Who chooses to become a teacher in Pakistan, why, and what are their perceptionsabout teaching? The author of this dissertation study proled the background characteristicsand examined motivations and perceptions about teaching among entrylevel and advanced cohorts of preservice elementary teachers ( n= 937) encompassingtwo new teacher education program (ADE and B. Ed Hons) in three provincesof Pakistan. The Factors Inuencing Teaching Choice (FIT-Choice) instrument wastranslated into Urdu and its factor structure and reliability assessed in the Pakistanicontext.Altruistic type `make social contribution' was the most inuential, followed byability, and intrinsic reasons in both entry and advanced level cohorts. Althoughtrends in motivations remained the same across subgroups (based on gender, programs,science versus non science, provinces, parental occupation, decision time, priorteaching experience, and rst career choice), dierences existed in the level of scoringon each motivation. MANOVAs were carried out to nd multivariate dierences onthe basis of subgroups. Females and those with teacher parents scored higher onpersonal utility factors; ADE enrollees scored higher on intrinsic reasons, those whomade a decision to enter teaching before nishing high school, non-science majors,those with prior teaching experience, and those who chose to apply only to teachereducation scored higher on intrinsic reasons.With regards to perception, overall all subgroups perceived teaching as a highdemand (difficult and requiring expertise) but low return (low social status and salary)occupation. Advanced level preservice teachers appeared less satised with theirchoice of teaching than entry level teachers.Findings are interpreted in light the socio- economic and cultural context of teachingas a profession in Pakistan. Findings have implications for recruitment and retentionof teachers in the context of acute teacher shortage and dismal student learningoutcomes in Pakistan.
Read
