Longitudinal Teacher Education and Workforce Study (ltews) Final Report

3.5 Factors influencing Position and Location Changes

The characteristics of schools and changes in employment that were investigated include:

1. 
   Working in a school in an outer regional, remote or very remote area;
   
2. 
   Working in a school that has been classified as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) focus school;
   
3. 
   Staying in a teaching role for a period of time;
   
4. 
   Leaving a teaching role after having been teaching; and,
   
5. 
   Changing schools.
   

Identifying the main factors that account for differences in position and changes in location requires specifying the statistical relationship between these changes and graduate characteristics as some form of a regression equation. Logistic regression procedures were used to identify factors that influence these changes. The aim of the regression was to estimate the factors influencing all five outcomes listed above with the following characteristics in the graduate respondents, after controlling for other influences. The graduate characteristics that were included in the analyses were:

• 
  Gender
  
• 
  Age
  
• 
  State/territory where registered to teach
  
• 
  Teacher education program type
  
• 
  Domestic or international student
  
• 
  Study mode
  

• 
  Attraction, attrition and retention of teaching
  
  • 
    Job characteristics is the reason for attraction
    
  • 
    Environment is the reason for attraction
    
  • 
    Altruism is the reason for attraction
    

The variables that asked about attraction to teaching are included in the three components in the following way:

1. Job characteristics:

• 
  Attractive pay and conditions
  
• 
  Availability of school holidays
  
• 
  Strong employment opportunities
  
• 
  Qualification is broadly accepted here and overseas
  

2. Environmental attraction:

• 
  ATAR in the range for the teacher education program
  
• 
  Advice of careers advisors/teachers/parents
  
• 
  Parent/ family member is a teacher
  
• 
  Location of the campus was convenient
  

3. Altruistic attraction:

• 
  Wanted to make a difference
  
• 
  Always wanted to teach/work with children
  
• 
  Teaching was not a back-up plan
  
• 
  Wanted to work in an area of specialisation or interest
  

These components were identified using principal components analysis. For details refer to Appendix 15.

Results of regression calculations are represented in Appendix 17. Each table addresses one of the five school characteristics or changes in employment listed above, and shows the likelihood of graduate characteristics that have an influence on these outcomes, and whether this is a positive or negative influence.

Each graduate characteristic listed above has one factor that is controlled in the regression model. This group of factors constitutes the control group. The control group for all five regression calculations in each of the three rounds of surveys consists of the following characteristics:

• 
  Female
  
• 
  Aged under 30
  
• 
  Victorian teacher registration
  
• 
  Bachelor’s degree
  
• 
  Domestic student during their teacher education program
  
• 
  Full-time study
  

Each of the three attraction variables was divided into four groups:

• 
  those who scored in the top 25 per cent on an attraction characteristic (top quartile)
  
• 
  those who scored in the second 25 per cent on this attraction characteristic
  
• 
  those who scored in the third 25 per cent on this attraction characteristic
  
• 
  those who scored in the bottom 25 per cent on this attraction characteristic
  

The quartile used as the control in the regression model for all three attraction variables was those who scored in the top 25 per cent on this variable (i.e. the top quartile).

Appendix 17 shows the regression calculation for graduate characteristics that influence:

• 
  teaching in a school in a geographic location outside major populated areas; and,
  
• 
  teaching in a school that is listed as having an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander focus.
  

The factor that had the most influence on graduates working in schools in outer regional, remote or very remote areas was the state or territory in which they were registered to teach. The factor that had the most influence on graduates working in schools listed as having an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander focus was the state or territory in which they were registered to teach.

Appendix 17 also shows three regressions looking at teacher position changes in schools. For these regression calculations, the data was analysed longitudinally. The three groups of graduate respondents investigated were those who participated in more than one round of the Graduate Teacher Surveys, and they are grouped in the following way:

• 
  Cohort 1 (able to be followed from March 2012 – October 2012)
  
• 
  Cohort 2 (able to be followed from October 2012 – March 2013)
  
• 
  Cohort 3 (able to be followed from March 2012 – March 2013)
  

Regression calculation for graduate characteristics that influence staying in a teaching role for the periods listed against the cohorts above are included in Appendix 17. This calculation was completed for each of the three cohorts identified in the Graduate Teacher Surveys. The factors that had the most influence on graduates staying in teaching over the 12 months were being an international student (this had a negative affect) and being registered to teach in the Northern Territory (this had a positive affect).

Appendix 17 also shows the regression calculation for graduate characteristics that influenced leaving a teaching role for the six-month period from October 2012 to March 2013. This calculation was completed for each of the three cohorts identified in the Graduate Teacher Surveys, but as those who had left teaching only numbered 15 for Cohort 1 and 34 for Cohort 3, the numbers in these cohorts were too limited for the analysis to make sense so only Cohort 2 is shown. The factor that had the most influence on graduates leaving teaching over the six months was being an international student (this had a positive effect, meaning increasing leaving).

Regression calculation for graduate characteristics that influenced changing schools over the periods are shown in Appendix 17 listed against the cohorts (6 months and 12 months). This calculation was completed for each of the three cohorts identified in the Graduate Teacher Surveys. The factors that had the most influence on teachers changing schools over the 12 months were being in SA, ACT and Tasmania (this had a positive affect), and if the study mode for the education program was a combination of full-time and part-time this had a negative effect on changing schools.

Free Text Responses in the Graduate Teacher Surveys: Reasons for changes

The free text data from Round 2 and 3 surveys were analysed for reasons for changes and categorized as follows.

Change to Employment: The main reason for moving or changing schools or location is due to contracts finishing or not being renewed. Contracts ranged from as little as 6–8 weeks to one year. Frustration about inability to find consistent or ongoing work was highlighted. Reasons for non-renewal of contracts included permanent staff returning from maternity or long service leave, school closures, staffing adjustments due to a decline in student numbers, or subject areas no longer being offered at particular schools. Other reasons for changing employment were linked to obtaining more permanent employment, including longer-term contracts. There was some indication that there was a lack of opportunity in the area in which the graduate was employed, as well the difficulty of juggling work and family commitments. The uncertainty of employment and the impact this had on the graduates can be seen in the following statement.

It's just that it is frustrating when you cannot get employment after graduation. Especially when you are from a different background where you have an upbringing that makes you feel useless when you are in a situation like this. Graduate teacher, teaching in a regional school, Casual relief

The biggest difference between Round 2 and Round 3 data was the increase of graduates moving due to finding more permanent work. Permanent work included ongoing, longer contracts, or more secure contract work.

Family/personal reasons: These reasons included family illness, starting a family, or pregnancy upon completing a teaching degree, though this typically involved a desire to recommence casual/relief work as soon as possible.

Intra/interstate or international move: There were many responses relating to moving either intra/interstate or overseas. The reasons for the move intra/interstate were mainly personal, including missing family and/or the desire to remain with a partner who had relocated for employment. Other reasons given were to look for better/increased opportunities for permanent work. In terms of international moves, the main two reasons given were wanting to experience schools/teaching overseas, as well as being offered opportunities for work. Moves to Australia were due to marriage, then migrating.

Levels of support: A major reason for choosing to leave or move was negative experiences either at school or with staff and management. Lack of support in terms of leadership, mentoring, behaviour management or communication/issues with the principals were considered significant by the graduates. Bullying by students and/or staff, as well as high work-load and stress were given as contributing factors.

Other: Other significant reasons for moving or changing positions were: choosing to undertake further study, location, and level of access to resources and professional development, not enough work, unhappy as a teacher, changing career paths, starting own business, or being transferred as part of the requirements in their state.

The reasons why teachers change position and/or leave the teaching profession are complex and defy simple analysis. According to Ashiedu and Scott-Ladd (2012), reasons range from personal, e.g. conflicting demands and perceived lack of support, to specific issues relating to the working environment, such as school size and geographical location. Ingersoll, Merrill and May (2012, pp.32-33) researching beginning mathematics and science teachers, recently reported:

• 
  Contrary to widely held beliefs, we found that the type of college, degree, and preparation route had little bearing on teachers' likelihood of leaving teaching after one year;
  
• 
  The attrition rates of beginning mathematics and science teachers who held an education degree, such as in mathematics education or science education, did not differ from those of teachers with a non-education degree;
  
• 
  Those who entered teaching through a traditional program were only slightly less likely to leave than those who entered through an alternative route;
  
• 
  Pedagogy was strongly related to teacher attrition. Beginning teachers who had taken some courses in teaching methods and strategies, learning theory or child psychology, or materials selection were significantly less likely to depart. The amount of practice teaching they had undertaken, their opportunities to observe other teachers, and the amount of feedback they had received on their teaching were also significantly related to whether new teachers remained in teaching.
  

Ingersoll is reporting from the US context where there has been recent interest in the expansion of differentiation and alternative entry to teacher education. Whilst the above findings relate specifically to mathematics and science teachers, in LTEWS, after one year it appears that if graduates can secure a position in the first year or early in the second year of teaching, they want to remain in teaching. Participants in this study in their free text responses and in the telephone interviews make reference to their pathway into teaching or their pedagogical skills. The free text comments drew in the organisational conditions of the workplace as key factors.