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"31?? ’ 351.1 7/ é 5 lltlulllllulluluymllulllllflllll LIBRARY Michigan State University This is to certify that the dissertation entitled JOB SATISFACTION AND PROFESSION“. 145% OF -TRAINED IPACHERS IN W, IMLAySIA AAD ITS DfiIOU'ION Fm CONTINJIAG EQKMTION presented by mmmmbmm has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for PH.D. EQUIICML ADMINISTRATION degree in % % Majo; pgofessor ; Date my 7, 1988 MSU LIBRARIES .—:—. RETURNING MATERIALS: Place in book drop to remove this checkout from your record. FINES will be charged if book is returned after the date stamped below. 0-; .dr": ‘O' 5 r'«‘,' _ “if," f; apt-‘5 ad. 19091 6 1999 JOB SATISFACTION AND PROFESSIONAL NEEDS OF COLLEGE TRAINED TEACHERS IN SELANGOR, MALAYSIA AND ITS IMPLICATION FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION BY Nor Azizah Salleh A DISSERTATION Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Educational Administration 1988 ABSTRACT JOB SATISFACTION AND PROFESSIONAL NEEDS OF COLLEGE-TRAINED TEACHERS IN SELANGOR, MALAYSIA AND ITS IMPLICATION FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION BY Nor Azizah Mohd Salleh The two main purposes of this study were (a) to explore the job satisfaction of college-trained teachers with five or more years of teaching experience and (b) to assess these adults' professional needs for the purpose of recommending appropriate continuing education programs based on perceived needs. A cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire was administered to a sample of 338 college trained teachers in 24 randomly selected schools in Selangor, Malaysia. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS-X) was used to analyze the structured questions. The data obtained were primarily frequency distributions, percentage, and total. Cross-tabulations were made to determine the relationship between job satisfaction variables and length of service. A chi-square test of independence was used for the analysis. The results of the study are as follows: the majority of teachers agreed with the statements ”I enjoy teaching my Nor Azizah Mohd Salleh students;" "I am satisfied with my students' academic progress:” "The school recognizes my hard work;' “There are opportunities to update knowledge through seminars/short courses;" and ”Teachers could easily get study leave to pursue a degree program.” Seventy-five percent of the teachers indicated a general satisfaction with their jobs. Areas in which teachers indicated concern were workload, salary, promotion, class size, teaching aids, administration, and the work itself. There were no significant relationships between job satisfaction ratings and length of service, except for the variable satisfaction with students' academic progress (p < .05). The four most popular courses in education teachers wanted to study were pedagogy, psychology. special education, and educational administration. Non-credit courses in which teachers preferred to enroll were language (Bahasa Malaysia), religion, social sciences, and. arts. The top two programs teachers preferred were short courses of 1-3 months and degree programs. The time schedules most favored were Saturday classes and holiday classes. Sixty- seven percent of the teachers indicated a readiness. to learn and 25 percent expressed an ability to finance their studies. The study gave data that planners may use to develop continuing education programs based on perceived needs. DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my beloved country, Malaysia. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to express my utmost appreciation to Dr. Gloria Kielbaso, chairperson of my doctoral committee. Her friendship, encouragement, guidance, and dedication throughout the program proved invaluable. A special word of thanks is due Dr. Kenneth Harding who was very supportive and gave his professional insight and guidance to my work. A word of appreciation is also extended to Dr. Betsy Becker, who guided me in the statistical analysis portion of my work. I am also grateful to Dr. Robert Rentschler, whose warm personality, guidance, and encouragement made writing the dissertation less painful. Many thanks to the government of Malaysia for financial support without which I could not have pursued my Ph.D. in the United States. I wish to express my appreciation to the Department of Education, Selangor and the Ministry of Education Malaysia for furnishing the necessary data I requested. My sincerest thanks to the principals of the twenty-four schools from the districts of Ulu Langat and Gombak for their cooperation. To all the teachers, my heartfelt gratitude: without their kindness and cooperation, no data for research would have been made available. I wish to thank my son Sazali, my aunt Wan Andak, and my sisters and their families (especially Hajjah Hamidah), who give me their love-and support. My thanks to individuals who gave their academic and/or moral support along the way: A. Razak Habib, Thalatha Griffin, A. Razak Ator, Sang Jin, Darinah Ahmad, T. Subhan, Azizan Hamzah, Hamdan Abu Samah, and colleagues at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. My deepest thanks to all individuals, Malaysian and American alike, who helped make my stay in America a happy one. I thank God (Allah S.W.T.) for providing me with all these wonderful people who helped make the dissertation a SUCCESS . vi TABLE OF CONTENTS £222 LIST OF TABLES....................................... x LIST OF FIGURES................ ....... ............... xiii CHAPTER 1. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM................... Background................................. Purpose of the Study....................... Research Questions......................... Significance of the Study.................. Dafinition Of TemSOOOOOOOOOOO0.0.0.0000... \qumfil-‘H Assumptions and Limitations................ smarYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 10 II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE................... 12 Job Satisfaction of Adults................. 12 Studies in Malaysia........................ 17 Teacher Career Development................. 20 Adult Learning............................. 25 Continuing Education in Malaysia........... 28 vii III. Iv. METHODS AND PROCEDURES..................... 32 Theoretical Concepts and Premises on Job Satisfaction and Needs Assessment........ 32 The Population.................... ....... .. 36 Nature of the Two Districts................ 36 Survey Design.............................. 36 The Sampling Design........................ 37 Development of the Questionnaire........... 41 Data Collection............................ 42 Data Analysis... ..... ...................... 43 PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA.......... 51 Introduction............................... 51 Research Question #la...................... 52 Research Question #lb...................... 61 Research Question #2....................... 69 Research Question #3....................... 73 Other Related Analysis..................... 80 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATION....... 88 Summary of Findings........................ 88 Conclusions................................ 92 Implication for Continuing Education....... 99 Recommendation for Future Research......... 102 viii APPENDICESOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOCOOOOO0.0.0.0...OO Appendix A - MSPS Of Malaysia-0000000000000 Appendix B - Permission Letter from the Department of Education, Selangor, Malaysia............ Appendix C - Cover Letter and Questionnaires Appendix D - Schedule of Work.............. Appendix E - Contingency Tables: Years of Service and Job Satisfaction.. SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY....... ...... ................ 1X 106 106 108 109 115 116 126 Table 10 11 12 13 14 LIST OF TABLES Page Total Number of Students and Teachers in M818y318 in 198° and 1986.00.00.000000000000 Top Ten Factors Influencing Job Satisfaction Ten Universal Job Dissatisfiers............. In-Service Training for Selected Non- Graduate Teachers Conducted by the Ministry Of Education, MalaysiaOOOOOOOOOOOOOO00...... Selected Schools from Ulu Langat District... Selected Schools from Gombak District....... Job Satisfaction of Adults as College-Trained Teachers with 5 Years or More of Teaching ExperieDCEOOOOOO0.0..OOOOOOOOOOOOIOOOOOOOOOO Proportions and Confidence Intervals Proportions Representing ”Satisfied Responses.”000000000000OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO..0. Factors of Concern to Teachers.............. Response on the Statement "I am satisfied with my students' academic progress.”............ Responses to the Statement: ”I enjoy teaching my students," by Three Groups of Teachers... Frequency Distributions of Responses to the Statement: ”1 am satisfied with my students' academic progress,” by Three Groups of Teachers.................................... Frequency Distribution of Responses to the Statement ”My workload is not heavy,” by Three Groups of Teachers.......................... Frequency Distribution of Responses to the Statement, ”The school recognizes my hard work,” by Three Groups of Teachers.......... 14 14 31 40 40 53 of 54 6O 62 64 65 66 66 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Frequency Distributions of Responses to the Statement, "There is opportunity for promotion,” by Three Groups of Teachers..... Frequency Distributions of Responses to the Statement, ”My salary is appropriate to my experience,” by Three Groups of Teachers.... Frequency Distributions of Responses to the Statement, ”There is opportunity to update my knowledge through seminars/short courses,” by Three Groups of Teachers................. Frequency Distributions of Responses to the Statement, “Teachers can easily get study leave to pursue a degree program,” by Three Groups of Teachers.......................... Frequency Distributions of Responses to the Statement, ”I am satisfied with my job these few years," by Three Groups of Teachers..... Rank Orders of Courses Preferred by Teachers as Needed in College of Education........... Courses Preferred for Enrichment Program.... Teachers' Responses to List of Programs of Their Choice, in Rank Order................. Perception of Readiness by Teachers to Attend Courses if Offered................... Teachers' Preference of Class Schedules in Frequency and Percent....................... Teachers' Perception on Ability to Finance Their Education to College.................. Reasons for Non-Participating in Courses by TeaCherSO0.0...O0.00000000000000000000000000 Responses to the Statement, ”There is oppor- tunity to update knowledge through seminars and short courses (by school type).'........ Responses to the Statement, ”Teachers can easily get study-leave to pursue a degree program (by school type).”.................. xi 67 67 68 68 69 71 72 74 75 76 77 78 81 82 29 30 31 32 33 34 Percent and Confidence Intervals of Teachers that Expressed Satisfaction in Opportunity to Update Knowledge by School Types......... Percent and Confidence Intervals of Teachers that Expressed Satisfaction on Access to Study Leave by School Type.................. Responses to the Statement, ”I enjoy teaching my students," by Gender............ Proportion of Satisfied Responses on Enjoyment of Teaching and Gender ........ .............. Response to the Statement, "I am satisfied with my students' academic progress” by Gender...00......OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0.0.0....O Proportion of satisfied responses on satis- faction with students' academic progress by genderO..0...OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0.00.... xii 82 83 84 85 85 85 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1 Classification of Malaysian Schools..... 35 2 Summary of Research Questions, Instruments, and Analysis Procedure..... 43 xiii CHAPTER I STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Background Malaysia is a Southeast Asian nation with a population of 16 million people. It comprises the Peninsula Malaysia, which is separated by 530 kilometers of the South China Sea from the other two states of Sabah and Sarawak (see maps in Appendix A). Malaysia contains many ethnic groups of which the Chinese, Indians, and Malays are the most predominant. Tremendous development in the educational systems occurred after Malaysia achieved independence from the British in 1957. The educational system is administered by the central government's Ministry of Education, which is responsible for the maintenance, development, and progress of education in the country from kindergarten to post- secondary. The school system provides for six years of primary education, five years of secondary education, and one-and- one-half to two years of pre-university classes. After the Independence in 1957, there was a tremendous increase in the number of schools in both rural and urban areas, and primary education was made free for all. The Bahasa 2 Malaysia replaced the English language as the medium of instruction in the school system, and more teachers' colleges and universities were built. The educational system was geared to meet the social, political, and economic needs of the country. School enrollment and teacher population are shown in Table l. Table 1 Total Number of Students and Teachers in Malaysia in 1980 and 1986* Enrollment Figures Subject 1980 1986 (Total) (Total) Students in primary schools 2,008,000 2,231,000 Students in secondary schools 1,084,000 1,315,000 Teachers in primary schools 73,100 97,112 Teachers in secondary schools 29,971 57,232 *Source: Information Malaysia 1987 Yearbook There are twenty-nine teachers' colleges with the special mission of producing certified teachers to teach the primary schools and the lower secondary classes. These college-trained teachers are non-graduate teachers. They do not have baccalaureate degrees, but generally complete a three-year teacher training program following secondary school. Five local universities offer four-year teacher education programs leading to a bachelor's degree or 3 diploma in education. These graduate teachers are assigned to teach in secondary schools. Salary scales for graduate and non-graduate teachers vary. The salary scale is higher for graduate teachers and lower for non-graduate teachers. A.very small percentage of teachers are educated abroad in countries such as Britain, the United States, Canada, and Australia. All public school teachers are government employees. Teachers guide and monitor their students' academic work. They also have other responsibilities such as maintaining discipline in the classrooms, administering co- curricular activities, participating in committee work, and handling students' affairs. Teachers are respected by the Malaysian society, having played a significant part in helping the country achieve its independence in 1957, and making Bahasa Malaysia the national language. In recent years, however, there is growing indication that dedication to the teaching profession is decreasing. Newspapers report that some teachers involve themselves in other activities outside the school, such as a separate business or another occupation, and neglect their main duties in schools. Some are probably dissatisfied with the teaching profession because of a lack of advancement opportunity. This seems particularly the case with college-trained teachers with ten years or more of service who have reached their salary limits. Although some 4 teachers in this category were promoted to higher salary scales, the overall percentage is very small. Some returned to universities to obtain bachelor's degrees, enabling them to qualify for higher salary brackets. The opportunity to go back to a university is difficult due to already full enrollment by traditional students. The local universities cannot take in more students than they can afford. Further research is needed to explore the professional lives of these adults as teachers: their job satisfaction; their professional growth with years of service: access to continuing education: and their needs and concerns in the profession. This research attempts to find out about teachers' job satisfaction and their educational needs. Based on these needs, appropriate continuing education programs may be designed which allow Malaysian teachers to better themselves professionally, economically, and personally. The Purpose of the Study The two main purposes of the study were (a) to explore the job satisfaction of adults who were college-trained teachers with five years or more of teaching experience: (b) to assess the professional needs of these teachers for the purpose of recommending appropriate continuing education programs, and to make recommendations to 5 educational leaders in Malaysia and the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia relative to the perceived needs of the teachers in the study. Researchguestions The study investigated the following questions: 1. (a) Are the teachers who have worked for more than five years satisfied with their profession? (b) What is the relationship between teachers length of service and the level of job satisfaction teachers perceive? 2. What are the important professional needs of teachers? 3. What kind of continuing education programs could be designed based on respondents' professional needs? Significance of the Study The study provided new knowledge on job satisfaction of college-trained teachers who have worked for more than 5 years. Malaysian educators and administrators will gain insight into the professional life of teachers who have given their service to the organization. Human resources are an important asset in any organization. In education, teacher facilitate learning to the young students. The writer believes that excellence in education means 6 excellence in instruction, which can be brought about by having dedicated and skilled teachers, and professionals who enjoy their work. Educational leaders, especially, principals, need to know the status of their teachers' professional development and their working conditions. Weaknesses in the system can be remedied if problems are identified. Allowing teachers to express their concerns in their profession provides a source of primary data to help administrators make decisions. Heitzeg (1978), Hatfield, Blackman, Claypool and Master (1985), and Feistritzer (1985), indicated that teachers grow in their professions through their own efforts by studying from their colleagues at work, by attending in-service courses, by holding administrative duties in schools, and by going back to college. The results of the Malaysian study could be used for continuing educational agencies serving the teachers, one of which is the National University Malaysia. Among the objectives of teacher education are (a) serving the needs of various Malaysian institutions, particularly schools; and (b) providing further in-service courses for teachers and educational administrators in order to improve the educational practices in the country (ADEP, 1983). Assessing educational needs of the teachers could be an initial step in program development. Courses can be tailored to their needs and appropriate time schedules. 7 Programmers must determine the actual educational needs so that teachers will participate and the program is worthwhile. This research study proposed to assess the educational needs of college-trained teachers in Malaysia. DEFINITION OF TERMS College-Trained Teachers: Teachers currently teaching in elementary schools have had their certificates from a teacher's college in Malaysia or equivalent from abroad, such as Brinsford Lodge and Kirby in Britain. This study did not include college— trained teachers in lower secondary schools, and college- trained teachers who have been promoted to become principals or assistant principals or education officers. None of the teachers in this study had a bachelor's degree. School Typgg l. Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK): Schools using Bahasa Malaysia (Malay language) since its establishment. 2. Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan (SRK): Historically, the schools used English as the medium of instruction. Since 1970, the medium of instruction Bahasa Malaysia, the national language. The schools are located in the town areas and normally consist of mixed ethnic groups. 8 3. Sekolah Rendah Janis Kebangsaan, Cina SRJK (C): This is the national-type Chinese elementary school with Chinese as the medium of instruction, but follows the common national curriculum. 4. Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan, Tamil SRJK (T): This is the national-type Tamil School with Tamil as the medium of instruction, but also follows the national curriculum. Job Satisfaction Job satisfaction explains what makes people want to come to work, what makes them happy about their jobs and/or decide to remain in their positions. It is attributed to not one, but many factors such as salary, advancement, working conditions, and supervision. Continuing Education This refers to any form of education organized by educational organizations outside the formal school system. It includes (1) courses leading to degree programs: (2) non-degree courses: (3) enrichment programs: (4) short courses like seminars, workshops, conferences: and (5) in- service courses offered by the Ministry of Education, Malaysia. Professional Needs These are educational needs of the teachers as perceived by the teachers themselves that enable them to grow professionally. The emphasis is on continuing education. ASSUMPTIONS AND LIMITATIONS Assumptions The following assumptions were made in designing this study : A. The local universities in Malaysia are committed to serving the public, which includes the college-trained teachers. This is in addition to the function of teaching and research. Adults, including college-trained teachers, want to learn, and can learn, given access to continuing education at a convenient schedule. Professional growth of teachers plays an important part in improving the quality of instruction in schools. Continuing education is a means to strengthen the teaching profession. Job satisfaction is a factor which enhances job productivity . 10 Limitations A. The result of the study can be inferred to teachers' characteristics in the two districts under study or in any other districts in Selangor or Malaysia with the same characteristics. It cannot be inferred to teachers in East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) with different environments and more ethnic groups. B. The results of the study can be inferred only to teachers in government-aided schools following common curricula. C. Teachers' job satisfaction data, and their professional needs were for a single calendar year and may not be typical of all years. D. The Program Development design recommended is based on the professional needs of the teachers at the present time. E. Data collected were dependent on the sincerity and voluntary participation of teachers to answer the given questionnaires. Summagy This chapter described the focus of the research, purpose of the study, research questions, significance of the study, definition of terms, and assumptions and limitations. 11 A review of literature related to the study is contained in Chapter II. Chapter III contains the methods and procedures: Chapter IV includes data analysis procedures, results, and discussion. The summary and conclusions are in Chapter V. Implications of the findings will be highlighted. Chapter II REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE The literature review includes four topics related to the research: job satisfaction of adults, teacher career development, adult learning, and continuing education in Malaysia. Job Satisfaction of Adults Job satisfaction explains what makes people want to come to work. What makes them happy about the job, or decide not to quit. Job satisfaction does not necessarily mean job productivity, although it affects the latter. This subject is important to employers because an organization does not like to lose staff, and emphasis on job satisfaction may help to make more productive workers. In the teaching profession excellence in teaching is associated with excellence in instruction (Feistritzer, 1985). Teachers come into direct contact with students and are responsible for facilitating learning efficiently. Helping teachers to be more satisfied with their jobs is one way to bring about this goal. The nature of job satisfaction indicated by research in the industrial world, reviewed extensively by Nash (1985), is as follows: 12 13 1. Work varies in importance from individual to individual. Job satisfaction varies in its impact on an individual's satisfaction with life. 2. People who take this job as a prime interest experience high levels of job satisfaction if they are doing work that uses their skills. 3. Work satisfaction changes with age and the employment cycle. 4. Certain organizational characteristics influence job satisfaction. 5. Job satisfaction is an indicator of an employee's motivation to come to work, but it influences job performance only indirectly. 6. Job satisfaction is attributed to not one but many factors. 7. The intrinsic nature of the job itself is a major factor. An individual who genuinely likes the content of the job will be more satisfied with it. 8. Industrial workers want jobs with high pay, high security, promotional opportunity, fewer hours of work, and friendly supervision. 9. If it demands considerable effort to get a job (through education, experience or achievement), if one can make a lot of money at it, if one cannot think of any other alternatives, then one should be highly satisfied with the job. The top ten factors influencing. job satisfaction of the two genders are included in Table 2 (Nash 1985). 14 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Table 2 - Top Ten Factors Influencing Job Satisfaction Men Security Advancement Type of Work Company Pay Co-workers Supervision Benefits Hours 10. Working Conditions Women Type of Work Company Security Co—workers Advancement Supervision Pay Working Conditions Hours Benefits Over a 10 year period, there was an increase in the importance of benefits , and type of work and a decrease in the importance of advancement and security. According to Nash dissatisfiers in order of importance are those listed in Table 3. (1985), the ten universal job Table 3 - Ten Universal Job Dissatisfiers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Unclear responsibilities Never seeing the finished product Red tape Two-faced supervisors Poor working conditions Poor communications Getting transferred Getting a new boss Being in the wrong job Boredom 15 These dissatisfiers are within the control of the manager, and understanding each factor can help him/her improve the employees' morale. Job satisfaction of teachers in America was studied by Feistritzer (1985). Ninety-six percent of the teachers reported they loved to teach. Although eight out of ten teachers reported relative job satisfaction, nearly half indicated that they would choose other jobs if they were to do it all over again. The complaints by the teachers were: (1) the amount of time spent on record keeping and clerical duties: (2) salary and treatment of education by media; and ( 3) lack of clerical help available from teacher aides or other support staff. Regardless of whether they were happy with the job or not, more than half of the teachers surveyed in 1983 said they planned to remain at their jobs until required to, or were eligible for retirement. Twenty-four percent planned to continue teaching until other, or better jobs came along; nine percent said that they definitely would leave, and sixteen percent were undecided. The majority of teachers were middle-aged and had taught for at least fifteen years. While the majority were at the peak of their careers, they spoke of a lack of opportunity for further advancement. Other studies on job satisfaction of teachers were performed on a smaller scale in various regions of 16 districts of the United States. The results referred only to a specific population or region with similar characteristics of teachers as in the study. Henge (1982), investigated the situation and attitudes of fifteen teachers as a follow-up study conducted four years earlier on the same individuals. Ten of the fifteen teachers had altered their initial career choices in some way. A relatively low commitment to the teaching profession was observed. Kreis (1983), studied the relationship between job satisfaction and need fulfillment among urban high school teachers from major city school districts in the northeast region of the United States. The findings indicated: (1) there was a basic relationship between job satisfaction and needs fulfillment: and (2) the length of service contributed to job satisfaction. The relationship was curvilinear. As length of service increased from under five years to eleven to twenty years, job satisfaction decreased. From twenty-one to thirty years' service on, job satisfaction increased. The study did not explore the reasons behind this phenomenon. Driscoll and Caine (1985), conducted a survey on job satisfaction of twenty elementary teachers in the following: (1) preservice; (2) first- and second-year teachers: and (3) five to ten year teachers. The findings 17 did not show significant differences along the professional continuum. Pigg and Lovett (1985), ascertained the relationship between job performance and job satisfaction of 150 first-year teachers. The findings showed that job performance affected job satisfaction significantly (r = .3). Problems and issues of beginning teachers have been studied extensively, but little work has been done on teachers with many years of service, as indicated in an ERIC search since 1967. Studies in Malaysia There are very few studies on job satisfaction of teachers in Malaysia. The available studies are described below: In 1973, the Ministry of Education Malaysia published a report on ”Study of Opinion about Education and Society." The aim of the study was to explain why students drop out of school. The results stated that there was a direct relationship between school dropouts and parental socioeconomic status, as well as the distribution of educational resources to the schools. The school resources included the following: (I) Materials and Finances (II) Staff and Personnel (III) Children's Inherent Values and Attitudes from home. 18 The report indicated that the morale of the rural and vernacular school teachers was low. Urban schools seemed to attract more teachers than the rural schools. Factors that affected low morale were: (I) (II) (III) Unfavorable working and living conditions of the rural schools; Unmotivated and disoriented children: Lack of colleagues' professional support resulting from geographical isolation of the schools. Othman (1979), studied the sources of job satisfaction of teachers of northern schools in Peninsula Malaysia. Among his findings were: 1. 5. There was no significant difference between male and female teacher satisfaction with the promotional opportunity and salary aspect of the population. Generally, the Non-Malay teachers were more dissatisfied with the promotional opportunity and salary aspect of the job. There was no significant relationship between teacher satisfaction with the school clientele and the variations in the location of the school. Rural school teachers overwhelmingly express dissatisfaction with the comfort and convenience aspects more than the urban teachers. Younger teachers seemed to be more dissatisified with teaching than older teachers. The Cabinet Report (1984), gave a comprehensive review of the educational system. The four year study was aimed at finding out if the system had achieved its objectives, which included fostering national unity, obtaining manpower requirements for the nation, and training individuals. 19 One of the findings was that the primary school curriculum was very subject matter oriented. Students were not taught based on individual capability, and as a result, many students were unable to read and write properly at the sixth grade. The New Primary School Curriculum was established in 1982 to overcome the problems. It has been back to basics, stressing the three R's and grouping students in the class based on their abilities: (I) the fast learner; (II) the average learner: and (III) the slow learner. Text-books are put aside and teachers have been expected to initiate their own ideas in teaching. Formerly, everything was based on the available text-books. Students have to be evaluated individually for each skill expected out of them in the new curriculum. The new curriculum brought stress to many teachers as they had to work overtime, become more involved in clerical work, make new teaching aids and try to pay attention to the three groups of students in the class. Many of these teachers resigned or planned to resign, Salleh (1983). This was an unprecedented event in the Malaysian teaching profession. The new curriculum, however, had produced better student performance compared to the old curriculum. Teachers expressed the need for an increase in pay for extra loads they carried. However, the fight for increased pay for the primary school teachers by the teachers' union failed on the grounds that the country had been under 20 recession and the government could not increase the teachers' salaries, as well as other workers in the category, similar qualifications with the teachers. The results were published in the local paper in October, 1987. Salary, however, is not the only source of dissatisfaction. The more common factors according to Salleh (1983), include: 1. Teachers have to work extra time both in school and at home in implementing the new curriculum. 2. Inadequate resources to enable them to make teaching aids. 3. Inadequate in-service training given to them to enable them to be more effective in their lesson planning. 4. The class size was so big that it was difficult to give students individual attention. 5. Teachers were involved in too much clerical work. General observations by the writer, based on newspaper reports and visits to schools, recently indicated that teaching aids had been improved with aids from the school administrators. Five years after its implementation, teachers were better prepared to cope with the situation. These few available studies provide additional background to the research undertaken. Teacher Career Development Teacher career development describes the developmental stages of teachers in the teaching profession. Fuller (1969), examined the concerns of preservice and beginning 21 teachers through his own research and eight other equivalent studies going back as far as thirty-six years previously. The findings were consistent, indicating that beginning teachers and early student-teachers were mainly concerned with their ability to handle the class and the subject matter rather than the students' individual needs. Burden (1980), studied experienced teachers' perceptions of their careers and found three stages of career development. Stage 1: Survival (first year) Teachers experience stress due to lack of experience in controlling the classroom, teaching the subject, improving teaching skills, and handling professional responsibilities. They are at the stage of deciding whether they want to make teaching a career. These findings are in line with earlier works by Fuller (1969) Stage 2: AdjustmentALQ to 4 years) Teachers are more comfortable with their jobs and attempt new teaching techniques suitable to the students. They are more confident in handling most classroom situations. 22 Stage 3: Maturation (fifth year t) The teachers know what they are doing, where they are going, and what they want to do. They feel secure with the teaching profession. Boredom emerges. They overcome this by changing grade levels, schools, or rearranging their schedules, room arrangements, or learning centers. Burden (1980) suggested that in-service courses for teachers must consider differences in their needs at various developmental stages. The conclusion is that with length of service, job performance becomes better, which certainly is one of the intrinsic factors that can add to job satisfaction. ADULT LEARNING Continuing education for teachers is a form of adult education. A truly effective system of adult education depends upon understanding how adults learn and what conditions best facilitate the learning process. This section discusses the learning ability of adults and adult participation in continuing education. I. The learning ability of adults John Lowe (1982), reviewed previous research done on adult-learning and found the following: 23 Intelligence does not automatically decline with age. After age 50, adults' verbal fluency and comprehension may increase, but the ability to solve problems gradually deteriorates, and motor skills decline. People with low educational attainment performing routine jobs, fall victim to mental atrophy. Learning ability is retained through regular exercise. Older people perform as well as young people provided the task is clearly formulated, and they are assured of having the opportunity to check and remedy error. Adults of low applied intelligence are more resistant to change than those of higher intelligence. The impression that adults cannot learn, or intelligence steadily deteriorates with age, is due not only to erroneous assumptions, but to the negative attitude towards learning adopted by many adults themselves. Adults continue to learn in their areas of interest. 24 8. Adult personalities are not fixed at maturity but continue to undergo considerable changes throughout the rest of their lives. Characteristics of adult learning according to Robinson (1985) include: 1. Purposeful learning occurs when individuals experience a problem or recognize a gap between where they are and where they want to be, and then institute self-inquiry in which the learner draws on whatever resources are available (teachers, literature, one's own or another's experience) to acquire the learning deemed necessary to close the gap. All education is self-education. 2. Belief that a learning experience will help an adult cope with problems becomes a powerful motivator for participation in adult education. 3. Youth education is largely subject-centered and future oriented. A youth takes subjects which are considered important or needed for the future. Adult education, on the other hand, is problem-centered. Adults insist that learning have relevance and value "now.” 4. Youth education is generally compulsory, with youths having virtually no input into what they are supposed to learn. Adult education is essentially voluntary. Adults drop out of educational institutions 25 perceived as not helping them. Youths also dropout for similar reasons. 5. The central organizing principle for adult education must be around problems adults face, not subject matter. Most problems in life involve several subject matters which impinge in one way or another on the problem adults hope to resolve. Robinson (1985) suggested that: (a) Emphasis in courses, workshops, classes and meetings, must be on helping adults learn how to cope with their problems. (b) The teacher must be more person-centered than subject-centered. (c) The institutions must market and promote educational activity on the basis of its utility to help the learner. II. Adult Participation in Continuing Education Teachers are adults who have the right to participate or not participate in any adult or continuing education. They decide what they want to learn, when they want to learn, and how they are going to learn. Understanding factors which influence their participation is essential to this. study, since assessing needs is one of the stated goals. Adults participate in programs that meet vocational, personal, or social needs. Besides motivation other factors discourage participation. 26 Reasons For Participation John Lowe (1982), used Havighurst's adult ‘developmental tasks' to determine adult reasons for participation in continuing education. Vocational Needs - Adults between the age of 18-40, especially men and young fathers, are involved in continuing education to upgrade their jobs, to keep current job employment purposes, or to prepare to switch jobs. Women with grown up children may seek additional education for extra income. Men before retiring may seek some skills for future work, although the drive for education decreases as a person reaches the end of his or her career. Personal Needs - This is a concern to become more cultivated. Women over 40 with more leisure time and less financial constraints tend to be more motivated to take continuing education classes. They have been deprived of education due to child-bearing and domestic chores. Men tend to be concerned about this drive at 50 or before retiring to prepare for leisure activities. Young adults with good and stable jobs may seek education to learn new knowledge or skills. Young married women eagerly seek education pertaining to home affairs and their spouses. 27 Social Needs - Participants of all ages are simply interested in meeting people through continuing education classes. Some regard attending certain classes as a means of maintaining or achieving social status in the community. Reasons for Non-Participation Four factors influencing non-participation in continuing education classes are described below: 1. Personal factors: fear of the unfamiliar, ridicule, emotional insecurity, negative attitudes toward schooling, lack of money, uncertainty of future rewards, mental and physical handicaps. 2. Domestic factors: difficulty in getting away from home, opposition of a member or members of the family, and impossible conditions of study. 3. External factors: Shift work, fatigue after work and lack of transportation. 4. Other factors: Facilities are unavailable or unsuitable. The timing and location of programs may be inconvenient: programs are not publicized: programs offered are not what adults want: some adults do not participate because they feel they can learn on their own. In developing programs for adults, the programmer needs to know the background of the clientele(s). Although 28 determining the professional needs of teachers is a concern of this study, one cannot ignore the fact that these teachers are adults who have gone through the various stages of adult-life, where each stage has its own stresses and concerns affecting adult motivation to learn. This section of the literature review has provided the basic understanding of how adults learn, and why they continue to learn. Continuing Education in Malaysia Continuing education in Malaysia is organized by both government agencies and private organizations. Each agency has its own mission, goals and programs. Participation is mainly for vocational motives where one can seek professional development or prepare for career advancement. Several government agencies provide non-formal education in agriculture and home economics to rural communities. There are also programs related to business or commerce. Other agencies, both government and private, offer in-service courses to their own staffs. Private schools and colleges offer academic programs to youth for Secondary School Certificates, or professional courses leading to the award of a diploma or certificate. There are various kinds of correspondence courses in which individuals can enroll. The universities, however, do not play a very active role in continuing education in spite of the resources 29 available. The Universiti Pertanian Malaysia is the only institution with a prominent center for Continuing Education, offering various courses and services equivalent to land grant universities in the United States. Universiti Sains Malaysia established a successful off-campus program in the past decade. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia offers a diploma in Counselling for selected secondary school teachers. Otherwise, the primary emphasis by all seven universities is on the education of young adults graduating from secondary schools. Five of these universities offer programs leading to a Bachelors degree or diploma in education. They produce the secondary school teachers for the country. In-service training for the practicing teachers conducted by the universities is minimal. Most in-service courses are handled by the Ministry of Education through its various divisions. Not every teacher has the opportunity to go for continuing education. In-service programs offered are determined by the Ministry of Education based on needs considered important (See Table .4). Teachers desiring university education must obtain permission from the Ministry. Access to continuing education is not available as in the United States, where a variety of courses, credit and non-credit, off and on-campus, and sumer classes or evening classes are offered for those who are willing to learn and pay the tuition. Malaysian universities have the 30 potential for developing such programs given proper planning and commitments by the administrators and faculty. College-trained teachers is one of the many subgroups that can be served by the universities. This research study has been conducted to explore the prOfessional needs of these teachers. 31 Table4-m-SERVICEWHRSWWTEW WBYMMINISTRYOFMICNMAYSIA.* IIJRATICN OF GIJRSE SLBJEIII'S ELIGIBILITY (i) 8 weeks Guidance a annealing Selected (take: airing Renedial Ednatim Teactuers sdnol vacatim) Mzsic (ii) 6 rooms Glidance 8 annealing Teadaers with Distincticn or Credit in (1) (iii) 1 year stic, Arts, Library Trained Teachers (N) (v) 1 year Languages - Bahasa Malaysia - English 3 years All (buses 51mm (partly firing in Pre—Service school vacatim, Trainirg for 1 year full-time) Certification withSyearsand aboveofservice Language Teachers untrained Teachers Islamic Teachers Nbstcozsesarecanactedatfiievariwsteadiers'collegesinfiie country. *Source: Informatim Malaysia 1987 Yearbook CHAPTER III METHODS AND PROCEDURES The two main purposes of the study were (a) to explore the job satisfaction of adults as college-trained teachers who have five years or more of service, and (b) to assess the professional needs of these adults for the purpose of recommending appropriate continuing education programs, and making recommendations to education leaders in Malaysia. The two important variables in this study were job satisfaction and need assessment. In this section the theoretical concepts and premises underlying the two variables of this study are explained. Following this the methods and procedures are described. Theoretical Concepts and Premises on Job Satisfactionfiggg Need Assessment JOB SATISFACTION Job satisfaction explains what makes people want to come to work, what makes them happy about the job, or decide not to quit. Job satisfaction is attributed to not one but many factors. The intrinsic nature of the job itself is a major factor. An individual who genuinely likes the content of the job will be more satisfied. Ten 32 33 important factors influencing job satisfaction (Nash, 85) were security, advancement, type of work, company, pay, co-workers, supervision, benefits, hours and working condition. Lortie (1975, p. 101), discussed rewards for teachers: psychic, extrinsic, and ancillary. Psychic reward was a major source of satisfaction of working with young people and facilitating learning. It is subjective valuation made in the course of teaching. Extrinsic rewards included salary, status, and power over others. Ancillary rewards included working conditions, security, spare time, and convenient schedules. Teaching conditions in Malaysia, and all of the above factors were considered in selecting job facets of interest in this study. Eight specific job-facets were identified: 1) Enjoyment of teaching students: 2) Satisfaction of students' academic progress: 3) Workload: 4) Recognition of work by the school: 5) Promotion; 6) Salary: 7) Opportunity to participate in continuing education: 8) Ease of getting study leave to pursue with degree program. Questionnaire items were derived to represent these job-facets. In addition to the specific job-facets, the study included a question on teachers' overall perception on job satisfaction. 34 NEEDS ASSESSMENT The local universities in Malaysia, and particularly the National University Malaysia (UKM), have been aware of the need to extend their services out into the community. Very little has been done so far (see Chapter II of this study). unlike universities in the United States that have extensive activities for continuing education. A specific example of which is Michigan State University (MSU) where there are enrichment programs offered through the evening college, and external programs that allow teachers to get credits or do graduate work. There are seven regional centers that administer and coordinate the external programs. The regional director has played a major role in determining the educational needs of the teachers in the region. The evening college director takes into consideration the needs of adults to sustain the operation of the evening college. The proper assessment of needs is important to ensure participation of adults in the program and to maintain financial support. Determining the actual needs of the people before designing any program is the principle in Adult Program Development (Boyle, 1981). Malcolm s. Knowles (1972) gave a specific definition of educational needs: An educational need. . . is something a person ought to learn for his own good, for the good of 35 an organization or for society. It is the gap between his present level of competencies and a higher level required for effective performance as defined by himself, his organization, or his society. Adult developmentalists, such as Levinson, Sheehy and others talked about the stages of adult life and how needs vary from stage to stage: adult life has crises at certain points. Researchers have found that adults participate in educational programs for any of these reasons-economical, psychological, social and professional. Knowing the background of the clientele would help programmers understand people better and design programs suitable to their needs. Snider (1974) has given five steps in Educational Program Development: 1. Philosophy 2. Determining Needs 3. Stating the Objectives 4. Implementation 5. Evaluation This study is being done with the assumption that the Malaysian universities have accepted the philosophy that universities are committed to serve the public through ' outreach programs. The second stage could be used to prepare for the subsequent steps. Determining needs in this study included determining courses of interest, 36 duration of course, class schedule and number of people that would participate. The resources available in the local universities such as courses available influenced the type of courses listed in the questionnaire items. The Population The population consisted of approximately 1,500 college-trained primary teachers with at least five years of teaching service in the two districts of Ulu Lsngat and Gombak, in the state of Selangor. Teachers from private schools were not part of this population. Nature of the Two Districts 1. Ulu Lsngat represents a district that has a more rural environment. Most of the towns in the district are small, similar to other districts in Selangor. It has three major ethnic groups, the Chinese, Malay, and Indian. 2. Gombak represents a more urban district, very close to the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. The three major ethnic groups are also represented. The Survey Desigp A cross sectional survey design using questionnaires was used. This is an appropriate method when a larger sample size is being sought. Due to time constraints, 37 interviews and a longitudinal study were not conducted. The research included a cross section of teachers with various backgrounds, and was conducted in the month of September and October, 1987. The schools from which the teachers came varied in terms of size, medium of instruction, and nature of the districts (rural or urban). The Sampling Desigp Figure 1. Classification of Malaysian Schools by the Ministry of Education, Malaysia (by School Type and Size) Distrlict School | 1 ' 1 | Type: sax SRJK(T) SRJK(T) (ST) SchOOI I I I I I I I | l I I Size: A B c A a c A B c A s c The Malaysian government classifies the primary schools according to the model in Figure 1. There are four categories of schools based on four mediums of instruction. In the first category is the National type or Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan (SRK), where once English was the language of instruction, but the Malaysian language (Bahasa Malaysia) now is. In the second category is the National Type Chinese School (SRKJ(C)) 38 where the medium of instruction is Chinese. In the National Type Tamil Elementary School (SRJK(T)), the third category, Tamil is the language used. Only Bahasa Malaysia is used at the National School (SK), which represents the fourth category (the abbreviations are those used by the Ministry of Education Malaysia). In this sample, each category contains three schools, there were twelve schools per district in this study. After each school category was further divided according to size, a random sample of schools was taken (one school per category). For example, the National Type (SRK) was divided into class A schools (with a student population of 1000 and above), class B schools (with students numbering 400 to 999), and class C schools (with a student population less than 400). However, in the district of Ulu Lsngat, there was no National Type Tamil School (SRJK(T), with a student population of 1000 and above (type A). In order to obtain the desired sample size, one additional school was selected from the Ulu Lsngat (SRJK(T)) schools. This school was a ”C" school (the most numerous type in the district) and was used in the sample. All teachers with five years and more of service from the selected schools were given the questionnaires. The categorizing of schools as such by the government makes it easier for the researcher to secure data from each 39 group. By taking clusters of schools with all the eligible teachers saved considerable time. The Sample The sample was composed of 338 teachers, which was twenty-five percent of the target population. This was a representative sample because it considered the typical characteristics of the Malaysian school system in general, and Selangor in particular. These characteristics were school size, the medium of instruction, gender and location of the school. Data on the total number of teachers with five years and above of service was obtained directly from the principal of each school. Three-hundred and eighty questionnaires were given and 338 came back (89 percent return). Tables 5 and 6 show the lists of schools from the two districts in the study, and the number of respondents from each school. 40 Table 5. SELECTED SCHOOLS FROM ULU LANGAT DISTRICT No. of Respondents 1. SRK SEMENYEH . . . . . . . . . . 27. 2. SRK JALAN BUKIT . . . . . . . . . 20 3. SK AMPANG . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 4. SK KAJANG . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 5. SK SRI SEKAMAT. . . . . . . . . . 14 6. SK LT. ADNAN . . . . . . . . . . lO 7. SRJK ON PONG AMPANG . . . . . . . 19 8. SRJK(C) BATU 11 CHERAS. . . . . . 16 9. SRJK(C) YOKE MIN . . . . . . . . 6 10. SRJK(T) KAJANG . . . . . . . . . 13 11. SRJK LADANG BROOME. . . . . . . . 5 12. SRJK(T) WEST COUNTRY. . . . . . . 9 TOTAL NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS 190 Table 6. SELECTED SCHOOLS FROM GOMBAK DISTRICT No. of Respondents 1. SRK TAMAN SELAYANG . . . . . . . .13 2. SRK TAMAN SRI GOMBAK . . . . . . .14 3. SRK BATU ARANG. . . . . . . . . . 7 4. SK GOMBAK SETIA . . . . . . . . .23 5. SK LEMBAH KERAMAT. . . . . . . . .14 6. SK RAWANG. . . . . . . . . . . . .10 7. SRJK(C) SELAYANG BARU. . . . . . .21 8. SRJK(C) KHEW BIN . . . . . . . . .12 9. SRJK(C) KUANG. . . . . . . . . . 2 10. SRJK(T) BATU CAVES. . . . . . . .16 11. SRJK(T) RAWANG. . . . . . . . . . 8 12. SRJK(T) SARASWATHY. . . . . . . . 8 TOTAL NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS 148 TOTAL NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS FROM THE TWO DISTRICT = 338 41 Development of the Questionnaire Development of the questionnaires was based on the context of the research problem in Malaysia and the purposes and objectives of the study. Specific guidelines on how to construct good questionnaires for survey research were acquired through a research course. Two reference books used were, Survey Research, by Babbie (1973), and Elementary Survey Sampling, by Scheaffer Mendenhall 6 Ott (1986). There were twenty-five structured questions. The first ten questions were concerned with teachers' perception of the teaching profession. The tenth question was open-ended (see Appendix C). Respondents were asked to rate the statements by selecting one out of four choices: 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. Disagree 4. Strongly Disagree The next eight questions were related to teachers' interest in continuing education. Respondents were asked to choose one best answer (see Appendix C for the variety of responses). Two questions required respondents to give rank order and one question was open ended. The last seven questions sought demographic data such as gender, marital status, number of years of teaching, the salary scheme of teachers and income (refer to appendix C). 42 Respondents were requested to check the appropriate categories. The questionnaires were administered to twelve Michigan State University graduate students who were former teachers in Malaysia. comments on sentence construction, accuracy of fact, ambiguous statements, and typing errors were given. The questions were also reviewed by most members of the guidance committee at the proposal meeting in July, 1987. Since many Malaysian teachers were not very proficient in the English language, the questionnaires were translated into the Malaysian Language (Bahasa Malaysia). Data Collection Permission to conduct the survey was requested from the Educational Planning and Research Division of the Ministry of Education of Malaysia in July, 1987. The Ministry provided the lists of schools in Selangor to be used for the sampling frame earlier. The researcher also contacted the Selangor Department of Education, and the principals of the selected schools, for their permission and cooperation in the survey. School principals agreed to collect the questionnaires from the teachers and returned them in one week. The researcher travelled to each of the twenty-four schools to administer the questionnaires. Since the survey was done on a voluntary basis, respondents were not required to state their names. Each respondent 43 were not required to state their names. Each respondent was given an envelope for the questionnaire, and asked that they seal it to ensure anonymity. In cases where the researcher could not come back to the school to collect the envelopes, arrangements were made with the school to send the envelopes by mail. The survey was completed in two months. Analysis This study is a descriptive one, involving qualitative data. Questionnaires were coded before being run into the computer. Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS-X) was used. The output obtained were primarily frequency distribution, percentage, valid percentage, cumulative percentage and total. The valid percent (based on non-missing data) was used to make comparisons. Cross tabulations were also made to determine differences among groups' responses. Rank order was made where necessary. Tables were drawn explaining the results. For analysis comparing differences in the groups' results, chi square were used. Figure 4 gives the summary of each research question, the instruments used and analytical procedures involved. The research questions were: 1 (a). Are teachers who have worked for more than five years satisfied with their profession? 44 l (b). What is the relationship between teachers' length of service and the level of job-satisfaction teachers perceive? 2. What are the important professional needs of teachers? 3. What kind of continuing education programs could be designed based on the perceived needs? In the following pages each of the research questions is treated separately to describe the data-analysis procedure. Figure 2. 45 Sunnary of Research Questions, Instrumts andAnalysis Procedure Research Qaestions Instruments Analysis Procedures* 1a. their profession? lb. satisfactim teachers perceive? 2 . professional needs of teachers? 3. needs? Aretheteacherswho haveworkedformorethan fiveyearssatisfiedwith Whataretheimportant What kind of contimmig education programs could be designed based (:1 perceived Nine statemaits each to be answered with cne best answer: 1. Strcngly Agree 2. Agree 3. Disagree 4. Strcngly Disagree What is the relationship As in 1a, but each between teachers' length of service and the level of job statement has re- sponses fran four teachers' groups: 5-9 years service, 10-15, 16-20, and 20 above. Mquestions,each tobeansweredwith aieanswerwtofnine andeightchoices respectively. Five questicns given: 1. Type of Program 2. Madiness to Enroll 3. Class Schedule 4. Ability to Finance 5. Reasons for Norr Participatim Frequency count, valid percentage, and total for each state- ment. Oauparison of percentage count anmg answers. Range and mode noted. As in 1a, but four groups results cal- culated. *‘Ihisanalysisisonlyform‘x-opmmdedquestias. 46 Research Question la: Are the teachers who have worked for more than five years satisfied with their profession? There are nine statements on different aspects of job satisfaction that respondents were requested to answer: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. I enjoy teaching my students. I am satisfied with my students' academic progress. My workload in school is not heavy. The school recognizes my hard work. There is opportunity to update my knowledge in the profession through seminars or short courses. My salary is appropriate to my experience. There is opportunity to be promoted. Teachers can easily get study leave in order to I pursue a Degree Program. I am satisfied with my job these few years. For each statement respondents gave one answer out of four choices: 1. 2. 3. 4. Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree. The frequency count for each outcome variables were noted and its valid percent became the basis for comparison. Its frequency distribution from ‘strongly agree' to ‘strongly disagree' can be conceptualized. A conclusion can be made 47 after the percentage count were analyzed. Fifty percent and above was considered the majority. For description purposes 90 to 99 percent is considered a very large majority: 70 to 89 percent is large: 60 to 69 is fair, and 50 to 59 is a small majority. Research Question lb: What is the relationship between teachers' length of service and the level of job satisfaction teachers perceive? This involves the same nine statements (variables) as in Question la and the same procedure of data analysis are to be applied. However, each statement has responses from each of the four groups of teachers: (a) 5-9 years teaching service (b) 10-15 years teaching service (c) 16-20 years teaching service (d) 21 + years service Cross tabulation of percentage count was made to compare the results among groups. Researcthuestion:g; What are the important professional needs of teachers? This research question attempted to assess teachers' need for enrolling in (1) courses in the faculty of education at the Malaysian universities, and (2) non-credit courses outside the faculty of education. 48 Two questions were asked in relation to this: (1) If you are given the chance to continue your education in which one area would you choose? (2) If given the chance to enroll in an enrichment program (non-credit), in which one area would you enroll? In question one there were nine choices from which respondents were requested to choose just one. The frequency and valid percentage count of each of the nine items were examined. Based on the percentage, the list of courses in descending order of importance were to be tabulated. In question two there were eight possible choices and respondents were requested to choose one. The frequency and percentage of each choice was analyzed. Rank order of the courses were tabulated to highlight the more popular courses. Research Question 3: What kind of continuing education programs could be designed to meet teachers' professional needs? Specific questions were asked from the teachers for the purpose of arranging and scheduling classes based on the perceived needs of teachers. These questions were: 1. Which one of these courses would appeal to you? (a) l - 3 months (b) 4 - 6 months (c) 7 - 12 months (6) 1 - 2 years 49 (e) Degree courses 3 - 4 years There were five possible choices and the frequency and percentage of each choice was to be recorded. Rank order was to be made to show the courses in descending order of importance. 2. Are you ready to attend these courses if they were offered at University Kebangsaan Malaysia? The answer was either a yes or a no. Frequency and percentage count of ‘yes' and ‘no' would be taken. 3. Which of the following schedules would be convenient for you? (a) 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. weekdays (b) 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. weekdays (c) 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Saturday (d) Other time (specify) The frequency and percentage count of each answer was recorded. Rank order of results would be done. 4. Are you prepared to finance your study if outside aid is not obtained? a. Yes b. No The frequency and percentage count of Yes and No was recorded. 5. What is the main reason that stops you from participating in educational programs? (a) Family Commitment (b) Other Job Commitments (c) Transport Problems 50 (d) I am satisfied with my life (e) Financial Reasons (f) Health Reasons (9) Other (specify) The frequency and percentage count for each of the seven possible answers was recorded. The answers would be rank ordered in descending order of importance to show the main reasons for non-participation. The results of these five questions and questions from research Question 2 help educational program-planner to design appropriate continuing education suitable to the needs of the teachers. Open1§nded Questions An open-ended question allowed respondents to write down additional information on job-satisfaction. The question asked was ”What else could be done to improve your job-satisfaction? Please write briefly below.” (Refer to Appendix C). Each answer was read. Incomplete or vague statements were discarded. The accepted answers were classified into categories which include salary, class-size, teaching-aids, professional reasons and work-load. The total number for each category was recorded. CHAPTER IV PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA Introduction The purposes of this study were (a) to explore the job satisfaction of adults as college-trained teachers who have had five years or more of service, and (b) to assess the professional needs of these adults for the purpose of recommending appropriate continuing education programs relative to the perceived needs of the teachers in the study. Research questions in this study were: 1(a). Are teachers who have worked for more than five years satisfied with their profession? 1(b). What is the relationship between teachers length of service and level of job satisfaction teachers perceive? 2. What are the important professional needs of teachers? 3. What kind of continuing education programs could be designed based on the perceived professional needs? Results of the analysis of data related to the research questions are presented. 51 52 Research Question #1: Are teachers who have worked for more than five years satisfied with their profession? Table 7 indicates the frequency and percentage of teachers responding to nine statements relating to their profession. The data reveals the following results: 1. Teachers greatly enjoyed teaching their students. Thirty-six percent answered strongly agree to this statement and 63.2 percent agreed. Regarding the statement relating to satisfaction with students' academic progress, 5.4 percent strongly agreed and 59.2 percent agreed. The majority of teachers (63.3 percent) disagreed with the statement that the workload was not heavy and 15.4 percent strongly disagreed. Seventy-one percent agreed that the school recognized their hard work and about 3 percent strongly agreed. On opportunity for promotion, there was almost a split result between the frequency that agreed (41.7 percent) and disagreed (41.9 percent). However, an additional 13.9 percent stated strong disagreement. 53 Table? JobSatisfactimofadultsasmllegeTranedTeadaerswifiiSYearsornore TeachingEXparimce Wbyr‘requmcyaPeromt. (N-338) Struagly Straigly Total Statements on Teaching Agree Agree Disagree Disagree Nurber F (t) 1'" (%) F (H F H) 1. I enjoy teaching students. 121 (35.9) 213 (63.2) 3 (0.9) 0 (0.0) 337 2. I an satisfied with my students' acadanic progress. 18 ( 5.4) 199 (59.2) 114 (33.9) 5 (0.6) 336 3. My workload is not wavy. 7 ( 2.1) 65 (19.2) 214 (63.3) 52 (15.4) 338 4.'Iheschoolrecognizesmy hard work. 11 (3.3) 235 (70.6) 75 (22.5) 12 ( 3.6) 333 5. There is omorhmity for prorotion. 9 (2.7) 138 (41.7) 139 (41.9) 46 (13.9) 332 6. My salary is appropriate to my experience. 12 (3.6) 107 (31.8) 166 (49.4) 51 (15.2) 336 7. There is opporttmity to update my Iemledge through seminars/short courses. 26 (7.7) 228 (67.9) 77 (22.9) 5( 1.5) 336 8. Teachers can easily get study leave to pursue a degree program 22 (6.5) 169 (50.1) 125 (37.1) 21 ( 6.2) 337 9. I am satisfied with my job these last few years. 25 (7.4) 229 (68.0) 79 (23.4) 4 ( 1.2) 337 Proporticre and Gmfidence Intervals of Prcportdais Representing ”Satisfied Responses" 54 Table 8 Research Statmmts _l_’_ 95 mt Gmfidenoe Interval 1. I enjoy teaching my students. .99 0.98 to 1.0 2. I an satisfied with my students' acadanic progress. .65 0.59 to 0.7 3. My workload is not mavy. .21 0.17 in 0.25 4. The school recognizes my hard work. .74 0.69 to 0.79 5. There is opportunity for pramtim. .44 0.39 to 0.49 6. My salary is appropriate to any experience. .35 0.30 to 0.40 7. There is opportmity to update my lawledge through seninars/short courses. .76 0.72 to 0.81 8. Teachers can easily get study leave to pursue a degree program. .57 0.51 to 0.62 9. I an satisfied with my job these few years. .75 0.70 in 0.79 Note: DatainTableBweredsrivedfromTable 7. TableBshowsthe proportimsof"SatisfiedRespaees,"mid1mreobtairedbyaddirgthe and "Agree" in each of the ten A95peroentcmfidenoeintervalforeach proportion that ”Strongly Agree” statenents or teaching. proportionwas constructed. 55 6. A fair majority (65 percent) said that salary was not appropriate to their experience. 7. On opportunity to update knowledge through seminars or short courses about sixty-eight percent agreed and eight percent strongly agreed that the opportunity was there. The remaining forty-three percent disagreed. 8. A slight majority of teachers perceived that they could easily get study leave to pursue a degree program. About fifty percent agreed and thirty- seven percent disagreed. 9. On the statement, "I am satisfied with my job these few years," sixty-eight percent agreed and 7.4 percent strongly agreed, creating a large majority (75 percent) in favor of job satisfaction. Based on these results, teachers were satisfied with their job generally, but there were a few areas where they showed dissatisfaction, (i.e. heavy workload, salary not appropriate to their experience and no ample opportunity for promotion). To determine other factors, in more detail on job-satisfaction of teachers, an open-ended question was asked: What else could be done to improve your job satisfaction? 56 Three hundred and three responded to this question. The factors in descending order of importance were: workload, salary, class-size, teaching aid, administration, professionalism (work itself), promotion, continuing education, benefits, facilities, and recognition. Teachers reported their dissatisfaction relating to these factors. A short account of each factor as reported by the teachers is described. Workload Teachers indicated that their workloads increased with time, but without a corresponding increase in pay. They wanted their workloads to be lightened by reducing clerical work, co-curricular activities and teaching hours: and having teachers' aids. Regarding clerical work, teachers complained that they were burdened with work such as record-keeping, collecting fees, and sales of items like milk and magazines. Salagy Sixty-three teachers (21 percent) expressed their concern about salary. Teachers felt that there should be a revision in the salary scale. They wanted more pay. Eighteen teachers stated that salaries should increase to justify their workloads. The criteria for increment varies among teachers. Some stated that salary increments should 57 not come to a ceiling at certain times but should continue throughout the service. Others said that the increments should be based on teachers' experiences and amount of work done. Some others felt that work-excellence should be the criteria, not mere qualification. Class-size Forty-eight teachers (15 percent) were dissatisfied with the large class sizes they had to handle. They preferred 30-35 students per class for a better teaching/learning process. Teaching Aids Twenty-seven teachers (9 percent) complained that there were insufficient teaching aids. Other complaints were that they spent too much time making instructional aids. They suggested that the Ministry of Education supply the school with sufficient aids such as films, pictures, and teaching kits. Some suggested that educational technology should be improved in their schools. Administration Human relationships appeared to be a dissatisfier to twenty-six teachers (8.9 percent). They cemented that there should be better understanding between teachers and school administrators. Two teachers stated that principals 58 should be diligent, fair, truthful, and of high morals. Some teachers were unhappy with the many directives given to them from the top--the Ministry. Professionalism (Work Itself) Twenty-five teachers (8 percent) expressed their views about professionalism. The few worth mentioning were that teachers felt the need to improve themselves professionally through acquiring new knowledge. Some wanted in-service courses to be offered from time-to-time to expose them to new methods of teaching--especially with the New Primary School Curriculum (KBSR). Others wanted to learn the techniques of teaching special-needs students. Realizing that class sizes would not be decreased, a teacher indicated the need to find ways of teaching classes of 50 students effectively. Promotion Sixteen teachers reported that there was little opportunity for promotion. They wanted more. Like salary, they felt that promotions should take into consideration experience and hard work, not qualifications alone. Others emphasized work excellence and not just the seniority factor. 59 Continuing Education Thirteen teachers stated the desire for access to higher education in their field of interest. A respondent suggested the Ministry of Education should conduct long/short term programs in disciplines of interest to the teachers. Another respondent suggested that financial rewards be given to teachers on completing courses to motivate them to participate in the learning process. Other4(Benefits, Facilities, & Recognition) Only eighteen teachers complained about these factors. Some teachers wanted their hard work recognized with official ”thank you" letters or certificates. Others simply wanted words of thanks. One teacher mentioned the need for better classroom facilities such as adequate lighting and fans. A few teachers stated they wanted benefits like housing allowances or paid leave to attend courses. Table 9 gives the rank order of factors of concern to teachers after having analyzed the open-ended question. A factor which is a dissatisfier with one teacher is not necessarily so with another: for example, one teacher did not express the need for continuing education, while another had the desire to go to college. 60 Table 9 Factors of Concern to Teachers (N-303) Number Reported Workload 67 Salary 63 Class Size 48 Teaching Aids 27 Administration 26 Professionalism (Work) 25 Promotion 16 Continuing Education 13 Benefits 11 Facilities 4 Recognition 3 61 Research Question #1b: What is the Relationsm Between Teachers' Length of Service and Level of Job Satisfaction Teachers Perceive? Responses by four groups of teachers to the nine. job facetsfwere cross-tabulated (refer to appendix E). Due to many empty cells in the contingency tables, chi-square was- not employed to analyze relationships between the pairs of variables as it violated the required assumption that the expected. value were not _,less than five. The empty cells resulted from teachers not using all of the multiple choice ratings in the questionnaire. The response categories were collapsed into smaller meaningful groups, from four groups to three. They were:5-9 years of teaching service, 10-15 years of service, and 16 years and above. .Originally, the groups also included 16-20 years and 21__ years and above. Due to very small numbers of responses at the end of the agreement scale (Strongly Agree and Strongly Disagree) the ratings were made dichotomous. This meant combining the positive answers Strongly Agree and Agree, and the negative answers Disagree and Strongly Disagree. A descriptive account of the results are first presented, followed by the analysis. Teachers were asked to rate the statement. ”I enjoy teaching my students." All 103 teachers from the group 5-9 years agreed with the statement. All except one out of 69 teachers from the group 10-15 years of teaching agreed. All except two out of the 140 teachers 62 from the group 16 and above years of teaching agreed. The result indicated that all groups enjoyed teaching. On the statement ”I am satisfied with my students' academic progress,” all three groups had similar results--the majority expressed satisfaction: teachers with 16 and more years' experience agreed the most (72.1 percent) and those with 5-9 years agreed the least (54.0 percent). It appears that satisfaction increases with years of teaching (refer to Table 10). Table 10 Response on Statement "I am satisfied with my students' academic progress" Number Groups Agree Percent Total 5 - 9 55 53.9 102 10 - 15 44 63.7 69 16 and above 101 72.1 140 On the statement, "My workload is not heavy," a large majority of teachers (over 73 percent) from each group expressed disagreement. Teachers with 10-15 years' experience disagreed the most (84 percent), and those with 16 and more years disagreed the least (nearly 74 percent). The majority of teachers from all three groups indicated that the school recognized their hard work. Those 63 with 16 and more years' experience agreed the most (79.1 percent) and teachers with 5-9 years agreed the least (67.0 percent). A majority of teachers expressed disagreement with the statement "There is opportunity for promotion.” Teachers with 5-9 years' experience disagreed the most (64.7 percent) and teachers with 10-15 years disagreed the least (52.0 percent). Regarding the statement "My salary is appropriate to my experience, " all three groups disagreed, teachers with 16 years and more experience leading (77.0 percent), followed by those with 10-15 years (60.9 percent) and those with 5-9 years (52.2 percent). It appears that dissatisfaction increases with years of teaching. A large majority (over 70 percent) from each of the three groups agreed that there was opportunity to update knowledge through seminars and short courses. Teachers with 10-15 years' experience agreed the most (81.0 percent) and those with 5-9 years agreed the least (71.8 percent). A small majority (under 60 percent) from each group agreed that there was easy access to study leave to pursue a degree program, with the 16 years and more group of teachers agreeing the most (59.6 percent), and those with 10-15 years agreeing the least (52.9 percent). All groups expressed satisfaction with their jobs for the past few years. Teachers with 10-15 years service had 64 the highest score (78.3 percent) and those with 5-9 years had the lowest score (72.8 percent). The chi-square test of independence was carried out to determine if the responses on job satisfaction variables were dependent on the length of teaching service. The results indicated that on all variables except one, teachers' ratings on job satisfaction were independent of the teachers's groups. The only significant result (P<0.05) was the variable--"I am satisfied with my students' academic progress" ('X2 (2, _N_ a: 311) = 8.5, p < .05. This indicated that teachers' satisfaction with their student's academic progress was dependent on the length of service. Tables 12 through 19 show the chi-square contingency tables giving a breakdown of responses by teacher's groups. In the tables, "AGREE" refers to both positive ratings, while "DISAGREE" refers to both negative ratings. Table 11 Responses to the Statement: "I enjoy Teaching my Students,” by Three Groups of Teachers Groups SA A D SD Total (years of service) 5-9 30 73 0 0 103 10-15 22 46 1 0 69 16-above 58 80 2 0 140 TOTAL 110 199 3 0 312 65 As shown in Table 11, only three teachers disagreed with the statement ”I enjoy teaching my students.” Teachers in the 5-9 year group all enjoyed teaching. The chi-square test of independence was used to find if ratings "Strongly Agree” and ”Agree” depended on the group in which the teachers were found. No significant result:(13 (2, E.‘ 312) s 4.68, p < .05) was found (X3 . 4.68) (df . 2). Responses were not dependent on groups. Table 12 Frequency Distributions of Responses to the Statement: ”I am satisfied with my students' academic progress," by Three Groups of Teachers Group Agree Disagree Total (Years of Teaching) 5 - 9 55 47 102 10 - 15 44 24 69 16 - above 101 39 140 Total 200 111 311 362(2) . 8.5, p < .05 (significant) 66 Table 13 Frequency Distributions of Responses to the Statement "My workload is not heavy,” by Three Groups of Teachers Group Agree Disagree Total (Years of Teaching) 5 - 9 19 84 103 10 - 15 ll 58 69 16 - above 37 104 141 Total 67 246 313 )L2(2) = 2.69, p < .05 Table 14 Frequency Distributions of Responses to the Statement, ”The school recognizes my hard work,” by Three Groups of Teachers Group . Agree Disagree Total (Years of Teaching) 5 - 9 69 34 103 10 - 15 51 16 67 16 - Above 110 29 139 Total 230 79 309 )L2(2) = 4.71, p < .05 67 Table 15 Frequency Distributions of Responses to the Statement, "There is opportunity for promotion,” by Three Groups of Teachers Group Agree Disagree Total (Years of Teaching) 5 - 9 36 66 102 10 - 15 33 36 69 16 - Above 65 72 137 Total 134 174 308 7L2 = 4.25, p < .05 Table 16 Frequency Distributions of Response to the Statement, "My salary is appropriate to my experience," by Three Groups of Teachers Group Agree Disagree Total (Years of Teaching) 5 - 9 33 69 102 10 - 15 27 42 69 16 - above 45 95 140 Total 105 206 311 7L2 (2) = 1.15, p < .05 68 Table 17 Frequency Distributions of Responses to the Statement, "There is Opportunity to update my knowledge through seminars/short courses," by Three Groups of Teachers Group Agree Disagree Total (Years of Teaching) 5 - 9 74 29 103 10 - 15 56 13 69 16 and Above 105 34 139 1L2(2) = 1.92, p < .05 Table 18 Frequency Distributions of Responses to the Statement, "Teachers can easily get study leave to pursue a degree program,” by Three Groups of Teachers Group Agree Disagree Total (Years of Teaching) 5 - 9 75 30 103 10 - 15 54 15 59 16 - above 106 34 140 'X.2 (2) = 1.35, p < .05 69 Table 19 Frequency Distributions of Responses to the Statement, ”1 am satisfied with my job these few years,” by Three Groups of Teachers Group Agree Disagree Total (years of teaching) 5 - 9 75 30 103 10 - 15 54 15 69 16 - above 106 34 140 Total 233 79 312 3L2(2) = 1.35, p < .05 Research Question # 2: What are teachers' important professional needs? This study specifically attempted to find out these needs of the teachers in two areas: 1. Courses in the faculty of education at the local universities in Malaysia. 2. Courses outside the faculty of education available at the local universities in Malaysia. 70 Faculty of Education Courses Teachers were asked the question: "If you are given the chance to continue your education, in which one area would you choose?" Three hundred and twenty-eight teachers answered the question. The results were recorded in Table 26, giving a break-down of the percentage by nine subjects. Seventy-four teachers (22.6 percent) indicated that a course in pedagogy was needed, followed by psychology (17.4 percent), special education (16.4 percent), and educational administration (15.5 percent). The last three areas were very close together in percentage. Other areas were educational technology (9.1 percent), counseling (6.7 percent), curriculum (5.2 percent), physical education (3.7 percent), and others (3.0 percent). The percentage of these five areas were small (less than ten percent each). However, taken as a group, they comprised slightly more than a quarter (28 percent) of the sample. This indicates variation in individual interests. 71 Table 20 Rank Orders of Courses Preferred by Teachers as Needed in College of Education. \— Courses Frequency Percentage 1. Pedagogy 74 22.6% 2. Psychology 57 17.4% 3. Special Education 55 16.8% 4. Educational Administration 51 15.5% 5. Educational Technology 30 9.1% 6. Counseling 22 6.7% ' 7. Curriculum 17 5.2% 8. Physical Education 12 3.7% 9. Others 10 3.0% Total 328 100.0% Outside Courses (enrichment program) Teachers were asked to name one out of eight possible outside courses in which they would like to enroll. The results are shown in the table 21. 72 Table 21 Courses Preferred for Enrichment Program. Courses Frequency Percentage 1. Language (Bahasa Malaysia) 110 33.4% 2. Religion (Islamic Study) 51 15.5% 3. Social Sciences 48 14.5% 4. Arts 44 13.4% 5. Professional Courses 26 7.9% 6. Sports 20 6.1% 7. Other 17 5.2% 8. Natural Science 13 4.0% Total 329 100.0% The four most popular courses in which teachers preferred to enroll were language, religion, social sciences, and arts. Language (33.4 percent) took a commanding lead, relative to the seven other areas. Religion (Islamic Study) was (15.5 percent), followed closely by social science (14.5 percent) and arts (13.4 percent). Other areas of interests included professional courses (7.9 percent), sports (6.1 percent), others (5.2 percent), and natural science (4.0 percent). 73 Professional courses mentioned by the teachers included: law, music, library science, computer, accounting, hotel catering, and business courses. Other courses included: philosophy, civics, English, teaching of English as a second language, graphic art, agricultural science, administrative courses, and script writing/drama. Research Question # 3: What kind of continuing education programs could be designed to meet teachers' professional needs? Specific questions were asked from the teachers for the purpose of arranging and scheduling classes based on perceived needs. 1. Which one of these course durations would appeal to you? (a) short courses 1-3 months (b) short courses 4-6 months (c) courses 7-12 months (d) courses 1-2 years (e) degree courses. 2. Are you ready to attend these courses if they were offered at University Kebangsaan Malaysia? (This question attempts to determine the exact number of people that would attend classes). 3. Which of the following schedule would be convenient to you? 74 (four choices were given) (a) 4:00-7:00 pm weekdays, (b) 7:00-10:00 pm weekdays, (c) 8:00 am - 12:00 pm Saturday, (d) Other time 4. Are you prepared to finance your study if outside aid is not obtained? (the answer will tell program planners the feasibility of offering classes, given the financial constraint on the parts of the teachers) 5. What is the main reason that stops you from participating in educational programs? (The answers will enlighten the reasons for non-participation, and perhaps suggest ways to solve these problems). Question 3.1. Which one of these course durations would appeal to you? Table 22 Teachers' Responses to List of Programs of Their Choice, in Rank Order. (In Frequency and Percent). Types of programs N829? Frequency Percentage Short courses 1-3 months 142 47.3% Degree courses 81 27.6% Courses 1-2 years 37 12.4% Short courses 4-6 months 20 6.7% Courses 7-12 months 17 5.7% 75 As shown in Table 22, the two most popular programs were short courses 1-3 months (47.3 percent.) and degree program (27.6 percent). The percentage of respondents preferring short courses was substantially greater than those preferring degree programs. These were followed by courses 4-6 months (6.7 percent) and courses 7-12 months ((5.7 percent) which did not seem very appealing to the teachers, as indicated by the small percentages. Question 3.2 Are you ready to attend these courses if they are presently offered at University Kebangsaan Malaysia? Table 23 Perception of Readiness by Teachers to Attend Courses if Offered. (In Frequency and Percent). Readiness N-322 Frequency Percentage Yes I am ready 215 66.8% No I am not 107 33.2% As shown in Table 23, 66.8 percent of the teachers expressed their readiness to attend courses if offered by University Kebangsaan Malaysia and 33.2 percent said they 76 were not. These results indicate that teachers want to pursue learning experiences. Question 3.3. Which of the following schedules would be convenient for you? Table 24 Teachers' Preference of Class Schedules in Frequency and Percent. Class schedule N-207 Frequency Percentage 8.00am-12.00 noon Saturday 115 56.7% 4.00pm-7.00 pm. weekdays 29 14.4% 7.00pm-10.00 pm. weekdays 20 10.0% other times 43 28.9% The preferred class schedule in order of importance was 8.00am-12.00 pm. Saturday, followed by other times. not mentioned above (28.9 percent), 4.00pm-7.00 pm weekdays (14.4 percent), and 7.00pm-10.00 pm weekdays (10.0 percent). Clearly afternoon and evening classes were not favorable to three quarters of the teachers. Saturday morning class was favored greatly (56.7 percent), and other times besides those mentioned was the choice for others. Other times were specified to include holiday courses, Sunday morning or afternoon classes, Saturday afternoon classes, and full time courses on weekdays. 77 Question 3.4. How many teachers are able to finance themselves through college? Table 25 Teachers' Perception on Ability to Finance Their Education to College. Responses N=257 Frequency Percentage Ability to finance 64 24.9% Unable to finance 193 75.1% Table 25 indicates the number of teachers who were able to finance themselves through college. The majority (75 percent) said they were not able to finance themselves through college, while 25 percent said they did finance themselves through college. Question 3.5. What is the one main reason that stops you from participating in educational programs? 78 Table 26 Reasons For Non Participating in Courses by Teachers Reasons N=298 Frequency Percentage 1. Family commitment 131 44.0% 2. Financial problems 54 18.1% 3. Other reasons 36 12.1% 4. Job commitments 25 8.4% 5. Satisfied with life 23 7.7% 6. Health reasons 18 6.0% 7. Transport problems 11 3.7% Table 26 shows why some teachers did not participate in educational programs if offered. Forty percent indicated the reason was family commitment, followed by financial problems (18.1 percent) and other problems (12.1 percent), health reasons (6.0 percent), job commitment (8.4 percent), satisfied with life (7.7 percent), and transport problem (4.0 percent). Family commitment seemed to be one major factor that hindered participation. Other reasons given were old age and readiness to retire, boredom of attending courses at their age, and the pessimism teachers expressed of getting access to continuing education due to the limited number of applicants previously selected. 79 Summary on research question number 3. It was found that the most pOpular courses for teachers were short courses of one-to-three-months duration. Degree courses came in second. About 67 percent of the teachers expressed their willingness to attend courses of their choice as found in the results of research question 2. The time schedule most favored by teachers was Saturday classes or holiday classes, either full or part-time. However, only 25 percent of the teachers indicated they were able to finance themselves through college. Teachers who did not wish to attend classes gave family commitments, financial restriction, job commitment or satisfaction with their present life as reasons for not attending. The top five courses in education of interest to teaches were: 1. Pedagogy 2. Psychology 3. Special education 4. Educational administration 5. Educational technology. The top four courses (non-credit) courses outside education in which teachers expressed an interest were: 1. Language 2. Religion 3. Social Science 4. Arts. 80 Other Related Analysis Teachers in this study came from schools which varied in size and type. Chi-square tests of independence were carried out to determine if job satisfaction ratings were dependent on two variables (size and school type). Gender was another variable similarly analyzed. Ratings on the nine job facets were cross-tabulated with size, type, and gender respectively. The chi-square tests gave the following results: Size There was no significant relationship between school size and job satisfaction ratings for all nine job facets (p < .05). This means that school size (as represented by A, B, and C schools) does not effect job satisfaction ratings. School Type There were significant relationships (p < .05) with two of the nine variables: opportunity to update knowledge through short courses and seminars, and access to study leave to pursue a degree program. Job satisfaction ratings were significantly dependent on the two variables (see Tables 27 and 28). Regarding opportunity to update knowledge, the results were very highly significant 'X.’(9, I! = 336) = 23.2, p< .05, and Table 28 shows the percent of 81 teachers expressing satisfaction and the confidence intervals by school types. To obtain the total number of teachers expressing satisfaction, the numbers that "Strongly Agree" were combined with numbers that "Agree. " By rank order, teachers from SRJK(T) came first (95 percent), followed by SRK (77 percent), SRJK(C) (71 percent) and SK (67 percent). Table 27 Responses on Statement ”There is opportunity to update knowledge through seminars and short courses" (By school type) School Type S A D SD Total SK 10 62 34 2 108 SRK 10 52 19 2 93 SRJK(C) 3 51 21 1 76 SRJK(T) 3 53 3 0 59 26 228 77 5 . 336 062(9) = 23.22, p < .05 (significant) 82 Table 28 Responses on Statement ”Teachers can easily get study-leave to pursue a degree program" (by school type) School Type SA A D SD Total SK 8 59 37 3 107 SRK 6 56 29 4 95 SRJK(C) 4 25 36 11 76 SRJK(T) 4 29 23 3 59 22 169 125 21 337 1(2(9) = 21.42, p < .05 (significant) Table 29 Percent and Confidence Intervals of Teachers that Expressed Satisfaction on Opportunity to Update Knowledge by School Types 95 percent Percent Confidence Schools Satisfied P Interval SRK(T) 95 .95 1.01 to 0.89 SRK 77 .77 0.85 to 0.69 SRJK(C) 71 .71 0.81 to 0.61 SK 67 .67 0.75 to 0.59 L 83 Table 30 Percent and Confidence Intervals of Teachers that Expressed Satisfaction on Access to Study Leave by School type 95 percent Schools % Satisfied P Confidence Interval SRK 65.2 .65 .74 to .56 SK 62.6 .63 .72 to .54 SRJK(T) 55.9 .56 .69 to .43 SRJK(C) 98.1 .38 .49 to .27 The results indicated that Tamil school teachers were mostly satisfied with the opportunity to update knowledge through seminars/short courses, and the national school teachers were least satisfied. Regarding the job facet access to study leave, the results indicated that there was a significant relationship between ratings of this variable and school types X2 (9, N = 337) a: 21.42, p < .05. The school that had the highest percentage of satisfied teachers was SRK (National Type school) and SRJK(C) had the least number of satisfied teachers (see Table 30). 84 Gender Out of the nine variables on job satisfaction, only two were found to be significantly dependent on gender (p < .05): enjoyment of teaching and satisfaction with students' academic progress (see Table 31). Regarding enjoyment of teaching students, the male teachers had a higher percentage of "Strongly Agree" responses (47.6 percent) compared to 29.2 percent of female teachers. Male teachers had a slightly higher percent of "Disagree" responses (2 percent) compared to that of female teachers (0.5 percent). Regarding satisfaction with students' academic progress, the ratings were significantly dependent on gender (p < .05). The male teachers had a higher percent of "Agree" responses (71 percent) compared to 61 percent of the female teachers. Table 31 Response to Statement: "I enjoy teaching my students," by gender SA A D Total Male 51 54 2 107 Female 64 154 l 219 792(2) = 12.9, p < .05 (significant) 85 Table 32 Proportion of Satisfied Responses on Enjoyment of Teaching and Gender Confidence P Interval Male .98 1.00 to 0.95 Female .995 1.00 to 0.97 Table 33 Response to Statement: ”I am satisfied with my students' academic progress” by Gender SA A D SD Total Male 11 65 29 2 107 Female 5 128 82 3 218 16 193 111 5 325 ‘1? (3) = 11.781, p < .05 (significant) Table 34 Proportion of satisfied responses on satisfaction with students' academic progress by gender P Confidence Interval Male .71 .80 to .63 Female .61 .67 to .55 86 Ability to Pay for Continuipg Education Cross-tabulations were performed on teachers who were either able or not able to pay for continuing education and the following job facets: 1. Satisfaction with students' academic progress. 2. Opportunity for promotion. 3. Salary 4. Opportunity to update knowledge 5. Access to study leave The chi-square test of independence was carried out to determine if job satisfaction ratings depended on teachers' ability to pay. No significant results were obtained (p < .05). This indicates that there were no significant differences in responses between teachers who were able to pay for education and those that were not able to pay regarding satisfaction with students progress: opportunity for promotion: salary: opportunity for continuing education and access to study leave. Summa Job satisfaction ratings were not significantly dependent on school size. School type, however, was significantly related to two of the job satisfaction variables (p < .05): 87 a) teachers' opportunities to update knowledge through seminars/short courses (b) teachers' access to study leave. The job satisfaction ratings were significantly related to gender in two areas: teachers' enjoyment of teaching students, and satisfaction with students' academic progress. Teachers' ability to pay for continuing education was not significantly related to opportunity to update knowledge and access to study. CHAPTER V SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND IMPLICATIONS Summagy The two main purposes of the study were: (a) to explore the job satisfaction of adults as college-trained teachers who have five years or more of service, and (b) to assess the professional needs of these adults for the purpose of recommending appropriate continuing education programs relative to the perceived needs of the teachers in this study. A cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire was administered to a sample of 338 adult college-trained teachers in Selangor, Malaysia. Twenty-four randomly selected schools were involved in this study. A Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS-X) was used to analyze the structured questions. The data obtained were primarily frequency distribution, valid percentage, and total. Cross-tabulations were made to see the relationship between job satisfaction variables and length of service: the chi-square test of independence was used for the analysis. The results of the study according to the research questions were as follows: 88 89 Research Question 1a: Are teachers who have worked for more than five years satisfied with their_profession? Teachers gave their ratings on eight specific job facets. The majority of teachers find satisfaction in five out of the eight job facets: l) enjoyment of teaching, 2) satisfaction with students' academic progress: 3) recognition of work by the school, 4) opportunity to update knowledge, and 5) access to study leave. The three areas in which the majority of teachers indicated dissatisfaction were: 1) workload, 2) salary, and 3) promotion. Seventy-five percent of the teachers reported satisfaction with teaching jobs overall for the past few years. The open-ended questions revealed other factors of concern to teachers: class size, teaching aids, human relationships (administration), and the work itself. Other findings related to job satisfaction were as follows: - There was no significant relationship between school size and job satisfaction. - Teachers from Tamil schools were the most satisfied group regarding opportunity to update knowledge through seminars and short courses. - Teachers from the Chinese schools were the most dissatisfied group regarding access to study leave to pursue a degree program. 90 - There was no significant relationship between school types and the following variables: enjoyment of teaching students, satisfaction with students' academic progress, workload, recognition, salary, promotion, and overall job satisfaction. - There was no significant relationship between gender and all job satisfaction variables except for satisfaction with students' academic progress, in which male teachers had a greater percent of "satisfied” answers than female teachers (71 percent compared to 61 percent). The results of this study indicated that there were perceptions about the teaching profession that were true for all teachers regardless of school size, type, gender, ability to pay for courses, and length of service. These included dissatisfaction with salary, promotion and workload and satisfaction with teaching students, recognition, and overall job satisfaction. In addition, there was no significant relationship between teachers' ability to pay for continuing education and access to study leave or opportunity to update knowledge thorugh short courses/seminars. This means that teachers who are unable to pay for their education are equally interested in taking courses as those who have the ability to pay. 91 Research Question lb: What is the relationship between teachers' length of service and the level of job satisfaction teachersgperceive? There is no significant relationship between job satisfaction variables with length of service except for the variable satisfaction with students' academic progress (p < .05). There is an indication that teachers in the group 5 to 9 years of teaching were less satisfied with their students' academic progress than teachers in the group 16 years and above of teaching. Research Question 2: What are the imrtant professional needs of teachers? Courses preferred by teachers in descending order of importance were: 1) pedagogy, 2) psychology, 3) special education, 4) educational administration, 5) educational technology, 6) counseling, 7) curriculum, and 8) physical education. The top four non-credit courses that teachers expressed interest in were: 1) language, 2) religion, 3) social sciences, and 4) arts. Researcthuestion 3: What kind of education programs could 9e designed to meet teachers'gprofessional needs? The researcher's objective was to design an educational program based on the perceived needs of teachers. These needs were assessed from Research Question 2. Subsequently, research Question 3 attempted to 92 determine the preferred course-duration, scheduling, and estimated enrollment. The result indicated that teachers preferred short-courses 1-3 months, followed by degree courses 3-4 years in duration. Teachers preferred to have Saturday classes or classes held during school vacation, and they enrolled either part-time or full-time. Out of 322 teachers, 215 (67 percent) expressed a readiness to take courses. However, only 64 teachers indicated an ability to finance themselves through college. Teachers who did not wish to attend classes gave the reasons mainly due to family commitments, financial restrictions, and job commitment . Conclusions Teachers who worked for five years or more were generally satisfied with their jobs, as evidenced by their responses to the statement "I am satisfied with my job these past few years. " Seventy-five percent agreed to the statement. Teachers were happy with some dimensions of their jobs and unhappy about others. The areas they were happiest with were enjoyment of teaching, ability to update knowledge through seminars/short courses, recognition of work by the school, satisfaction with students' academic progress, and ease of obtaining study leave to pursue a degree program. 93 Teachers did have the opportunity to update knowledge through seminars/short courses. Although no further information was obtained on this dimension, the courses they presumably participated in were the in-service courses occasionally offered by the Ministry of Education (see Chapter II). Tamil School teachers were the most satisfied in this area. However, this result can be inferred only to the population of permanent teachers, not the temporary teachers within the school system. The permanent Tamil school teachers are few in number, and this perhaps explains the better opportunities for them to take short courses and seminars. Only a small majority (56.6 percent) agreed there was easy access to study leave to pursue a degree program. The remaining 43.4 percent disagreed, indicating that access to continuing education for a higher degree was not so easy. The Chinese School teachers were the most dissatisfied in this area. Although no empirical data are available, the probable explanation for this is culture: the Chinese are noted to be hard-working and materialistic. In Malaysia most of the Chinese are engaged in business. The inability to go for further education is a barrier to upward social mobility. Their feeling of dissatisfaction perhaps is greater than the other ethnic groups. 94 A majority of teachers (73.9 percent) agreed that the school recognized their hard work. They did get psychic rewards. Other intrinsic rewards teachers had included enjoyment of teaching and satisfaction with students' academic progress. This probably explained why a majority of teachers (75 percent) expressed enjoyment in their work. As Nash (1985, p. 193) stated: "A major factor in work satisfaction is the intrinsic nature of the work itself. A person who genuinely likes the content of the job will be more satisfied with it." Feistritzer (1985, p. xvi) agreed: "...Psychic rewards come from the satisfaction of reaching students and helping them learn, the chance to work with young people, the opportunity to associate with other teachers, to study and read.” Teachers found dissatisfaction with workload, salary, and promotion. This is true for all school sizes, types, and both genders. Teachers stated excessive work, including clerical work, extra-curricular activities, and hours of teaching created dissatisfaction with their workloads. This problem interestingly enough was not an issue in Malaysia nine years ago (Othman 1979). Workload was a problem to teachers following the New Primary School Curriculum (Salleh 1983). Teachers in this study mentioned that their workloads increased with time without corresponding increases in pay. Like United States teachers, Malaysian teachers complained of the amount of 95 time spent on record-keeping and clerical duties (Feistritzer 1985, p. xxii). Teachers wanted an increase in their pay. They differed in their perceptions of how salary increments should be initiated. Some believed in work excellence while others supported experience and qualifications. Salary was a dissatisfying factor. There appeared to be little opportunity for promotion and teachers expressed the need for it. Teachers had other concerns about their jobs: reducing class size from 50 to 35 students, having a better and larger supply of teaching aids, better communication between teachers and administrators, and giving teachers' more opportunity for continuing education. Except for satisfaction with students' academic progress, job satisfaction ratings on eight other variables were not dependent on the length of service. In other words, the length of service did not affect job satisfaction ratings, indicating all teachers experienced the same thing: an enjoyment of teaching: adequate recognition: dissatisfaction with salaries, promotion, and workload: adequate opportunities for updating knowledge through seminars/short courses: and little opportunity for obtaining study leaves to pursue degree programs. Satisfaction with students' academic progress was significantly dependent on the individual teacher's length 96 of service (p < .05). It appeared that teachers in the group 16 years and above were more satisfied with their students' progress than those in group 5-9 years service. The probable reason was that teachers who have worked for 16 years and more experience better skill in classroom management and in facilitating students' learning than their younger counterparts. The former, having been in the teaching profession for more years, and have perhaps grown to love the students more and enjoy seeing the students, academic growth, which is a major source of professional satisfaction and encouragement. At first it was thought that teachers in group 16 years and above would be more dissatisfied with salary and promotion than their younger counterparts since they had reached their salary limits. It seemed the younger teachers too were unhappy about their salaries. It proved that salary is a prime concern for all teachers. As Nash (1985, p. 191) reported, "There are some work satisfiers and dissatisfiers that are considered universal. Some satisfiers are obvious, such as high pay and security, but others are surprises.” The same result occurred with promotion indicating no significant differences in responses between tenure groups. All groups were dissatisfied. The existing situation in Malaysia is that there is not much upward mobility expected from the teaching profession, as was explained by a few 97 principals the researcher talked to during school visits. To move to another salary level in Malaysia requires a college degree, which these teachers did not possess. There was no ample opportunity to obtain study leave to pursue a degree program, as described earlier. The five courses teachers expressed interest in were pedagogy, psychology. special education, educational administration, and educational technology. It is surprising to note that teachers still need to learn more about pedagogy and psychology in spite of their many years in teaching. It appears that there is a need to improve oneself in one's career. This implies the importance of continuing education to help people grow. Other areas teachers would like to enroll for non-credit were in language (Bahasa Malaysia), religion (Islamic study), social sciences, and art. Sixty-six percent of the teachers indicated a readiness to attend courses if offered at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, evidence that shows teachers do want to continue learning. Only twenty-five percent of the teachers indicated their ability to finance themselves through college. Although this is a small percentage, there existed a group willing to study to better themselves even if they must finance the study themselves. Teachers have preference on what and when they want to learn. In this study, they preferred short courses of l to 98 3 months followed by degree courses (3 to 4 years) and courses of l to 2 years. The preferred class times by 57 percent of the teachers were Saturday classes 8:00 am to 12:00 noon. Other times preferred were during school vacations or Sunday or full-time courses during weekdays. Only 14 percent preferred evening classes 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, and 10 percent preferred evening classes 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Family commitment seemed a major factor hindering teachers from attending classes. Other reasons given were financial restraints, other problems such as old age and a readiness to retire, the boredom of attending courses at their age, and pessimism about obtaining access to continuing education. This study revealed the kind of courses teachers wanted to enroll in, the kind of course durations preferred, the class schedule, and the estimated number of enrollment. These data could be used for continuing education programs. The study reflects characteristics of adults as learners, "that adults continue to learn in their areas of interest" (Lowe 1975, p. 51). 99 Implications for Continuing Education One of the objectives of teacher education in Malaysia is to provide further in-service courses for teachers and educational administrators in order to improve the educational practices. Data on needs assessment obtained from this study would be useful to help educational planners in planning and designing programs for in-service training. How these data can be used follows. The data collected were courses of interest to teachers, course duration, the estimated number of teachers that could finance themselves through college, the time schedule preferred, and reasons for non-participation by some teachers. If there is no limitation to resources, a continuing education program can be designed based on this data. In reality, there are always scarce resources including any one of these: financing, facilities, manpower, and expertise. The institution planning the program, whether the Ministry of Education or a local Malaysian university, must take inventory of its resources, with the objective of meeting the requirements of the teachers' perceived needs. Questions like: Is the institution accessible at night or weekends? Will there be enough rooms for the number of courses offered? How much money is available to the program and for faculty salaries? What are the overall financial resources? How efficient is 100 the administrative staff in coordinating activities? What courses are currently being offered and what is the enrollment? What is the current price and cost per course? must be answered. Knowing the answers to these questions will provide information to planners for creating a more efficient and effective continuing education program given the available resources. Even if the above questions can in fact be answered in the most ideal terms (indicating that all of the needed resources are available), there are certain individual elements of the curriculum that must be considered. The individual elements related to this study are as follows: courses of interest to teachers, course lengths and schedule, students' financial ability, and teachers' areas of concern. Courses of Interest to Teachers and Subsequent Steps in Curriculum Development for Continuing Education As indicated, pedagogy, psychology, special education, and educational administration are among the courses teachers most prefer. These then would be courses to be offered to the teachers. All teachers with interest and financial ability should be given the opportunity to take courses regardless of school size, type, and gender. The next step in educational planning would be to ask teachers 101 who will enroll what their needs and expectations are before the course. Course Lengths and Schedule Teachers preferred 1 to 3 month short courses followed by courses leading to a degree within 3 to 4 years. Naturally the latter requires detailed planning, i.e., whether to have the class on campus or off campus: whether to have specific residential requirements for completion of the program: whether to conduct classes during the two-week term vacation in April and August, or during the long six- week holiday in December, or during the May through June vacation when students are not on campus. Financial Ability of Students Twenty-five percent of the teachers expressed the ability to finance themselves through college. This implies that continuing education can be offered as there is a demand, even if teachers have to provide their own finances. Offering courses of interest to teachers becomes crucial as they might not spend their money on programs they feel are unimportant. If Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, for instance, opened its doors to groups who could pay, needed money would be used to help sustain the continuing education program and initiate the growth as well as the development of an enduring continuing education 102 department (which is currently rudimentarily described in Chapter II). Areas of Concern to Teachers The teachers in this study expressed concern for workload, class size, teaching aids, and administration. Continuing education planners could attempt to offer seminar courses where teachers can discuss among themselves and have dialogue with resource people on issues such as large class size and management of workload. A hands-on course on audio-visual aids and use of computers would help teachers acquire new skills to aid teaching. Also, courses on interpersonal relationships would help administrators improve their leadership skills. In summary, the data assessing the needs of adults as teachers would help planners look into subsequent steps in program objectives and priorities. Ultimately they can then implement the programs they prefer. Recommendation for Future Research This study had eight factors of job satisfaction to be rated by teachers. Among factors in which they expressed concerns were class size, teaching aids, and administration. Perhaps these factors might be examined in a future study for more in-depth understanding of these issues. 103 The four choices by which teachers rated their job satisfaction were: 1) Strongly Agree, 2) Agree, 3) Disagree, and 4) Strongly Agree. These four scales easily allowed any proportionate testing using a chi-square. However, in future studies, the rating could be extended to: 1) Strongly Agree, 2) Moderately Agree, 3) Slightly Agree, 4) Very Slightly Agree, 5) Neutral, 6) Very Slightly Disagree, 7) Slightly Disagree, 8) Moderately Disagree, 9) Strongly Disagree. This larger scale allows the teachers to more accurately express their preferences, and allows testing by analysis of variance (ANOVA) through which group means can be calculated and compared for any significant differences. If there are significant differences between the mean, additional testing to determine any linear, quadratic, or cubic trend could be made on length of service and job satisfaction or any other variables. Longitudinal studies of Malaysian teachers from 5 to 15 years of teaching, or from 15 to 20 years, or 25 years to retirement may be studied with the objectives of tracing professional development taking place. This would include finding out what new knowledge teachers gain through participation in in-service courses, self-study, and administrative and co-curricular activities. Their perception on professional growth can be solicited. This knowledge would be useful for educational planners who 104 develop in-service or continuing education courses for teachers. It can be a form of evaluation of how much continuing education the teachers received from the Ministry of Education and what future plans may be considered. In-depth interviews of Malaysian teachers about their lives would allow a researcher to have insightful information on teaching conditions in Malaysia. Both male and female teachers with 20 to 30 years experience could be asked to narrate their lives from their first day of teaching to the present. Workload analysis would be a worthy study since it is a prime concern of teachers as found in this research. This can be done in many ways, including: 1) observation of teachers at work for a month, taking note of all activities teachers do: and 2) documentary analysis of teachers' jobs as given by the school, e.g. teaching time, committee work, co-curricular activities, and clerical duties. If random samples of teachers from the whole country can be collected, an overall picture of teachers' workloads can be obtained. Planners can use the data to reconsider the optimum or maximum workload for effective teaching. While studying the reward system, the writer found salaries, promotions, recognition, and benefits to be examples of rewards given to teachers. Given the inability 105 for the Malaysian Government to raise salaries, what other alternatives can school administrators give to teachers to boost their morale? Case studies of schools having reward systems that have been successfully implemented can encourage Malaysian schools to create similar reward systems. In solving the problem of large classes, teachers were faced with reducing classes from 50 to 35 students or contemplating other teaching methods. If class size cannot be reduced, experimental design on alternatives to various teaching methods can be carried out. Perhaps teachers need to use more audio-visual aids such as films: or two teachers may be assigned to handle a class (team teaching). Students' progress can be compared for alternative methods. A case study of the Tamil Schools is also suggested. The writer visited the Tamil Schools and observed that most schools were small, lacked facilities, and were located in rural areas. A case study of job satisfaction of Tamil school teachers would give further insight into their teaching conditions. APPENDIX A Maps of Malaysia 106 MALAYSIA AND THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES. BURMA &:Prmrs Q U A 5 South ChinaAS;a A / \ \M A L S I . . \uala LumspaurrEma E 0 107 4 “Maryveovessnmm .g ’ . amounts-«'7 :3 a: '53:); - 3 South China ‘5," - .- c ‘Sea : , K Pollen. sdnel territory r.e$"" ‘9,.:-‘.e-‘t,‘,’..-, ...'.:.Aftv--'\."-'- . q. . I . c. “it?“ In 1'1. —--— “moi-end Mew —-—-Sleie hem-dew 0 Motel seeds! Figure 9. Administrative Divisions, 1984 e h “Ml PEN INSULA MALAYS I A . APPENDIX B Permission Letter from the Department of Education Selangor, Malaysia 108 I\HAIAN PEI. AJARAN SELANGOR. .lAl. AN MAHAMERU. 50004 KUALA Ll' Ml’l R 'I i'la'lcm 2'9.) 3 ‘ I} Rm I 'mm. Ru]. Kumcflil. (44 ) d1m.Pf-S .4 283/ 3(1’) . Turf/(h: 25.8e 1987s Cik Nor Azizah bt. Mohd Salleh, Fakulti,Pendidikan, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bang . Selangor: 1 Sheen. Puan , Kebenaran bagi mcnjalankan Kajlan ke Sekolah Sekolah. “crujuk kepada salinan surat.daripada Pengarah Perancangan do: Penyelidikln Pelajaran KP(BPPP)13/1S/Jld. 29/(149) barterikh 11 hh. 0905,1997 berken 1n perkara d1 ates, adalah dimaklumkan bahawa Jebatan lui tiada apoa ape halangs .1 bagi puan menjalanxen kajia: ke seI:olah sel:clah rt:.uh Sekolah mesh Janis Kebangsaan (Tldan (C) 11 daciah Gombak dan Hula La.,get :a;erti yang dinyatakan dimuka surat 28 den 29 kertas kajiiu puan itu. Suk: cits ji} ca dapat kiranya puan.meudapatkan kebenaran tellebih dahulu drri Guru Besar sekolnh berkenaan sebelum manhunt kajian. Sila pastlk- n sir pcrjalanan sekolah tidak terganggu den tidek mengenakan paksaan dimsna mane pehak. Sekian. " 2":1. <12} HO! A? {mini}. NEE-WA Saya yang menurut parenteh, ‘~ 5‘» (:tJ'D-a‘. an: mu 5mm) b.p.Pend.ftar Sekolah Sekolah Selangor Dam]. 5115331. *5 .a—eh 4.". q .. FF- Jcnbak. 2. PP. .iUIU Langflt. APPENDIX C Cover Letter Questionnaire MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY 109 £011.56! OF EDUCATION EAST W6 0 MICHIGAN 0 “IN-I054 DEPARTMENT Of EDUCATIONAL muss m MAIL To: All Interested Teachers September, 1987 RE: Study on Job Satisfaction of Teachers in Selangor, Malaysia Rith Implications for Continuing Education If you have been in the teaching profession for five years or more HE NEED YOUR HELP. As the principal researcher of a study I am working on at Michigan State University, I will be conducting a survey to assess Job satisfaction and professional needs of college-trained teachers In Selangor who have had five or more years of teaching service. My study committee, chaired by Dr. Gloria Kielbaso, has approved the proposal. The University Kebangsaan Malaysia also endorses the study. Your responses and opinions are important to the people of Malaysia who are planning Continuing Education Programs for teachers. You will represent hundreds of college-trained teachers in Selangor. YOU CANNOT BE REPLACED. The information will enable the local university to plan a continuing education program based on needs expressed by teachers. All questionnaires will be analyzed by the researcher. Your responses will be kept confidential. When you have completed the questionnaire, place it in the envelop and SEAL it. Please have your questionnaire completed for collection when I return in one week. REMEMBER: Answering the questionnaire is a voluntary effort on your part. Although we would value your opinions and responses, you may decline to participate in the study. There is no obligation to participate. If you would like to read the final report of the study, a copy will be available in the University Kebangsaan Malaysia Library by Fall, 1988. Thank you for your time and assistance in this study. NorAzIzah Salleh, Principal Researcher ria Kielbaso, Ph.D, Chair MSU 's e- flfm—su'es Anise/Egon! Opperiseuy team-rise 110 UNIVERSITI KEEANGSAAN MALAYSIA CENTER OF EDUCATION BANG! SELANGOR THE NINE STATEMENTS BELOW CONCERN YOUR PERCEPTION ON YOUR TEACHING PROFESSION. Please RATS each statement by putting a check mark (V3 in the Qfl£,appropriate answer according to the following key: 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree a, 3: 3. Disagree m u u o 0i 2‘ i”. :3 4. Strongly Disagree . a .fi m < c: l 2 3 l. I enjoy teaching my students. . . . . . . . 2. 1 am satisfied with my students' academic progress. 0 O O O O O O O O O O O O 3. My workload in school is not heavy. . . . . 4. The‘- School recognizes my hardwork 5. There is opportunity to be promoted . 6. My salary is appropriate to my experience 7. There is opportunity to update my knowledge in the profession through seminars or short courses 0 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 8. Teachers can easily get study leave in order to pursue a Degree Program. . . . . . . . . . .9. I am satisfied with my job these few years. . t t I t t t t t t t t t t i t t 10. What else could be done to improve your job-satisfaction? Please write briefly below: S.Disacree .b 111 THE NEXT SEVEN QUESTIONS ARE ABOUT YOURINTEREST IN CONTINUING YOUR EDUCATION. Your answers will help us to plan appropriate programs in the future. Please CHOOSE Qflfl_EEST answer by putting a check mark h/) in the appropriate place. 11. If you are given the chance to continue your education, in which ONE area would you enroll? (Please check ONLY ONE.) a. Pedagogy e. Counseling b. Psychology ___, f. Educational Administration c. Special Education 9. Curriculum d. Physical Education h. Media Technology in Education__ 1. Other (SPECIFY) 12. If given the chance to enroll in the enrichment program (non-credit), in which ONE area would you enroll? a. Social Sciences e. Religion b. Natural Sciences f. Sports c. Arts 9. Professional courses d. Languages (SPECIFY) h. Other (SPECIFY) 13. Please RATE the following courses in order of preference. Please rank them I to S with l - most preferred and 5 - least preferred. (Duration of course is emphasized.) a. Short courses (1-3 months duration) b. Short courses (A-G months duration) c. Short courses (7-12 months duration) d. Courses of 1-2 years duration e. Degree courses of 3-4 years duration Please turn to page 3 14. 15. 16. 17. 112 3 Are you ready to attend these courses if they were presently offered at UKM? (a) YES (b) NO (Go to Question 17) If YES, please answer Questions 15 a 16. Which of the following schedules would be convenient for you? Please rank them 1 to 4 with l a most preferred and 4 2 least preferred. a. 4:00 - 7:00 PM weekdays b. 7:00 - 10:00 PM weekdays c. 8:00 - 12:00 PM Saturdays 6. Other (SPECIFY) Are you prepared to finance your study if Outside aid is not obtained? (a) yes ___ (b) no What is the fl51u_reason that stops you from participating in educational courses at this time? (Please check ONLY ONE.) a. Family commitment b. Other jobs commitment c. Transport problems d. I am satisfied with my life e. Financial problem f. Health reasons 9. other (SPECIFY) Please turn to page 4 113 4 18. Do you have any other professional needs that you feel the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia can facilitate? If you do, please describe briefly in the space provided below: a. Your professional needs: 1. 2. 3. 4. b. How Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia can facilitate these needs: 1. 2. 3. ‘. Questions 19 - 25 are for classification purposes only, to help us interpret how different people respond to the previous questions. Please check the appropriate answers about yourself. 19. Sex category: Male Female ___ 20. Marital status: Married Single ‘___ 21. Year you start teaching: 19 22. Years in the teaching service: 0-5 5-9 10-15 15-20 21 above Please turn to page 5 114 5 23. To which category do you belong in the teaching profession? Ca C: Other (SPECIFY) 24. What is your total income monthly? a. up to - 8649 b. 3650 - 8800 c. 8801 - 8950 d. 8951 - $1,100 e. 61,101 and above 25. What is the zip code for your residence? Thank you very much for your cooperation. Please put the questionnaire into the envelop provided. I will return to collect the completed questionnaire. Please contact me if you have problems concerning the survey at Education Faculty, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi. NORAZIZAH SALLEH UNIVERSITI KEBANGSAAN MALAYSIA APPENDIX D Schedule of Work Proposed For the Study 115 APPENDIX D SCHEDULE OF WORK Schedule of Work July 1987 to July 1988 Proposal meetingotOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Sending proposal for University approval. Sending proposal to the Ministry of Education, Malaysia.................... Permission to conduct survey granted by the Ministry of Education........... Making appointments with principals of SChOOISOOOOOOI00......OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Visiting schools to deliver and collect the questionnaires..................... Deadline for receiving all questionnaires......................... Return to East Lansing................... Data analY81SOO..OOOOOOOOOOOOOO0.00.00... writing up.OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Oral examination...... ............ ....... correctionSOO0.0.0.0000.....OOOOOOOOOOOOO completion Of work...OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 14th July, 1987 23rd July, 1987 27th July, 1987 10th August, 1987 24th August to 28th August, 1987 lst September to 30th October 7th November, 1987 18th November, 1987 December 1987 to February 1988 March to May, 1988 2nd June, 1988 3rd June to 8th July, 1988 11th July, 1988 116 APPENDIX E Contingency tables of Length of Service and Job Satisfaction variables. Key : - Strongly Agree 1 2 = Agree 3 = Disagree 4 = Strongly Disagree Teachers' Groups : 5 - 9 years 10 - 15 years 16 - 20 years 20 & Above The following nine pages have contingency tables of the nine variables : enjoyment of teaching, satisfaction with students academic progress, workload, recognition, promotion, salary, continuing education, study leave, and overall job satisfaction. 117 CONTINGENCY TABLE 1 : LENGTH OF SERVICE x JOB SATISFACTION Response to statement ”I enjoy teaching my students”. JOB SATISFACTION RATINGS AGREE : DISAGREE : ROW YEARS OF E STRONGLY AGREE : E TEACHING : 1 : 2 : 3 : TOTAL : 5 - 9 E 30 : 73 : o : 103 E 3 3 3 3 33 m 0 3 1o - 15 E 22 ': 46 : 1 : 69 E 3 3 3 3 22 a 1 3 16 - 20 E 17 : 26 : 1 : 44 E : : : : 14.1 : 21 & ABOVE E 41 : 54 : 1 : 96 E : : : : 30.8 : COLUMN § 110 : 199 : 3 : 312 § TOTAL : : : :1oo.o : CHI-SQUARE DF SIGNIFICANCE MIN E.F. CELLS WITH E.F. < 5 6.83717 6 0.3362 0.423 4 OF 12 (33.3%) CONTINGENCY Response to YEARS OF TEACHING 10 - 15 16 - 20 21 & ABOVE COLUMN TOTAL CHI-SQUARE 25.12058 TABLE 2 : statement 118 LENGTH OF SERVICE x JOB SATISFACTION "I am satisfied with my students' academic progress" JOB SATISFACTION RATINGS E STRONGLN : AGREE : DISAGREE : STRONGLN : Row E : AGREE : : : DISAGREE : TOTAL : : l : 2 : 3 : 4 : : E 2 : 53 : 44 : 3 : 102 E : : : : : 32.8 : E 1 : 43 : 25 : o : 69 E : : : . : : 22.2 : E 1 : 28 : 15 : o : 44 E 3 3 3 3 3 14.1 3 E 12 : 6o : 22 : 2 : 96 E : : : : : 30.9 : E 16 : 184 : 106 : 5 : 311 E : 5.1 : 59.2 : 34.1 : 1.6 :1oo.o : DF SIGNIFICANCE 9 0.0028 0.707 7 OF 16 (43.8%) 119 CONTINGENCY TABLE 3 : LENGTH OF SERVICE x JOB SATISFACTION Response to statement "My workload in school is not heavy" JOB SATISFACTION RATINGS YEARS OF E STRONGLY : AGREE : DISAGREE : STRONGLY : Row E TEACHING : AGREE : : : DISAGREE : TOTAL : : 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : : 5 - 9 E 1 : 18 : 64 : 20 : 103 E 3 3 3 3 3 32.9 3 1o - 15 E 0 : 11 : 49 : 9 : 69 E : : : : : 22.0 : 16 - 20 E 1 : 8 : 29 : 6 : 44 E : : : : : 14.1 : 21 & ABOVE E 3 : 25 : 54 : 15 : 97 E : : : : : 31.0 : COLUMN E 5 : 62 : 196 : 50 : 313 E TOTAL : 1.6 : 19.8 : 62.6 : 16.0 :100.0 : CHI-SQUARE DF SIGNIFICANCE MIN E.F. CELLS WITH E.F. < 5 8.34981 9 0.4993 0.703 4 of 16 (25.0%) 120 CONTINGENCY TABLE 4 : LENGTH OF SERVICE x JOB SATISFACTION Response to statement "The school recognize my hardwork" JOB SATISFACTION RATINGS YEARS OF E STRONGLY : AGREE : BISAGREE : STRONGLY : ROW E TEACHING : AGREE : : : DISAGREE : TOTAL : : 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : : 5 - 9 E 3 : 66 : 26 : 8 : 103 E 3 3 3 3 3 33.3 3 10 - 15 E 1 : 50 : 16 : 0 : 67 E : : : : : 21.7 : 16 - 20 E 1 : 28 : 12 : 2 : 43 E : - : : : : 13.9 : 21 & ABOVE E 5 : 76 : 14 : 1 : 96 E : : : : : 31.1 : COLUMN E 10 : 220 : 68 : 11 : 309 E TOTAL : 3.2 : 71.2 : 22.0 : 3.6 :100.0 : CHI-SQUARE DF SIGNIFICANCE MIN E.F. CELLS WITH E.F. < 5 16.89184 9 0.0504 1.392 8 OF 16 (50.0%) 121 CONTINGENCY TABLE 5 : LENGTH OF SERVICE x JOB SATISFACTION Response to statement "There is opportunity to be promoted" JOB SATISFACTION RATINGS YEARS OF E STRONGLY : AGREE : DISAGREE : STRONGLY : Row E TEACHING : AGREE : : : DISAGREE : TOTAL : : 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : : 5 - 9 E 2 : 34 : 50 : 16 : 102 E 3 3 3 3 3 33 o 1 3 10 - 15 E 2 : 31 : 29 : 7 : 69 E : : : : : 22.4 : 16 — 20 E 1 : 22 : 15 : 4 : 42 E 3 3 3 3 3 13 a 6 3 21 & ABOVE E 3 : 39 : 34 : 19 : 95 E : : : : : 30.8 : COLUMN E 8 : 126 : 128 : 46 : 308 E TOTAL : 2.6 : 40.9 : 41.6 : 14.9 :100.0 : CHI-SQUARE DF SIGNIFICANCE MIN E.F. CELLS WITH E.F. < 5 9.39049 9 0.4020 1.091 4 OF 16 (25.0%) 122 CONTINGENCY TABLE 6 : LENGTH OF SERVICE x JOB SATISFACTION Response to statement "My salary is apprOprIate to my experience" JOB SATISFACTION RATINGS YEARS OF E STRONGLY : AGREE : DISAGREE : STRONGLY : Row E TEACHING : AGREE : : : DISAGREE : TOTAL : 3 1 3 2 3 3 3 4 3 3 5 - 9 E 1 : 32 : 55 : 14 : 102 E : : : : : 32.8 : 10 - 15 E 1 : 26 : 31 : 11 : 69 E : : : : : 22.2 : 16 - 20 E 1 : 13 : 22 : 7 : 43 E : : : : : 13.8 : 21 & ABOVE E 8 : 23 : 47 : 19 : 97 E : : : : : 31.2 : COLUMN E 11 : 94 : 155 : 51 : 311 E TOTAL : 3.5 : 30.2 : 49.8 : 16.4 :100.0 : ===========================8=8m=====m===== CHI-SQUARE DF SIGNIFICANCE MIN E.F. CELLS WITH E.F. < 5 13.45651 9 0.1430 1.521 4 OF 16 (25.0%) 123 CONTINGENCY TABLE 7 : LENGTH OF SERVICE x JOB SATISFACTION Response to statement ”There is opportunity to update my knowledge n the profession through seminars and short courses" JOB SATISFACTION RATINGS YEARS OF E STRONGLY : AGREE : BISAGREE : STRONGLY : Row E TEACHING : AGREE : : : DISAGREE : TOTAL : : l : 2 : 3 : 4 : : 5 - 9 E 9 : 65 : 27 : 2 : 103 E 3 3 3 3 3 33.1 3 10 - 15 E 6 : 50 : 12 : 1 : 69 E : : : : : 22.2 : 16 - 20 E 4 : 27 : 12 : 0 : 43 E : : : : : 13.8 : 21 8 ABOVE E 6 : 68 : 20 : 2 : 96 E : : : : : 30.9 : COLUMN E 25 : 210 : 71 : 5 : 311 E TOTAL : 8.0 : 67.5 : 22.8 : 1.6 : : CHI-SQUARE DF SIGNIFICANCE MIN E.F. CELLS WITH E.F. < 5 4.38485 9 0.8843 0.691 5 OF 16 (31.3%) 124 CONTINGENCY TABLE 8 : LENGTH OF SERVICE x JOB SATISFACTION Response to statement "Teachers can easily get study leave to pursue a degree program" JOB SATISFACTION RATINGS YEARS OF E STRONGLY : AGREE : DISAGREE : STRONGLY : Row E TEACHING : AGREE : : : DISAGREE : TOTAL : : 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : : 5 - 9 E 10 : 46 : 42 : 5 : 103 E 3 3 3 3 3 33 a 0 3 10 - 15 E 4 : 32 : 28 : 4 : 68 E : : : : : 21.8 : 16 - 20 E 1 : 24 : 16 : 3 : 44 E : : : : : 14.1 : 21 & ABOVE E 6 : 53 : 31 : 7 : 97 E 3 3 3 3 3 31. 1 3 COLUMN E 21 : 155 : 117 : 19 : 312 E TOTAL : 6.7 : 49.7 : 37.5 : 6.1 :100.0 : CHI-SQUARE DF SIGNIFICANCE MIN E.F. CELLS WITH E.F. < 5 5.93108 9 0.7468 2.679 4 OF 16 (25.0%) CONTINGENCY Response to YEARS OF TEACHING 10 - 15 16 - 20 21 & ABOVE COLUMN TOTAL CHI-SQUARE 9.77280 125 TABLE 9 : LENGTH OF SERVICE x JOB SATISFACTION st atement "I am satisfied with my job these few years" JOB SATISFACTION RATINGS E STRONGLY : AGREE : DISAGREE : STRONGLY : Row E : AGREE : : : DISAGREE : TOTAL : : 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : : E 8 : 65 : 29 : : 103 E : : : : : 33.0 : E 3 : 51 : 14 : 1 : 69 E : : : : : 22.1 : : 1 : 35 : 6 : 1 : 43 E 3 3 3 3 3 13 a 8 3 : ---------------------- r- ------------------------- : : 10 : 60 : 26 : 1 : 97 : : : : : : 31.1 : E 22 : 211 : 75 : 4 : 312 -E : 7.1 : 67.6 : 24.0 : 1.3 :100.0 : 9 SIGNIFICANCE MIN E.F. CELLS WITH E.F. < 5 0.3692 0.551 6 OF 16 (37.5%) SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ADEP. (1983). Evaluation on the foundation/professional courses ingpre-service teacher educationpprogrammes in Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: Ministry of Education. Boyle, P. (1981). Planning betterjrograms. 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