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SILMU

Commitment to teaching and motivation to become a teacher

Project information

NameSILMU – Commitment to teaching and motivation to become a teacher
Duration1.2.2024–31.12.2024
PartnersHäme University of Applied Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, University of Turku
FunderJYU.Edu/KOPTUKE

Teaching is attracting fewer students, while more are leaving the profession. At the same time, the demands, responsibilities, and expectations of teaching are increasing.

In this situation, there is a need for research into why people want to become teachers, what the work is perceived to be like and what motivates them to do it. The relationship between teachers’ motivations and work-related expectations and their commitment to teaching provides information that can be used in the development of teacher education and the work of teachers.

The aim of the SILMU research project is to describe student teachers’ motivations to become teachers in different teacher education contexts and in relation to their backgrounds and commitment to teaching. The data will be collected in three teacher education programs: primary and subject teacher education at the university level, and professional teacher education (the university of applied sciences). The survey will encompass the FIT-Choice (Factors Influencing Teaching Choice; Goller et al., 2019; Watt & Richardson, 2002) scale, a scale of teacher commitment (Watt & Richardson, 2008) and open-ended questions.

Target group

Teacher education units in UAS and universities.

About the project

  • Principal Research Scientist Katja Vähäsantanen;
  • Head of Techer Education Programme Piia Kolho;
  • Principal Research Scientist Anne-Maria Korhonen;
  • Postdoc Researcher Merly Kosenkranius,
  • Principal Research Scientist Marko Susimetsä (HAMK);
  • Associate professor Piia Näykki,
  • University Lecturer Merja Kauppinen (University of Jyväskylä);
  • Professor Marjaana Veermans (University of Turku).

  • Piia Kolho, Merja Kauppinen, Merly Kosenkranius, Anne-Maria Korhonen, Piia Näykki, Marko Susimetsä, Marjaana Veermans & Katja Vähäsantanen (2024). Motivations for choosing teaching as a career among Finnish student teachers. Paper will be presented at the ETEN Conference, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, 17–19th of April.
  •  Anne-Maria Korhonen, Marko Susimetsä, Merly Kosenkranius, Piia Näykki, Marjaana Veermans, Merja Kauppinen, Piia Kolho & Katja Vähäsantanen (2024). Ammatillisen ja yliopistollisen opettajankoulutuksen opiskelija: Miksi minä haluan opettajaksi? [Students in professional and university teacher education programmes: Why do I want to become a teacher?]. Paper presented at the Pedaforum, Hämeenlinna, Finland, 5–6th of June. 
  • Merly Kosenkranius, Katja Vähäsantanen, Marko Susimetsä, Anne-Maria Korhonen, Piia Kolho, Merja Kauppinen, Marjaana Veermans & Piia Näykki (2024). Ammatillisten opettajaopiskelijoiden motiivit tulla opettajaksi ja sitoutuminen opetustyöhön [Student teachers’ motivations to become teachers and commitment to teaching]. Paper presented AMK- ja ammatillisen koulutuksen tutkimuspäivät. Helsinki, Finland 7–8th November.
  • Katja Vähäsantanen, Merly Kosenkranius, Merja Kauppinen, Marjaana Veermans, Piia Näykki, Piia Kolho, Marko Susimetsä & Anne-Maria Korhonen (2024). Motivoituvatko opettajaopiskelijat opettajan työhön eri tavoin kuin aiemmin? Paper presented Kasvatustieteen päivät. Turku, Finland, 21–22nd November.
  • Rosanna Reini, Lasse Soljama & Marjaana Veermans (2024). Opettajaopiskelijoiden näkemyksiä opetustyöhön sitoutumista haittaavista ja edistävistä tekijöistä [Student teachers’ views on factors hindering and promoting commitment to teaching]. Paper presented Kasvatustieteen päivät. Turku, Finland, 21–22nd November.

Goller, M., Ursin, J., Vähäsantanen, K., Festner, D., & Harteis, C. (2019). Finnish and German student teachers’ motivations for choosing teaching as a career. The first application of the FIT-Choice scale in Finland. Teaching and Teacher Education, 85, 235–248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2019.06.023 I Open Access (FIT-Choice scale in Finnish)

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