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Investigating Motivational Factors Influencing Pre-Service Teachers’ Choice of Profession and Their Personal Theories of Teaching and Learning

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Many of the things that teachers do are carried out as a matter of routine. However, at the same time, teachers are required to engage in activities which are dictated by the special needs of their pupils and contextual conditions. They are required to teach numerous pupils simultaneously, as well as achieve multiple objectives, which change depending on the context. At the same time, every teacher has a ‘personal theory' which substantially impacts on choices - whether consciously or not -, on how he/she analyses reality, on how he/she perceives theory, research and directs teaching activities. In particular, motivational factors influencing the choice of the profession and perceptions of teaching affect the degree of commitment, the teaching options and generally the quality of teaching. Consequently, the question arising is related “to what extent teachers’ motivation and personal perceptions can be detected and configured”. In this vein, the present study focuses on three research questions: a) What are the motivational factors for choosing teaching as a profession, b) What are pre-service teachers’ perceptions of teaching, as well as of the role of the teacher and students and c) to what extent pre-service teachers’ personal perceptions and motivation are affected and shaped by their initial studies.
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In-Text Citation: (Liakopoulou, 2013)
To Cite this Article: Liakopoulou, M. (2013). Investigating Motivational Factors Influencing Pre-Service Teachers’ Choice of Profession and Their Personal Theories of Teaching and Learning. Multilingual Academic Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 1(1), 101–118.