Finnish and German student teachers' motivations for choosing teaching as a career. The first application of the FIT-Choice scale in Finland. (October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Goller, Michael; Ursin, Jani; Vähäsantanen, Katja; Festner, Dagmar; Harteis, Christian
• Is Part Of: Teaching and teacher education. Volume 85(2019)
• Page Start: 235
• Page End: 248
• Publication Date: 2019-10
• Subjects: FIT-Choice -- Career -- Comparative research -- Motivation -- Teaching -- Beginning student teachers; Teaching -- Periodicals; Teachers -- Training of -- Periodicals; Enseignement -- Périodiques; Enseignants -- Formation -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 371.10205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tate.2019.06.023
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0742-051X

Abstract

Abstract: This study introduces and validates the Finnish version of the FIT-Choice scale and uses the scale to explore Finnish undergraduate students' motivations for choosing teaching as a career as well as their perceptions of teaching as a profession in comparison to German student teachers. The results replicated the FIT-Choice structure both in Finland and Germany. Sample comparisons revealed that motivations for teaching and perceptions of the teaching profession reflected both differences and similarities between Finland and Germany. The study offers novel information on student teachers' motivational structure. Highlights: Validation of the FIT-Choice structure was conducted in Finland. The FIT-Choice scale functioned quite similarly in Finland and Germany. Motivations for teaching seemed to be more different than similar in these two countries. Perceptions of teaching seemed to be more similar than different in these two countries.