Learning motivation for subject instruction and novice teachers' perception of self-competence, and health

Abstract

The present study investigated relationships between learning motivation for subject instruction and teachers' perception of self-competence and health. Participants were novice teachers (N=265) from primary, junior high and high schools. The results suggested that the junior high and high school teachers had more intrinsic motivation and did more research on teaching materials than the primary school teachers did. Examination of the relation between motivation and teachers' perceptions of their self-competence and health was done in the context of a hypothetical model in which motivation led to the perception of teaching skills, which resulted in eye contact with students and listening by students, which in turn led to teachers' perception of self-competence and health. The results were as follows: (a) The primary school teachers' intrinsic motivation and orientation toward children had a positive effect on their perception of self-competence and health; (b) the junior high and high school teachers' skills orientation also had positive effects on the perception of self-competence and health; and (c) perception of teaching skill, eye contact, and listening by students mediated the above processes.