Investigating the Role of Teachers' Goal Orientation in Work Engagement and Professional Agency: A Mixed-Methods Approach

Nahid Royaei, Behzad Ghonsooly, Afsaneh Ghanizadeh, Anahita Estehmami

Abstract


The present study aimed to probe the role of goal orientation in work engagement and professional agency and to explore influential factors in professional agency among English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers. To this aim, 90 English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers were chosen from different English language institutes. In order to obtain these aims, the present study used a mixed-methods approach: first, in quantitative part, data were collected via distributing three questionnaires: Achievement Goals for Teaching, Work & Well-being Survey, and Teacher Agency. Second, in qualitative part, data were collected via conducting semi-structured interviews. Interviews were carried out for exploring influential factors in professional agency. The conducted interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. The quantitative findings obtained via Correlation formula revealed that among goal orientation subscales, mastery goal orientation had the highest relationship with the subscales of both work engagement and professional agency. Moreover, results from semi-structured interviews documented that cultural norms, learner's ability, and institutes regulation were influential factors.  Finally, the results were discussed in details and implications were provided.


Keywords


Goal- orientation; Professional agency; Work engagement; EFL teachers

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References


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