ABSTRACT
Motivation refers
to reasons that underlie behaviour that is characterized by willingness and
volition, intrinsic motivation is animated by personal enjoyment interest, or
pleasure, whereas extrinsic motivation is governed by reinforcement
contingencies.
Low teacher
motivation and its detrimental effect on students achievement are central
problems of many education systems in Africa. This paper analysis the
relationship between various policy measures, teachers job satisfaction and
secondary education outcome. It appears that there is only very limited
evidence for effectiveness of intensively debated and costly measures such as
reducing class size, increasing academic qualification requirements and
increasing teachers salaries. It appears that teachers job satisfaction are
necessary and complimentary objective. Those measures ensuring control and
incentives related working conditions for teachers significantly increase
students achievement while increasing teachers job satisfaction. Teachers’
academic qualification while beneficial for students’ learning, tends to be a
mismatch between teacher expectation and professional realities and thereby
reduces teachers job satisfaction.
TABLE OF CONTENT
TITLE PAGES
CERTIFICATION ii
DEDICATION iii
ACKNOWLEGEMENT iv
TABLE OF CONTENT v
CHAPTER
ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 1
1.2
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 15
1.3
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY 15
1.4 RESEARCH
QUESTION 16
1.5 RESEARCH
HYPOTHESES 16
1.6
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 17
1.7
DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY 17
1.8
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY 17
1.9
DEFINITION OF TERMS 18
CHAPTER TWO:LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 INTRODUCTION 19
2.1 NEED-BASED APPROACH 20
2.2 ABRAHAM MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF
NEEDS 21
2.3 HERZBERG ET AL’S
TWO FACTOR THEORY 22
2.4 TEACHERS LEAD
ROLE AND THEIR POOR MOTIVATION 25
2.5 FACTORS THAT DISSATISFY
TEACHERS 27
2.6 MANAGERIAL AND LEADERSHIP SKILL
30
2.7 TEACHING EFFECTIVENESS 46
2.8 MENTORING AND INDUCTION 48
CHAPTER
THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.0 INTRODUCTION
3.1 DESIGN OF
STUDY 50
3.2 AREA OF
STUDY 51
3.3
POPULATION 51
3.4 SAMPLE AND SAMPLING PROCEDURE 52
3.5 INSTRUMENT FOR DATA COLLECTON 52
3.6 VALIDATY
AND RELIABILITY OF RESEARCH INSTRUMENT 52
3.7 METHOD OF
DATA COLLECTION 53
CHAPTER
FOUR:
RESEARCH
DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
4.0 INTRODUCTION
54
4.1 RESEARCH
AIMS 54
4.2 DATA COLLECTION
55
4.3 DATA
ANALYSIS 55
4.4 DESCRIPTIVE
DATA 55
4.5 TEACHERS’
RESPONSES TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE ITEMS 57
4.6 RESULTS
78
CHAPTER
FIVE:
RESULTS,
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 RESULTS 80
5.2 DISCUSSION 80
5.3 CONCLUSION 80
5.4 RECOMMENDATIONS 84
5.5 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY 85
5.6 SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH 86
REFERENCES 87
APPENDIX 89
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The issue of poor
academic performance of students in Nigeria has been of much concern to all and
sundry. The problem is so much that it has led to the widely acclaimed fallen
standard of education in Nigeria. The quality of education depends on the
teachers as reflected in the performance of their duties. Overtime the
students’ performance in both internal and external examinations had been used
to determine excellence in teachers and teaching (Ajao, 2001).
One of the biggest
puzzles in education production today is the teacher quality puzzle. While
there is clear evidence that teacher quality is a key determinant of student
learning, little is known about which specific observable characteristics of
teacher can account for this impact.
The effective teachers are
perceived to be fully equipped naturally and professionally to lead their
students to success in competitive standardized tests, as well as inculcated in
them, values that would make them exhibit behaviors that are generally
desirable and acceptable. On the other hand, the ineffective teachers do not
care about the success of their students in examinations, and in some cases,
students who pass through such teachers especially in terms of emulating their
life styles, tend to exhibit behaviors that are detestable by the society. Such
students also, do not perform well in competitive examination.
It is generally
acknowledged that promoting teachers quality is a key element in improving
primary and secondary education. Teachers are the most important factor in
determining the quality of education that children receive. As such, government
has a responsibility to ensure that teachers perform to the best of their
abilities. To do this, government must pay attention to a number of factors
that affect teachers’ performance. Teachers’ compensation is critical, but not
the only factors, and social recognition of their work. Educators may be
compensated through salaries or other cash payment, food, training or special
assistance such as shelter, transport or agricultural support. If staffs are
not paid, they will not teach regularly or will leave the profession, if
compensation is irregular, or frequently withheld, teacher motivation may be
affected. Therefore, an established teacher compensation system helps to stabilize
the education system and decrease teacher absenteeism and turnover.
In addition to
compensation, teachers are motivated by a range of other factors including
- Dedication
to the profession and teaching children
- Success in the classroom- professional
rewards of seeing children achieve
- Status in their community from
exercising a respected profession
- Training and mentoring, particularly
recognized and certificated in-service
training
- Appropriate working conditions-
including issues such as the number of hours taught each week, the number of
students in the classroom
- Support of the head teacher
- Availability
of teaching and learning materials
- Parental involvement and support, clear
school policies and guidelines and the physical condition of the learning
space/ classroom
- The
prospect of promotion and career advancement
The roles of teachers are very
crucial for the transfer of knowledge in schools. In Africa, a major political
topic in this context is how to resolve the problem of low teacher motivation
and its detrimental effect on student achievement. The literature is full of
apparently obvious policy recommendations, salaries and reductions in class
size (UNICEF, 1999). This corresponds to what teachers themselves claim to be
responsible for their de motivation, not only in developing countries, but in
general.
Job satisfaction and motivation are
essential to the continuing growth of our educational system. The probably rank
along side professional knowledge and skills, competencies centers, educational
resources and strategies as determinants of educational success and
performance. Professional knowledge, skills and competencies can be seen when
one is taking on and mastering challenging tasks directed at educational
success and performance (Filak and Sheldon 2003) satisfaction and motivation to
work are very essential in the lives of teachers because they form the
fundamental reason form working in life. While almost every teacher works in
order to satisfy his or her own needs in life, he or she constantly agitates
for job satisfaction. Job satisfaction in this context is the ability of the
teaching job to meet teachers’ needs and improve their job/teaching
performance. The Federal and State government have argued that the present
economic realities in the country cannot sustain the demand in salary increase,
benefits and improved work conditions. They believe that teachers’ demands are
beyond the government resources. Government accuses the teachers of negligence,
laziness, purposeful lethargy and level of efficiency and effectiveness does
not necessitate the constant request for salary increase, incentives and better
working condition. Teachers argue that the existing salary structure, benefits
and working condition do not satisfy their basic needs in as much as other
sectors of the economy have bigger salary structure, better motivation and
enhanced working conditions. They feel that the Nigeria economy is not properly
balanced hence their demands.
The teachers’ argument is in line
with Adams 1966) equity theory of motivation. Adams equity theory called for a
fair balance to be struck between employees’ input (for example hardwork, skill
levels, tolerance and enthusiasm) and employees output (example salary benefits
and intangibles such as recognition.
According to the finding, a fair
balance serves to ensure a strong and productive relationship with the overall
result being satisfied, thus motivated employees. The theory is built on the
belief that employees become de –motivated, both in relation to their job and
their employer, if they feel as though their inputs are greater than the
outputs. Employees can be expected to respond to this in different ways,
including de-motivation, reduced effort , becoming disgruntled, or in more
extreme cases even becoming disruptive.(www.mindtools.com/pages/article/new
LDR_96.htm).Teachers are
expected to render a very high job performance and the Ministry of Education is
always curious regarding the job performance of its teachers. Also, they demand
for a very high measure of loyalty, patriotism, dedication, hardwork and
commitment from its teachers (Ubom and Joshua, 2004).
Similarly, the roles and contexts of
education, motivational methods and tools cannot be under emphasized because
high motivation enhances productivity which is naturally in the interests of
all educational systems (Olulube 2004, 2005).
Current
system of reward
Under most current systems of a
salary scale, teachers are rewarded for the number of years spent teaching and
the number of tertiary degrees, rather than their performance (Odden 2000a).
For this reason, many analysts believe the salary scale system determines
teachers’ compensation on incomplete criteria. Hoerr (1998) argues that any
non-merit-based system is unfair for exceptional teachers because they are
judge on inefficient criteria. This will cause, it is argued talented teachers
to leave the education system because excellence is not fairly rewarded (Odden
2001). Only when performance is rewarded and teachers command salaries equal to
the private sector without having to progress up an arbitrary salary scale,
will the best talent be attracted and retained (Solomon and Podgursky 2001)
proponents point out that research has found no consistent links between
education credits or degree and student performance, and only modest links
between experience and student performance (Heneman et al 2000). The existing
salary scales are thus at best only loosely related to the expertise and skills
needed in the classroom (Mohrman and Odden 1996). If the pay structure is based
on this formula it inevitably produces unsatisfactory outcomes as it is not
well aligned to education output(Odden 2000a). Thus, a substantial body of
literature argues performance based reward system are an improvement on the
efficiency of salary scale.
Provision
of motivation to teachers
One of the largest benefits reported
by proponents of performance –based rewards is an increase in the motivation of
teachers. It is argued that performance-based pay will increase teacher
motivation by adequately rewarding productivity gains. This perspective links
the attitude of teachers to students’ outcomes, by arguing that once the
motivation and skill of the teacher determining salaries, teacher quality will
be improved. Within the literature, Tomlinson (2000) argues performance-based
pay is about motivating people, and developing performance-oriented cultures.
Teachers who are not motivated by financial rewards can be encouraged with
non-financial rewards (Odden 2000a). These rewards can include, for example,
satisfaction from high student achievement, recognition, influence, learning
new skills and personal growth (Tomlinson 2000; Odden 2000b)
While it is argued that teachers are
not motivated by money, financial reward must have some influence on career
choices for at least some teachers motivation, and others are argued money is
one motivator among many. Hence, it is argued a performance-based policy which
involves a monetary component would attract teaching talent by providing
rewards that motivate a large range of people. A further benefit may occur
through a rise in the socio-economic status of teachers, which should also
attract and motivate talent. Solomon and Podgursky (2001) argue that when
teaching is rewarded based on outcomes, quality teachers can be moved to areas
of low socio economic status since these areas can be specifically rewarded.
Teacher motivation naturally has to
do with teacher’s attitude to work. It has to do with teachers desire to
participate in the pedagogical process within the school environment. It has to
do with teacher’s interest in student discipline and control particularly in
the classroom. Therefore it could underlie their involvement or non
-involvement in academic and non-academic activities, which operates in
schools. The teacher is the one that translates educational philosophy and
objectives into knowledge and skill and transfers them to students in the
classroom. Classroom climate is important in teacher motivation. If a teacher
experiences the classroom as a safe, healthy, happy place with supportive
resources and facilities for teaching for optimal learning he/she tends to
participate more than expected in the process of management, administration and
overall improvement of the school. The teacher commands and emits the image of
one who improves knowledge and the physical conditions of the classroom through
orderliness, discipline and control. He makes diagnosis of students’ feelings
and attitudes inferred by their behavior and response in the classroom
environment. Hence, Lash and KirkPatrick (1990) concluded that in the absence
of school programs the major responsibility of working with children in the
school rests with the teacher. Likewise, Machr and Midgley (1991) affirm that
what takes place in the classroom, even though the classroom itself is not an
island is critical. Therefore, depending on the degree of congruence with
classroom practices and school environment, teachers teaching activities may
dilute or enhance students’ performance. Effectiveness is the “what of change”
while improvement is the `` how of change” (Stoll and Fink 1996). Teacher
motivation therefore, is anything done to make teachers happy, satisfied,
dedicated and committed in such a way that they bring out their best in their
places of work so that both students, Parents and the society will greatly
benefit from their services.
Teachers have both intrinsic and
extrinsic needs. A teacher who is intrinsically motivated may be observed to
undertake a task for its own sake, for the satisfaction it provides or for the
feeling of accomplishment and self actualization. On the other hand, an
intrinsically motivated teacher may perform the activities in order to obtain
some reward such as salary. Extrinsic motivation plays an important part in
people’s life. It is pre-eminent in influencing a person’s behavior. Therefore,
the aim of the organization should be to build on and enhance the intrinsic
motivation for teachers to teach effectively and at the same time, to supply
some extrinsic motivation along the way for school improvement (O’neil 1995)
Occupational
status
This depends on the `public’ valuing
of the competence, role and overall contribution of particular occupation to
individual and societal welfare. Occupations that have attained `professional
status’ share a common set of characteristics including a high level of education and training, a strong
ideal of public service with an enforced professional code of conduct, and high
levels of respect from the public at large. Teachers in most low income
developing countries are `semi professionals’ mainly because of their
relatively low level of education and training vis-à-vis professional
occupations, such as doctors, Engineers and Lawyers, also the sheer size of the
teaching force militates against professional exclusivity. Teaching has become
employment of the last resort among university graduates and secondary school
leavers in many countries. Consequently teachers often lack a strong, long-term
commitment to teaching as a vocation. Finally, teachers are paid considerably
less than the main stream professions. It is widely argued that the status of
teachers in most countries, both developed and developing, has declined
appreciably during recent decades. However, the forces that are resulting in
the `de-professionalization’ of teachers are probably more pronounced in low
income developing countries (LICs), this include protracted economic and social
crises in many LICs, increasing reliance on less well-educated and qualified
teachers with lower job security, generally lower standards of living of
teachers. Teachers’ motivation refers to the psychological process that
influences individual behavior with respect to the attainment of work place
goals and tasks. The received wisdom among occupational psychologist is that
pay on its own does not increase motivation. However, pecuniary motives are
likely dominant among teachers in those LICs, where pay and other material
benefits are too low for individual and household survival needs to be met.
Only when these basic needs have been met is it possible for `higher order’
needs which are the bases of true job satisfaction to be realized. The
excessive politicization of public education has had a profound impact on
levels of accountability in many education systems which has in turn, seriously
affected teacher commitment and motivation. The poor and declining quality of
public education has led to growing number of parents sending their children to
non-state school. Incentives for teachers in the public education system to
perform well are frequently weak due to ineffective incentives and sanctions.
Very low pay forces large proportion of teachers to earn secondary income from
private tutoring and other activities. Teachers in large majority of LICs earn
less than $3 a day which is usually the main source of household income. Given
that most households have more than 5 people, household income per head is well
under one dollar a day. The overall structure of teachers pay shares most of
the pervasive characteristics of public sector pay system in LICs. In particular, formal education and
professional qualifications largely determine salary levels. The salary scales
for both primary and secondary school teachers are often very flat with very
small increment awarded on the basis of seniority/experience, with little or no
link with actual job performance. Teachers at private-for–profit schools also
earn less, on average, than in the public sectors. Salary administration is
poor, late payment of salaries is very common.
Low level of client trust and respect
and inadequate levels of teacher accountability are key factors that have
tended to lower the occupational status of teachers in many LICs. Parental
views about teachers are even paradoxical. Lack of understanding and
unrealistic expectations has led to frustration and negative stereotyping of
teachers. Teachers who are `dead wood’ in terms of their competence and or
commitment tend to have a disproportionate impact on public perceptions of the
profession as a whole.
Studies have consistently found a low
impact of teacher qualifications and experience on students’ attainment. These
findings have led into more general criticisms of teachers in LICs, which in
turn has lowered their status, especially in most countries. The incidence of corrupt practices among
teachers, in particular `under the table’ charges for educational services are
also believed to have increased in many countries. The dramatic decline in the
standard of living of teachers in many LICs has been a major factor
contributing to their declining occupational status.
Why
focus on teachers?
The teacher is central in
facilitating the processes that lead to meaningful education and students’
learning outcomes are affected by teacher quality. Incentives for schools and
teachers in the public education system to perform well are frequently weak due
to ineffective incentives and sanctions. Very low pay forces large proportions
of teachers to earn secondary income from private tutoring and other
activities. Poor human resources management also seriously de-motivates
employees. Teacher management at the national and sub-national levels is
nothing short of chaotic in many countries.
Where teachers pay large bribes to
secure employment and desired postings, this may impact on job commitment and
overall motivation. In these situations, teaching positions are little more
than sinecures, which means that teachers do not feel accountable to school
management, parents or the wider community. Being posted to a rural school is
likely de-motivating for most teachers.
Increasing hours of work, larger
class sizes, more subjects and constantly charging curricular are cited as
major de-motivators in many countries. The work and living environment for many
teachers are poor, which tends to lower self-esteem and is generally
de-motivating. Housing is a major issue for nearly all teachers. The
`struggling teacher’ is an all too common sight, especially in primary schools.
Too often, teachers are thrown in at the `deep end’ with little r no induction.
Individual teacher characteristics
can also adversely Impact on motivation levels. In particular, the age profile
of teachers has become younger in many countries due to the rapid expansion of
secondary enrolment and higher rate of teacher attraction.
1.2
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
It is generally agreed that
motivation has positive impact upon learning. It influences individual behavior
with respect to the attainment of workplace goals and tasks. These believe has
given rise to the following questions:
1. Do
higher teacher certification and greater teacher pay raise student
achievement and to what
extent?
2. Are
teachers rewarded for possession of characteristics that raise students’
achievement?
3. Does teachers’ classroom effectiveness have
significant influence on student academic performance?
1.3 OBJECTIVE
OF THE STUDY
Generally this study
seeks to examine effect of teachers motivation on the academic performance of
their students. It will also address this issues:
1.
Examine the effect of teachers incentives
on students academic performance
2.
Explore the effect of job satisfaction and
teachers work motivation
3.
Determine the relationship between
awarding of incentive pay, teacher motivation, and students achievement.
4.
assesses the extent to which the material
and psychological needs of teachers are being met
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION
1. Why is there a low level of achievement in
education despite the extra-ordinary pace of innovation and invention in
formation technology, curriculum change and government funding?
2. What factors motivate teachers to teach
with inspiration?
3. What instructional strategies may be
employed to motivate teachers?
4. What
factors motivate teachers in the local government to teach effectively?
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
H01
There is no significant
relationship between a motivated teacher and the Students’ academic achievement
H02
There is no significant
relationship between teachers effectiveness and Students’ academic performance
H03 There is no significant relationship
between teachers job satisfaction
their teaching performance.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
This study will be of immense benefit
to all concerned in the educational sector, particularly stakeholders in the
sector (education planners, policy makers, educators, academic and human
resource development and strategic managers) interested in empirical
information method to conceptualize the issue raised in this study and provide
them with useful suggestions that might help them improve secondary schools in
Nigeria.
1.7 DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
Since Aguda Local Government is used
as a case study, the approach used here may be conceptually inadequate. It is
therefore not clear if we could get the same result from other Local Government
or States as the case may be.
1.8
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The study was limited by many
factors. There are others in the teaching profession- primary school and
tertiary institution that are also affected by poor or lack of motivation in
their chosen profession. This research project is restricted to the secondary
school with emphasis laid on effect. For in the course of this study, visits
were made to the schools mention which is based in Aguda. Others in other
states and Local Government were not visited due to financial constrain.
1.9
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Academic:
connected with education, especially studying in schools and universities
Achievement:
a thing that somebody has done successfully, especially using their own effort
and skill
Effect:
a change that somebody or something causes in somebody or something else
Investigation:
a scientific or academic examination of the facts of a subject or problem
Motivation:
the reason why somebody wants to do something especially something that
involves hard work and effort.
Click “DOWNLOAD NOW” below to get the complete Projects
FOR QUICK HELP CHAT WITH US NOW!
+(234) 0814 780 1594
Login To Comment