An Investigation to Determine Influences on Teachers in Indiana School Districts

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the influences on teachers, as related to instruction, classroom management, professionalism, and attitude, while considering stage of teaching career, teaching level, and the demographic groups of gender and ethnicity. An analysis was conducted to determine the greatest influences on teachers in the areas of instruction, classroom management, professionalism, and attitude. Additional analysis was conducted to examine if significant differences existed when considering career stage, teaching level, gender, and ethnicity. An analysis was also conducted to test for significant interactions between the main effects of career stage and teaching level for each of the four influences for each of the four constructs. Influences on teachers are important to consider. The research was conducted in this study to further knowledge of influences on teachers in different aspects of teaching, while also considering stage of career, teaching level, gender, and ethnicity. Administrators can strive to improve opportunities for students by knowing what influences teachers. The research design involved a population of 1,786 Indiana K-12 public school teachers. Teacher demographics and beliefs about influences were collected using a 20-item survey. Sixteen items contained prompts for teachers to rate the level of influence exerted from four influences. Teachers assessed the influences by using a Likert-type rating scale. Statistical analysis of the data included descriptive statistics regarding the mean, standard deviation, and frequency of selected items. Significance was identified at the .05 level. In all, 156 teachers of public school teachers responded to the survey instrument, which questioned teachers about what has influenced them. As a result of the analysis, the greatest influences on teachers were discovered in the four constructs of instruction, classroom management, professionalism, and attitude. Analysis was also conducted to consider influences with regard to career stage and teaching level. When considering each of these teaching constructs and the influences within the construct, significance was found in one or more of the 16 possible opportunities in stage of teaching career and teaching level.