The effect of an educational administration course on the expectations of pre‐service teachers
| Published date | 01 February 2004 |
| Date | 01 February 2004 |
| Pages | 98-111 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/09578230410517495 |
| Author | Maria Eliophotou Menon |
| Subject Matter | Education |
The effect of an educational
administration course on the
expectations of pre-service
teachers
Maria Eliophotou Menon
Department of Education, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
Keywords Teachers, Schools, Job satisfaction
Abstract This article investigates the effect of the completion of an undergraduate educational
administration course on the expectations of pre-service teachers regarding school organisation.
Data were collected from 225 students enrolled in the primary education programme of the
University of Cyprus. According to t he findings, respondents who had compl eted the
administration course had more modest, and probably more realistic, expectations with respect
to some aspects of school organisation. The significant differences between course completers and
non-completers concerned the future role of the teacher in the school system and the role of his/her
superiors. The following recommendations are offered: the inclusion of the educational
administration module in the course requirements of the primary education programme; the
improvement of the practicum currently offered by the education department; and the attendance
to problems in school administration, especially in the area of teacher evaluation.
Introduction
The beliefs and expectations that individuals have regarding impending events
commonly exert a major effect on their future experiences and behaviour.
Research has found individual perceptions and expectations to play an
important role in career development (Bandura, 1997). One example of a
profession associated with the formation of distinct personal expectations prior
to labour market entry is that of teaching. Pre-service teachers form
expectations during the period of their training regarding their future
occupation. If the expected or desired outcomes ultimately coincide with the
actual ones, they will, in all probability, experience job satisfaction (Cranny
et al., 1992). If, on the other hand, there is a divergence between their
expectations and the realities of the workplace, disappointment and
dissatisfaction are likely to occur. The incidence of job dissatisfaction is
considered to be the main reason for the high attrition rate among newly
appointed teachers in Western countries (Murmane et al., 1991; Wise et al.,
1987).
A popular conceptualisation of job satisfaction is based on the idea of
discrepancy. In this context, job satisfaction is considered to be the difference
between the expectations of employees and the actual outcome received. Thus,
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JEA
42,1
98
Received July 2002
Revised May 2003
Accepted June 2003
Journal of Educational
Administration
Vol. 42 No. 1, 2004
pp. 98-111
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0957-8234
DOI 10.1108/09578230410517495
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