Career Motivation of Student Teachers.

This study explored the multi-dimensional aspects of career motivation among 136 student teachers at the University of Michigan. The motivation variables assessed were: student motivational incentives to choose a teaching career, the degree of student motivation to teach, commitment to the teaching profession, and instructional competency as measured by the student and supervising teacher. Student teacher career motivation was studied from the conceptual basis of motivational psychology, emphasizing the nature of social incentives and level of motivation. The results indicated that the motivational incentives listed more often by student teachers were affliation (liking pupils) and power (wanting to shape the mind of the child). High strength of motivation was significantly related to self-rated performance in the classroom during the student teaching experience. Commitment to teach was neither significantly related to self-assessed or supervisor ratings of performance. Additionally, commitment to teach was not significantly related to strength of motivation. Those students who were highly committed to the teaching profession listed affliation and power incentives significantly more than those students with a low commitment to teach. Additional findings indicated that elementary students rated themselves significantly higher on instructional competency than secondary or special education students. Future research might concentrate on further exploration of the nature and measurement of student commitment to teach, and persistence of motivation as a student teacher and professional teacher.Ph.D.Educational psychologyUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/159526/1/8324159.pd