Date of Conferral

2019

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Kathryn Swetnam

Abstract

Teachers and administrators have different perceptions regarding the importance and validity of various factors that influence veteran teachers' professional practice. Herzberg's 2-factor motivation-hygiene theory was used as the conceptual framework for this basic qualitative study. The purpose of the study was to gain an understanding of veteran teachers' and administrators' perceptions about motivating and hygiene factors and their influences on veteran teachers' professional practice in a southern California suburban school district. One-on-one semistructured interviews were conducted with 8 veteran high school teachers and 4 high school administrators. The interview responses were audio recorded and transcribed, then coded using open and axial coding and categorized into themes. Administrators perceived 3 prevalent motivating factors for teachers: academic freedom, student-teacher relationships, and feeling effective, whereas administrators' hygiene factors included administrative support with discipline and open and clear communication. Teachers cited students' progress and student-teacher relationships as their primary motivating factors and lack of administrative support as their most important hygiene factor. The hygiene factors provided a foundation and framework for teachers to perform the motivating work of teaching students and developing relationships. Through this study, both veteran teachers and administrators may become more aware of the motivating factors that positively influence veteran teachers' professional practice in the classroom, which may improve the ways in which administrators support and motivate them. Positive social change may result by creating synergetic relationships between administrators and veteran teachers that could not only expand the role of veteran teachers but also increase student academic achievement.

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