Investigating the Relationship Between 8th Grade Science Teachers’ Job Satisfaction, Self-efficacy, Work Conditions, and Goal-related Supports in Finland and the United States Using TIMSS Data
Teacher job satisfaction has been a topic at the forefront of research because low job satisfaction leads to high attrition rates that affect student achievement, school culture, and state and federal mandates. When teachers are satisfied in their jobs, they are more likely to be more committed to their role and effective members of the school (Huang, 2001). The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between 8th grade science teachers’ job satisfaction and their self-efficacy to teach science, their work conditions and their perceptions about goal support environment in Finland and the United States based on TIMMS 2011 data. Results of the study indicaed that self-efficacy, work conditions and goal-related environmental supports signicant contributed to job satisfaction in Finland, while in the United States, only work conditions were significantly contributed with job satisfaction. The data suggests that conditions played a much greater roll in teacher job satisfaction than the other two variables researched. This study, however, should be substantial enough to warrant further research into the matter as well as inciting dialogue between teachers, administrators and district officials in search of novel ways to improve teacher job satisfaction and therefore, student performance.
Keywords:Job statisfaction, work conditions, TIMMS;
References
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DATA SOURCE: TIMSS 2011 Teacher Questionnaire. Copyright © 2011 International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). Publisher: TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Lynch School of Education, Boston College.
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