What organizational factors motivate environmental educators to perform their best?

IF 1.7 4区教育学 Q2 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Journal of Environmental Education Pub Date : 2021-08-09 DOI:10.1080/00958964.2021.1924104

Daniel F. Pratson, M. Stern, R. Powell

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引用次数: 3

Abstract

Abstract Positive motivation to perform work tasks has been associated with better performance and outcomes in both the organizational and informal education literature. In environmental education (EE), this means that more motivated instructors are likely to provide better programs for their participants. In this exploratory study across 15 states in the USA, grounded in interviews with EE instructors and their supervisors, we examine the most salient factors motivating EE instructors to perform their work and how the practices of their organizations influenced those factors. Organizational practices related to enhancing EE instructors’ feelings of autonomy, competence, relatedness, and meaningfulness of their work each contributed to positive motivations. A strong sense of shared values and interests underpinned each of these factors. We discuss recommendations for maintaining and enhancing instructor motivations, including hiring and onboarding strategies, participatory evaluation processes, and professional development opportunities. We also consider subtle differences in motivations at different career stages. Supplemental data for this article is available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2021.1924104

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哪些组织因素促使环境教育工作者发挥最佳水平？

在组织和非正式教育文献中，积极的工作动机与更好的绩效和结果有关。在环境教育(EE)中，这意味着更积极的教师有可能为他们的参与者提供更好的课程。在这项横跨美国15个州的探索性研究中，基于对情感表达教师及其主管的访谈，我们研究了激励情感表达教师开展工作的最显著因素，以及他们所在组织的实践如何影响这些因素。与增强情感表达教师的自主性、能力、相关性和工作意义感相关的组织实践都有助于积极的动机。强烈的共同价值观和利益意识支撑着这些因素。我们讨论了维持和增强教师动机的建议，包括招聘和入职策略、参与式评估流程和专业发展机会。我们还考虑了不同职业阶段动机的细微差异。本文的补充数据可在http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2021.1924104上在线获得

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来源期刊

Journal of Environmental Education Multiple-

CiteScore

6.20

自引率

12.90%

发文量

期刊介绍： Any educator in the environmental field will find The Journal of Environmental Education indispensable. Based on recent research in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities, the journal details how best to present environmental issues and how to evaluate programs already in place for primary through university level and adult students. University researchers, park and recreation administrators, and teachers from the United States and abroad provide new analyses of the instruction, theory, methods, and practices of environmental communication and education in peer-reviewed articles. Reviews of the most recent books, textbooks, videos, and other educational materials by experts in the field appear regularly.