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PROPESSXOII.ALXSM AJlD SECOIIDA.RY TEACHERS DI IIEW Z£ALAIIID
A thea1.a presented 1n partial :fulfilmat
of the requirea«lta ~or the degree of Muter of Art.a
1n £ducaUan at Maasey tlDiveraiey
DaY1.d R. i..YU(Jle 1969
"Proa the ec:onom1c and social at.andpoiAt a country's educ:at1onal sy tem J.s it.s Nin means both of perpetuating th values and akllls of its population and preparing it for~• changes wh.icb progreaa require•••
(Phillipa 1964)
one of the mainstays ~ a country• a educational ayat ia ita teachers and therefore much of the reaponaibility for the f'uture welfare of a aociety reat• on their ahouldera.
Fro• such a basis thJ..a atudy att pta to ezua1D• • group of teachers f a segment of New zealud•a teaching force with the a1a of cOAtrll,uUng to a 110re empirically
11
baaed analysis of secondary teachers in thU country. A.a this inveatigation is concerned with teachers 1n their occupat:1.onal rolea, rather than with teaching, the cone pt of profea-
si.onalis 1a used •• the main structuring element 1n th research.
An att pt is mad to justify the baaic preai . . that
&11 teachers should be professionally orientated. Such an orientation ls conceiv d •• having thr basic e1 enta1 technical co-..petuice, autonomy and service ideal. A pro~easional teacher is a as one who haa a feeling~
ezpertiae in bia occupat:.iona\ role (cmr&Pet e); want the freedom to do the job the vay he thinke i t ought to be do
<
autoaomy) 1 and considers hi.a basic loyalty to 1>e to hiapupils rather than the inatimtion < MJ:TJ.ce). index of prof' esaionalism ia cal cu.lated for ch re:apcmaent on tbe
baaia ~ the era to 1teaa 1n a C011pOdte eatJ.on-set
<-
que•tion 33, Appmdix).The le c:ompriaed hundr d and eighty-six t her froa t sc:boola situated 1n around a light 1nduatr1al d aerri.cillg centre 1a th lower lf ~ tile
North Xal • Thi.a nua1>e.r reprea ted a reapanM rate f
juat over fUty percent. Re pansea were coded on to
x.:a.M.
cards for analyai.a, and calculation of statistical s1gn1.ficanc (using chi.-square) was done by computer. The more specific purpose of the re.search is to exaaiJle aoma of the possible background correlates of a proi'eaaional role perception in teaching by investigating the relaU-.onahip between profes- a1onal1-a and sex-role, socio-economic badcground, advanced tre1n1ng and occupatioa&l position.
A further intenti.on 1.a to see what possible consequence prof esaionali.sm has on other el enta ~ th• t.eacbJ.DcJ
aituati.on by .lookJ.ng for
r
lat1onah1pa t>etve.n it and te-.chin9 style, extra-cu.rricu.lar act1Yi.ti •• percepti.ons of aima ofeduca~, external exuainaUona, eaphaaia 1n education, teacher saU.facti.on and part1.ci.patJ.on 1D profeaaJ.onal aaaociationa.
Much of the value o~ thi• research 1a 1n terms of the lack of significant findings, pointing to one or all of the following:-
(1) the aethodical inadequacies 1n tbe operational.1.ntioa of the concept of profe~s!.onalisin; (U) the inappropriateness of the concept for teachi.nq; (111) the distinc:ti.on which must be lllade between a professional role perception and
profeaaional behaviour.
However _... aign!.ficant findings do emerge in relation to sex-role and arital. status. emphuea 1n teac:hing style, eaphaaea 1n other el•enta ~ education, out.aide ezaainationa, interest and activity in the Poat Primary Teachera •
Aasociat1.on end saUS'facUon in teaching. Moat of these
r aul ta are conaJ.a~ent w1 th the concept of a pr~ easioul J:Ole or1entat1on (especially the •ervke eleaent>, but.,.. point to the d1apar1ty between a pmfeaaional orientation and
profeaai.onal bebaYiour.
Altboup only limited gtmeral.1aationa can be drawn from
~ • dataa t.hla abldy has .alue 1n that i t IMlgSn• reaearch 1n
an area of Mew Z..leaact educat.iGD ao far little lnve•Ugated.
111
ACJCHOWL&DGEMEMTS
J: very grateful for the h lp given to me by
or.G.S.Fraaer not. only in terms of the reading of drafts
and diSOJasing of aater.ial but alao for hJ.a personal
enc:our gement at all tiae.
Thank• are alao due to Professor c.Hill and or.R.
Ad.us vho kindly read aectimus of the draft offered many helpful aug9eatJ.ona.
To all tbe teacher• who co-op ated by COIIPl ting a questionnaire X acknowledge a debt o~ gratitude.
Xn c:onat.ructinq my questionnaire I uaed i t fr
John L.Coloabotoa• study (1962) and the International Study of T achera.
Finally :t grateful to •y wife for her extra- ordi.D.ary patience and support.
iv
ABSTRACT
AOa'IOWLEDGEM&'ll'rS TABLE OF
commrs
LIST OF TABL&S
LIS'r OF CH.ARTS
PART X.
Chapter:
X. ADIS AIID PURPOSE OF TlilS DIVESTXGA'nOH
Traditional U •
ScJ. tJ.fic I>efin1t1ona Tb Symbol
Pag i l iv
V
vlil
X
1
2
•
4 6 Th Xmportance of the Concept of Profeaaionaliam 8 The Symbol and Teaching
Should Tudling be a Prcd aaion?
10 1 15
Role 16
Role Perception; A PJ:Ofe sional OrientatJ.on 19 Studies o~ .Rol Percept1ona
Pmf'essionali Teachers
aor rof sJ.onal ?
E..
%ll. THE RESEARCH H!'POTBESXS
Jor Vari 1 &lat,ora
sex
Bole Dd Prcd n10IMl.11•~IIIIC:eG
Occup tiOlllll ~
2'1 2-4 25 28 30 32
37 40
V
PART l l .
I
\
TABLE OF COlffElffS (coatimted)
Paqe
Profesa1ona11• and Teaching Style 42
Pro1eaa!onal1sa and k t r ~cu.rricular Activlt.ie• 43
Profusionallu and Alma o~ Educ:at1on 44 Prof'easionaiua and Ext:enual bamtnationa 46 Prof •sJ.onallBRl ad &nphasea 1n Educatlora 41 Professionalism and Partie.ipation in 50
Professional Associ.atJ.cms
The Sample
D b Collec:Uon
~ c s and other ne1CUSt.u:
Stat1sUc:al Methods Used
8ACKGRO'Ulro CORRELATES OF PROF&SSXORALXSM
52 52 54
55
60
61 Chapter:
v.
SOCIAL BACXGROUIID AIIO P OFESSIOIIALISM 62 Sex of Respond ta and Profeaaiona11 62 SOcio-Ec:onalllic Background and Proleaaionall• 67 s aryVX. THE WORK SrruATX
AdvallCed Tra1n1ng ad Pro*ea•1au11•
OccupaUonal Po&d.tJ.oa and P ~ o a a l
u t l l
P
nz.
THE llELATX SHXPS BE'JNE:ERRDLB p EPTXOR AIID
w~ms
C, '!HE T£ACHDJGnTt1Aff
72 72 75 Tl 7
TA&£ OF COftElrl'S (conUaued)
Page
Chapters
Vll. PROFESSXOIIALXSM Mm SELECTED PERPORMABCB
VAlUABLES 81.
Teaching Style
Extr -CUrrieul.ar Activities Summary
81 86
88 VllJ:. PROFESSIONALXSM .AHO TEACHER Affl'TUDES TO
xx.
x.
XI.
SELECTED SrrtJATXOBAL VARXABLES 90
Profeas1onalism and a of EducaUon 90 Pro,re ionali and 'l'eachera• Attitudes to 92
External Examinations
SUffllfta.rY 95
PROFESSXORALXSM ABO EMPHASES DI SECOBDARY
ED'UCATXOH
DITERSST PARTICXPA'fi DIP OFESSJ:-,~
ASSOCXAT:IOJJS
SU ary
other thodol.ogical Pftml
An Appropriate Jllodal for T hillg Value of th1 Study
APP llC
97 102
112 115 116 116
11.8 141
Ll:ST OF TADJeES
TABL&
1 Respondents•• a Percentage of the Total Population
2 Comparison of Sample with National Total
3 Indices of rof e s1onalism
4 xnter-correl tions between It 1n the Professional xndcx
5 Sex cf Respond b by ProfessionalJ.
6 Sex of Reapoadmta by Tec::hn1cal Competenc, Autonomy and Service l:deal
7 C&raer Pl by sex of Respond
u
car er Plana by Prof aaional
9 Perc:enta<J• Hi9h Pxof'eaaionals by
sex
and Mar1talPag
52 53 57 58
63 63 64
65
sutua
661.0 SOc:io-EcODOlliC Origins of R apendents 68 1.1 Percent.age High Pr~••aionala by Soc:1o-EcancmSc
Or1g1na 69
12 Pere tag HJ.9h Profesdcnala by Actnnced
Training 73
1.3 K1nd d Advanced Training by P~•••1onel1• 74 14 Percentage H1CJb Pn,f . . . lonala by Certif1cat.1oa 74 1S The Holding of a Po•1Uon al Respona1b111~ by
ProfeaaionalJ.all 76
U Percenta9e Hlg'h P.r:of'eaalouta by Age 7?
1.7 P'erc:anuqe High Profeaalonala by Teaching Style 83 18 ll.igb P.rofea.o.a.u~a oaly hy 'hlll~I.Jlq S~l
19 ad d Percan11:at:1ra High rof'esaioaata H.1gh Prof•aScmala only wJ.th r99ard to
teaddng atyle 85
86
vili
TABLE Page
22 Percen~age HJ.gh Pn>f•••ionala by Percept.ions
of Aims of Education 91
23 Percent ge High Prof e ai.on s by 're cher Atti tudea
to External b illailona 93
24 Percentage High Profeaaiollala by Teachers• Op1n1ons of th Importance of Examinationa and Teat:blon1ala. 95 25 Percel\tage High Professionals by Ensphuea 1n
Education 98
26 Pe.re tage High Professionals by
sau~act:J.on
101 27 Pere tag High Prde-asiom.la by Inker t andActivity 1n P.P.'r.A. 106
28 Xnt. eat and Activity in P.P.TJ.. l)y IU.gh
Prof eaaionals 0aly 107
29 Percentage High Professional• by Perception of
P.P.T.A. 108
30 Percept101!l of P.P.T.A. by High P-rofeaai.ollala Only 1.10
31 ~UIUIINICY ~ S1gn1f1cant FindSnga in th.la
XnveatJ.gaUon 114
LXST OF OIARTS
~ Contrasts 1n the 8u.r ucratic and ProLess1onal Employee Principles of Organi.aation
2 ProfesaJ.onal Role Pere ptiona Identified 1n Different Studies
3 T Major Variablas in thia Study
Page
9
23 33
PART I
THE BACKGROUND OF THE RESEARCH
This Part comprises four chapter which give the general background of the atudy.
Chapter I outlines the aima of the study and the r asons tor .ita undertaking.
Chapter II is a theoretical conaideratJ.on of the major cone pts of the investigation, these being profesa.ionali and role perceptions.
1'.n Chapter III the m jor hypotheses are outlined and Chapter :IV is a survey of the thodology.
1
CHAPTER I
TH£
AIMS
AND PURPOSE OF TlllS I.BVESTIGATXO"Masa education la one of the ajor revol- utionary fo.rc of the TventJ.eth Century".
(Dewey 1.943)
Pew would delly the truth and force of the above atate- nt, therefore i t 1.a 1ncwllbent on governanmta, educational adminiatratora and teachers to sure that thJ.a reYOlutionary force 1a chamlel1ed 1n the right dJ.rection. le recopiai.ng that the over.all stat mt of educatiollal policy la a phil- osoph1.c:al and social queaUon and therefore out.side th range of thJ..a iovestigation, the operationaliu.t.ioll of such a state- ment 1n the claaaroom 1.a the dJ.rect reaponaibi.lity of the
teacher.
Teachers are the educators 1n our school• and therefore interpret for t:be l)enefit of' theJ.r pupils the educational policy•• laid down ~Y t:he edUcational bureaucracy, govera-
•ent and aociety u a vhol.e. Thua the occupatJ.onal attitudea and role orientations= teachers are likely to have con-
siderable idluence on the way they put into practice a society•• educational policy. P\lrther it 1a argued that
teacher• theuelve, u educational pracU.tionera, should have a great d 1 of inf'luence 1a the eatahliahm t of educational policy.
UDd rlyiag propoait.ion of this research 1a that teacher• should perceive their occupaUonal rol • 1D a professional way. 'l'be concepts of role orientat.iona,
p~eaa1ona11nt, u well •• the underlying proposition
-1)c)v••
are d1.scuued fully 1D Chapter ll and it mdfice• 1n tbia brid J.ntroduc:Uoa to sia,ply set tbe probl_.. 1n J.ta·coat;ex~.
2
The aaln :purpose of th1 inv atigation thea la to see to what extent a aampl of teachers perceive their occupa- Ucmal rolea 1n a professional auner. Although the
question could be asked of any section of the teachira9 body the present research spec:if'ically exu1D~• a auaple of
econdary teachers. In add1t.1on to profeaa.1onal1•, other varJ.ablea examined are some of the background correlatea o~
a professional. role perception and the implicationa of the latter for selected teaching operations and certain teacher attibldea.
The general purpose of thi• study 1a to ex-1.ne the pro~essional characteriat.ics of a
•-pl•
of secondary teachers. Specific:ally :-(1) to mu.lyae the relationahip between cert&i.n back-
ground correlates (nam ly, a.ex-role, aoc:1o-ec:onoa1c badt- ground, advanced training and occupational poaiilon) and profeasionalia, and
( 11) to investigate poaa.11:>le relationahipa between a pro:f aaional role perception and t..ching style, extra-
curricular ctiv1t1ea, percepUona of the aima ol educaUon, external ex !nation.a, empbaaea in edw:ation and teacher
aat:iafaction, and participation 1n professional association••
Many atat ts, uaually w11:hout the benefit o£ aupport- i.ng data, he:• made about aecondary teachers 1ft thu country and people outaide t.eacbin9 have a idea of a teacher stereotype vhJ.ch could well · inaccurate. Apart fr, the queati of prof-•1oaa11.._, the preaent .r:ueerch ahoul.d contribute t:o a more eapJ.r-S.c:allY-baaed analya1• of aecondary teachers 1D
•
ev zeal.and.3
