Motives for in-service teachers pursuing Bachelor of

Teaching programmes

Hazidi Abdul Hamid and Hamid Awang.Faculty of Education and Languages,

OUM

What is the SMP program and who are the SMP students.

• The SarjanaMuda Pengajaran (Bachelor of Teaching) is,– Offered exclusively to learners sponsored by the

Ministry of Education, Malaysia.– The objective is to ensure that at least 60%

primary school teachers are degree holders.

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• The SMP learners are,– In-service teachers who,• Have at least 5 years teaching experience in the

relevant discipline.• Qualified teachers: have teaching certificates from the

Malaysian Teacher Training Colleges (not Institutes)

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What is the problem?

• Our knowledge of the teachers themselves are based on their qualifications and assumptions.

• To serve them better, we want to engage the learners themselves to know the better.

• To know them better is to be able to serve them better.

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The method chosen

• Qualitative: to know their motives, in their own words.

• Open questionnaires. 4 questions only.• Analyzed using semantic mapping• Findings discussed within the Dialogic

Principle framework: Continuum between notional poles of Abstract (relating to the Other as Generalized) and Concrete (relating to the Other as tangible and present).

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Meet the respondents

• Gender: 100 respondents: 23 males, 77 females.

• Age. Below 35 – 40, 35 to 40 – 53, above 40 – 2, not stated – 5.

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Findings

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Question1

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Question 1: answers.More Abstract Answer More Concrete Answer

a. Knowledge (Ilmu pengetahuan): 43: M9: F34.

a. Afraid of being left behind (Takut ketinggalan): 2: F1: M1.

b. Professionalism: 28: F21: M7. c. Following friends (Ikut-ikut kawan): F1

d. Education level: 24: F17: M7.

e. Dream of getting a degree: 16: F14 :M2.

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Question 2

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Question 2: answers

More Abstract answer More Concrete answer

a.Yes, I am prepared: 63:F46: M17.

a.Will be forced to get ready: F1.

a.Willing (sanggup): F2.

a.Feeling pressured (tertekan): F1.

a.Not certain: F2.

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Question 3

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Question 3: answers

More Abstract reasons More Concrete reasons

a. Knowledge (ilmu): 38: F33: M5.

a. Pedagogical knowledge and skills: 16: F13: M3.

b. Degree (ijazah): 28: F17: M11.

c. Lifelong learning skills: 3: F2: M1.

e. Readiness to face challenges: 3: F2: M1.

g. Information: F6.

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Question 4

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Question 4: answers

More Abstract More Concrete

a. Satisfaction: F1. a. Better professional standing: 42: F35: M7.

b. Success (berjaya): F3. c. To further studies to higher level: 26: F14:

M12.

d. To struggle on (usaha lagi): M2.

e. To have a degree (Ijazah): 16: F12: M4.

f. Readiness to face further challenges: 3: F2: M1.

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Discussion

• These answers reveal an interesting contrast because when asked about the actual 'things' that they wish to take away from the experience, they predominantly mention items or things with tangible results: a better professional standing which of course in accompanied by better pay and others benefits, a chance to further their studies and a degree which is something they actually obtain and hold in the form of the scroll. All of these are pertinent to their relationship with their profession.

• These finding seem to show that these respondents display a mix of concrete and abstract motivational drives. Further research is needed to verify and generalize these finding.

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