Teachers' Growth Mindset and Work Engagement in the Chinese Educational Context: Well-Being and Perseverance of Effort as Mediators

Formed in context: A mixed-methods study of medical students' mindsets in an Eastern culture

INTRODUCTION

Mindsets have become an important focus in the fields of social and cognitive psychology. When holding a growth mindset, people appear more likely to engage in hard work and effort to foster success, seeing setbacks as necessary for learning. When holding a fixed mindset, in contrast, people tend to believe success comes from innate ability, seeing setbacks as evidence of inability. As such, mindsets affect students' learning, resilience and personal development. There is little empirical evidence, however, regarding how medical students perceive mindsets and the fundamental determinants of mindset formation, especially in non-Western contexts. This study investigated medical students' mindsets and perceptions of mindset formation with the aim of broadening the cross-cultural understanding of self-theories.

METHODS

Using a convergent mixed-methods approach at a medical school in China, the authors conducted a survey and four focus groups with medical students in first to third years. Quantitatively, we used the Dweck Mindset Scale to describe medical students' mindsets in the domains of intelligence and talent. Qualitatively, we analysed focus group data using a grounded theory approach to develop a descriptive model.

RESULTS

Survey results included 464 responses for quantitative analysis. Multivariable regression found that Year 3 students had more fixed mindsets for intelligence and talent (p < 0.05) compared with Year 1 students. Rural students reported a more mixed mindset for intelligence compared to urban students (p < 0.05). Qualitative analysis of focus group data yielded four major categories: beliefs about mindsets, conceptualization of mindsets, achievement motivation and source of mindset formation. We developed a Mindset Basis Model to depict connections among the factors students perceived to influence mindset formation-intra- and interindividual factors; contextual factors; and micro-, meso- and macro-system factors-and students' motivation regarding achievement.

CONCLUSION

The study describes medical students' mindsets for the domains of intelligence and talent and explores how they conceptualised these mindsets. The findings indicate that factors influencing mindsets do not operate in isolation but through intricate interactions among multilevel factors embedded within a context.

The impact of a growth mindset on high school students' learning subjective well-being: the serial mediation role of achievement motivation and grit

Purpose

The learning subjective well-being of high school students has significant value for their academic achievement and future life development. A growth mindset is one of the key factors affecting the learning subjective well-being of high school students. However, research on the mechanism by which a growth mindset affects learning subjective well-being is still relatively limited. Therefore, the study aims to investigate the impact of a growth mindset on the learning subjective well-being of high school students, as well as the role that achievement motivation and grit play as serial mediators in this relationship.

Methods

This study employed a convenience sampling method to select 708 high school students from Chinese public high schools as participants. The research utilized the Growth Mindset Scale, Achievement Motivation Scale, Grit Scale, and the Learning Subjective Well-being Questionnaire for High School Students to collect data. All data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0, employing Model 6 from Hayes' SPSS PROCESS macro to test the serial mediation model.

Results

Our results found that (1) high school students' growth mindset positively predicted their learning subjective well-being. (2) Achievement motivation played a mediating role between a growth mindset and learning subjective well-being among high school students. (3) Grit acted as a mediator between learning subjective well-being and growth mindset among high school students. (4) Achievement motivation and grit served as serial mediators between a growth mindset and learning subjective well-being among high school students.

Conclusion

A growth mindset can influence the learning subjective well-being of high school students through achievement motivation and grit. Educators can enhance the learning subjective well-being of high school students by implementing intervention strategies that foster a growth mindset, achievement motivation, and grit.

EFL teachers' engagement: The impact of well-being and emotion regulation

As foreign language education is a challenging and complex activity, investigating the factors that influence English as foreign language (EFL) teachers' engagement may be an interesting area of research. In this field, teachers' engagement is considered an important factor related to people's perception of work. With the emergence of Positive Psychology (PP), and with regard to the role of constructive emotion variables in teachers' engagement, more attention was paid to the practical aspects of life, and it views well-being as a crucial concern for individuals' success. Emotion regulation (ER), as another emotional trait, is noteworthy as it aids in managing the favorable and unfavorable emotions educators commonly encounter in educational settings. Therefore, the constructs of well-being and emotion regulation and their role in the EFL setting have been highlighted. Therefore, the current study sought to assess the effects of well-being and emotion regulation in EFL teachers' engagement. To this end, 410 Chinese EFL teachers were chosen to complete three scales, namely engagement, well-being and ER. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was run to inspect the responses of the teachers. The results specified that both ER and well-being had significant impacts on the engagement of Chinese EFL teachers. Indeed, 65 percent of changes in the EFL educators' engagement can be predicted by their well-being, and about 73 percent can be predicted by their emotional regulation. The consequences for EFL instructors, teacher trainers, and other academic stakeholders are also presented in detail.

Exploring the impact of workload, organizational support, and work engagement on teachers' psychological wellbeing: a structural equation modeling approach

Introduction

This study delves into the intricate relationships among workload, perceived organizational support, work engagement, and psychological wellbeing within the context of 572 secondary school teachers in China.

Methods

Utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM), this research rigorously examined construct validity and the intricate interrelationships among latent variables. The data were collected and analyzed to determine the associations between workload, perceived organizational support, work engagement, and psychological wellbeing.

Results

The findings unveiled compelling negative associations between workload and perceived organizational support, workload and work engagement, and workload and psychological wellbeing among the secondary school teachers. Conversely, positive correlations emerged between perceived organizational support, work engagement, and psychological wellbeing. The structural equation modeling analysis demonstrated strong fit indices, affirming robust alignment with the anticipated models.

Discussion

Mediation analyses further elucidated the significance of work engagement as a mediator in the relationships between workload and psychological wellbeing, as well as between perceived organizational support and psychological wellbeing. These results underscore the pivotal role of work engagement in shaping the impact of workload and organizational support on the psychological wellbeing of secondary school teachers in Chinese educational settings.

The impact of self-efficacy on the well-being of primary school teachers: a Greek-Cypriot study

Introduction

This research was conducted to examine the extent to which teachers' self-efficacy affects their well-being following the COVID-19 pandemic. The originality of the research lies in the fact that there are not enough studies that simultaneously examine the relationship between well-being and self-efficacy in primary school teachers in Greece and Cyprus.

Methods

A total of 258 primary school teacher participants took part in this study, aged 23-62. The Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale and the PERMA Profiler questionnaire were used to study the relationship between teachers' well-being and self-efficacy.

Results

Results show that after the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers' well-being is moderate to high. Moreover, teachers' self- efficacy is also high and related to their well-being.

Discussion

An important finding from the current research is that teachers' self-efficacy in promoting student engagement was the most important predictor for teachers' well-being. The implications of the results are discussed, and recommendations are made.

A Lenz into the predictive power of language teacher emotion regulation and self-evaluation on L2 grit, teaching style preferences, and work engagement: a case of Chinese EFL instructors

An individual's capacity to successfully control their emotional experiences and react to them requires them to engage in a number of processes, including those that are physiological, behavioral, and cognitive. When educators engage in self-evaluation, they investigate and assess the quality of their professional work. These two teacher-related conceptions have the potential to open up valuable perspectives in the course of the professional pursuits of teachers. Even though earlier research has shown their significance, the potential implications of these factors on the resiliency and teaching style preferences of language instructors have not been emphasized. As a result, the purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a language teacher's ability to regulate their emotions while carrying out self-evaluation procedures may accurately predict their level of resilience as well as their preferred method of instruction. To accomplish this, 399 English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers were asked to reflect on their experiences by responding to the following related questionnaires: The Language Teacher Emotion Regulation Inventory (LTERI), The Core of Self-evaluation Questionnaire (CSEQ), the L2-teacher Grit Scale (L2TGS), Grasha Teaching Style Inventory (TSI) and the Engaged Teacher Scale (ETS). The results demonstrated that those EFL teachers who maintained healthy emotional control were grittier and more engaged. They also tended to teach in a manner focused on the students. The pedagogical implications of this research are discussed further in depth.

Predicting Teaching Enjoyment from Teachers' Perceived School Climate, Self-Efficacy, and Psychological Wellbeing at Work: EFL Teachers

We tested an assessment model, by which teacher self-efficacy, perceived school climate, and psychological wellbeing at work, might predict teaching enjoyment. We invited a convenience sample of 355 teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) to respond to four online questionnaires. We used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to check the scales' construct validity and structural equation modeling (SEM) to test associations among the variables. Our results showed that teacher self-efficacy, perceived school-climate, and psychological wellbeing were direct predictors of foreign language teaching-enjoyment (FLTE). Teacher self-efficacy affected FLTE indirectly, as induced by psychological well-being. School climate also indirectly influenced FLTE, as mediated by teacher self-efficacy and psychological wellbeing, with school climate a direct predictor of teacher self-efficacy and psychological wellbeing. Teacher self-efficacy directly affected psychological wellbeing. We discuss implications of these findings for teacher-education programs.

Exploring the relationship between teacher growth mindset, grit, mindfulness, and EFL teachers' well-being

Introduction

This study examines the relationship between teacher growth mindset, mindfulness, grit, and teacher well-being, with a particular emphasis on the mediating role of grit.

Methods

The study involved 547 Chinese EFL teachers as participants. Data collection utilized validated measures of growth mindset, mindfulness, grit, and occupational well-being. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the data and investigate the proposed relationships.

Results

The findings reveal several important relationships. Firstly, both teacher growth mindset and teacher grit exhibit a direct positive influence on teacher well-being. Secondly, teacher grit acts as a mediator in the connection between teacher mindfulness and teacher occupational well-being. This suggests that the positive impact of mindfulness on well-being is, in part, explained by the presence of grit.

Discussion

These findings significantly contribute to our comprehension of the factors influencing teacher well-being. They underscore the importance of cultivating growth mindset, mindfulness, and grit in educational contexts. Moreover, the implications of these findings for teacher training and support programs are discussed.

Examining student burnout causes among English as a foreign language students: focus on school climate and student growth mindset

Introduction

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between student burnout and two key factors - perceived school climate and growth mindset - in the context of English as a foreign language (EFL) learning among Chinese students.

Methods

A sample of 412 intermediate English language learners from China participated in an online survey and completed valid measures of the three constructs. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to establish the validity of the scales used to measure the three latent variables. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was then used to test the proposed model.

Results

The results of SEM showed that both perceived school climate and growth mindset had a significant positive impact on EFL student burnout, with perceived school climate having a stronger effect compared to growth mindset.

Discussion

The findings suggest that promoting a positive school climate and fostering a student growth mindset can help reduce student burnout in EFL settings.

A model of teacher enthusiasm, teacher self-efficacy, grit, and teacher well-being among English as a foreign language teachers

Introduction

This study aimed to investigate the relationship among teacher enthusiasm and teacher self-efficacy, grit, and teacher psychological well-being among Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers.

Methods

A sample of 553 Chinese EFL teachers completed self-report measures of teacher enthusiasm, teacher self-efficacy, grit, and teacher psychological well-being. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to confirm the validity of the scales, and structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized model.

Results

The results indicated that teacher self-efficacy and grit were positively associated with teacher psychological well-being, providing support for the importance of these teacher characteristics in promoting teacher well-being. Furthermore, teacher enthusiasm was found to have an indirect effect on teacher psychological well-being through the mediation of teacher grit, providing evidence for the importance of teacher motivation and engagement in promoting teacher well-being. The partial mediation model was found to be the best fitting model.

Discussion

These findings have important implications for the development of interventions and programs aimed at promoting teacher well-being in the context of EFL teaching.

Self-efficacy, reflection, and resilience as predictors of work engagement among English teachers

Introduction

Given the significant role of work engagement of teachers in educational contexts, some scholarly attention has been directed to exploring the predictors of this construct. Against this backdrop, this study aimed to investigate the predictors of teacher work engagement among Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers by testing a model that includes teacher self-efficacy, teacher reflection, and teacher resilience.

Methods

To achieve this goal, 512 EFL teachers were invited to participate in an online survey, which consisted of four questionnaires. The construct validity of the measures was confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis. Then, structural equation modeling was utilized to examine the relationships between the variables.

Results

The findings indicated that teacher self-efficacy, teacher reflection, and teacher resilience were direct predictors of work engagement, and teacher self-efficacy had an indirect effect on work engagement via teacher reflection and resilience. Similarly, teacher reflection also had an indirect impact on work engagement through teacher resilience.

Discussion

These results have important implications for teacher education programs. The significance of these predictors of work engagement among EFL teachers highlights the importance of fostering self-efficacy, reflection, and resilience among teachers in order to promote their work engagement. Further research can explore ways to enhance these predictors through training and support programs for teachers.

A model of teachers’ growth mindset, teaching enjoyment, work engagement, and teacher grit among EFL teachers

Because of the importance of positive emotions in second language (L2) acquisition, researchers have undertaken studies to investigate L2 learners’ emotions. Nevertheless, L2 teachers’ emotions still require more scholarly attention. Against this backdrop, we sought to test a model of teachers’ growth mindset, teaching enjoyment, work engagement, and teacher grit among English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers. To this end, 486 Chinese EFL teachers volunteered to partake in an online survey and completed the questionnaires of the four constructs in question. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to ensure the construct validity of the used scales. Then structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypothesized model. SEM results indicated that teaching enjoyment, teacher grit, and growth mindset directly predicted EFL teachers’ work engagement. In addition, teaching enjoyment affected work engagement indirectly via the mediation of teacher grit. Likewise, teacher grit mediated the effect of growth mindset on teachers’ work engagement. Finally, the implications of these findings are discussed.

Regional Gray Matter Volume Is Associated with Growth Mindset: A Voxel-Based Morphometry Study

A growth mindset refers to an individual's beliefs about the malleable nature of intelligence. It plays an important role in motivation and achievement. However, few studies have examined the brain mechanisms involved in the growth mindset. In this study, voxel-based morphometry was used to investigate the relationship between growth mindset and gray matter volume (GMV) in healthy adults' sample from 114 men and 275 women who completed the Growth Mindset Inventory and intelligence test and underwent an anatomical magnetic resonance imaging scan. Whole-brain correlation analyses showed a positive relationship between growth mindset scores and regional GMV of the medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) after controlling for age, sex, and total intracranial volume. This result was robust after controlling for intelligence quotient. The mOFC was primarily related to reward processing, supporting the social-cognitive theory of motivation on growth mindset.

Modeling the contributions of EFL university professors' emotion regulation to self-efficacy, work engagement, and anger

As university professors' emotion regulation (ER) plays a pivotal role in their efficacy, it is essential to explore if it is significantly correlated with work engagement (WE), self-efficacy, and anger at the workplace. To respond to the call, this research inspected the contributions of university professors' ER to their WE, self-efficacy, and anger. For this purpose, a total of 278 university professors were selected using a convenience sampling method and asked to fill out Language Teacher Emotion Regulation Inventory, Engaged Teacher Scale, Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale, and Teacher Anger Scale. A structural equation modeling was used to analyze the gathered data. Results disclosed that the participants' ER significantly contributed to their WE and self-efficacy. Additionally, the findings documented that the participants' ER was negatively correlated with their anger. The implications of the findings are discussed for pertinent stakeholders.

Delving into the relationship between teacher emotion regulation, self-efficacy, engagement, and anger: A focus on English as a foreign language teachers

Due to the potent role of teachers’ emotion regulation in effective teaching, it seems essential to see how emotion regulation can contribute to other relevant teaching constructs. In this regard, the present study is intended to probe into the causal relationship among teacher emotion regulation, self-efficacy beliefs, engagement, and anger. In so doing, the Language Teacher Emotion Regulation Inventory (LTERI), The Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES), The Engaged Teacher Scale (ETS), and The Teacher Anger Scale (TAS) were administered to 581 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in Iran. To gauge the causal relationships among the variables, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) using LISREL 8.80 were conducted. The results indicated that language teacher emotion regulation could positively and significantly predict teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs and engagement at work. Moreover, the influence of language teacher emotion regulation on the teacher’s anger is significantly negative. That is, the stronger emotion regulation is implemented the better teachers can manage their anger. The implications of this study may uncover new prospects for effective teaching, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The impact of implicit theories on resilience among Chinese nurses: The chain mediating effect of grit and meaning in life

Implicit theories refer to assumptions people hold about different domains, also known as mindsets. There are two implicit theories on the malleability of one’s ability: entity theory and incremental theory. They constrain and regulate people’s understanding and responses to an individual’s behavior, leading to different social cognitive patterns and behavioral responses. Resilience is a positive adaptation in highly stressful situations that represents mechanisms for coping with and transcending difficult experiences, i.e., a person’s ability to successfully adapt to change, resist the adverse effects of stressors, avoid significant dysfunction, and be chronically affected by considered a protective factor for mental health. Although previous studies showed that individuals’ implicit theories are associated with resilience, this relationship has received little attention in the nursing population. It is unclear which variables may contribute to explaining the relationship between implicit theories and resilience. Therefore, the current study aims to deeply explore the relationship between implicit theories and the resilience of Chinese nurses. In addition, we also seek to demonstrate the chain mediating effects of grit and meaning in life on this relationship. We surveyed 709 Chinese nurses through online questionnaires using the self-made demographic questionnaire, the Implicit Theories Scale, the Short Grit Scale, the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, and the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. After controlling for demographic variables such as age, gender, educational background, marital status, professional title, and working years, the results reveal positive associations between Chinese nurses’ implicit theories and their resilience, and grit and meaning in life play a partial mediating role in this relationship, respectively. Furthermore, grit and meaning in life play a chain mediating role between implicit theories and resilience. These findings contribute to understanding the psychological impact mechanism of implicit theories on nurses’ resilience and provide a theoretical basis for nursing managers to formulate strategies to improve nurses’ psychological resilience.

An Investigation Into the Interplay Between Chinese EFL Teachers' Emotional Intelligence, Ambiguity Tolerance, and Work Engagement

Teachers' work engagement is regarded as a critical issue in educational contexts, so the emotional factors and personality traits, and their effects on teacher engagement have drawn the attention of investigators. This study seeks to investigate the relationship between teachers' emotional intelligence, ambiguity tolerance, and work engagement. Moreover, this study tries to investigate the contribution of emotional intelligence and ambiguity tolerance to teachers' work engagement. To do so, 322 teachers (96 males and 226 females) participated in this study. Schutte's Self Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT), Multiple Stimulus Types Ambiguity Tolerance Scale-II (MSTAT-II), and Self-report engagement Questionnaire were used in this study. The statistical techniques used in this study are the Spearman Rho test and ANOVA. The findings showed that there are significant correlations between work engagement, emotional intelligence, and ambiguity tolerance. Comparing the predictability power, teachers' emotional intelligence (B = 0.611) proved to have a higher index compared to their index of ambiguity tolerance (B = 0.2). This study concluded that emotionally intelligent teachers and teachers with higher levels of ambiguity tolerance are more engaged in the EFL contexts. Moreover, the study has some pedagogical implications and suggestions for different teacher educators, policy-makers, and advisors. The ideas can improve their awareness of teachers' emotional intelligence, ambiguity tolerance, and work engagement in educational environments.

Enhancing Chinese EFL Teachers’ Work Engagement: The Role of Self and Collective Efficacy

Teachers’ work engagement is considered an essential component in instruction. Accordingly, the emphasis should be over physical and mental predictors of this construct. In this line, this study investigates the relationship between Chinese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ individual self-efficacy, collective efficacy, and work engagement. To this end, 300 Chinese instructors (males = 96, females = 204) from different colleges and universities participated in this study. The questionnaires were distributed among teachers with different educational levels and experiences. Linear multiple regression was used as a measure for data analysis. The findings showed the significant correlations between teachers’ work engagement, self-efficacy, and collective efficacy. Comparing the predictability power, teachers’ self-efficacy (B = 0.57) proved to have a higher index compared to their index of collective efficacy competence (B = 0.22). This study concluded that self-efficacious teachers and teachers who believe in collective efficacy are more engaged in the EFL contexts. Moreover, the study has some pedagogical implications and suggestions for different teacher educators, administrators, and advisors.

On the Role of Chinese English as a Foreign Language: Teachers' Well-Being and Loving Pedagogy in Their Academic Engagement

Positive emotions are regarded as vital issues in English as a foreign language (EFL) instruction. This study attempted to consider the relationships between Chinese EFL teachers' psychological well-being, loving Pedagogy, and work engagement as the constructs of positive psychology in academic contexts. It also tried to examine the contribution of psychological well-being and loving pedagogy in work engagement. To this end, 414 Chinese EFL teachers including participated in this study. The three questionnaires called Dispositions toward Loving Pedagogy Scale, Index of Psychological Well-Being at Work, and Self-report Engagement Questionnaire were distributed among learners. The findings showed significant relationships between well-being, loving pedagogy, and work engagement. Moreover, the results indicated that teachers' psychological well-being significantly predicted their work engagement. This study provided some implications for teachers, teacher educators, and educational policy-makers to raise their awareness of adopting loving pedagogy and boosting teacher well-being for the enhancement of teacher involvement in academic contexts.

Employee Growth Mindset and Innovative Behavior: The Roles of Employee Strengths Use and Strengths-Based Leadership

This study aimed to investigate the relationship of employee growth mindset with innovative behavior and the mediating role of use of strength as well as the moderating role of strengths-based leadership in this relationship. Data with a sample of 244 employees working in diverse Chinese organizations were collected at two points in time. Results of bootstrapping analyses demonstrated that growth mindset is positively related to innovative behavior, employee strengths use partially mediates the positive relationship of growth mindset with innovative behavior, and strengths-based leadership strengthens the direct relationship between employee growth mindset and innovative behavior and the indirect relationship of employee growth mindset with innovative behavior via strengths use. This study advances growth mindset and innovative behavior theories and research.

Exploring a Structural Model of Teaching Enjoyment, Teacher Self-Efficacy, and Work Engagement

Due to the complexity of teaching, determining the variables influencing teachers' work engagement is a rewarding research area. In line with this research agenda, the purpose of this study was to test a structural model of work engagement based on teacher self-efficacy and teaching enjoyment among English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers. For this purpose, 315 Iranian English instructors completed an online survey. Initially, the measurement models for the three latent variables were averred via conducting confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Following that, structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to test the hypothesized model. SEM results showed that both self-efficacy and teaching enjoyment were the significant predictors of teachers' work engagement, although teacher self-efficacy was a stronger predictor than teaching enjoyment. The findings might have notable implications for English teachers.

English as a Foreign Language Teachers' Work Engagement, Burnout, and Their Professional Identity

Teacher-related variables have been considered as determining factors in shaping educational system. Teacher professional identity is also very important construct that affect teachers' teaching practice Moreover, the positive and negative emotions are considered sporadically in Chinese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) educational contexts; however, and there is a paucity of research in investigating the relationship between work engagement as a positive emotion and teacher burnout as a negative workrelated factor. This review also tried to examine how teachers' professional identity is affected by teachers' positive and negative emotions in Chinese contexts. Earlier studies have verified that teacher burnout is significantly correlated with professional identity. The earlier investigations showed the mediating role of job resources, such as job satisfaction and obligation, in the correlation between teacher burnout and professional identity. Moreover, studies have shown a significant negative correlation between teacher burnout and work engagement. Some variables, including personal features, instructive environment, work difficulties, job capital, character strengths, self-efficacy, close relationship with school colleagues, and emotional intelligence, mediate the correlation between teacher burnout and work engagement. Finally, this review specified that teachers' professional identity is regarded as a critical variable in fostering work engagement. Emotional intelligence was also considered a mediating variable that affected the relationship between teacher professional identity and work engagement. Moreover, the study has pedagogical implications and suggestions for different teacher educators, administrators, and advisors. The ideas can improve their awareness of teacher burnout, professional identity, and work engagement in instructive contexts.

The Roles of Transformational Leadership and Growth Mindset in Teacher Professional Development: The Mediation of Teacher Self-Efficacy

This study investigated the effects of school-related factors (i.e., transformational leadership) and teacher-related factors (i.e., teachers’ growth mindset and self-efficacy) in teachers’ sustainable professional development, as indicated by their reported desirable professional attitudes and their adoption of teaching strategies using the method of structural equation modelling. Based on a questionnaire survey of 1297 teachers in China, the results of this study showed that, compared with teachers’ growth mindset, transformational leadership had a stronger effect on teacher self-efficacy; transformational leadership, rather than teachers’ growth mindset, was significantly and directly related to teachers’ professional attitudes towards classroom teaching and their adoption of desirable teaching strategies. Moreover, teacher self-efficacy significantly mediated the effects of transformational leadership and growth mindset on teachers’ professional attitudes and the adoption of desirable teaching strategies. These findings highlight the importance of teachers’ affective attributes (e.g., growth mindset, self-efficacy, and professional attitudes) in teacher professional development, and provide implications for school leaders and teachers to sustain effective teacher professional development.

The development of grit and growth mindset in Chinese children

In a recent longitudinal study of U.S. adolescents, grit predicted rank-order increases in growth mindset and, to a lesser degree, growth mindset predicted rank-order increases in grit. The current investigation replicated and extended these findings in a younger non-Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (non-WEIRD) population. Two large samples totaling more than 5000 elementary school children in China completed self-report questionnaires assessing grit and growth mindset five times over 2 years. As in Park et al. (2020, Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 198, 1048892020), we found reciprocal relations between grit and growth mindset. Grit systematically predicted rank-order increases in growth mindset at each subsequent 6-month interval. Growth mindset also predicted small rank-order increases in grit over the same period. These findings suggest that, over time, behavior may exert as much an influence on beliefs as the reverse-a dynamic possibly observable as early as in elementary school and not just in WEIRD cultures.

Australian teacher stress, well-being, self-efficacy, and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic

The 2020 COVID pandemic radically altered the way in which individuals live and work. For teachers, this entailed a shift in their teaching practice, with large numbers of schools around Australia and the world closing for prolonged periods of time and moving to an "online" format. This required teachers to quickly adapt their teaching practices adding further stress to an already stressful environment. In this article, we examine the relationships between teachers' stress, teachers' self-efficacy, and teachers' well-being during the COVID pandemic. The study presents the results from a quantitative survey undertaken in June and July 2020 with 534 teachers around Australia. While the study found that, overall, most teachers (77.29%) reported that they were not feeling anxious in their teaching role, teachers' responses indicated that they were experiencing high levels of stress and low levels of positive feelings such as joy, positivity, and contentment in their work during the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacting their well-being and self-efficacy.

The Linkage between Ethical Leadership, Well-Being, Work Engagement, and Innovative Work Behavior: The Empirical Evidence from the Higher Education Sector of China

In this study, we investigate the relationship between ethical leadership (EL), work engagement (WE), well-being, and innovative work behavior (IWB). The significance of these variables has increased in the current era when the influence of technology is exponentially increasing in the education sector. We investigate the role of ethical leadership in determining innovative work behavior. Moreover, we investigate the moderating effect of WB in the relationship between EL and WE. We also examine the mediating impact of WE in the relationship between EL and IWB. We used a questionnaire survey approach to collect data. The target population of this study was the academic personnel, i.e., senior professors, lecturers, and supporting staff associated with the higher education sector located in Zhejiang Province, China. Data were collected in two phases. In the first phase, we sent 300 research questionnaires and received 251 responses. In the second phase, after a three-month interval, we sent 200 questionnaires and received 162 responses. However, over the two phases, we collected a total of 413 questionnaires; 43 were discarded. Therefore, for analysis, we used 370 questionnaires. The data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling through SmartPLS 3.2.2. First, in the direct relationship, results confirm that EL positively influences the IWB. Secondly, WB has a positive and moderating relationship between EL and IWB. Thirdly, we address the relationship between EL and WE. The outcome indicates that there is a positive and significant relationship. Fourth, the results of this study indicate that there is positive and significant relationship between WE and IWB. Finally, the outcomes imply that WE positively mediates between EL and IWB. Ethical leadership and well-being are important for innovative work behavior that supports managers in introducing a supportive workplace environment that promotes good interpersonal relationships with subordinates. Therefore, a good interpersonal relationship between managers and subordinates enhances the work quality. So, ethical leaders provide a supportive work environment to all subordinates regarding their work.

Chinese English as a Foreign Language Teachers' Immunity and Mindfulness as Predictors of Their Work Engagement

Considering the significant contribution of teachers' professional triumph in the prosperity of students, the current study aims to investigate the existence of any relationship among three factors influencing teachers' success: immunity, mindfulness, and engagement. Furthermore, we attempt to investigate whether English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers' immunity and mindfulness can predict their work engagement. To this end, a Likert-scale questionnaire including items on teacher immunity, mindfulness, and work engagement was distributed to 582 EFL teachers in China through the WeChat application by employing a convenient sampling. To analyze the collected data, the Spearman Rho correlation index and linear multiple regression analysis are employed. The findings are that there does exist an indication of a direct relationship among EFL teachers' immunity, mindfulness, and work engagement. Also, it is found that immunity and mindfulness can predict EFL teachers' work engagement. The current study's findings support the necessity of training language teachers to cope with the EFL context adversities.

Reviewing the Effect of English as a Foreign Language Teachers’ Positive and Negative Affectivity on Their Work Engagement

This review strives to illuminate the related studies on the effect of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ positive and negative emotions on their work engagement. The negative correlations among teachers’ boredom, apprehension, shame, frustration, and work engagement have been confirmed in the review of the literature. Furthermore, few studies have validated the effect of teachers’ positive emotions, such as enjoyment and pride, on their work engagement in educational contexts. The studies showed that some factors, such as teacher self-efficacy, teacher self-sufficiency, increased academic challenges, and ambiguity in educational contexts, can mediate the relationship between teachers’ negative emotions and work engagement. The review of literature has emphasized the mediating role of growth mindset in the relationship between teachers’ positive emotions and work engagement. To improve the language teaching quality, the pedagogical implications are explained in the end. Some suggestions for further research are provided to expand the literature about teachers’ emotional variables.

Cognitive Strategies and Textual Genres in the Teaching and Evaluation of Advanced Reading Comprehension (ARC)

In the last decade, published data on the performance of Colombian students have concerned educators and researchers, making critical reading one of the priorities of Colombian education. That is why this article presents the results of a study carried out in a Latin American university in which the perceptions of students and professors are analyzed regarding the strategies and textual genres used to work and cross-evaluate the advanced reading comprehension (ARC). This study is materialized in the application of an ad hoc online questionnaire, in its two versions (students and teachers), designed through Survey Monkey. For this, it has the participation of 182 teachers and 2,775 students. There are several trends in the use of specific textual strategies and typologies to work and evaluate ARC, by both, depending on the department of assignment. The evidence found is provided and evaluated considering the implications for cross-curricular instruction and assessment in higher education in Latin America, including study limitations and prospects for overcoming them.

The Mediating Effect of Self-Regulation on the Association Between Growth Mindset About Work and Living a Calling Among Primary and Secondary School Teachers

PURPOSE

Given that extensive studies have documented the wide-ranging benefits of living a calling, determining whether and how living a calling can be improved is of great importance. Although recent research implies that a growth mindset about work may link to self-regulatory processes and living a calling, little research to date has directly examined the relationships between these variables. Building on Burnette's SOMA model, this study was designed to examine the premise that a growth mindset about work was a predictor of living a calling and to explore the mediating role of self-regulation in the growth mindset about work-living a calling link.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted among educational professionals in China. Data were collected from 608 primary and secondary school teachers on growth mindsets about work, self-regulation and living a calling. A structural equation model was used to test the hypothesis that self-regulation would mediate the relationship between a growth mindset about work and living a calling.

RESULTS

Consistent with our premise, a growth mindset about work was positively associated with living a calling. Also, a growth mindset about work was significantly associated with self-regulation strategies in terms of goal setting, perseverance, decision making, and learning from mistakes. As hypothesized, a growth mindset about work was related to higher levels of living a calling via goal setting, perseverance, and learning from mistakes.

CONCLUSION

The findings contribute to the increasing breadth of the growth mindset literature across various contexts and its consequences for one's living a calling, which expand the nomological web of correlates of growth mindset about work. Furthermore, these findings suggest that fostering a growth mindset about work may facilitate adaptive behaviors and, thereby, serve as a calling intervention.

Factors influencing university teachers' use of a mobile technology-enhanced teaching (MTT) platform

The main purpose of this study was to examine the critical factors influencing university teachers' use of a mobile technology-enhanced teaching (MTT) platform during the new coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic. An integrated model with multiple factors drawing from the theoretical models and learning theories was proposed in this study to examine university teachers' intentions to use an MTT platform. The multiple factors included the individual factor (e.g., growth mindset, help seeking, and self-efficacy), the social factor (e.g., social norms), and the technological acceptance factor (e.g., perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use). The survey method was used to collect data on university teachers' perceptions of the MTT platform use, and a two-step structural equation modeling approach was used for the data analysis. Based on the path analysis of a total of 214 valid responses, the results identified that growth mindset, help seeking, and self-efficacy from the individual factor, as well as perceived usefulness from the technology acceptance factor were the significant determinants of university teachers' intentions to adopt the MTT. The contributions of this study are twofold. First, the proposed model was derived from multiple literature sources, providing a sound theoretical foundation to understand MTT platform use from an academic angle. Second, university teachers' viewpoints are a unique observation of their actual platform use, providing practical insights into the improvement and maintenance of MTT-related platforms for all educators. The findings are especially valuable during the post-COVID-19 era.

Validation of Work Need Satisfaction Scales Among Chinese Working Adults: A Psychology of Working Theory Perspective

This study translated the Work Need Satisfaction Scales (WNSS), which was conceptualized in the Psychology of Working Theory (PWT), and tested the reliability and validity of the Chinese version (WNSS-C). In Study 1 ( N = 423), the WNSS was translated into Chinese, and an exploratory factor analysis yielded a five-factor solution representing needs related to survival, social contribution, competence, relatedness, and autonomy. In Study 2 ( N = 425), confirmatory factor analyses found no significant differences between the correlated five-factor, higher-order, and higher-order self-determination needs models. The results suggest the effectiveness of using a flexible five-factor model. Then, configural, metric, and scalar invariance models were tested, demonstrating that the WNSS-C is equivalent across gender, age, education level, and job position. Finally, we tested the concurrent, convergent, and discriminant validity of the WNSS-C and demonstrated that WNSS-C is a useful tool in the Chinese context.

The criterion validity of career adapt–abilities scale with cooperation among Chinese workers

Purpose

This work contributes to the literature on career adaptability by examining the criterion validity of the Cooperation dimension, supporting the inclusion of cooperation into the career adaptability construct and informing the nomological network of career adaptability (Nye et al., 2018; Savickas and Porfeli, 2012). The authors also evaluate the improvements in cross-cultural generalizability argued for by Nye et al. (2018) by conducting a criterion validity study of the CAAS including cooperation using a non-Western sample.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey responses from a Chinese adult working sample (N = 208, 53.4% male) were analyzed via relative weights analysis, facilitating the comparison of the Cooperation dimension to other career adaptability dimensions and general adaptability.

Findings

Results demonstrate the added value of the Cooperation dimension across several work outcomes (i.e. work engagement, career commitment, occupational well-being, occupational stress) and highlight Cooperation in predicting interpersonal outcomes (i.e. supervisor and coworker satisfaction).

Originality/value

The inclusion of Cooperation, a dimension originally conceptualized as a career adaptability factor but only recently subjected to additional psychometric evaluation, within the career adaptability paradigm should promote both predictive validity and cross-cultural generalizability.

I am engaged, therefore my students are satisfied! Unleashing the role of teachers' interaction and sensitivity based on self-determination perspective

Purpose

Students' satisfaction is termed as their subjective evaluation of the fulfillment of expectations and pleasure experienced from the teaching services. This study intends to examine the role of teachers' work engagement in inculcating students' satisfaction from their teachers taking a self-determination perspective. It moreover highlights the underlying mechanisms of teacher–student interaction and teachers' sensitivity.

Design/methodology/approach

We used 278 valid and matched responses from teachers and students of higher secondary/intermediate/degree colleges operating in Pakistan through multi-stage sampling. The data were gathered in three waves and multiple mediation analysis was conducted using PROCESS model 4 to analyze the data and infer results.

Findings

The results revealed that college teachers' work engagement (i.e. vigor, dedication and absorption) is required to create their willingness and motivation to invest in effective pedagogical decisions and inculcate students' satisfaction. This engagement, in turn, improves their interaction with students and makes them more sensitive in meeting the needs of students that causes students to have satisfying educational experiences.

Originality/value

This research has taken a unique standpoint of considering teachers' engagement as a precursor of students' satisfaction, in contrast to the prior focus on assessing the role of institutional dynamics, demographics and teachers' competence. It has also unraveled the role of teachers' sensitivity and student–teacher interaction in the above-mentioned association based on self-determination theory (SDT). Moreover, it has emphasized the teaching dynamics and its outcomes in the college sector instead of the much-examined university and school settings.

Fake it or make it: employee well-being in emotional work settings

Purpose

The objective of the present study is to measure the well-being of employees who are engaged in frontline roles and actively engrossed in frequent regulation and management of emotions while performing interpersonal interactions. The study has conceptualised the comprehensive model to measure employee well-being with three work-related dimensions, namely work engagement, burnout and job satisfaction in emotional work settings.

Design/methodology/approach

The study has been conducted on employees of the civil aviation industry in North India working on various frontline profiles. Data have been collected from 600 employees through a pretested questionnaire, and structural equation modelling (SEM) has been performed to test the hypothesis.

Findings

The findings of the study have revealed that all three dimensions, namely work engagement, burnout and job satisfaction are statistically significant measures of employee well-being in emotional work settings. Also, the study has determined that employees are highly satisfied and engaged at work despite having a feeling of burnout.

Research limitations/implications

The study has enriched the literature by presenting and analysing a comprehensive model of employee well-being in emotional work settings of the civil aviation industry.

Practical implications

The study will aid the various service industries in the framing of the intervention and training programs, which would help in promoting the well-being of employees who are specifically engaged in emotional work.

Social implications

The study is very substantial in offering various parameters over which national well-being policies for individuals can be framed.

Originality/value

Priorly, very few studies have attempted to recognise the role of the aforementioned variables in emotional work settings in a comprehensive manner. Further, the study has emphasised the unrecognised role of job satisfaction and work engagement where burnout is prevailing due to the presence of high emotional job demands.

Prevalence and associated factors of depression among Korean adolescents

This study aimed to identify factors significantly associated with recent depressive mood with respect to health-related behavioral patterns at the individual level, perceived safety in the school environment, and willingness to share concerns with family and social networks. Self-reported responses to questions regarding recent feelings of depression, health-related behaviors in physical, psychological, and spiritual subdomains, school refusal and perceived safety at school, and perceived social support were obtained from 1,991 in-school adolescents (mean [SD] age = 15.3 [1.7] years; male/female = 936/1055). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify explanatory factors significantly associated with recent depression, defined as feelings of sadness or hopelessness for more than 2 weeks (during the last 12 months) that interfered with everyday functioning. Of the 1,991 students, 271 (13.6%) reported recent depression. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed higher odds of recent depression in adolescents with frequent thoughts of school refusal (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 3.25 [2.44-4.32]) and those who engaged in regular physical exercise (1.57 [1.19-2.07]), whereas a positive mindset (0.65 [0.49-0.86]), perceived safety at school (0.62 [0.47-0.82]), and perceived social support from one's mother (0.54 [0.40-0.72]) were associated with lower odds of recent depression. Taken together, our findings suggest that parents and teachers should talk regularly with adolescents about recent life (dis)satisfaction and stressors, particularly when they report frequent thoughts of school refusal. Perceived social support would increase perceived safety on school grounds and make it easier for teenagers to share their concerns with parents, thereby reducing the risk for depressive symptoms. School-based programs that promote a positive mindset would be helpful in preparing students for the challenges of adulthood.