Relationships between teachers' professional values, attitudes, and concerns about the profession in Turkey

Aktan O., TORAMAN Ç., Orakci S.

ISSUES IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH, vol.30, no.2, pp.397-419, 2020 (ESCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 30 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2020
  • Journal Name: ISSUES IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
  • Journal Indexes: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus, EBSCO Education Source, Education Abstracts, ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Page Numbers: pp.397-419
  • Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This study utilised a relational screening model to explore the relationships between teachers' professional values, attitudes, and concerns towards the teaching profession, and whether or not teachers' professional values predict their attitudes towards the teaching profession when the level of concern is taken as a mediator variable. As data collection tools, the Professional Values Scale for Teaching Profession, Anxiety Scale for Teaching Profession, and Attitude Scale for Teaching Profession were administered to 712 teachers from Duzce province in Turkey. From the results we derive a strong recommendation about enabling undergraduates considering teaching as a career to better develop and strengthen their commitment to this profession. More policies should also be developed to improve the status and society's valuing of the teaching profession, as well as increasing the quality of pre-service training of teachers, and the continuing professional development of current teachers, in order to decrease their professional concerns.