Date Available

12-7-2011

Year of Publication

2007

Document Type

Thesis

College

Agriculture

Department

Career, Technology and Leadership Edu.

First Advisor

J. Shane Robinson

Abstract

The United States is currently facing a shortage of qualified teachers; specifically, agricultural education has recorded shortages for several years. Many agriculture teachers will leave the profession well before retirement. Those teachers who leave the profession are often dissatisfied with their chosen career and exhibit low levels of teacher self-efficacy and job satisfaction. The purpose of this census study was to describe the current level of teacher self-efficacy and job satisfaction among all early career Kentucky agriculture teachers (N = 80). The study also sought to determine if a relationship existed between teacher self-efficacy and job satisfaction among early career Kentucky agriculture teachers. Teacher self-efficacy was measured through three constructs: student engagement, instructional practices, and classroom management. It was concluded that early career agriculture teachers in Kentucky are efficacious and generally satisfied with teaching. A variety of relationships were found to exist between each construct and overall job satisfaction between each group of teachers.

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