Community factor inrush in higher education teacher’s profile

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. The entry into the European Higher Education Area involves several changes in the faculty teacher’s profile. Pressure over teacher’s increase, due to competitivity demands in a global context, linked to many external evaluations and the worsening of working conditions related with the economic crisis, can be affecting on teacher’s motivation. This paper analyzes higher education teacher’s perception over which aspects motivate them at work and the context (individual or community) where is developed. METHOD. This is basically a descriptive and correlational research. The collected information is based on 32 items from a questionnaire gathered in two groups: teacher’s motivation and teamwork. Through exploratory factor analysis is studied the existence of underlying and explanatory factors from the correlation’s matrix. Log-linear and variance tests were also made. RESULTS. Four different profiles on faculty’s motivation have been identified: pure researcher, pragmatic researcher, teacher and community. Some differences are found across the factorial scores depending on the classification variables. Specifically, community profile is outstanding in women and youngest teaching staff. DISCUSSION. The results are coincident with research literature referring to the three first profiles. The community factor inrush may respond to the new EHEA requirements, although it seems necessary to make this dimension stronger. Present university demands faculties able to be related in an international context, but it is also important teamwork at local level in order to favor a truly learning community and, in consequence, higher satisfaction and motivation for teachers and students.