Teacher’s motivation for teaching: questionnaire validity evidence

Abstract

Objective The teacher’s motivation is associated with his/her achievements, health and well-being, which reflect on the quality of teaching. Based on the Theory of Self-Determination, validity evidence of an instrument to assess teacher’s motivation for teaching was developed, containing 26 items to be answered on a Likert-type scale. Method The questionnaire Teacher’s motivation for teaching was applied online in a sample of 509 higher education teachers, 50.39% female and 49.41% male, with ages ranging from 25 to 73 years. Data were analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis, using the Parallel Analysis method. Results Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed a two factors structure with a few structural problems that required the deletion of some items. The 17-item version of the teacher’s motivation for teaching was simple and the estimated adjustment indexes were very good. Conclusion The high factor loadings obtained among the items and the two factors to which they clustered allow to consider them representatives of the constructs Autonomous and Controlled Motivation.