Exploring Serbian teachers’ motivation for teaching with the application of FIT-choice scale

Abstract

Why choose to become a teacher in Serbia? There is no evidence about teachers? career choice motivation after the newly introduced changes of teacher education in Serbia. The authors examine motivations among (future) class and subject teachers (N=132) applying broadly implemented instrument with fine psychometrical characteristics - FIT-Choice (Factors Influencing Teaching Choice) questionnaire, with an additional factor - Subject. Teachers perceive as most influential factors: Subject, Intrinsic career value, Social utility factors, Perceived abilities and Prior teaching and learning experiences. They were followed by Job security and Time for family, both highly rated. Factors Job transferability and Social influence have ratings above the scale midpoint, while fall-back career was perceived as unimportant. The obtained hierarchy of career choice factors is concordant with the hiererchies obtained previously in Western European countries by FIT-Choice scale. In comparison with previous findings in Serbia, fall-back as a motive lost its significance. Relying on the results exploring the connection of teacher career choice motivation and the career characteristics, we should expect future teachers to be more devoted, more agile in their professional development with less attrition intensions, in comparison to the currently employed teachers, in case that social and economic conditions do not place constraints.