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Educational Leaders' and Teachers' Perspectives on Success

Date

2022-12-09

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

ORCID

0000-0001-5937-9797

Type

Thesis

Degree Level

Doctoral

Abstract

This qualitative dissertation research explored how teachers’ psychological contracts, autonomy, competence, efficacy, and relatedness were perceived to impact teachers’ success. Educational leaders and teachers’ successful performance contributes to educators’ fulfillment of their mandate to educational institutions and enhances learner growth and development. The self-determination theory (SDT), as postulated by Ryan and Deci (2000), and Rousseau’s (1989; 1995) psychological contract have guided this study. Forty-four participants (principals and teachers), from five schools were engaged in this study. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the extent to which two constructs (self-determination theory and psychological contract) are perceived to provide insights into facilitation, motivation, and expectations (capacity, workplace, and motivation) that help teachers succeed – beyond explanations associated with earlier traditional theories of motivation. Mertler (2016) said “qualitative researchers are primarily concerned with how people make sense and meaning out of their daily lives” (p. 90). With this approach in mind, the author sought data from focus groups interviews on educational leaders and teachers’ perceptions of what had impacted successful performance, with attention to SDT and the psychological contract. NVivo 10 software was used to analyze these data. The findings add to our knowledge about how school leaders might transform schools through helping educators to succeed. The findings revealed that teachers’ success was grounded in strategies that educational leaders had implemented and should implement to enhance professional and personal achievements and growth. These implementations assisted teachers’ confidence, success, and competence through their motivational impact. Teachers’ job satisfaction associated with satisfactory performance equates to job retention and success. Educational leaders were responsible to cultivate an appreciated work environment wherein dwells success collaboration, respect, fairness, and motivation resides. The dissertation has implications for educational leaders and teachers with respect to how the components of SDT and psychological contract motivates teachers’ performance. When the psychological contract was in place teachers experienced success and principals’ longevity for teachers and continued growth not only in teachers’ abilities but in institutional outcome. Teachers have competence, autonomy, relatedness, and self-determination but need from their educational leaders’ guidance, motivation, leadership, opportunities for succession plans, and importantly relationship. Educational leaders have various responsibilities in their institutions, including their overall responsibilities for schools’ successes and/or failures which are primarily mediated through the successes and failures of teachers. The resultant theory, Teacher Success and Administrator Initiative revealed that educational leaders as administrators’ initiatives can create success with factors such as succession planning, training and professional development for self and others, appreciation and initiatives, empowerment, communication, and systems in institutions. The implications for teacher success and administrator initiative success theory underlines SDT, PC, and classical motivational theories.

Description

Keywords

Educational Leaders, Teachers Motivation psychological contracts Self-Determination Theory Grounded Theory Success

Citation

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Department

Educational Administration

Program

Educational Administration

Part Of

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DOI

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