Influence Of The Matrix Structure Of Methodological Support On Teacher Job Satisfaction

Abstract

Teacher job satisfaction is one of the current areas of research for scholars. Job satisfaction is as important for a young teacher as it is for a long-serving teacher. Job satisfaction can keep a teacher in the school for years to come. Teacher staff turnover, especially of younger teachers, is a concern for many educational leaders today. The components of teacher job satisfaction are satisfaction with the process and quality of educational services provided at school, satisfaction with the conditions for professional growth created by the school office. The aim of our study is to find out the impact on the level of teacher job satisfaction (satisfaction with the process and quality of educational services provided at school, satisfaction with conditions for professional growth created by school office) of changes introduced by school administration in methodological guidance organized within the general educational institution. Research methods are theoretical analysis of psychological and instructional literature on the issue of research, questioning, qualitative and quantitative analysis of survey results, statistical and mathematical research methods. As a result of introducing the elements of the matrix structure of methodological guidance for teachers in the school management model, the level of teacher job satisfaction has increased much. The results of the study can be used in the arrangement of methodological work in the school.

Keywords: Job satisfaction, methodological guidance, school office, satisfaction with school office work, young teacher

Introduction

The education system is constantly changing. Sometimes these changes occur unnoticed for some participants in the educational relationship, and sometimes innovations are introduced in droves. It is already difficult not to notice it. For example, in the last few years, electronic journals and electronic textbooks have been introduced in the school system. Teachers are actively using digital tools in their lessons, etc. Some teachers are not afraid of such innovations as they are open to everything new and ready for a change. But for some teachers’ innovations are stressful and difficult to cope with. Stress affects teacher job satisfaction (satisfaction with the process and quality of educational services provided at school, satisfaction with the conditions for professional growth created by the school office). Methodological support for teachers, arranged by the school office, helps teachers to cope with the difficulties they feel in introducing innovations in learning. Methodological support is especially necessary for young teachers, who face difficulties during their first three years of work not only when they introduce something new into learning with the whole teaching staff. A young teacher is doing everything for the first time

Problem Statement

Many researchers are interested in the personality of a teacher, the conditions of his or her work, the relationship with students, students’ parents, school administration, the conditions created by the administration for the teachers’ work, etc. Satisfaction with teachers’ work is one of these problems. Teacher job satisfaction is a significant variable in terms of school functioning. The teaching profession is known to be emotionally complicated (Chang, 2009). There are already studies on teacher job satisfaction (Bozkuş et al., 2019). Some researchers have identified the main sources of job satisfaction of school teachers, pointed out work, colleagues, relationships with students and sense of achievement (Manandhar, et al., 2021).

Researchers have also identified interdependencies of teacher job satisfaction with productivity (Awang et al., 2010), quality of school results (Hardy et al., 2003), structure and functioning of the school in which teachers work (Yılmaz & Beycioğlu, 2017), teachers’ attitude towards school and students (Demirtas & Nacar, 2018), duration of work (Hollett et al., 2021), school effectiveness (Hulpia et al., 2009), personality and civic behaviour (Ilies et al., 2009), with Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory (Abraham & Prasetyo, 2021), school bureaucracy (Alanoğlu & Demirtaş, 2021), availability of coaching experience (Preechawong et al., 2021).

The future teacher training also aims to ensure that in the future, while working in a school, a teacher will be able to feel satisfied with his or her work. For this purpose, the university creates conditions for successful learning (Gabdrakhmanova et al., 2019; Khuziakhmetov & Gabdrakhmanova, 2016). We did not find any research works determining the impact on the level of teacher’s job satisfaction (satisfaction with the process and quality of educational services provided at school, satisfaction with conditions for professional growth created by school office) of changes introduced by school administration in methodological support organized within a comprehensive school institution.

Research Questions

The instructional experiment to determine the impact of innovations in the school management model (innovations in the institution of methodological support for teachers (elements of matrix structure) and implementation of projects in the school environment, in the implementation of which teachers, students and parents of students were involved) on the level of teacher job satisfaction was conducted within one of the KFU basic schools. The experiment lasted for two years.

Fifty-nine teachers from this school participated in the experiment. We identified two indicators to determine the level of teacher job satisfaction: satisfaction with the process and quality of educational services provided at school, satisfaction with the conditions for professional growth created by the school office. We made a questionnaire for teachers consisting of questions which we asked them to answer: to specify gender, length of service, etc., to choose the answer (the course taught, the level of satisfaction, etc.), to write their views, to write recommendations, their wishes for the organization of methodological support of the teacher in school, etc. We prepared the school administration and teachers to introduce elements of the matrix structure into the school management model.

Purpose of the Studу

The purpose of our study is to determine the impact on the level of teacher job satisfaction (satisfaction with the process and quality of educational services provided in school, satisfaction with the conditions for professional growth created by the school office) of changes in methodological support organized within the general educational institution by the school office.

We turned to the following scientific research for our study:

• Theories and practices of modern school education,
• Research that takes a young teacher, the principal as a subject,
• Studies examining the issues in the field of teacher job satisfaction in the general education institution,
• Research detailing the methods used in scientific research.

Research Methods

We used a complex of various methods that complement each other for this study:

theoretical methods: theoretical analysis of methodological, instructional, psychological, scientific and methodological literature, generalization;

empirical methods: questionnaires, qualitative and quantitative analysis of the survey results, statistical and mathematical research methods.

The method of comparative analysis is used by many scholars (Graf, 2016; Theda & Somers, 1980). In this study, we compare the results of the survey before the instructional experiment and after.

Findings

The current pace of innovations introduced in the school system does not allow the administration of the general education institution to become relaxed. The school office, despite good student performance, must always monitor the level of satisfaction with the school by students, parents of students and teachers. In this study, we wanted to determine the impact on the level of teacher job satisfaction (satisfaction with the process and quality of educational services provided at school, satisfaction with the conditions for professional growth created by school office) of changes made by school office in methodological guidance arranged within the general educational institution.

For this purpose, we first conducted a questionnaire survey among the teachers of the school and found out about their satisfaction with the process and quality of educational services provided at school. We asked teachers to determine their level of satisfaction with the process and quality of educational services provided at school in points (from 0 to 3) (Table 1.)

The results showed that a high level of satisfaction is only for 20% of respondents. Qualitative analysis of the survey showed even lower results. For example, the question “In your opinion, does the school provide educational needs of pupils and their parents?” was positively answered by only 10%, and “not really” by 70% of respondents. The majority of teachers (80%) answered “not absolutely” to the question “Do you think the school provides the level of education necessary for further education?” Most teaching staff 65% answered “partially created” to the question “Do you think the conditions for the development of pupils’ creative abilities are created at school?”

Then, we asked questions related to the conditions created for teachers by the school office. For example, 70% of the respondents answered “no special conditions” to the question “Do you think that conditions are created in your school for professional growth and development of teacher’s creativity?”

Based on the data presented above, we could conclude the school management model; especially the organization of methodological support of teachers needs to be updated.

Then we decided to find out how the teaching staff assessed the methodological support for teachers which is organized by the school office. Methodological work in the educational institution as defined by the teaching staff as ineffective (80% of respondents). Teachers expressed their wishes: not enough communication with colleagues, not enough training sessions aimed at improving professional skills. Most of the interviewed teachers would like to have more intensive professional communication with colleagues, etc. According to the questioning results, there was a clear dissatisfaction with teachers’ instructional work (dissatisfaction with the process and quality of educational services provided at school, dissatisfaction with conditions for professional growth created by the school office).

In the new academic year, matrix links were introduced into the linear structure of school management. Projects were created in the school that included pupils, teachers and pupils’ parents. Also, the school office implemented a matrix structure in the methodological support of a teacher, which helped to solve the problem of organizing the purposeful activity of the teaching staff. The subject-methodical unit involved the introduction of effective teaching and learning technologies and methodological support for each teacher individually (young teachers and teachers with a long period of work). This unit was planned for workshops, masterclasses, webinars, small instructional councils, teacher portfolios, mentoring for young teachers and participation in project activities. The marketing unit involved regular research into the needs of students’ parents regarding the instructional services provided by the school and forecasting changes in learning. Regular questioning of students, parents, social partners, etc. was planned for this unit. The consulting unit was supposed to work to improve the professional skills of teachers. This unit was planned for individual-methodical support in the mode of consultation and correction.

The following methods and forms were used in methodological work: coaching, mentoring, budding (peer coaching), sparring, counselling, supervision; Shadowing (observation of more experienced colleagues); developmental conversation. Additionally, the school office strongly encouraged teachers to sign up for e-courses, webinars; social media: corporate blogs, wikis, online professional communities, etc.

At the end of the school year, a follow-up survey of teachers showed a positive trend in satisfaction with the process and quality of educational services provided at school. The results of the survey are presented in Table 2.

The results showed that a high level of satisfaction is for 40% of respondents.

Qualitative analysis of the survey confirmed the obtained results. For example, the question “In your opinion, does the school provide educational needs of students and their parents?” was positively answered by 40% of respondents, and “not really” - by 60% of respondents. To the question “In your opinion, does the school provide the level of education necessary for the continuation of education?” This time only half of the teachers - 50% answered: “not absolutely”. The other half gave a positive answer. To the question “Do you think the conditions for the development of pupils’ creative abilities are created at school?” half of the teaching staff answered “partially created” - 50%, the other half answered affirmatively.

To the questions related to the conditions created for teachers by the school administration, the respondents answered as follows “Do you think that conditions are created in your school for professional growth and development of teacher’s creativity?” - "Yes" 60% of respondents, "partially" - 40%.

The teaching staff has become more appreciative of the methodological support organized by the school office within the changed management model. The methodical work in the educational institution was considered effective by 60% and sufficient by 40% of the respondents. Thus, we can conclude from the results of the instructional experiment: the implementation of the matrix structure of methodological support has had an impact on the increasing level of teacher job satisfaction (satisfaction with the process and quality of educational services provided at school, satisfaction with the conditions for professional growth created by the school office).

Conclusion

The elements of the matrix structure of methodological support for teachers were introduced into the school management model. During one academic year, several projects were created and implemented in the school, in which pupils, teachers and pupils’ parents took part. They are ‘Gifted children', ‘Health is the key point’, etc. For example, the goal of the Gifted Children project is to form a system of work with gifted or highly motivated children through the creation of conditions for the identification, support and development of gifted children (children with an unusually high general level of mental development, children with signs of special mental giftedness, children who do not achieve success in learning for some reason, but have bright cognitive activity, originality of creative approach in other areas, outstanding mental or other abilities). Methodological support was successfully implemented in each of the three sections: subject-methodological, marketing, consulting. The results of the experiment showed positive dynamics of teacher job satisfaction (satisfaction with the process and quality of educational services provided at school, satisfaction with the conditions for professional growth created by the administration).

During the study, we recorded data that we did not expect to obtain. We observed an increasing quality of education of students in all classes, as well as a noticeable reduction in the morbidity rate of children. These data require further study and may be reported in future publications.

We also encountered some limitations in the research, which can be addressed in future studies. First, in this study, we did not point out comparative data between the job satisfaction results of young teachers in the school and teachers with more years of experience, as there was only one young teacher in this school. We will need to increase the number of schools for our study and select schools with young teachers in the future. Second, in our study, we indicated only a few projects in which pupils, teachers and parents of pupils were involved. We could not give a detailed description of the joint activities in the implementation of the projects in the article, as we were limited by the length of the article. We hope to give a more detailed description of the involvement of all participants in the educational relationship in implementing creative projects and the impact of project activities on job satisfaction in the next paper.

The data of the research can be used for introducing the development of special modules, training courses or elective courses for curricula of educational master programmes of instructional training into a school management model.

Acknowledgments

This paper has been supported by the Kazan Federal University Strategic Academic Leadership Programme ‘Priority 2030’.

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