress factors (COVID-19, geopolitical concerns, and economic conditions) among 40 Grade 2 teachers in Lithuania. Also investigated were associations between the stress factors, the frequency of classroom activities (literacy and mathematics), and teacher interaction styles (affection, behavioral, and psychological control). A total of 40 Grade 2 teachers answered online questionnaires in April–May 2022, a period defined by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the recent (2–3 months prior) start of the Russo–Ukrainian war. The results showed that, of the five stress factors examined, the highest levels of stress expressed by teachers were related to the geopolitical situation, which scored significantly higher than work-related stress factors (job-related issues and ICT use). The results also indicated that all stress factors except geopolitical situation were associated with behavioral and psychological control, suggesting that teachers who report higher levels of stress apply more controlling interaction styles when teaching their second graders. Moreover, the findings revealed that the frequency of classroom activities and the positive dimension of the interaction style of teaching (i.e., affection) were not related to any of the stress factors.

Assessment of stress management coaching among Nigerian pre-service history teachers: A randomized controlled study

BACKGROUND

Studies have found that pre-service teachers commonly face stressful circumstances that prevent them from completing their academic tasks effectively. In terms of psychological factors and interventions, pre-service history teachers in Nigeria are the least studied group. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of stress management coaching among Nigerian pre-service history teachers.

METHODS

The research participants consisted of a randomized sample of 109 pre-service history teachers from Nigerian public higher education institutions (55 pre-service history teachers composed the stress management coaching group while 54 pre-service history teachers composed the waitlist control group). The stress management coaching for the pre-service history teachers was guided by a coaching manual created using the theoretical framework of rational emotive behavior coaching.

RESULTS

Pre-service history teachers who participated in stress management coaching showed significantly reduced stress levels at the post-test and follow-up. There was an interaction effect between group and time on the stress of pre-service history teachers.

CONCLUSION

The study suggests that pre-service history teachers can benefit from a stress management coaching intervention that uses the rational emotive behavior coaching approach. The development of this form of stress management coaching program on a large scale among pre-service history teachers could prove beneficial to their academic and personal success. Studies may be conducted in the future to examine the stress of history teachers in colleges and the efficacy of stress management coaching.

Chinese English teachers’ occupational intention during distance education: The role of burnout and job-related stress

Since turnover intention has a negative impact on teachers’ productivity, a bulk of educational research has studied the personal, organizational, and emotional predictors of this construct. Nevertheless, the predictive function of burnout and job-related stress as two emotional factors has been less attended to by scholars. To address this gap, the current empirical study explored the role of burnout and job-related stress in Chinese English teachers’ turnover intention during distance education. In doing so, three pre-designed questionnaires were distributed among 221 Chinese teachers. Having collected the needed data, the researcher analyzed the datasets through the Pearson correlation test and multiple regression analysis. As a result of the correlation test, positive, direct relationships were found between burnout, job-related stress, and teacher turnover intention. Moreover, the results of the regression analysis evinced the significant role of burnout and job-related stress in predicting Chinese English teachers’ turnover intention. The implications of the results are thoroughly discussed.

Providing emergency remote teaching: What are teachers' needs and what could have helped them to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic?

When schools closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, teachers suddenly had to teach remotely. To better understand the possible impact of these measures on teachers' work functioning and well-being, this study examined teachers' needs. Using a thematic analysis approach analyzing the 1,115 open-ended answers, three domains related to needs were identified: work-life balance and working from home, teaching and interaction with students and parents, and school management and colleagues. Findings are interpreted from existing frameworks (i.e., Jobs Demands-Resources (JD-R) model and Self-Determination Theory (SDT)). We also identified several unique needs, such as adjusting learning goals.

Teachers’ Beliefs About Inclusive Education and Insights on What Contributes to Those Beliefs: a Meta-analytical Study

Teachers’ belief systems about the inclusion of students with special needs may explain gaps between policy and practice. We investigated three inter-related aspects of teachers’ belief systems: teachers’ cognitive appraisals (e.g., attitudes), emotional appraisal (e.g., feelings), and self-efficacy (e.g., agency to teach inclusive classrooms). To date, research in this field has produced contradictory findings, resulting in a sparse understanding of why teachers differ in their belief systems about inclusive education, and how teachers’ training experiences contribute to their development of professional beliefs. We used meta-analysis to describe the level and range of teachers’ beliefs about inclusive education, and examine factors that contribute to variation in teachers’ beliefs, namely (1) the point in teachers’ career (pre-service versus in-service), (2) training in special versus regular education, and (3) the effects of specific programs and interventions. We reviewed 102 papers (2000–2020) resulting in 191 effect sizes based on research with 40,898 teachers in 40 countries. On average, teachers’ cognitive appraisals, emotional appraisals, and efficacy about inclusion were found to be in the mid-range of scales, indicating room for growth. Self-efficacy beliefs were higher for preservice (M = 3.69) than for in-service teachers (M = 3.13). Teachers with special education training held more positive views about inclusion than regular education teachers (d = 0.41). Training and interventions related to improved cognitive appraisal (d = 0.63), emotional appraisal (d = 0.63), and self-efficacy toward inclusive practices (d = 0.93). The training was particularly effective in encouraging reflection of beliefs and, eventually, facilitating belief change when teachers gained practical experience in inclusive classrooms. Six key findings direct the next steps.

Imposter Syndrome Among Pre-service Educators and the Importance of Emotion Regulation

This study examined the prevalence and impact of imposter syndrome (IS) on a sample of pre-service educators. We report a majority of pre-service educators experience IS; 93% experience moderate levels and 54% had frequent or severe levels of imposter thoughts, and further that IS was negatively associated with educator well-being. We also investigated the effects of minority group membership on experiences of IS, and found that IS was more severe for women and queer minorities, but less severe for racial minorities. Lastly, we investigated the potential for healthy emotion regulation to mitigate the effects of IS on pre-service educator well-being and found that adaptive emotion regulation strategy use mitigates the effects of IS, which may provide a viable means for addressing this pervasive issue among educators, and specifically among those with minoritized identities. We discuss the implications of our findings for educational training and improving the experiences of pre-service educators.

The Role of EFL/ESL Teachers' Psychological Empowerment and Optimism on Their Job Commitment

Research has approved that teaching is a complex profession involving many cognitive, social, cultural, and psycho-emotional factors. To perform efficiently, teachers must be psycho-emotionally powerful and ready to cope with the existing challenges and complications of teaching a second/foreign language. This demands attempts to be made to psychologically empower the teachers to form positive outlooks about their profession and practices. Despite the criticality of psychological empowerment (PE), few studies in L2 contexts have dealt with it. Against this gap, the present article aimed to theoretically analyze the interaction among teachers' PE, optimism, and commitment. In so doing, the definitions, models, components, typologies, and empirical studies related to these constructs were presented. Finally, practical implications of this line of research for EFL/ESL teachers, teacher trainers, and researchers are provided to raise their awareness of psycho-emotional factors involved L2 education.

Refugee Children and English Language: Challenges From English Language Teachers’ Perspectives

This study aimed to investigate the challenges refugee children face in learning the English language from teachers’ perspectives and the challenges of refugees’ English language teachers in Jordan. To achieve this aim, a quantitative approach was implemented using a questionnaire. The findings from this study suggest that refugee teachers’ acknowledge that they face challenges teaching refugees in terms of cultural competency, preparation, self-efficacy, and practices they implement, and refugee children face linguistic and psychological challenges in learning English. This study attempted to find out the relationship between teachers’ preparation and their cultural competency, self-efficacy, and practices they implement and then the relationship between refugees’ psychological needs and linguistic challenges, respectively, and teachers’ self-efficacy, cultural competency, and practices. Results revealed several significant relationships between challenges and presented them in a model.

An Investigation Into the Role of English as a Foreign Language Teachers' Self-Efficacy in Their Organizational Commitment

The way EFL students experience the process of learning has always been of utmost importance since it tremendously affects the amount of learning and received pleasure throughout this process for both teachers and students. From this aspect, both self-efficacious and committed teachers make a contribution to their organization’s success. Even though many studies have been conducted about teachers’ self-efficacy and their organizational commitment, a few of which concentrate their attention on the link between these two variables. To fill this gap, this review paper provides a glimpse at the underlying roles of teacher self-efficacy and their organizational commitment. Furthermore, it presents the definitions and applications of each construct. Finally, some implications and future recommendations are put forward to avid scholars.

Student aggression against teachers, stress, and emotional intelligence as predictors of withdrawal intentions among secondary school teachers

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

This exploratory study aimed to test the buffering effect of emotional intelligence in the associations between aggression against teachers, perceived stress, and withdrawal intentions.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A sample of 329 secondary school teachers (51.4% female) completed questionnaires assessing aggression against teachers, perceived stress, withdrawal intentions, and emotional intelligence.

RESULTS

The results showed that emotional intelligence was negatively related to perceived stress and withdrawal intentions. Across moderated-mediation analysis, there were mixed findings regarding the moderating effects of emotional intelligence in the proposed model. Findings indicated that emotional intelligence moderated only the association between perceived stress and withdrawal intentions.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that emotional intelligence is a psychological resource for mitigating the negative effects of perceived stress on negative work attitudes among teaching professionals in the context of harmful student behaviors. Possible avenues for including emotional intelligence in the field of teacher victimization are discussed.

Preschool Teachers' Psychological Distress and Work Engagement during COVID-19 Outbreak: The Protective Role of Mindfulness and Emotion Regulation

COVID-19 has dramatically affected the mental health and work environment of the educational sector. Our primary aim was to investigate preschool teachers’ psychological distress and work engagement during the COVID-19 outbreak, while examining the possible protective role of participating in a mindfulness-based intervention geared to foster compassion (Call2Care-Israel for Teachers; C2C-IT) and emotion regulation. The prevalence of emotional distress, work engagement, and COVID-19 concerns were evaluated in 165 preschool teachers in the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak in Israel through questionnaires. The findings showed that preschool teachers experienced increased emotional distress. Teachers who had participated in the C2C-IT intervention six months before the pandemic outbreak (N = 41) reported lower emotional distress, higher use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies, and higher work engagement, compared to their counterparts that had not participated in the intervention (N = 124). Emotion regulation strategies mediated the link between participating in CTC-IT intervention and emotional distress and work engagement. Teaching is a highly demanding occupation, especially during a pandemic, thus making it important to invest resources in empowering this population. The findings here suggest that the implementation of a mindfulness-based intervention during the school year can enhance teachers’ well-being, even during stressful events such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Subjective Well-being of Special Education Teachers in China: The Relation of Social Support and Self-Efficacy

In order to explore the relationship of social support, self-efficacy, and subjective well-being of special education teachers in China, 496 teachers from 67 special education schools were surveyed by questionnaire. We found that (1) the subjective well-being of special education teachers in China was in the medial level. (2) There were significant differences in subjective well-being level among teachers of different genders, teacher position, education background, and teaching age. Male teachers were of higher subjective well-being; subjective well-being of head teachers was lower than those were not head teachers; teachers with the educational background of postgraduate were of higher relaxation and tension than those with junior college educational background; the control scores of emotion and behavior of teachers with teaching age of 3 years and below were significantly lower than those of teachers with teaching age of more than 10 years. (3) Self-efficacy played a partially mediating role in the relationship between social support and subjective well-being of special education teachers. Suggestions to improve the subjective well-being of special education teachers were discussed in the article.

Early Childhood Teachers' Self-efficacy and Professional Support Predict Work Engagement

Early childhood teachers play a central role in children's learning and development. Yet, they encounter stressors that can negatively impact their well-being, relationships with children, and, ultimately, job retention. To inform efforts to support early childhood teachers' work-related well-being, the current study examines positive factors that predict work engagement. Participants were 50 early childhood teachers from Head Start (34%), center-based programs (32%), and licensed home-based programs (34%). Consistent with a resilience framework and the Job Demands-Resources model, we examined both a personal resource (self-efficacy) and a workplace resource (professional support) in relation to work engagement, or the positive, fulfilling connection to one's work. Teachers' self-efficacy and professional support predicted greater work engagement, accounting for job demands (teachers' compassion fatigue/work distress and children's challenging behaviors) and teachers' education and professional development. Although not causal, findings are suggestive that supporting early childhood teachers with what they need to do their job effectively and feel that they can make meaningful differences in children's lives may help them to engage in their work with passion, dedication, and positive energy. Ultimately, supporting teachers' work engagement may in turn have developmental benefits for children as well.

Examining the dimensionality of pre-service teachers' enthusiasm for teaching by combining frameworks of educational science and organizational psychology

The aim of this study was to obtain a holistic understanding of pre-service teachers’ enthusiasm for teaching (a subject) by examining its structure as well as relevant factors that may be related to it in the first phase of teacher education. For this purpose, we considered two strands of research: educational science and organizational psychology. Accordingly, the professional competence model and the job demands and resources model helped to identify factors that are associated with pre-service teachers’ enthusiasm for teaching. Responses of 211 pre-service biology teachers indicated that enthusiasm for teaching can be considered as one-dimensional. Moreover, we found positive relationships between enthusiasm for teaching and academic self-concept, intrinsic career choice motives and occupational commitment. In contrast, we detected negative relations between enthusiasm for teaching and both emotional exhaustion and intention to quit. No significant relations could be found for enthusiasm for teaching and both professional knowledge and extrinsic career choice motives. Our findings highlight the importance of enthusiasm for teaching in the earliest stage of teachers’ careers. Thus, our study points out relevant factors that could help to maintain high enthusiasm and to keep (pre-service) teachers healthy and in the profession.

Chinese English as a Foreign Language Teachers' Self-Efficacy and Psychological Well-Being as Predictors of Their Work Engagement

Work engagement is widely acknowledged as an influential element in teachers' professional success; thus, remarkable attention has been paid to the physical and psychological predictors of this construct. Yet, the antecedents of English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers' work engagement have rarely been studied. To narrow the existing gap, the current inquiry aimed to delve into the psychological determinants of teacher work engagement by scrutinizing the role of psychological well-being and self-efficacy in Chinese EFL teachers' engagement. To this end, three close-ended questionnaires were given to 304 Chinese EFL teachers via WeChat messenger. Conducting correlational analyses, positive and substantial relationships were discovered between psychological well-being, self-efficacy, and teaching engagement. The function that psychological well-being and self-efficacy may serve in Chinese EFL teachers' engagement was also assessed using path analysis. Chinese EFL teachers' work engagement was found to be considerably affected by their sense of efficacy and well-being. Some pedagogical implications that might be noteworthy for teachers and institutional administrators are finally discussed.

The Well-being and Instructional Experiences of K-12 Music Educators: Starting a New School Year During a Pandemic

In adapting to remote emergency teaching modes during pandemic-imposed conditions, teachers' instruction has changed dramatically. Early research indicates that the well-being of music teachers has suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic and that high levels of depression are widespread. The purpose of this survey study was to assess the continued psychological well-being of music teachers working amid a global pandemic based upon previous research we conducted during the Spring 2020 semester when most teachers in the United States were forced into emergency remote teaching. A secondary purpose was to explore the ways that pandemic conditions have affected music teachers' sense of safety at work and their current teaching situations. Our questionnaire consisted of sections pertaining to (1) demographic and institutional information, (2) well-being and depression, (3) instructional format and preparedness, (4) teaching efficacy compared to the start of the pandemic, and (5) potential positive outcomes of the pandemic-imposed adjustments. In total, 1,325 music teachers responded to our survey. Overall, the participants reported poorer well-being than both published norms and the sample of participants in our previous study. In addition, 17% reported mild depression, 25% reported moderate depression, and 24% reported severe extremely severe levels of depression. Summaries of the participants instructional experiences and their implications for music education are discussed within.

Development and validation of the STEM Teaching Self-efficacy Scale (STSS) for early childhood teachers

The preparation of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) teachers for early childhood education (ECE) has clearly become an important issue in recent years. Teacher efficacy can lead to changes in professional beliefs toward and teaching practices in STEM. In this study, we developed the STEM Teaching Self-efficacy Scale (STSS) and validated it in a sample of 225 pre-service and 193 in-service early childhood teachers in Zhejiang, China. Results indicated preliminary evidence of reliability and validity of the two factors of STSS: Pedagogy Self-efficacy and Content Self-efficacy. Items were constructed based on literature and selected through factor analysis to cover the scope of self-efficacy on the behaviors of STEM teaching and ensure the content and construct validity of the scale. Scores on the STSS subscales were positively correlated with early childhood teachers’ working status, age, occupational commitment, and interest in ECE, showing evidence of its criterion validity. The STSS provides a professionally and psychologically meaningful tool for evaluating early childhood teachers’ efficacy beliefs about teaching STEM, which would help obtain evidence for the optimal design of STEM teacher training programs.

Occupational Commitment of Chinese Kindergarten Teachers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Predictions of Anti-Epidemic Action, Income Reduction, and Career Confidence

This study highlights a survey on 5783 kindergarten teachers' occupational commitment and its influencing factors in the socioeconomic context of China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected through the WenJuanXing public online platform. Quantitative analysis results showed that kindergarten teachers' occupational commitment was optimistic on the whole during this period, among which the affective commitment and the normative commitment were satisfactory, but the continuing commitment needed to be strengthened. The type of kindergartens, the personnel affiliation, the educational background, and the professional post of kindergarten teachers had significant impacts on their occupational commitment. The income reduction was negatively correlated with and predictive of kindergarten teachers' occupational commitment. Anti-epidemic action and career confidence were positively correlated with and predictive of kindergarten teachers' occupational commitment. Furthermore, anti-epidemic action, income reduction, and career confidence had joint predictive effects on kindergarten teachers' occupational commitment. More related backgrounds and suggestions have been discussed.

Using relationship-focused reflection to improve teacher-child relationships and teachers' student-specific self-efficacy

The present study evaluated whether LLInC (Leerkracht-Leerling Interactie Coaching in Dutch, or Teacher-Student Interaction Coaching), a teacher-based coaching-intervention, yielded improvements in dyadic affective teacher-child relationships in elementary school (Grades 2-6). Based on attachment theory, LLInC aims to foster more flexible and differentiated mental representations of teachers' relationships with individual children with whom they experience relationship difficulties. Using a quasi-experimental design, we compared an intervention group of teachers (n = 46 teachers and 92 children) receiving LLInC with a control group receiving no form of intervention (n = 32 teachers and 88 children). To investigate possible transfer effects, we asked teachers from the intervention group to report on their relationships and self-efficacy beliefs regarding two other children with whom they experienced relationship difficulties as well (n = 46 teachers and 81 children). Multilevel models were used to examine intervention effects on teachers' perceptions of relationship quality (i.e., Closeness, Conflict, Dependency), and teachers' student-specific self-efficacy beliefs for Behavior Management and Emotional Support. Teachers receiving LLInC reported short-term improvements in Closeness and self-efficacy beliefs for Emotional Support and decreases in Conflict as compared to control teachers. Similar improvements in Closeness and self-efficacy for Emotional Support were found for the intervention-transfer group as compared to control teachers. Also, teachers receiving LLInC had short-term and longer-term improvements in self-efficacy beliefs for Behavior Management as compared to control teachers. These improvements regarding Behavior Management were not found for the intervention-transfer group.

Linking Self- and Other-Focused Emotion Regulation Abilities and Occupational Commitment among Pre-Service Teachers: Testing the Mediating Role of Study Engagement

This investigation aimed to explore the mediator role of study engagement (i.e., study vigor and dedication) in the association between self- and other-focused emotion regulation abilities and occupational commitment in a sample of pre-service teachers. The sample was comprised of 249 students (65.5% female; Mage = 27 years) of a master’s degree in teacher training for secondary education. Results showed the relationship between self-focused emotion regulation ability and occupational commitment to be fully mediated by levels of vigor. No significant results were found regarding a mediator model involving other-focused emotion regulation as predictor. Although these findings warrant prospective replication, they provide evidence that development of self-focused emotion regulation skills (rather than other-focused skills) may facilitate occupational commitment among beginning teachers through desirable states that facilitate energy and reduce the likelihood of fatigue at work. These results are discussed in terms of their practical implications for developing interventions to improve pre-service teachers’ well-being and commitment.

Exploring relations between teacher emotions, coping strategies, and intentions to quit: A longitudinal analysis

Although previous research has indicated that emotions have a substantial impact on teacher well-being, research is lacking concerning the relationships between teachers' emotions, coping strategies, and quitting intentions. This current five-month, two-wave longitudinal study investigated the relations between these variables in a sample of 1086 Canadian teachers (female: 81.3%; M_age = 42). Results from cross-lagged analyses revealed that teachers' trait emotions corresponded with coping strategies and that trait emotions and coping strategies both corresponded with intentions to quit the teaching profession. Mediational latent change analyses further showed that baseline levels of teachers' anxiety corresponded with greater emotion-focused disengagement coping that, in turn, led to stronger intentions to quit the teaching profession. Finally, decreases in teachers' anxiety over time additionally corresponded with decreases in disengagement coping. Limitations and practical implications concerning the importance of providing meaningful support to teachers for reducing anxiety, improving coping, and reducing quitting intentions are discussed.

I Want to Teach Sustainable Development in My English Classroom: A Case Study of Incorporating Sustainable Development Goals in English Teaching

Previous studies indicated that K-12 teachers generally felt reluctant to incorporate sustainable development in their teaching due to a lack of skills, knowledge and interest, particularly language teachers. This qualitative case study, grounded in the Social Cognitive Career Theory, aims to identify the significant factors influencing English teachers’ motivation of incorporating the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their teaching. Data were collected from multiple sources including semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. By examining how teachers’ self-efficacy develops in relation to outcome expectations and performance goals, the findings showed that teachers’ personal beliefs, attainment of teaching goals and supportive school management can positively influence their self-efficacy and boost their motivation in incorporating SDGs in their English teaching. Such findings can be useful for educators, school management, educational institutes, universities and policy-makers to develop strategies to facilitate teachers’ active roles in ESD by fostering greater collaboration across disciplines and providing relevant professional development and goal-relevant supports.

Who is teaching in Chinese primary schools? A profile of the primary education workforce in Chinese county areas

A teaching workforce with good quality is a key factor in the process of China’s rapid development. Although 76% of Chinese pupils are studying at schools within county areas, a general portray of the corresponding teaching workforce is still not clear. This study presents data from a nationally representative survey of primary education teachers in 35 counties of 18 provinces in China. Findings presented include demographic and professional characteristics, living conditions as well as attitudes towards work. Besides, variations among school locations and geographical regions are also examined. The key findings are the followings: 1) Quality of primary school teachers in county areas has been improved regarding education background; 2) Teaching force in village primary schools has an unbalanced age and gender composition; 3) Out-of-field teaching practice is widespread, especially for minor subjects. 4) Primary school teachers perceived relative low salary and low social status.

Association Between Social Support and Job Satisfaction Among Mainland Chinese Ethnic Minority Kindergarten Teachers: The Mediation of Self-Efficacy and Work Engagement

Grounded on the social exchange theory (SET), social cognitive theory (SCT), and self-determination theory (SDT), this study aims to explore the mediating role of self-efficacy (SE) and work engagement (WE) on the effect of social support (SS) on job satisfaction (JS) among Chinese ethnic minority kindergarten teachers (KTs). The results show that: (1) SS has a directly significant effect on JS; (2) WE mediates the relationship between SS and JS; and (3) SE mediates the relationship between SS and WE. Although the mediation of SE on the relationship between SS and JS is not found, the posited multiple mediations of SE and WE on the relationship between SS and JS are totally accepted. The results reveal that SS mainland Chinese ethnic minority KTs received can not only have a direct effect on JS but also have an indirect impact through the one-path mediating role of WE and the chain mediating role of SE and WE. The results suggest that governments, supervisors, and sponsors should work together to provide ethnic minority KTs with more prioritized SS from both cultural psychology and financial material and opportunities for facilitating professional knowledge and skills in order to enhance their SE, inspire their WE, and eventually accumulate their JS.

Demonstrating the motivational scale for commitments toward teachers’ turnover intentions using self-determination theory: a case of higher education institutions in Pakistan

Purpose

This paper aims to demonstrate the turnover intentions (TIs) among the academic faculty of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Pakistan through their motivation and commitment toward the concerned institution. It inspects the relationship of dimensions of motivation including an absence of motivation (AM), extrinsic motivation (ExM) and intrinsic motivation (InM) with the dimensions of commitment including affective commitment (AC), continuous commitment (CC) and normative commitment (NC) and finally the academic's TIs.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper used the self-determination theory (SDT), the theory of organizational commitment (OC) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) for its proposed model. A sample of 500 academics, working under higher education commission recognized public and private universities in Punjab Pakistan. A structural equation modeling (SEM) conducted for analysis using an algorithm, bootstrapping and blindfolding techniques.

Findings

The outcomes of the research are attention-grabbing, as no direct relationship has been observed between the dimensions of motivation and TIs except InM. The dimensions of commitments are mediating the relationship between motivation and TIs with high significance value. The results reveal a significant adverse effect on TIs through two dimensions of commitment.

Research limitations/implications

As it is the case of a developing country like Pakistan therefore the finding cannot generalize to developed countries.

Practical implications

The findings of this research may lead the policymakers and practitioners of HEIs and controlling body to retain their competent teachers.

Social implications

This research can help the private sector to develop strategies about the retention of their competent teachers within the institutions that not just value the institution but also will be much beneficial for the students and society.

Originality/value

This paper is identifying how motivation is related to TIs and the role of commitment in it at HEIs. Still, no research has been conducted considering this avenue of SDT, OC and TPB

Teachers' Emotions and Self-Efficacy: A Test of Reciprocal Relations

Previous research has suggested that higher levels of teachers’ self-efficacy (TSE) tend to be positively related to positive teachers’ emotions (e.g., joy, pride) and negatively to negative teachers” emotions (e.g., anger, anxiety). However, these studies predominately relied on cross-sectional design and therefore were unable to test the reciprocal relations between the two constructs. Based on the propositions of social-cognitive theory (Bandura, 1997), TSE may be viewed as an antecedent or as a consequence of emotions. More specifically, TSE may shape emotions since it directs teachers’ attentional, appraisal, and regulatory processes, while emotions may shape TSE since they act as a source of information about teachers’ performance in a given task (i.e., emotions can serve as a filter that determines which efficacy information is seen as salient and how it is interpreted). To test these assumptions, an initial sample of 3010 Croatian teachers (82% female) participated in a longitudinal study based on a full panel design with three measurement points and time lags of approximately 6 months. Teachers taught at different educational levels (i.e., elementary, middle, and secondary schools) and had on average 15.30 years (SD = 10.50) of teaching experience. They completed self-report measures that assessed their self-efficacy beliefs and six discrete emotions experienced in relation to teaching and students – joy, pride, love, anger, hopelessness, and exhaustion. An autoregressive cross-lagged analysis showed that teachers’ emotions and TSE are indeed related to each other. However, the direction of this association is not bidirectional as was suggested by theoretical assumptions; instead, it is asymmetrical – higher levels of TSE beliefs predicted higher levels of positive emotions of joy and pride, while higher levels of teachers’ negative emotions of anger, exhaustion, and hopelessness predicted lower levels of teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs.

Assertiveness and adaptation: Prospective teachers' social competence development and its significance for occupational well-being

BACKGROUND

Difficult social interactions with students are reported to be among the main stressors of beginning teachers, and although social competence has been suggested to represent a vital resource for their transition into practice and early-career adaptation, this assumption has rarely been empirically studied.

AIM

We conducted two studies to investigate the predictive validity and development of prospective and beginning teachers' social competence. In Study 1, we examined, whether social competence predicts beginning teachers' emotional exhaustion. Study 2 investigated whether university teacher training contributes to social competence development among prospective teachers.

SAMPLE

The samples of both studies are based on large-scale assessments. Participants in Study 1 were 1,758 beginning teachers who had been tracked since their entry into university teacher training. Study 2 included 831 prospective teachers who were surveyed over a total period of two years.

METHODS

Data were analysed utilizing a structural equation modelling approach (Study 1) and latent change score modelling (Study 2).

RESULTS

The results of Study 1 revealed that social competence negatively predicts emotional exhaustion. Further, beginning teachers' reports of classroom management functioned as a mediator within that relationship. According to the findings in Study 2, prospective teachers showed no significant enhancements of social competence within one year of university teacher training. However, there was a significant change considering the two-year interval.

CONCLUSIONS

Social competence, as a predictor of occupational well-being, may constitute one important resource for the early-career adaptation of beginning teachers. However, efforts to promote social competence within university teacher training should be increased.

Der Verlauf von lehrbezogenen Selbstwirksamkeitserwartungen angehender MINT-Lehrkräfte im Studium

Zusammenfassung. Selbstwirksamkeitserwartungen (SWE) gelten als zentrale Komponente der Motivation von Lehrkräften und sind ein wichtiger Aspekt in der Entwicklung einer professionellen Kompetenz. Bisherige Studien zeigen aufgrund verschiedener Zielgruppen, unterschiedlicher Domänen und variierender SWE-Konstrukte divergente Befunde bzgl. der Entwicklung von lehrbezogenen SWE im Verlauf des Studiums sowie bzgl. des Einflusses von Praxisphasen. Um zu differenzierten Aussagen zu kommen, wurden zwei Erhebungen durchgeführt, die 1. ausschließlich Studentinnen und Studenten eines Lehramts rekrutierten, 2. mit MINT-Fächern die Domänen eingrenzten und 3. auf lehrbezogene SWE hinsichtlich Planung, Durchführung und Reflexion von Lernsequenzen fokussierten. In einem Querschnitt mit N = 1165 Testpersonen von sechs Hochschulen konnten wir zeigen, dass sich die lehrbezogenen SWE als recht stabil im Verlauf des Studiums erweisen und dass Praxiselemente einen geringen Einfluss haben. Ein realer Längsschnitt mit einer Teilstichprobe von N = 47 Testpersonen zeigte jedoch positive signifikante Effekte der SWE bzgl. Planung, Durchführung und Reflexion von Lehr-Lern-Situationen in einer Prä-Post-Erhebung vor bzw. nach einem Seminar mit Praxisphasen. Dabei scheinen sich Praxiselemente – wenn sie von den Studentinnen und Studenten mit konkreten Situationen in Verbindung gebracht werden und durch ein konstruktives Feedback begleitet sind – positiv auf die SWE auszuwirken. Beziehen sich die SWE eher auf abstrakte und nicht unmittelbar mit einer Situation verbundene Erfahrungen, bleiben diese offenbar konstant.