A qualitative investigation of prospective teachers’ hopes, their sources, and motivational forces

Abstract

This grounded theory study examined prospective teachers’ (PTs) dispositional hopes, teaching-specific hopes, their sources, and motivational force of teaching-specific hopes. A total of 41 PTs enrolled on different teacher education programmes voluntarily participated in the semi-structured interviews. Findings showed that PTs’ dispositional hopes revolved around an active/passive axis, and originated from internal, external, and combined sources. Teaching-specific hopes were explained through five categories: relationships with others, teaching, student achievement, student motivation, and student development. Regardless of axis or source, teaching-specific hopes had a substantial motivational force on PTs’ preparation toward their future careers. The current study urges teacher educators and policy-makers to consider PTs’ teaching-specific hopes together with their motivational roles in preparing them for their future careers.

Keywords:

• hope
• teacher
• motivation
• teaching
• education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Altay Eren is an Associate Professor in the department of educational sciences at Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey. His primary research interests contain educational neuroscience, episodic memories of prospective teachers, motivations for teaching, career development, time perspective, mediation analysis, academic optimism, curiosity, and hope. He is currently a member of the Curriculum and Instruction Associations of Turkey.

Amanda Yeşilbursa is an Associate Professor in the department of foreign language education at Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey. Her research interests include foreign language teacher education, reflective teacher development, reflective writing, teacher identity, and discourse analysis. She is currently a member of the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language and the English Language Educators Association of Turkey.