Preliminary Models of Teacher Organizational Commitment: Implications for Restructuring the Workplace.

Abstract

Based on a review of recent research on school effects and workplace psychology, this paper hypothesizes that three core concepts comprise teacher organizational commitment: (1) belief in school goals and student learning ability; (2) intention to remain an active member of the school; and (3) willingness to exert extra effort on the school's behalf. The academic literature and national reports assume that many public school teachers commitment to the proper means and ends of education. Since little is actually known on the subject, the study summarized in this paper develops and empirically tests an index of teacher organizational commitment and examines the organizational conditions, processes, and individual features affecting it. The study uses the High School and Beyond database derived from a nationally drawn stratified probability sample of 1,032 high schools; core data were gathered from the 1984 Administrator and Teacher Survey. Overall, the analysis suggests that organizational support, collaboration climate, school orderly environment, encouragement for innovation, shared decision making, and frequency of supervision directly affect teacher commitment. The most powerful predictors of teacher organizational commitment are teachers' motivation to learn and sense of efficacy. Women tend to have higher school commitment than males. Also, years of experience correlate negatively with organizational commitment. (Contains 83 references.) (MLH) ********************************************************************** heprouucLIons suppileo ,:.uicJ are the hest that can be made from thyoriginal document. *********************************************************************** U.S. DENATMENT Of EDUCATION Office o Educahonal Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) V/Tnhes document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization onginahng Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality Points of wevr or opinions stated m this docu meat do not neCeSsortly represent etc's' OERI positron or policy PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS . MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY