The purpose of this study was to examine the self-efficacy and job satisfaction level of national/public and private kindergarten teachers in charge of infant and early childhood education that was the basis of human development.
The following resear...
The purpose of this study was to examine the self-efficacy and job satisfaction level of national/public and private kindergarten teachers in charge of infant and early childhood education that was the basis of human development.
The following research questions were posed:
1. What is the level of the self-efficacy of national/public and private kindergarten teachers?
2. Is there any significant difference in self-efficacy between national/public and private kindergarten teachers?
1) Is there any significant difference in self-efficacy components between national/public and private kindergarten teachers?
2) Do the background variables of national/public and private kindergarten teachers make any significant difference to their self-efficacy?
3. What is the job satisfaction level of national/public and private kindergarten teachers?
4. Is there any significant difference in job satisfaction level between national/public and private kindergarten teachers?
1) Is there any significant difference in job satisfaction components between national/public and private kindergarten teachers?
2) Do the background variables of national/public and private kinder garten teachers make any significant difference to their job satisfaction?
5. Is there a significantly positive correlation between the self-efficacy and job satisfaction of national/public and private kindergarten teachers?
The subjects in this study were 200 kindergarten teachers in Gang- weon province. 100 teachers each were selected from national/public and private kindergartens. After a survey was conducted by this researcher, the collected answer sheets were analyzed.
The instrument used to assess their self-efficacy was Gu Su-jin (2001)'s inventory that translated and modified Bandura(1997)'s Teacher Efficacy Scale(TES) to evaluate the self-efficacy of teachers in specific kindergarten situations.
The instrument used to assess their job satisfaction level was Jeong Hyang-rim(2005)'s inventory that modified Puala Jorde-Bloom(1988)'s Early Childhood Job Satisfaction Survey(ECJSS) to suit Korean circumstances by adding an element of 'social approval.'
The collected data were analyzed with SPSS(Statistical Package for the Social Science) WIN 13.0 program. Statistical data on frequency and percentage were obtained to find out the general characteristics of the teachers, and t-test was carried out to track difference in self-efficacy and job satisfaction between the national/public and private kindergarten teachers. Besides, Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient was used to grasp the relationship between their self-efficacy and job satisfaction, and the level of significance of all the data were verified.
The major findings of the study were as follows:
First, the self-efficacy of the national/public and private kindergarten teachers was relatively at a high level. The national/public kindergarten teachers were most excellent in efficacy of creating a good climate, and the private kindergarten teachers were the best in terms of disciplinary self-efficacy. All the teachers lagged behind most in terms of decision- making efficacy.
Second, the national/public kindergarten teachers were significantly ahead of their counterparts in self-efficacy.
Among self-efficacy components, the former outdid the latter in all the decision-making efficacy, teaching self-efficacy, disciplinary self-efficacy, parent-involvement efficacy and efficacy of creating a good climate. And the difference between them was significant.
By background variables, the national/public kindergarten teachers significantly surpassed their counterparts in self-efficacy regardless of age, career, academic credential and class size.
Third, the national/public kindergarten teachers expressed relatively high job satisfaction, but the private kindergarten teachers weren't contented with their job a lot. Both groups found their relationship with colleagues most satisfactory.
Fourth, the national/public kindergarten teachers expressed significantly better job satisfaction than their counterparts.
Among job satisfaction components, the national/public kindergarten teachers were significantly better pleased than their counterparts with job itself, working environments, pay and promotion. In contrast, the latter was significantly better contented with social approval than the former.
By background variables, the national/public kindergarten teachers expressed significantly better job satisfaction than their counterparts irrespective of age, career, academic background and class size.
Fifth, self-efficacy had a significantly positive correlation to job satisfaction in both groups. Those who had a better self-efficacy had a tendency to be more satisfied with their job, but there was some difference in the positive correlation of the two factors between the two groups.