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Factors affecting job satisfaction and commitment of primary school teachers
Author
Lim, Pei Ling
Supervisor
Ang, Wai-hoong
Abstract
The study explored the various factors such as pay and promotion, supervision, work itself, relationships with colleagues and professional development and how these factors affect job satisfaction of primary school teachers.
The study also examined whether there were any significant bearing of demographic variables such as gender, experience in teaching profession, number of years in the same school, the level taught, academic qualifications and marital status of the teachers on job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
Finally, the researcher also attempted to determine the relationships between factors of job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
The sample consisted of 138 teachers from five government primary schools. Of this sample, there were 25 male teachers (18%) and 113 female teachers (82%). The questionaire aims to provide an insight on primary school teachers' level of job satisfaction and job commitment It consisted of three sections; the first section includes questions on Organizational Commitment, the second sections includes questions on Job Satisfaction and the final section are questions to gather data on demographics.
Descriptive statistics, together with t test analysis, analysis of variance, correlation analysis and reliability analyses were conducted to analyze the data.
The findings of the study are
1. Teachers were generally satisfied with the intrinsic factors such as Work Itself (55%) and Professional Development (62%).
2. For the extrinsic factors ofjob satisfaction, 72% of the teachers were found to be most satisfied with Relationships with Colleagues, 39% were satisfied with Pay and Promotion and only 35% of the teachers were satisfied with Supervision. The results seemed to indicate that teachers are generally unhappy with supervision aspects of the teaching profession, for example, not getting adequate supervision and feedback. They also felt not recognized for their hard work and contributions towards the school
3. Overall, about 56% of the primary school teachers were committed to the organization. These teachers are proud of their teaching profession and care about the fate of the school.
4. There were no significant differences found in the factors of job satisfaction namely, Pay and Promotion, Supervision, Work itself, Working with Colleagues and Professional Development and demographics variables. There were no significant differences found for teachers' Organizational Commitment and demographics variables. The results suggested that these demographic variables had no significant bearings on job satisfaction and commitment of primary school teachers.
5. There was a significant correlation between each factor of job satisfaction, Pay and Promotion (E = 0.45, p < .01.), Supervision (E = 0.58, p < .01.), Work itself = 0.61, p < .01.), Relationships with Colleagues @ = 0.52, p < .Ol.) and Professional Development h = 0.52, p < .01.). The results seemed to indicate that these factors had an effect on teachers' level of organizational commitment. The most significant factor was Supervision followed by Work itself, Relationships with Colleagues and Pay and Promotion.
The study has identified areas of concern such as Supervision and Pay and Promotion needs to be further reviewed so that a greater sense ofjob satisfaction and commitment could be achieved among primary school teachers.
Future research could focus on other factors such as school leadership and organizational culture (Clark and Clark, 1996; Uhl and Perez-Selles, 1995). These factors could be then examined more in-depth to better understand these issues.
The study also examined whether there were any significant bearing of demographic variables such as gender, experience in teaching profession, number of years in the same school, the level taught, academic qualifications and marital status of the teachers on job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
Finally, the researcher also attempted to determine the relationships between factors of job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
The sample consisted of 138 teachers from five government primary schools. Of this sample, there were 25 male teachers (18%) and 113 female teachers (82%). The questionaire aims to provide an insight on primary school teachers' level of job satisfaction and job commitment It consisted of three sections; the first section includes questions on Organizational Commitment, the second sections includes questions on Job Satisfaction and the final section are questions to gather data on demographics.
Descriptive statistics, together with t test analysis, analysis of variance, correlation analysis and reliability analyses were conducted to analyze the data.
The findings of the study are
1. Teachers were generally satisfied with the intrinsic factors such as Work Itself (55%) and Professional Development (62%).
2. For the extrinsic factors ofjob satisfaction, 72% of the teachers were found to be most satisfied with Relationships with Colleagues, 39% were satisfied with Pay and Promotion and only 35% of the teachers were satisfied with Supervision. The results seemed to indicate that teachers are generally unhappy with supervision aspects of the teaching profession, for example, not getting adequate supervision and feedback. They also felt not recognized for their hard work and contributions towards the school
3. Overall, about 56% of the primary school teachers were committed to the organization. These teachers are proud of their teaching profession and care about the fate of the school.
4. There were no significant differences found in the factors of job satisfaction namely, Pay and Promotion, Supervision, Work itself, Working with Colleagues and Professional Development and demographics variables. There were no significant differences found for teachers' Organizational Commitment and demographics variables. The results suggested that these demographic variables had no significant bearings on job satisfaction and commitment of primary school teachers.
5. There was a significant correlation between each factor of job satisfaction, Pay and Promotion (E = 0.45, p < .01.), Supervision (E = 0.58, p < .01.), Work itself = 0.61, p < .01.), Relationships with Colleagues @ = 0.52, p < .Ol.) and Professional Development h = 0.52, p < .01.). The results seemed to indicate that these factors had an effect on teachers' level of organizational commitment. The most significant factor was Supervision followed by Work itself, Relationships with Colleagues and Pay and Promotion.
The study has identified areas of concern such as Supervision and Pay and Promotion needs to be further reviewed so that a greater sense ofjob satisfaction and commitment could be achieved among primary school teachers.
Future research could focus on other factors such as school leadership and organizational culture (Clark and Clark, 1996; Uhl and Perez-Selles, 1995). These factors could be then examined more in-depth to better understand these issues.
Date Issued
2001
Call Number
LB2840 Lim
Date Submitted
2001