ABSTRACT
The main aim of this study is to reveal classroom teachers’ personal value perceptions and the level of their efficiencies. The quantitative research method was used in the research. The target population of the research consisted of 335 classroom teachers in Kars. Multi stage sampling model was selected in order to determine the sampling in the research. First, Kars City Center and its boroughs were accepted as a layer respectively, and then layered sampling was used as a random sampling model. For the sampling, Kars City center and its boroughs in which the schools’ and teachers’ scale were applied was defined using random sampling model. The tools used for the data collection in the research include Teacher Personal Value Scale and Teacher Efficiency Scale. To determine personal information, personal value perception and the efficiency levels of the teachers, the percent, frequency, and arithmetic average values were defined. Also, to determine whether personal value perception and efficiency levels differed according to the personal characteristic for unrelated sampling, t-test and one-way ANOVA analysis techniques were used. Post hoc test was applied to find the differences in the result of one-way ANOVA test. The Pearson moments correlation coefficient test was done to determine the teachers’ personal values and efficiency levels.
Key words: Classroom teacher, value, teacher efficiency.
The concept of value is derived from the Latin word valerie, which means valuable or to be strong (Bilgin, 1995). It was first introduced to social science literature by Znaniacki in 1918 (Zavalloni, 1980; TaÅŸdelen, 1998: 8). The concept of value has various meanings. It can be argued that the fundamental difference in the definition and disclosure of values arises from their definition at the local or universal level. The complexity of defining the concept of value is a reality that is caused by subjective and objective perspectives.
In this context, the concept of value is defined in the Turkish Dictionary of Turkish Language Association (www.ttk.gov.tr) as, "the abstract measure, the provision of a thing”, and “the complete moral and material elements that include all the social, cultural, economic and scientific aspects of a nation". In general, the concept of value, which can also be defined as the tendency of an individual to prefer certain situations in relation to other individuals (Hofstede, 1991), is, as Schein (1985) explains, the assessment of events, situations and behaviors of social members; and the criteria that they adopt in the trial. Since education can be defined as a process of raising individuals in line with certain determined aims, it is inevitable that the values, as well as the skills and attitudes acquired in this process, differentiate the individuals’ character. Individuals that have developed characters and are equipped with knowledge and skills will inevitably bring positive changes to the social structure (Yazıcı, 2010). Halstead and Taylor (2000: 176-177) express that as teachers comprise the core of value education, they may either want to see the values as a part of their own roles or not; however, the students are certainly aware of the values of their teachers and it is probable that they are influenced by those values. Topics selected by the teachers, methods that they apply, their style of addressing students are the factors that reflect their individual values (Yazıcı, 2010). This makes it easier for the students to grasp the value judgments of the teacher.
If the theory of action-reaction is to be taken, the teachers, who are considered to be one of the most important elements of the education system, will undoubtedly be appreciated with the rate of their effectiveness. This is because the teachers, described as the element that is present in every level of education and teaching, are especially effective and important during the level of the primary school period, because the students in general who are at that level are directed only to their classroom teachers as adult counterparts. This is worthy of note in that it shows the sensitivity of the subject and the importance of teachers’ effectiveness. Despite the fact that teachers’ effectiveness is so sensitive, the general research on the subject since the first quarter of the 20th century has shown that it is inadequate to determine the general characteristics of an effective teacher. Although, the general research on the subject has increased with time, it has also brought confusion to the field. As Tatar (2010) points out, although there is no consensus on the subject, there are many known features of an effective teacher. It may not be possible to have all of these skills at once; but it must be known that the more a teacher has such skills, the more s/he will be influential.
As researchers consider that there is a connection between individual values and teacher effectiveness, a related research seems to be preferred. With such a research, as explained above, it is anticipated that a contribution will be made to the elucidation of effective teachers’ characteristics which have been on the agenda of the researchers for many years. In other words, this study was found to be meaningful for researchers in order to emphasize that one of the reasons behind teacher effectiveness is individual values.
The main purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between individual perception of values and the levels of efficacy by revealing perception of the individual values of classroom teachers and levels of personal and professional competence beliefs. In accordance with the main purpose of the research, the following questions are asked according to the perceptions of class teachers:
1. What are the individual values of classroom teachers? Do the individual values of the teachers differ according to their personal characteristics?
2. What are the perceptions of classroom teachers regarding their individual and professional competence beliefs? Do the perceptions of classroom teachers regarding their individual competence beliefs differ according to the personal characteristics of the teachers?
3. What is the relationship between perceptions of individual values of classroom teachers and their individual and professional competence beliefs?
This research used a screening (descriptive) model. Screening models are research approaches that aim to describe past or present situations as they exist. In the screening model studies, the individual, the event, or the object that is subject to the research is defined as they exist within their own circumstances (Karasar, 1998; Büyüköztürk et al., 2014:14). The quantitative research method was employed in the research.
Population and sampling
The sample of this research consists of 335 classroom teachers who work in Kars. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to determine the sample of the study. First of all, the province center of Kars and its districts are considered as separate layers; and a method of stratified sampling, which is a type of random sampling technique, is preferred. Considering the proportions of each province and province center in the sample, the number of teachers who should be scaled in the province center and the districts was determined. In accordance with the determined sample size, the random sampling technique was employed to determine which school and teacher will be scaled in the province center of Kars and its districts.
Data collection tools
The data collection tools of the research are "The Value Scale" which was developed by TaÅŸdan (2008) and the "The Teacher Competency Beliefs Scale" which was developed by Yılmaz and Çokluk-BökeoÄŸlu (2008). The Value Scale was used to determine the individual values of the teachers in the study. The suitability of the preliminary data to explanatory factor analysis was examined through Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) coefficient and Batlett Sphericity test. Büyüköztürk (2002) and Özçelik (2010) stated that if the KMO coefficient is higher than 0.60 and the Barlett test is significant, the data are suitable for factor analysis. In Table 5, the KMO coefficient of the Value Scale was found to be 0.95, and the Barlett test result was significant (p <.05). Based on these results, it was decided that the data collected were suitable for factor analysis.
In the factor analysis conducted within the scope of the validity study of the "Value Scale", it was identified that the factor loading values of the 32 items in the scale ranged from "0.30" to "0.71", and the matter total correlations of these items ranged from "0.41" to "0.94". It was shown that the scale explained 70.57% of the total variance. The Cronbah Alpha internal consistency coefficient of the scale was determined to be 0.98, and the scale was determined to be a valid and reliable measure.
Teacher competency beliefs scale
The Teacher Competency Beliefs Scale, developed by Yılmaz and Çokluk (2008), was used to measure the teachers' competency beliefs in the research. Yılmaz and Çokluk (2008) first examined the results of the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value and the Barlett Sphericity Test in order to determine the sufficiency of the sample size. In this analysis, the KMO value was found to be 0.80. This can be described as "very good" (Kalaycı, 2005). Again, the result of the Barlett Sphericity test for the same purpose was also determined to be significant [X2 = 1305.715; p <.01]. Based on these findings, it was decided that the data set are suitable for factor analysis (Kalaycı, 2005; Åžencan, 2005; Sönmez and Alacapınar, 2016; Çilan, 2009).
In the factor of Teaching Competency, which is the first factor of the Teacher Competency Scale, there are 14 items, and the factor load values of the items, which are obtained by Vrimax vertical rotation method, vary between 0.38 and 0.75. When the item-total correlations of the items in this factor are examined, it is seen that it changes between 0.32 and 0.65. The common factor variances of the items range from 0.172 to 0.567. The variance explained by this factor alone is 22.30% and the Cronbach-Alpha reliability coefficient is .76.
In the Personal Qualification factor, which is the second factor of the Teacher Competency Scale, there are 8 items and the factor load values of the items obtained by Varimax vertical rotation method vary between 0.41 and 0.73. The item-total correlations of the items in this factor vary between 0.21 and 0.58, while the common factor variances of the items range from 0.208 to 0.526. The variance explained by this factor alone is 11.55% and the Cronbach-Alpha reliability coefficient is 0.64.
Analysis of data
Percentage, frequency and arithmetic mean values of the personal information, individual value perception and personal and professional competence beliefs were used in the research. In addition, t-test and one-way ANOVA analysis techniques were applied for unrelated samples in order to determine whether personal values and teacher personal-professional competence belief levels differ according to personal characteristics of the teachers. The Pearson Moments Multiplication Correlation test was used to determine the personal values of the teachers and the levels of personal and professional competence beliefs.
What are the individual values of classroom teachers? Do the individual values of the teachers differ according to their personal characteristics?
As seen in Table 1, the most adopted values of teachers participating in the research are justice, honesty, trust, people-orientedness, and equality. Teachers' least adopted values are the values of obedience, respect for seniority, formality, result-orientedness and flexibility, respectively.
According to Table 2, the most common values of female teachers are justice, honesty, trust, people-orientedness and equality. The most common values of male teachers are honesty, justice, trust, accountability and loyalty. Again, as shown in Table 2, the least adopted values of female teachers are as follows: obedience, formality, result-orientedness, respect for seniority and flexibility. The least adopted values of male teachers are respect for seniority, obedience, formality and result-orientedness. It is noteworthy that in the research, regarding the first five adopted values, male teachers give more importance to accountability and loyalty than female teachers; while female teachers give importance to people-orientedness and equality values than male teachers.
In Table 3, the value perceptions of primary school/secondary school teachers are significantly different in terms of sexuality [t(302)=2.95;p<0.01]. The average scores of the female teachers' value set (145.02) are higher than the male teachers (140.08) as shown in the table.
As shown in Table 4, the most common values of class teachers are justice, honesty, trust, equality and people-orientedness. The most common values of branch teachers are honesty, trust, justice, people-orientedness and freedom. As shown in Table 2, the least adopted values of the class teachers are as follows: obedience, respect for seniority, formality, result-orientedness and flexibility. The least adopted values of the branch teachers are obedience, respect for seniority, formality, result-orientedness and flexibility. When the most and least adopted values of class and branch teachers are examined; it is seen that branch teachers, unlike class teachers, give more importance to "freedom" value; while class teachers give more importance to "equity" value than branch teachers. According to Table 5, there is no difference between total value perceptions of the class teachers and the total value perceptions of the branch teachers [U = 6247,500; p> 0.05].
As shown in Table 6, the most common values appreciated by the teachers who oppose the European Union are justice, trust, honesty, loyalty and determination; for those who support the European Union, the values preferred are justice, honesty, trust, equality and accountability; while for those who say that it does not make any difference, the values preferred are justice, trust, honesty, people-orientedness and appreciation.
As shown in the table, the most accepted values in the three groups are justice, honesty and trust. Teachers who say, "I am against the European Union", unlike other groups, adopt loyalty and determination values more, while teachers who say, "It is better to enter the European Union", unlike other groups, value "equality and accountability" more, teachers who say, “It does not make any difference”, unlike other groups, give importance to “people-orientedness and appreciation” more. Thus, it is understood that there is a consensus regarding the least adopted values in the three groups. Although “obedience, respect for seniority, formality, flexibility and result-orientedness” values only differ in ranks, they are the least adopted values in the three groups. When Table 7 is taken into consideration, teachers' views on Turkey's participation in the European Union do not lead to a meaningful difference in the perceptions of teachers about their values [F (2. 303) = 2.68; p>0.05].
In Table 8, while the most adopted values of the teachers against the privatization in education are justice, honesty, trust, people-orientedness, and equality, respectively; the values that are most adopted for teachers who are in favor of privatization in education are honesty, justice, trust, equality and responsibility. The least adopted values in both groups are flexibility, result-orientedness, obedience, formality and respect for seniority. Teachers who are opposed to privatization in education adopt the value of being "people-oriented" differently than others; whereas teachers who favor the privatization adopt the value of responsibility differently. As shown in Table 9, value perceptions of teachers who
are against and in favor of privatization in education do not differ [t(302) = 95; p>05].
What are the perceptions of class teachers regarding their personal qualification and professional competence beliefs? Do the perceptions of class teachers regarding their personal qualification beliefs differ according to their personal characteristics?
As shown in Table 10, there is no significant difference between personal qualification [t(302)=0.19; p>0.05] and professional competence [t(302)=0.49; p>05] beliefs of female and male teachers. As shown in Table 11, there is no significant difference between personal qualification [U=6293,50; p>0.05] and professional competence [U=6376,00; p>0.05] beliefs of class and branch teachers.
From Table 12, it can be said that there is no significant difference between professional competence [F(2, 303)=1.53; p>0.05] and personal qualification [F(2, 303)=2.49;p>0.05] beliefs in respect of teachers who are against, in favor, and think that it does not make any difference regarding Turkey’s entry into the European Union.
As shown in Table 13, there is no significant difference between the personal qualification [t(302)=0.41; p>0.05] and professional competence [t(302)=0.06; p>0.5] beliefs of teachers who are against and in favor of privatization in education.
What is the relationship between individual perceptions and personal qualification and professional competence beliefs of class teachers?
As shown in Table 14, there is a very low and negatively correlated relationship between the individual values and the professional competence beliefs of the teachers (r=-0.09; p>0.05). Again, there is a meaningful, positive and moderate relationship between the individual values perceptions of the teachers and their personal qualification beliefs (r = 0.23; P> 0.05).
Table 15 shows the relationship between each value judgment that teachers have and the level of personal qualification and professional competence belief. As shown in Table 15, there is a positive, moderate and meaningful relationship between teachers' social responsibility, discipline, accountability, result-orientedness and participation values and personal competence beliefs. Additionally, as shown in Table 15, it is seen that there is a positive, low level and significant relationship between professional qualification belief and the values of flexibility, respect for seniority, formality, discipline, responsibility, respect for diversity, sharing, cooperation, appreciation, process drivenness, quality, success, diligence, independence, consensus, justice, honesty, loyalty, and determination.
When the relationship between the individual values of the teachers and their professional competence is examined, it is found that there is a low level, negative, and a meaningful relationship between only the process-drivenness value and the professional competence belief.
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS
In general terms, the most common values of teachers are justice, honesty, trust, being people-focused and equality. Teachers' less adopted values are obedience, respect for seniority, formalism, result-orientation and flexibility. Among them, female teachers completely overlap with the general teacher profile, while male teachers, people-orientedness and equity values are replaced with accountability and loyalty values.
Likewise, regarding the least adopted values, the opinions of female teachers are in harmony with the general teacher profile, while the opinions of male teachers are slightly shifted in the same way as the opinions of the same teachers. Therefore, for male teachers, this value stands out as a respect for seniority. In this context, it has been determined that female teachers are in favor of perceptions of values as compared to male teachers. Although, the dimensions of the study are not similar, there are some studies that show that female and male teachers are associated with perception of value. It may be possible to make comparisons in this respect. For instance, according to the findings obtained from the research carried out by IÅŸik and Yildiz (2014), the security and self-orientation sub-dimensions of value perceptions are higher in female teachers than male teachers. In other words, there is a harmony with the difference in favor of female teachers with the study which is the subject of the current research. According to Yilmaz's (2009) research, female teachers' attitudes towards universality, benevolence, harmony and security values are higher than that of male teachers. With Yilmaz (2009)'s study, it can be said that the findings overlap only in terms of sexuality.
There is no significant difference found between the value perceptions of the class and branch teachers involved in the research, as opposed to the meaningful difference that emerged according to the sexuality. It is observed that only branch teachers have added freedom to the first five values they have adopted mostly; on the other hand, class teachers bring equity into the forefront. In fact, one of the important results of the research is that the opinions of Turkey on the European Union participation do not reveal a meaningful difference among the teachers' value perceptions. Such that, the values that are most commonly adopted by teachers who are in favor of or against the European Union, are justice, honesty and trustworthy.
Just as in the case of the findings relating to the European Union, teachers' value perceptions do not differ between teachers who are opposed to privatization in education and those who are not. Apart from these, the personal qualification and professional competence beliefs of the teachers did not significantly differ according to sexuality, and there was no significant difference between their views on the entrance of Turkey into the European Union in terms of the same criteria.
Likewise, there is also no meaningful difference between the views of teachers on the personal qualification and professional competence beliefs of those who are opposed to privatization and those who are not. However, there is a very low, negative and insignificant relationship between the individual value perceptions of the teachers and the levels of professional competence beliefs. Again, there is a moderate, positive and meaningful relationship between individual values perceptions of teachers and their beliefs about personal qualification.
There is also a positive, moderate and meaningful relationship among teachers' social responsibility, discipline, accountability, result-orientedness, participation and personal competence beliefs. Additionally, there is a positive, low level and significant relationship between personal qualification belief and flexibility, respect for seniority, formality, discipline, responsibility, respect for diversity, sharing, cooperation, appreciation, process-drivenness, quality, success, diligence, independence, consensus, justice, honesty, loyalty, and determination values.
When the relationship between the individual values of the teachers and the beliefs of professional competence is examined, it is found that there is a low and meaningful relationship between only the process-drivenness value and the professional competence belief in the negative direction. Since value perceptions of female teachers as compared to male teachers are in favor of female teachers, in-service training seminars may be prepared, in the first instance for male teachers.
In order to make the results of this work limited to Kars province more general, similar studies can be done with teachers in different cities and different branches. In other words, in order to make the findings of studies done in this field in Turkey practicable, it should be done in different regions and its results should be shared.
The authors have not declared any conflict of interests.
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