Factors Influencing Teachers' Engagement

Abstract

This study is about teachers’ engagement in a University Foundation Programme in Oman. In particular, the study probes the learning-teaching beliefs that both teachers and students hold inside the classroom in an Omani context. These students are in their first university year and come from a range of settings in Oman, so these learning beliefs could result from learning styles in the school being different to those in a university. The students were not used to be taught English as a second language in schools and they are not used to be taught by native speakers of the language. These changes in students’ learning environment could influence teachers' engagement inside the classroom. This study used both quantitative and qualitative methods to answer the research questions. The Engaged Teacher Scale (ETS) and the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI) were both used in this study. The Engaged Teacher Scale was in teachers’ questionnaire, students’ questionnaire and in the form of a closed diary every two weeks. The Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI) had two versions, one for teachers and one for students. Semi-structured interviews were conducted for both teachers and students to give reasons for their responses in the questionnaires and diaries. Analysis of variance showed a main effect of Students’ Level on their Social Engagement with their teachers. Teachers’ data also shows that Pre-Foundation (A) teachers were more socially engaged with their students which agree with the students’ data, but Social Engagement was not significant with Teachers’ data. Results from Teachers’ Diaries also indicated that participants did rate the three Emotional Engagement differently and that these differences were statically significant. This showed the importance of Teachers’ Emotional Engagement when the decreasing significance of Emotional Engagement can decrease all components of Teachers’ Engagement.