Factors Influencing Prospective Teachers in Their Selection of Teaching as a Career: A Study on Education Students at IIUM

Aye Aye Mon,*¹ Mohd Burhan Ibarahim²

¹ Postgraduate Student, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), P.O. Box 10, 50728 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

² International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), P.O. Box 10, 50728 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

ABSTRACT

Keywords: Career choice; Expectancy theory; Extrinsic; Intrinsic and Altruistic factors;

Teaching is a profession which provides teachers with many opportunities to interact with children or adults. This research aimed at exploring the most essential factors that influence teachers in pursuing teaching as a career. Furthermore, the study has aimed at raising prospective teachers’ awareness that as future facilitators they will have a great impact on other individuals in setting teaching as their career path. To fulfill the aim of the study, the researcher has adopted a quantitative research method. A questionnaire survey technique was used as a means of gathering data. The study was conducted among prospective teachers seeking their career path at the Faculty of Education at the International Islamic University Malaysia. Previous studies have suggested three main factors that might influence prospective teachers’ decision to choose teaching as a career, namely extrinsic, intrinsic, and altruistic. The impact of these three factors on IIUM prospective teachers’ career choice was investigated in the present study. The findings have showed that the altruistic factors had the greatest effect on IIUM prospective teachers’ career path. Moreover, apart from altruistic factors, the study revealed that intrinsic factors also significantly influenced IIUM prospective teachers’ career choice. However, extrinsic factors were found to be the least influential factors in choosing teaching as a career. This study will provide awareness among prospective teachers as well as students who will help the other individuals to choose their career in teaching profession. Publisher All rights reserved.

INTRODUCTION

Teaching is a profession that usually provides teachers with many opportunities to interact with children or adults. At the same time, these opportunities enable teachers to acquire better understanding of students and their environments. Therefore, as a teacher, he or she must be aware of the classroom management in order to achieve the goals in teaching and learning. In addition, teaching is very challenging, complicated, demanding, and it is an exhausting process which a teacher experiences in his or her daily life. Teachers have to accomplish assigned duties values and goals. However, the new generation considers teaching as unchallenging career, therefore they prefer other professions. But in reality teaching is a very challenging job in which individuals’ capacities are tested and expressed. A teacher with proper teaching skills is always a step closer to a promotion or getting a better pay like many jobs.

Teaching is yet another career choice, but as a teacher, he or she is partially accountable for the growth of a young person’s life. It is not just about transferring the knowledge to students; but attracting their attention for education in their daily lives. Otherwise, teachers might feel dissatisfied when they could not understand students’ behavior well while teaching. Once he or she enters the teaching profession he or she must understand the subject matters, good planning and organizational skills. Besides that, he or she should have abilities to motivate learners or students. It is also important to understand that teaching job is not suitable for everyone. Therefore, it is important to determine why prospective teachers choose teaching as a career.

According to Rowsey and Ley (1986) in there research, Malaysian teachers as an instance were of the opinion that they got personal satisfaction from teaching. There were many studies done over a few decades on why people choose teaching as a profession. The result found that individuals are motivated by the desire to nurture students and to transfer the knowledge to others. Kohl (1984) affirmed that the impulse to teach is fundamentally altruistic and represents a desire to share what one values and empowers others.

Meanwhile, Sarason (1993) mentioned that the majority of women contemplate a career in teaching. By the virtue of nature, women understand young children’s behavior better than men. Consequently, we can see more female teachers in primary and secondary schools and some male teachers in high schools. Both men and women have different perspectives for choosing a career in education. In the case of men, a small number of them join teaching profession due to financial security. In the case of women, they choose teaching as a first career choice and also they are considered to be good teachers because they naturally have better understanding of the needs and wants of growing children. Thus, it is well known that teaching is a very complicated job especially in this modern world as the social responsibilities are increasing. Teacher does not only have to teach but also responsible for students’ behaviors and challenging classroom management.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In this modern world we can see many people who want to work in professional fields such as engineers, pilots or doctors to earn a lot of money or to get better career for the future. Teaching seems to continue to be a less attractive profession due to less salary and poor employment conditions (Kyriacou & Coulthard, 2000). Although, teachers are altruistically motivated, education still competes with other types of career. Teaching profession is perceived as less competitive when it comes to wages. Teachers’ salaries are relatively low (Darling-Hammond, 2003). Moreover, in occupational hierarchy, teaching job hold low states because it is related to taking care of children (Hoffman, 1981). Nevertheless, there are people, who are very excited in choosing teaching as their career choice although the salary is low as compared to other jobs. At the same time, some people perceive teaching as a low-class job. The quest to this research is to investigate the factors that influence prospective teachers to choose teaching as a career despite the above claims.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Teaching Profession

Teaching as a profession is provisions of knowledge to children or adults by teachers with many opportunities. This profession is an opportunity for the teacher to acquire better understanding of students and their environments as teaching profession is very complex, and demanding. The quality of teaching not only refers to the qualification, knowledge and skill competence of teachers but also refers to their enthusiasm and commitment in teaching. The choice of a profession is a very important decision for every individual. This depends on a sense of realization and self-confidence in an individual when being engaged in work. According to Obinaju (1996), the teaching profession provides teachers with several factors which help in creating job satisfaction to individual teacher such as remuneration, regular payment of salaries, regular promotion, and pleasant working environment. These factors could play a vital role in creating a happy and a sense of satisfaction with work which leads to successful professional careers. In support, Bell (2003) stated there are five factors to be considered (i) the condition of the job market (ii) an idealistic commitment which strongly influences a person's direction (iii) ability (iv)interests and (v) most important, temperament. However, there are some other factors which may play significant role in choosing teaching as a profession or career.

There are many prospective teachers who are waiting to get the opportunity to teach in schools every year. Those teachers are influenced by some factors such as extrinsic, intrinsic, and altruistic which make them choose teaching as a career. Moran, Kilpatrick, Dallat, and Mc Clune (2001) explained that extrinsic motivation is related to material benefit and job security, while intrinsic motivation related to personal growth and working in a school environment. On the other hand, altruistic motivation includes love of children as well as a wish to serve society. Based on this motion, in teacher recruitment process, it is very important to find out answers for some questions such as motivating factors, their subject matter qualification and their commitment in teaching. Therefore, it is very clear that individuals trying to make their career choices based on some driving factors. For instance, if an individual chooses a career in engineering or medical sciences, it is very obvious that his or her expectation is to earn a higher salary or to help other in terms of standard health condition. Thus, Sarason (1993) emphasized that “choosing a career is a starting point in a developmental process the course of which is far from predictable”.

Community attitudes to teachers and teaching tend to preclude it from being seen as a high status and high salary career (Crow et al., 1990; Cooper-Shaw, 1996; Gordon, 2000; Hanushek & Pace, 1995). It is therefore of interest to ask why people who currently occupy other careers (including law, scientific research, business, engineering and medicine) before swap into teaching career. Teaching is the process of transferring or sharing knowledge from one person to another that enhances in the process of developing the essential potentialities, in the nature of things through preparing the suitable environmental conditions for student perfections and removing obstacles which prevent their natural development (Farkus, Johnson, and Faleno, 2000). On that notes, this research aims to explore the most influential factors that make teachers choose teaching as career.

Teaching as a Career Choice

Career is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a person's "course or progress through life or a distinct portion of life". It is also pertaining to an occupation or a profession that usually involves special training or formal education. It is considered to be a person’s lifework, enhances livelihood and advancing oneself.. However, teaching is an essential profession that makes all other professions possible (Clinton, 1998). Teaching may be carried out informally, within a family which is called home schooling or the wider community.

Generally, there are three categories of motives towards career choice based on- extrinsic (tangible rewards), intrinsic (intangible rewards) and altruistic (selfless contributions to young lives). According to Moran et al. (2001), each of the three categories contributed independently to affect the motivation of each individual.

A study conducted on prospective teachers in the US and Britain showed that their major motives in choosing teaching as a career are both altruistic and intrinsic. There were similar researches done by Reif and Warring‘s (2002), found that primary reason to decide to become teacher is related to altruistic factor such as love for kids. Moreover, according to Jarvis and Woodrow‘s (2005) research they found that love to teach is rated as the most important in the respondents’ decision to become a teacher. In addition, there is a similar result on a study done by Edmonds, Sharp and Benefield (2002), found that intrinsic reasons dominated in the choice of teaching as a career. These reasons included: enjoy working with children, desire to teach, and contribution to one society and bring up intellectual challenge. However, the study done by Halawa (2008), presented that extrinsic motives were the most influence factors for perspective teacher’s attitudes towards teaching. Similarly, a study conducted on prospective teachers by Saban (2003), found that extrinsic factor is more important such as getting a secure job and a steady monthly income as in their career choice.

Sinclair (2008) pointed out that, prospective teacher are multi-motivated. The teachers stated to have the necessary qualities and attributes to be teachers and to work with children as their basic sources of motivation to become teachers. Meanwhile, Reid and Caudwell (1997) showed in Britain, the two most popular motives were altruistic (“enjoying working with children”) and intrinsic (“feeling that teaching would bring high job satisfaction”) compared to extrinsic motives such as “job security, salary, holidays etc.” Thus, Brookhart and Freeman (1992) suggested that “altruistic, service-oriented goals and other intrinsic motivations are the sources of the primary reason entering teacher candidates report for why they chose teaching as a career” (P.46).

However, the persistent leaving of teachers from the teaching profession to other careers (such as the business and government sectors) indicates that the teaching career is not attractive enough to retain good and committed teachers .Undoubtedly, there are many reasons why teachers stay or leave in the teaching profession. For instance, the salary, status and working conditions might be considered by some people as predominant reasons to decide whether they should stay, join teaching profession or they should leave (Kwok Wai Chan, 2004).

Sykes (1983) observed that, although “teaching has enjoyed a measure of public esteem and gratitude through the years. There is a long-standing flaw associated with teaching and corresponding doubts about those who chose this occupation” (p. 98). Compared with the professions of law and medicine, teaching has been labeled a “semi-profession” (Lortie, 1975). Teaching also holds lower status in the occupational hierarchy because it is likened to child-care and, thus, regarded as women’s work (Hoffman, 1981).

The quality of education depends on the effectiveness of the teachers. Educational research has shown that the motivation has an effect on the task performed as well as the amount of effort that is put forth (Reeve, 2001). Consequently, the factors that influence young adults to choose the teaching profession will likely influence their effort and effectiveness as teachers. Teachers who value the teaching profession and are satisfied with their choice of becoming teachers are an asset to the future development. In addition, a good working environment can reduce uncertainty in teaching profession. Thus, it increases teacher’s chances for success and satisfaction, while a deficient workplace is likely to increase uncertainty and fuel a teacher’s dissatisfaction. The working conditions that matter to teachers entail larger range of factors, from school facilities and bureaucracy to administrative competence and opportunities for professional development. Too much work in teaching, unsupportive school leadership (principal), or ineffective school facilities can interfere with good teaching and make it hard for teachers to achieve the intrinsic rewards they seek (Johnston, 1999).

Nevertheless, when a teacher is motivated and loves the teaching profession, students will not only learn the content which is taught by their teacher, but they are also motivated toward learning (Czubaj, 1996). According to Chambers (2002), in Illinois (US), increasing number of adults with prior careers is entering the teaching profession. This is very challenging and exciting because there are many things to be considered before selecting a career. Even after have selected a career still we may ask many questions to ourselves that whether the career which we have chosen is really good and help us to achieve success in the future.

Reasons on choosing teaching as a career

Teachers have to complete many tasks in hand and also they should be effective in school activities. Similarly, those who consider choosing teaching as a career do so today within a different work context. Prospective teachers nowadays, have access to jobs that offer high pay and status, comfortable, well-equipped work settings, continuous training, and opportunities for rapid career advancement. Hence, there is no guarantee that they will choose teaching over other options even they neither receive all of above nor do they necessarily expect to teach for the long term; serial careers are the norm and short-term employment is common. Some studies have been conducted to investigate the factors which motivated students and influenced their decisions to become teachers, Kyriacou et al., 1999; Chuene et al (1999) , Richardson & Watt (2005).

The findings of the studies pointed out to three categories as the main factors for choosing teaching as a profession which are (1) Altruistic reasons : these reasons involve the desire to help children to succeed, as well as desire to help society to develop. (2) Intrinsic reasons: these reasons include not only the activity of teaching children but an interest in using their subject matter knowledge and expertise (3) Extrinsic reasons : comprise aspects that are not part of the job itself, such as long holidays, level of pay, and status. Thus, researchers have suggested that teachers’ conceptions about teaching and learning are beliefs driven, and are related to teachers’ instructional decisions, teaching behavior and actions in the classroom (Calderhead, 1996; Flores, 2001; Richardson, 1996). Therefore, this study implements these three factors in order to identity factors influencing prospective teachers in selecting teaching as a career through expectancy theory.

EXPECTANCY THEORY

The expectancy theory is a theory that explains how individuals are being motivated. The identified motivational factors by previous researchers have frequently included working with children and adolescents, making a social contribution, making a difference, job security, job benefits, enjoyment of teaching, compatibility with other interests and activities, compatibility with family life, and self- education (Organisation for economic Co- operation and Development [OECD] 2005). Based on previous literatures, this research is investigated the factors influencing prospective teachers in selecting choosing teaching as a career. This study implements Expectancy theory as one of the major conceptual frameworks for the achievement of motivation towards teaching as a career.

Formally, this theory was employed by Atkinson (1957), and further developed by Wigfield & Eccles, (2000). In general, expectancy theorists have regarded success expectancies and task valuation as major determinants of motivation for academic choices. The most recent statements of the expectancy- value model linked academic choices to expectations of success and subjective value of the task (Eccles, 1985; and Wigfield & Eccles, 2000), drawing on the theoretical and empirical work of decision making, achievement, and attribution theorists (Meece, Eccles [Parsons] 1982).Eccles et al. (1983) developed the expectancy-value model primarily to investigate gendered enrollment patterns in secondary school mathematics. They argued that existing research into academic choices was limited by the lack of an integrative theoretical framework to guide the selection and organization of the variables that influenced achievement-related choices and behaviors, with research proceeding in a piecemeal fashion as individual researchers investigated subsets of the possible causes. These studies contend that a similar situation exists in the research of teaching as a career choice. According to Eccles et al.'s (1984, 2005) formulation of expectancy-value theory, values and ability beliefs (or expectancies for success) are the most important motivations that predict academic choices and behaviors. Values have emerged as the most powerful predictors of choices, whereas ability/expectancy beliefs have better predicted performance (Bong, 2001; Eccles [Parsons] et al., 1983; Eccles et al., 1984).

The conceptual framework of the study attempts to look at various factors such as enjoy working with children / kids, to make social contribution, job security, job benefits, love to teach, work life balance, status, peer influences, and opportunities to continue education. These factors are categorized into three such as intrinsic, extrinsic and altruistic which will influence prospective teachers to choose teaching as a career. According to Brookhart and Freeman (1992), also have highlighted the factors that influence the prospective teachers in choosing teaching as career as follows: intrinsic, extrinsic, and altruistic.

Intrinsic: It refers to motivation that comes from inside an individual rather than from any external rewards, such as money or grades. The motivation comes from the pleasure one gets from the task itself or from the sense of satisfaction in completing or even working on a task. According to (George, 2011), intrinsic motivation stems from a direct relationship between the doer and the task and it is usually self-applied. These are the self-generated factors, which influence people to behave in a particular way or to move in a particular direction.

Extrinsic: It refers to motivation that comes from outside an individual. The motivating factors are external rewards such as money, grades or status. These rewards provide satisfaction and pleasure that the task itself may not provide.

Altruistic: It refers to concern for the welfare of others. Moreover, it also means a traditional virtue in many cultures, and a core aspect of various religious traditions, though the concept of 'others' toward who concern should be directed can vary among cultures and religions. Altruism is the opposite of selfishness. The concerned individuals like to give benefit of knowledge to all. Altruism can be distinguished from feelings of duty and loyalty. These factors make an individual to decide to become a teacher. Therefore, the need for this study is established to examine influencing factors which can help prospective teachers to choose as their carrier.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

In this study, researcher tries to achieve complete information and statistical results by using quantitative technique. This technique refers to target respondents who provide their opinions in an organized way. Most commonly used quantitative technique is survey method. Hence, conducting research in large sample will achieve reliable statistical results. Thus, the researchers have chosen the survey method to examine the factors that influence prospective teachers in their selecting teaching as a career. In this study, the researcher used the questionnaires in order to get information from the respondents. Questionnaires are usually used in survey method because they are not costly and less time consuming compared to interview method (Wiersma, 1986).

Sample and Sampling Procedure

The population of this study consists of, both local and international undergraduate students from Institute of Education, IIUM, Gombak. Since there are many undergraduate students in Institute of Education we have chosen randomly only 100 students as samples. According to Best and Kahn (1993), “sample is a small proportion of a population selected for the observation analysis”. It can also be defined as a set of respondents selected from a population for the purpose of conducting investigation.

Instrumentation

This study explores the reasons why prospective teachers (students) in the faculty of education choose teaching as a career. The questionnaires were developed by the researcher as the instrument. This instrument is prepared depending on the conceptual framework of the study. They were used for determining various factors which influence prospective teacher to choose teaching as a career. This research instrument includes related demographic questions of respondents.

The questionnaires contained 25 items which were categorized into demographics related questions as section one while section two consists of related questions on factors influencing choosing teaching as a career. Demographics related questions were 5 items (i.e., item 1 to 5) and the remaining items based on the questions that were related to influencing factors (i.e., item 6 to 25) in the questionnaires. The items from 6 to 25 are rated on a five-point likert scale: from 1 (Strongly disagree) to 5 (Strongly agree). Demographics characteristics of each respondent include the gender, region, ethnic, and age.

In the other section, questionnaires consist of factors that influence prospective teachers to choose teaching as a career. The questionnaires were designed in such a way to contain the fewest and most relevant possible questions to the factors influencing prospective teacher in choosing teaching as a career. They were kept short and concise so that it would be easier for the respondents to understand and complete them.

Validity and Reliability

In order to establish the validity of the research, the instrument was sent to a lecturer who is specialist in the research area from the department of INSTED IIUM. The specialist comments and suggestions were taken into consideration. Based on his suggestions some questionnaires were modified. Moreover, to determine the reliability of the questionnaires Cronbach's alpha (α) was conducted. It is commonly used as a measure of the internal consistency or reliability of a psychometric test score for a sample of examinees.

A commonly accepted rule of thumb for describing internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha is as follows: The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient indicated that the reliability of each scale was sound where Cronbach’s alpha ranged from 0.640 to 0.821. A general rule of thumb provided by George and Mallery (2008) for acceptance of alpha value includes: ≥ 0.9 - Excellent, ≥ 0.8 – Good, ≥ 0.7- Acceptable, ≥ 0.6 – Questionable, ≥ 0.5 – Poor and ≤ 0.5 – Unacceptable.

In this study, SPSS 16.0 was used to determine the reliability. After executing influencing factors in the SPSS software we obtain Cronbach’s Alpha as 0.824. This is considered as high as per the general rule of thumb stated above. This means those questionnaires which were prepared were to be used for the research.

Data Collection and Analysis Procedure

A survey was conducted among undergraduates’ students of, INSTED, IIUM by collecting the data through questionnaire which act as a primary instrument to collect data. The researcher distributed the 100 questionnaires to the undergraduate students of IIUM INSTED. Almost all of the respondents answered the questionnaires and immediately returned them to the researcher. The collection of data was carried out for one week. This study was conducted by distribution, collection of questionnaire and followed by data analysis.

According to Lehman (1995), quantitative data must be analyzed by using particular statistics. In this study, a Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 16.0 was employed to analyze the questionnaire data collected. Two types of statistical methods were used in the study. According to the guidelines given by Hussey and Hussey (1997), the researchers used cross sectional methodology which is type of methodology used to obtain information on variables in different contexts. According to (Sekaran, 2000; Zikmund, 2000), descriptive analysis is used to describe a set of factors in a situation that will make it easier to understand and interpret. Descriptive analysis, frequencies and percentage were employed to analyze the demographic information. While paired sample t-test was used to determine the main factors influencing the prospective teachers in their career choice. Paired sample t-test was also used to determine significant difference between internal and external factors. For the last research question, independent t-test was used to determine whether males and females differ in terms of factors.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The frequency distribution of gender, age and ethnic is presented in table (1). The percentage of males in the study is 16.3% and percentage of females is 83.7% which corresponds to 15 males and 77 female’s students. The frequency distribution of respondents’ ages across the sample was from 20 to 25 years old. As indicated, 72.8 % were from 20 to 25 years whereas 27.2% of the respondents were in the 25 to 30 years old age group. Furthermore, the distribution of respondents’ ethnicity is shown in the table (1). It can be noted that the majority of the respondents were Malaysians. The exact number of Malaysians was 73 respondents compared to 19 respondents from other ethnic groups.

Table: 1

Demographic Analysis: Gender, Age Group and Ethnic of the target respondents

Gender		Age group		Ethnic
Male	Female	20-25	25-30	Malaysian	Others
16.3%	83.7%	72.8%	27.2%	73%	19%

In order to understand the factors focus in the study and to answer the research questions, Factors are classified into three categories: intrinsic, extrinsic, and altruistic. Intrinsic factors include - enjoy and love kids, love to teach, and more Opportunities to continue education, respectable job, and share knowledge. Extrinsic factors include -easy, job security, good salary, and comfortable life, inspired by professor, difficult to find other jobs, more holidays, scholarship and affordability, stepping stone to other career, influence of teachers, influence by family, and people advice. Altruistic factors include - enjoy and love kids, to motivate new generation, to give proper knowledge to young people, and to change young people mind.

Table (2) shows the descriptive statistics of individual item responses. Out of all items, four items were selected by prospective teachers as the main elements that influence their career choice. To motivate new generation (56.5%), share knowledge (55.4%), respectable job (53.3%), and to give proper knowledge to young people (52.2%) are perceived as the main items that influence them due to the highest percentage.

High agreements among prospective teachers on the main elements were noticed in other items where the level of agreement reached 40 percent and above (see table: 2).

Table: 2

Prospective teachers respond on the main factors influencing their career choice

No.	Items	SD	D	SA	A	SA
6	Enjoy and love kids	--	5 (5.4%)	17 (18.5%)	39 (42.4%)	31 (33.7%)
7	Easy	10 (10.9%)	17 (18.5%)	22 (23.9%)	34 (37%)	9 (9.8%)
8	Love to teach	1 (1.1%)	--	15 (16.3%)	40 (43.5%)	35 (38%)
9	Job security	2 (2.2%)	8 (8.7%)	24 (26.1%)	41 (44.6%)	17 (18.5%)
10	Good salary	4 (4.3%)	9 (9.8%)	30 (32.6%)	35 (38%)	14 (15.2%)
11	Comfortable life	2 (2.2%)	8 (8.7%)	21 (22.8%)	42 (45.7%)	19 (20.7%)
12	More holidays	2 (2.2%)	9 (9.8%)	24 (26.1%)	31 (33.7%)	26 (28.3%)
13	Respectable job	1 (1.1%)	1 (1.1%)	10 (10.9%)	31 (33.7%)	49 (53.3%)
14	Share knowledge	1 (1.1%)	1 (1.1%)	6 (6.5%)	33 (35.9%)	51 (55.4%)
15	Difficult to find other job	16 (17.4%)	32 (34.8%)	25 (27.2%)	10 (10.9%)	9 (9.8%)
16	Inspired by professor	5 (5.4%)	18 (19.6%)	26 (28.3%)	29 (31.5%)	14 (15.2%)
17	Scholarship and Affordability	25 (27.2%)	26 (28.3%)	25 (27.2%)	10 (10.9%)	6 (6.5%)
18	More opportunities to continue education	2 (2.2%)	2 (2.2%)	24 (26.1%)	39 (42.4%)	25 (27.2%)
19	Stepping stone to other career	10 (10.9%)	20 (21.7%)	27 (29.3%)	28 (30.4%)	7 (7.6%)
20	Influence of teachers	3 (3.3%)	4 (4.3%)	27 (29.3%)	42 (45.7%)	16 (17.4%)
21	Influence by family	11 (12%)	16 (17.4%)	20 (21.7%)	22 (23.9%)	23 (25%)
22	To motivate new generation	1 (1.1%)	--	4 (4.3%)	35 (38%)	52 (56.5%)
23	To give proper knowledge to young people	1 (1.1%)	--	3 (3.3%)	40 (43.5%)	48 (52.2%)
24	To change young people mind	2 (2.2%)	1 (1.1%)	12 (13%)	39 (42.4%)	38 (41.3%)
25	People advise	10 (10.9%)	18 (19.6%)	25 (27.2%)	24 (26.1%)	15 (16.3%)
Note:	SD - Strongly Disagree; D - Disagree; SA - Slightly Agree; A - Agree; SA - Strongly Agree

To determine the main factors influencing the prospective teachers in their career choice a paired samples t – test is used. Since there are three suggested factors influencing teacher’s career choice, a paired samples t-test was computed three times by comparing extrinsic and altruistic factors, intrinsic and altruistic, and intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The means, standard deviation, and the significance of differences of the three factors were observed.

According to Table (3) the mean for altruistic factors is (M =4.2885, SD=.59152), whereas for the intrinsic factors is (M=3.9429, SD=.57911). It is noticeable that the observed mean for altruistic factors is higher than the mean for intrinsic factors. Moreover, the difference between the means

was observed to be statistically significant (t (DF=91) =-13.205, p=.000).

On the other hand, Table (4) depicts the comparison between the means of extrinsic and altruistic factors. The table shows that the extrinsic factors mean is (M=3. 4762, SD=.53090), while the altruistic factors mean is (M = 4. 2885, SD=.59152). In this case, the mean of extrinsic factors is observed to be lower than the mean of altruistic factors and the difference between mean was statistically significant (t (DF = 90) = 6.896, p = .000).

Table: 3

The main factors that influence prospective teachers in career choice (Altruistic and Intrinsic)

		Mean	N	Std. Deviation	Std. Error Mean
Pair 1	Altruistic	4.2885	91	.59152	.06201
	Intrinsic	3.9429	91	.57911	.06071

Table: 4

The main factors that influence prospective teachers in career choice ( Altruistic and Extrinsic)
		Mean	N	Std. Deviation	Std. Error Mean
Pair 1	Altruistic	4.2885	91	.59152	.06201
	Extrinsic	3.4762	91	.52090	.05461

Table: 5

The main factors that influence prospective teachers in career choice (Extrinsic and Intrinsic)
		Mean	N	Std. Deviation	Std. Error Mean
Pair 1	Extrinsic	3.4762	91	.52090	.05461
	Intrinsic	3.9429	91	.57911	.06071

As observed in Table (5) the mean for extrinsic factor (M= 3.4762, SD=.52090) was lower than the mean of intrinsic factor (M=3.9429, SD=.57911). Moreover, the difference between means was observed to be statistically significant (t (DF=90) =-7.988, p=.000).

In other words, Tables (3) and (4 )depict the main factor that influences teachers career choice is altruistic factor which shows that the altruistic factor was higher than intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The second factor is the intrinsic factor which is higher than extrinsic factor as shown in the Table (5). To sum up, the main factor which influences the prospective teachers in their career choice is altruistic factor.

RQ1: Is there any significant difference between internal and external factors that influence their in choosing teaching as a career?

To analyze and determine whether there is a significant difference between internal and external factors paired- samples t-test was used. As observed in Table (6), the mean for extrinsic factor (M= 3.4762, SD=.53090) was lower than the mean of intrinsic factor (M=3.9429, SD=.57911). Moreover, the difference between means was observed to be statistically significant (t (DF=90) =-7.988, p=.000).

Table: 6

Difference between internal and external factors
		Mean	N	Std. Deviation	Std. Error Mean
Pair 1	Extrinsic	3.4762	91	.52090	.05461
	Intrinsic	3.9429	91	.57911	.06071

RQ2: Is there any significant difference between male and female respondents on all the factors influencing their choice of teaching as a career?

An independent sample t-test is performed to compare the means of all the three factors for two independent groups of male and female. This test will determine whether males and females differ in terms of factors that influence their career choice. In Table (7) males were observed to have lower mean score (M=4.2333, SD=.51293) compared to females with a mean score of (M=4.3084, SD=.60954). Similarly, in intrinsic factors the males mean score was lower (M=3.8533, SD=.60694) compared to females mean score (M=3.9605, SD=.57598). Moreover, the extrinsic factor was also observed to be higher than the mean score of females is (M=3.5032, SD=.52989) compare to males mean score because the male mean score is (M=3.4333, SD=.60191).

The significant level of Levene's Test for Equality of Variances for altruistic factor was found to be .798 .The significant level is higher than 0.05. Therefore, the equal variances assumed are consulted. The result indicated that the difference between males and females in terms of altruistic factor is not significant (t (DF=90) =.447, p=.656)

Additionally, the significant level of Levene's Test for Equality of Variances for intrinsic factor was found to be .487 .The significant level is higher than 0.05. Therefore, the equal variances assumed are consulted. The result indicated that the difference between males and females in terms of intrinsic factor is not significant (t (DF=89) =.653, p=.515).The significant level of Levene's Test for Equality of Variances for extrinsic factor was found to be .478 .The significant level is higher than 0.05. Therefore, the equal variances assumed are consulted. The result indicated that the difference between females and males in terms of altruistic factor is not significant (t (DF=90) =.457 p=.649).

Table: 7

Difference between male and female respondents on all the factors
	Gender	N	Mean	Std. Deviation	Std. Error Mean
Altruistic	Male	15	4.2333	.51293	.13244
	Female	76	4.3084	.60954	.06946
Intrinsic	Male	15	3.8533	.60694	.15671
	Female	76	3.9605	.57598	.06607
Extrinsic	Male	15	3.4333	.60191	.15541
	Female	76	3.5032	.52989	.06039

DISCUSSIONS ON THE FINDINGS

The present study, discusses three motive factors identified for the prospective teachers to take teaching as a career; extrinsic, intrinsic and altruistic. The three motive factors which influence the prospective teachers in the present study for choosing teaching as a career are mostly due to the “altruistic motive which describes enjoy and love to interact with the kid” and followed by the “intrinsic motive which pertaining love to share knowledge with others “and lastly “extrinsic which is job condition” as well as being influenced by others.

In this present study, t-tests was employed which shows that three suggested factors influencing teachers career choice, a paired samples t-test was computed three times comparing between extrinsic and altruistic factors, intrinsic and altruistic, and intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The means, standard deviation, and the significant of differences of the three factors were observed and it shows that “altruistic” motive was significantly different from intrinsic and also from extrinsic.

In terms of mean values of the three factors (Table : 3), the prospective teachers in the current study choose teaching as a career mostly due to the altruistic factor which is the highest in mean value, next is intrinsic while the extrinsic is the last factor. Paired sample t – test showed the mean value of altruistic factor was at the highest and different from intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The result suggested that it was the best factor which influences the prospective teachers to make decision in choosing teaching as a career. Thus, prospective teachers in their selection choose teaching as a career mainly due to the fact that they liked to work with children and teenagers, love to share knowledge with others, want to become a good teachers to motivate new generation become a good citizen, to give proper knowledge to young people.

On the other hand, intrinsic factors which make prospective teachers to choose teaching as a career are love to share knowledge with others, respectable job, enjoy and love to interact with kids, more opportunities to continue education. All these factors were not the priority for prospective teachers to choose teaching as a career compared to altruistic factors.

Similarly, extrinsic factor which is also based on material rewards such as salary, stability, working condition such as long holidays as well as easy to find a job as contained in the “extrinsic” factor were not the priority for prospective teachers. The major determinant such as the altruistic factor has the most highest means value.

There are a lot of researches done on what factors influence teachers in choosing teaching as their career choice. According to a study conducted by Yong (1995) extrinsic motives were the most influential factors for teacher trainees entering into teaching in Brunei Darussalam. There is a similar result based on a study conducted by Chan (1998), he found that main motives were extrinsic factors. Moreover, a study conducted in Elementary school at Pennsylvania State University found that main motive was intrinsic factors (Papanastasiou & Papanastasiou, 1997). However, few researches, Yong (1995), Halawa (2008), Saban (2003) concluded that extrinsic factor is motive influencing the prospective teachers choosing teaching as a career, while others Papanastasiou & Papanastasiou (1997), Reid & Caudwell (1997) and Brookhart and freeman (1992), were at the side of altruistic & intrinsic. Nevertheless, the difference was probably “due to different composition and characteristics of the samples in the studies” (Young, 1995). Thus, the present study has given way for the research to fill in the gap that is altruistic motive. The altruistic motive factor would be more influential in choosing teaching as a career while the next factor would be intrinsic motive which will influence the students in choosing teaching as a career.

Moreover, the relationship between the three factors and gender: There are only few research studies have been conducted to determine relationship existence between influencing factors and genders. According to Sarason, (1993) teaching is seen as first step in a career ladder at the top of which are a variety of administrative positions, among man more than among women. At present this study would give an extension to previous studies. Therefore, from this current research, it is found that there is no significance difference between males and females in terms of altruistic factors. Due to fact of altruistic factor, study showed that the number of males and females has no such significant difference in choosing teaching as a career. However, the generalisations for male student are limited due to the small number of male student available in institute of education. Nevertheless, there may be improvement .This may improve the motives that influence them to choose teaching as a career, if they pay more emphasis on following suggestions:

The teacher should have more commitment in teaching in order to have bright future in their selection teaching as a career. Teaching commitment is strongly related to their entrance into the teaching profession. If teachers are not committed, they probably will not plan; and if they do not plan, then their commitment might well be questioned. Moreover, showing individual commitment in teaching makes important motive and motivating students to ready for studying.

Furthermore, teaching job is a respectable job which makes prospective teachers to be a model in society as well as educational premise. Teaching job creates of respect for professional and teachers are considered as best authority to modify the student into unique in the society. Nevertheless, teacher should maintain the pride by behave in respective way for society to retain their dignity.

Moreover, prospective teachers are expected to share knowledge without waiting for external reward. However, sharing of knowledge is a two-way street. Both the student and the teacher have to take responsibility for their parts in this process because teachers should ready in sharing his or her knowledge while students also must have desire to learn. On the other hand, teachers should be aware about uniqueness of students by sharing knowledge equally in the class. This would that teacher understand how to share the knowledge in order to make every students in the class to understand.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH

This study objective is to identifying the factors influencing the prospective teachers (student) to decide teaching as a career and to identify whether internal or external factors influences the prospective teacher in their selection to choose teaching as a career as well. In addition, it is to identify common factors which influences male and female to decide teaching as a career.

As this research was conducted in institute of education at International Islamic University Malaysia, it is recommended to be replicated in other higher educational institutions for further result. Moreover, there are numerous researches on the factor influences the teacher to choose teaching as career, it requires further investigation in the part of geographical area either rural or urban compare with economic factor of the area or country. Hence, this would further add to the existing knowledge and former result about choosing teaching as a career by the teacher.

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