Perceptions of the Teaching Profession and Motivation to Teach Among Slovenian University Students

Oct 15, 2026

Examines how Slovenian university students in social sciences and languages perceive the teaching profession and what motivates them to teach. Students finishing undergraduate study and planning a master’s in education report their motivation and satisfaction, while students choosing a non-teaching master’s explain why they do not want to become teachers. FIT-Choice assesses twelve motivational factors and six perceptions. Results show recognition of teachers’ expertise but lower ratings for social status and salary, with altruistic and intrinsic motives dominating. Students declining teaching cite low intrinsic and personal utility value, high job demands, and an overly extensive teacher education program, informing policymakers and teacher education programs.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Teacher shortage context

Study design

FIT-Choice scale and participant groups

Findings and motivations

Perceptions of teachers and motivational factors

Qualitative results

Reasons for not choosing teaching

Implications

Considerations for policymakers and teacher education

Received: 10 September 2023, Accepted: 8 March 2024, Published on-line as Recently Accepted Paper: April 2024 DOI: [https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.1745](https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.1745) Perceptions ofthe Teaching Profession and Motivation to Teach Among Slovenian University Students Melita Puklek Levpušček*1 and Katja Depolli Steiner2 • This study examined the perception of the teaching profession among students of social sciences and languages who were finishing their undergraduate studies and intended to continue their studies with a master’s degree. A subgroup of students planning to study for a master’s degree in teaching reported on their motivation to teach and their satisfaction with their career choice, while a subgroup of students who planned to pursue a master’s degree programme without a teaching degree responded to an open-ended question about why they did not want to become teachers. Participants answered the FIT-Choice Scale, which measures twelve motivational factors and six perceptions about the teaching profession. Students recognised teachers’ expertise; however, social status and salary were rated lower, indicating an imbalance between demands and rewards in the teaching profession. Altruistic and intrinsic motives were the main reasons for choosing the teaching profession. Students who will study teaching also rated their ability to become a teacher highly. Extrinsic factors (job transferability, teaching as a fallback career and time for family) were less important. Qualitative thematic analysis of the responses of students who will not study to become a teacher revealed that low intrinsic value (e.g., disinterest in teaching) and low personal utility value (e.g., better professional development elsewhere) were the most common themes. The high job demands due to demanding interactions with children and parents were also mentioned, while the teacher education programme was perceived as excessively extensive. The implications of the study highlight important considerations for policymakers and teacher education programmes. Keywords: motivation to teach, perception of the teaching profession, university students 1 *Corresponding Author. Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia; [Melita.Puklek@ff.uni-lj.si](Melita.Puklek@ff.uni-lj.si). 2 Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. 278 perceptions of the teaching profession and motivation to teach among slovenian ... Zaznave učiteljskega poklica in motivacija zapoučevanje med slovenskimi študenti Melita Puklek Levpušček in Katja Depolli Steiner • V raziskavi sva preučevali zaznave učiteljskega poklica med študentidružboslovja in jezikoslovja na dveh slovenskih filozofskih fakultetah, ki so zaključevali dodiplomski študij in se odločali za smer študija na magistrski stopnji. Skupina študentov, ki je izrazila namero po nadaljevanju študija na pedagoški smeri, je prav tako poročala o motivaciji zapoučevanje oz. učiteljski poklic in svojem zadovoljstvu s karierno izbiro, skupina študentov, ki je izrazila namero po nadaljevanju študija na nepedagoški smeri, pa je odgovarjala na odprto vprašanje o tem, zakaj seniso odločili za pedagoško smer študija. Udeleženci so izpolnjevali vprašalnik FIT-Choice, ki meri dvanajst motivacijskih dimenzij in šest vidikov zaznav učiteljskega poklica. Študentje so visoko ocenili strokovno zahtevnost učiteljevega dela, nižje pa so ocenili učiteljev družbeni status in plačilo, ki ga prejema za svoje delo. V njihovih odgovorih se odražaneravnovesje med zahtevnostjo učiteljevega dela in nagradami (družbeni status, plačilo), ki jih učitelj prejema za svoje delo. Med razlogi, ki jih bodoči študentje pedagoških smeri navajajo kot najpomembnejše zaizbiro učiteljskega poklica, so altruistični in intrinzični motivi. Ti študentje so tudi visoko ocenili svoje zmožnosti za opravljanje učiteljskega poklica. Zunanji dejavniki, kot so: možnost zaposlitve drugod po svetu, poučevanje kot rezervna kariera in ve

FAQs

Which student groups were compared in the study?

Students finishing undergraduate study planned either a teaching-related master’s or a master’s programme without a teaching degree. The former reported motivation and satisfaction, while the latter answered an open question about why they did not want to become teachers.

How was motivation to teach measured?

Motivation to teach and perceptions of the teaching profession were measured using the FIT-Choice Scale, which evaluates twelve motivational factors and six perceptions.

What reasons were most common for choosing or not choosing teaching?

For those choosing teaching, altruistic and intrinsic motives were the main reasons. For those not choosing teaching, low intrinsic value and low personal utility value were most common themes, alongside concerns about high job demands and an overly extensive teacher education programme.

Oct 15, 2026

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