WHY SPECIAL EDUCATION? Dr. Cheryl L. Bremer TED Conference November 8, 2012 WHY SPECIAL EDUCATION? Exploring the Influence of Motivation on Choosing Special Education as a Career Co-collaborator: Dr. Lucinda Spaulding

Group Discussion Projections & Experiences The interest for this study began with my career at Grace College in 2008. As the department chair and only in house special education faculty member, I was charged with the task of building a special education program. As part of the recruitment, retention, and advising task, I have 2 questions that I ask every student that sits in front of me . . . Whether they are a prospective student, a new freshman, or a transfer student from another college . . “Why Grace College?” and “Why Special Education?”. Although there are an array of answers, I hear one answer over and over . . . A past experience in teaching or learning . . . And that experience often involves individuals with disabilities. To draw more out of this interest and to realize that my question is one that policymakers, higher education institutions, and local school administrators have been asking about special education teachers since the conception of special education, I began the task of digging into the research on why individuals choose special education as a career. Projections & Experiences

Personal Interest Recruit, Retain, and Educate The interest for this study began with my career at Grace College in 2008. As the department chair and only in house special education faculty member, I was charged with the task of building a special education program. As part of the recruitment, retention, and advising task, I have 2 questions that I ask every student that sits in front of me . . . Whether they are a prospective student, a new freshman, or a transfer student from another college . . “Why Grace College?” and “Why Special Education?”. Although there are an array of answers, I hear one answer over and over . . . A past experience in teaching or learning . . . And that experience often involves individuals with disabilities. To draw more out of this interest and to realize that my question is one that policymakers, higher education institutions, and local school administrators have been asking about special education teachers since the conception of special education, I began the task of digging into the research on why individuals choose special education as a career. Recruit, Retain, and Educate

Shortage of Special Education Teachers Supply Demand RESEARCH PROBLEM Shortage of Special Education Teachers “The problem addressed in this quantitative study is the prevalent shortage of special education teachers caused by a limited supply of fully qualified, licensed teachers along with a consistently increasing number of students with disabilities requiring special education services” A teacher shortage results in neglect of student need. Vacancies filled by uncertified teachers Considerable Shortage: AAEE 2008 (9 of 14 educational fields were SPED) U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2010 (in the next 5 years by 2017, the demand for sped teachers increase by 17%-more than any other occupation) Solution? Address the supply pipeline be it through recruitment or retention of those already in the field. Solution? Identify factors that influence individuals to choose special education as a career Segue: This research problem has led to an in-depth investigation of what we already know about those influential factors and what we still need to learn. Consistent & Critical

Special Education Career Motivation Expectancy-Value Special Education Career www.fitchoice.org The theoretical framework that is relevant to this study is based on the early work of Atkinson (1957) in achievement motivation, the work of Eccles (1983) on expectancy-value theory and academic achievement, and the application of expectancy-value theory to career choice in teaching by Watt and Richardson (2007). The expectancy value motivational framework provides direction in understanding how motivation is influenced by a person’s perception of their own expectancy in achieving a certain task as well as the value that individual places on that task. ???????????? Watt & Richardson used the expectancy-value motivational framework to take a closer look at how motivation influences a career choice in general education.

Motivation LITERATURE REVIEW Retention Demand Supply Career Choice Recruitment & Retention Supply Career Theories Career Choice Motivation Supply: New teacher recruitment Fully licensed teachers (Teacher Quality) Attrition Burnout Working Conditions Paperwork Caseload (Making retention a critical piece) Demand Federal legislation (NCLB, IDEA, Inclusion practices) Increasing numbers of students identified Recruitment & Retention Initiatives at the federal, state, and local level Alternative certification School based initiatives Career Choice General Ed: perceived teaching abilities, the intrinsic value of teaching, the desire to make a social contribution to shape the future, and to work with children and adolescents were the highest rated factors (Watt & Richardson, 2007). Special Ed: Intrinsic/altruistic beliefs about special education; sibling with disabilities; previous experiences with individuals with disabilities. Career Theories

Research Gap General Education-studies on career choice, altruism, motivation Special Education-studies on career choice, siblings, past experiences, but NOT motivation FIT-Choice is focused on general education teachers.

Theoretical Framework Atkinson Achievement Motivation Eccles & Wigfield Expectancy-Value Motivation Watt & Richardson FIT-Choice Model

Watt & Richardson’s Theoretical Model Adapted from “Motivational factors influencing teaching as a career choice: Development and Validation of the FIT- Choice®-Choice Scale,” by H. M. G. Watt, and P. W. Richardson, 2007, The Journal of Experimental Education, 75(3), p. 176. Copyright 2007 by Heldref Publications.

Purpose . . . was to investigate motivational influences related to choosing special education as a career Significance Explore Theoretical Assumptions Guide Aspiring Teachers Inform Stakeholders Altruism is encompassed by intrinsic values

METHODOLOGY PARTICIPANTS DELIVERY INSTRUMENTATION

ANALYSIS & RESULTS Age Gender Year in School Range of Experiences Range of Motivations What is the motivational profile of preservice special education teachers?

Antecedent Socialization ANALYSIS & RESULTS No Significance . . . t(354) = 0.33, p = 0.74 Is there a difference in the strength of influence for a range of motivations between preservice special education teachers and preservice general education teachers in teacher career choice? Range of Motivations Self Value Task Antecedent Socialization Teaching Choice

Intrinsic Career Value Personal Utility Value ANALYSIS & RESULTS Is there a difference in the strength of influence for the higher-order factor value between preservice special education teachers and preservice general education teachers in teacher career choice? Intrinsic Career Value Personal Utility Value Social Utility Value VALUE No Significance . . . t(151) = 0.10, p = 1.00

Shape Future of Children Make Social Contribution ANALYSIS & RESULTS Significance . . . t(167) = 2.10, p = .03 Is there a difference in the strength of influence for the higher-order factor social utility value between preservice special education teachers and preservice general education teachers in teacher career choice? SOCIAL UTILITY VALUE Shape Future of Children Enhance Social Equity Make Social Contribution Work with Children t(272) = 4.32, p < .0001

ANALYSIS & RESULTS Is there a difference in the strength of influence of the antecedent socialization construct between preservice special education teachers who participated in school-based peer programs and preservice special education teachers who did not participate in school-based peer programs? No Significance . . . t(77) = 0.81, p = 0.42

Synthesis & Implications 2 Teacher Educators 1 3 Aspiring Special Educators Parallels & Confirms Research Findings MOTIVATIONAL PROFILE

Synthesis & Implications 2 Recruitment & Retention 1 3 Teacher Preparation No Difference ≠ Lack of Motivation RANGE OF MOTIVATIONS

Synthesis & Implications Value as a Viable Influence in Choice 2 Social Utility Values 1 3 Altruism & Commitment Value as a Viable Influence in Choice VALUE

Synthesis & Implications 2 Appropriate Instrument 1 3 Develop Partnerships Conflicts with Existing Research PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL-BASED PEER PROGRAMS

Accurate Response Rate Grouping of General Education LIMITATIONS Generalizability Recruitment Accurate Response Rate Dual Majors Grouping of General Education

Recommendations for Future Research Stratification of preservice elementary & secondary education teachers Comparison of preservice special education & preservice elementary education teachers Stratification of preservice special education teachers Analysis of teacher types for preservice special teachers Development & validation of instrument Replication of study with both faith-based & secular universities Qualitative study

QUESTIONS? Why Special Education? All images courtesy of images.google.com

For comments or more information, feel free to contact me: Cheryl Bremer bremercl@grace.edu 574.527.5478