The effect on teacher career choices: exploring teacher perceptions on the impact of non‐instructional workload on self‐efficacy and self‐determination

This study explored the gap between Apple’s theory of intensification, the source of significant changes in the way that teachers work, and the theories of self‐efficacy and self‐determination, which have been linked to teacher burnout, turnover, and attrition. Understanding the connections between these theories is important because attrition rates have remained at nearly 50% for teachers with 0-5 years of teaching experience, negatively influencing students and schools. The study design utilized a mixed‐methods approach, using both closed and open‐ended questions, and two previously validated scales. As a multiple case‐study and retrospective look at the perceptions of 67 current and former teachers, study participants provided data on how they perceive intensification on their non‐instructional workload and how that workload impacts their personal and work lives, including whether a perceived loss of self‐efficacy and self‐determination plays a role in their decision to continue in the teaching profession. Qualitative and quantitative findings indicated that current and former teachers perceive a significant impact from intensification on their non‐instructional workload, and they feel the effects of that workload on the personal time they have available and the way in which they work. Further, the qualitative and quantitative findings indicated that intensification’s non‐instructional workload negatively impacts a teacher’s self‐efficacy and self‐determination, indicating strong connections between the theories, the source of the non‐instructional workload and the relationship that workload has to high levels of teacher attrition through perceived self‐efficacy and self‐determination. The findings describe only this study sample and do not indicate causal relationships in other populations.