Do You Want to Become a Teacher?: Career Choice Motivation Using Behavioral Strategies

Qualified teachers are a fundamental input for any education system. Yet, many countries struggle to attract highly skilled applicants to the teaching profession. This paper presents the results of a large-scale intervention to attract high performing high-school students into the teaching profession in Chile. The intervention was a three-arm email campaign which made salient three types of motivations typically associated with the teaching profession: intrinsic/altruistic, extrinsic, and prestige-related. The objective was to identify which type of message better appealed to high performing students to nudge them to choose a teaching major. The “intrinsic” and “prestige” arms reduced applications to teaching majors among high performers, while the “extrinsic” arm increased applications among low performers. A plausible interpretation could be that the “intrinsic” and “prestige” messages made more salient an issue that could otherwise be overlooked by high performing students (typically from more advantaged households), negatively impacting their program choice: that while the social value of the teaching profession has improved, it still lags behind other professions that are valued more by their families and social circles. In turn, the “extrinsic” arm made salient the recent improvements in the economic conditions of the teaching profession in Chile, thus appealing to low performing students who in general come from disadvantaged families and for whom monetary incentives are potentially more relevant. These results emphasize the importance of having a clear picture of the inherent motivations that could influence individuals career choice. Making salient certain types of motivations to the wrong target group could lead to undesired results.

Preliminary study of the relationship between career choice motivation and understanding of professionalism in newly enrolled medical students in China: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesEarly professionalism education for first-year students is important for generating sound knowledge and attitudes towards medical professionalism. Of the many factors affecting professionalism and professional identity formation in medical students, career choice motivation is an understudied one. This study aimed to explore the relationship between the career choice motivations of first-year medical students and their understanding of professionalism.Settings and participantsA cross-sectional survey of 940 first-year clinical medicine students was conducted at China Medical University in September 2017 to explore students’ motivation to study medicine and its relationship with students’ understanding of professionalism. Demographics, career choice motivation and professionalism were obtained through paper questionnaires. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyse the association between career choice motivation and understanding of professionalism while controlling for potential demographic confounders.ResultsThe most common career choice motivations for first-year medical students (N=843) were interested in the health sciences, income and social status and advocating altruism. The most mentioned subdimensions of professionalism were accountability, pursuit of excellence and compassion. There were significant differences in the understanding of professionalism among students with different career choice motivations.ConclusionFirst-year medical students with different motivations to study medicine also have different understandings of professionalism. Medical educators can explore motivations to learning medicine as a new entry point to providing professionalism education for newly enrolled medical students.

Impact of career choice motivation on academic burnout in senior dental students: A cross-sectional study

Background Motivation triggers all human activities including learning and lack of career motivation can lead to decreased efficiency. This study assessed the association between academic burnout and career choice motivation in senior dental students. Methods This cross-sectional study was performed on senior dental students of all four dental schools in Tehran in 2017. Dental students voluntarily filled out a 33-item questionnaire that comprised three sections. The first section included the Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire (BCSQ-SS) with 12 questions addressing academic burnout. The second section consisted of 8 questions about career choice motivation, and the third section concentrated on 13 questions dealing with demographics. The individual scores of each section and the total scores were reported. The factor analysis of 8 questions about dental career choice motivation yielded 3 factors of social status and security, altruism, and others’ advice motivations. The data were analyzed using regression test. Results Totally, 131 students filled out the questionnaire (response rate = 86%). The total score of academic burnout was 38.89% ± 1.13%. The highest and the lowest burnout scores belonged to the domains of “overload” (46.69%± 1.46%) and “neglect” (31.98%± 1.32%), respectively. The most and the least frequently mentioned source of motivation for choosing dentistry were high income and failing to enter other fields, respectively. The burnout score was higher in students with altruism motivations (P = 0.007) and lower in students with others’ advice motivations (P = 0.004). The burnout score was higher in students with inadequate or moderate financial support from the family and lower in students whose mothers’ educational level was high-school diploma or lower. Conclusion Senior dental students in Tehran encountered different levels of academic burnout. In the present study, low financial support and altruism as career choice motivations were associated with higher level of academic burnout.

Impact of career choice motivation on academic burnout in senior dental students: A cross-sectional study

Background: Motivation triggers all human activities including learning and lack of career motivation can lead to decreased efficiency. This study assessed the association between academic burnout and career choice motivation in senior dental students.Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on senior dental students of all four dental schools in Tehran in 2017. Dental students voluntarily filled out a 33-item questionnaire that comprised three sections. The first section included the Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire (BCSQ-SS) with 12 questions addressing academic burnout. The second section consisted of 8 questions about career choice motivation, and the third section concentrated on 13 questions dealing with demographics. The individual scores of each section and the total scores were reported. The factor analysis of 8 questions about dental career choice motivation yielded 3 factors of social status and security, altruism, and others’ advice motivations. The data were analyzed using regression test. Results: Totally, 131 students filled out the questionnaire (response rate = 86%). The total score of academic burnout was 38.89% ± 1.13%. The highest and the lowest burnout scores belonged to the domains of “overload” (46.69%± 1.46%) and “neglect” (31.98%± 1.32%), respectively. The most and the least frequently mentioned source of motivation for choosing dentistry were high income and failing to enter other fields, respectively. The burnout score was higher in students with altruism motivations (P=0.007) and lower in students with others’ advice motivations (P=0.004). The burnout score was higher in students with inadequate or moderate financial support from the family and lower in students whose mothers’ educational level was high-school diploma or lower. Conclusion: Senior dental students in Tehran encountered different levels of academic burnout. In the present study, low financial support and altruism as career choice motivations were associated with higher level of academic burnout.

Impact of career choice motivation on academic burnout in senior dental students: A cross-sectional study

Background: Motivation triggers all human activities including learning and lack of career motivation can lead to decreased efficiency. This study assessed the association between academic burnout and career choice motivation in senior dental students.Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on senior dental students of all four dental schools in Tehran in 2017. Dental students voluntarily filled out a 33-item questionnaire that comprised three sections. The first section included the Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire (BCSQ-SS) with 12 questions addressing academic burnout. The second section consisted of 8 questions about career choice motivation, and the third section concentrated on 13 questions dealing with demographics. The individual scores of each section and the total scores were reported. The factor analysis of 8 questions about dental career choice motivation yielded 3 factors of social status and security, altruism, and others’ advice motivations. The data were analyzed using regression test. Results: Totally, 131 students filled out the questionnaire (response rate = 86%). The total score of academic burnout was 38.89% ± 1.13%. The highest and the lowest burnout scores belonged to the domains of “overload” (46.69%± 1.46%) and “neglect” (31.98%± 1.32%), respectively. The most and the least frequently mentioned source of motivation for choosing dentistry were high income and failing to enter other fields, respectively. The burnout score was higher in students with altruism motivations (P=0.007) and lower in students with others’ advice motivations (P=0.004). The burnout score was higher in students with inadequate or moderate financial support from the family and lower in students whose mothers’ educational level was high-school diploma or lower. Conclusion: Senior dental students in Tehran encountered different levels of academic burnout. In the present study, low financial support and altruism as career choice motivations were associated with higher level of academic burnout.

Pre-Service Teacher Career Choice Motivation: A Comparison of Vocational Education and Training Teachers and Comprehensive School Teachers in Germany

Context: The current shortage of teachers in Germany, especially in vocational schools, is of relevance to the education system and labour market policy. To recruit future teachers more effectively, it is of great importance to gain a better understanding of pre-service teachers’ career choice motivation. However, research has concentrated so far mainly on teachers in the general education system. The present study investigates the career choice motivation of students who will become vocational education and training (VET) teachers and compares it to the career choice motivation of future comprehensive school teachers. Approach: We surveyed N = 79 teacher training students in total, 30 pre-service VET teachers and 49 pre-service comprehensive school teachers at the beginning of their university-based teacher training. To measure career choice motivation, we used the standardized questionnaire Motivation for Choosing Teacher Education (FEMOLA) including six subscales (Pohlmann & Möller, 2010). In order to compare pre-service VET and comprehensive school teachers with regard to the six scales of career choice motivation, we performed a multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). Findings: We found the highest means for the motives subject-specific and educational interest for the future VET teachers. In comparison to the pre-service comprehensive school teachers, they rated their educational interest, social influences, and utility as significantly less relevant in terms of their career choice motivation. There are no significant differences on the other three motivational scales. Conclusion: The findings show that the two groups partially differ in their motivations to become a teacher. Therefore, we can conclude that the measures for attracting new students should also be individually adapted to the motives for their career choice. For example, in a counselling interview, the motives for choosing a profession should be discussed and compared with the requirements for studying and later working life.

Impact of career choice motivation on academic burnout in senior dental students

Background Motivation is the basis of many activities including learning, and lack of career motivation can lead to decreased efficiency. This study assessed the association between academic burnout and career choice motivation in senior dental students. Methods This cross-sectional study evaluated senior dental students of all four dental schools in Tehran, in 2017. Dental students voluntarily filled-out a 33-question questionnaire with three parts. The first part of the questionnaire included the Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire (BCSQ-SS) with 12 questions regarding academic burnout. The second part included 8 questions regarding career choice motivations and the third part included 13 questions regarding demographics. The individual scores of each domain and the total score were reported. The factor analysis of 8 questions regarding dental career choice motivation yielded 3 factors of social status and security, altruism, and others’ advice motivations. Data were analyzed using the regression test. Results Totally, 131 students filled out the questionnaire (response rate = 86%). The total score of academic burnout was 38.89% ± 1.13%. The highest and the lowest burnout scores belonged to domains of “overload” (46.69%± 1.46%) and “neglect” (31.98%± 1.32%), respectively. The most and the least frequent motivations of students for choosing dentistry were high income and failing to enter other fields, respectively. The burnout score was higher in students with altruism motivations (P = 0.007) and lower in students with others’ advice motivations (P = 0.004). The burnout score was higher in students with inadequate or moderate financial support from the family and lower in students whose mothers’ educational level was equal or lower than high-school diploma. Conclusion Senior dental students in Tehran were involved with different levels of academic burnout. Low financial support and altruism as study motivations in career choice were associated with higher level of academic burnout.