International Journal of Social Science & Interdisciplinary Research__________________________________ ISSN 2277- 3630

IJSSIR, Vol.2 (1), January (2013)

Online available at indianresearchjournals.com

ATTITUDE OF STUDENT TEACHERS TOWARDS THEIR PROFESSION

DR.B. PRASAD BABU*; T.J.M.S. RAJU **

*Asst. Regional Director &

Programme In-charge (Psychology)
Indira Gandhi National Open University
Regional Centre, Vijayawada, (A.P), India.

**Principal
KPN College of Education,
Gantyada-535 215
Vizianagaram, (A.P), India.

ABSTRACT

The study was conducted to examine the attitude of student teachers towards their
profession in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh, India. Attitude is an arrangement of
mental process, a mental set, an internal disposition or the way of certain mental processes are
organized in a person to make him ready to set in a particular way. So the student teachers have
to test their ideas with emotional content, important beliefs, prejudices, biases and
predispositions etc. on their teaching profession.

The study was conducted on a sample of 437 student teachers studying in 7 colleges of
education in Vizianagaram district among them 239 were male and 198 females and
methodology wise 143 were Mathematics, 48 Physical Sciences, 134 Biological Sciences and
112 Social Studies subject student teachers. They were administered self constructed tool
(Teachers Attitude) developed by the present study investigators. The tool consisting of 60 items
with 7 areas viz. professional problems, teachers pay scales, vacancies and other privileges,
nature of work and workload, teachers interest towards pupils, teachers attitude towards
management and professional status of teachers. The collected data were analysed with mean,
standard deviations, and t-values for testing various hypotheses framed. Significant differences
observed in gender and subjects of study.

Key Words: Attitude, Student teachers, teaching profession.

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International Journal of Social Science & Interdisciplinary Research__________________________________ ISSN 2277- 3630
IJSSIR, Vol.2 (1), January (2013)
Online available at indianresearchjournals.com

Introduction

The teacher in a naturalistic setup is only a setter of the stage, a supplier of material and
opportunities, a provider of an ideal environment, a creator of conditions under which natural
development takes place (Ross, 1956). An attitude is a hypothetical or latent variable rather than
an immediately observable variable (Green, 1959). Attitude is a degree of positive or negative
affect associated with some psychological object (Allen, 1957).

Teachers differ greatly in their attitude and also differ in their methods to supply the
pupil’s deficiencies. There may be a definite relationship between teachers’ attitudes to home
background and their attitude to what is termed as reading readiness. Frequent changes are likely
to develop indifferent attitudes among teachers towards their profession.

Sukhwal (1976) studied about attitude of married lady teachers towards the teaching
profession. The findings stated that the attitudes of the married women teachers showed that a
majority of teachers favoured the profession. The difference between favourable and
unfavourable attitude was significant. A high percentage of those who were identified as a
favourable attitude towards the teaching profession also revealed that highest percentage of
problems in actual work situations.

Nayar (1977) studied about the teacher attitude of Mysore city constructing a
standardized tool. On the administration of the test, the scores of 100 teachers identified by their
Headmasters and colleagues as having very good professional attitudes were compared with
those of 100 teachers identified as having poor professional attitude.

Mishra (1977) studied on the attitudes of teachers working in government aided

conventional Sanskrit Vidyalayas of Varanasi towards teaching profession. The conclusions
were, there was sex difference in the attitude towards teaching status influence the attitude
towards the teaching profession. Teachers training favourably influenced the attitude towards the
teaching profession, similarly teachers training favourable affected the attitude towards class
room teaching process. The designation of teachers did not influence the attitude towards the
teaching profession.

Jaleel and Pillay (1979) studied on bureaucratic of college teachers and their attitude
towards teaching profession. The findings of the enquiry were, nearly two thirds of the college
teachers in the sample were highly bureaucratic. Bureaucratic as an aspect of personality was
related to the attitude of college teachers towards the teaching profession. The teachers who have
developed sound attitude towards the teaching profession were relatively more traditional and
impersonal.

Bhandarkar (1980) studied about the polytechnic teachers’ attitude towards teaching
profession and its correlates. The study revealed that the attitude towards the teaching profession
was not significantly related to the qualifications of the teachers. The trained teachers mean
attitude score was significantly higher than the mean attitude of the untrained teachers. The job
mobility and family problems were not significantly related to teachers’ attitude towards the
teaching profession.

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International Journal of Social Science & Interdisciplinary Research__________________________________ ISSN 2277- 3630
IJSSIR, Vol.2 (1), January (2013)
Online available at indianresearchjournals.com

Objectives of the study

- To know the attitude of student teachers based on their gender.

- To know the attitude of student teachers based on their subject of study.
- To know the dimensions of attitudes of student teachers based on their subject of study.

Hypotheses:

- There is no significant difference between male and female student teachers on their
attitudes.
- There is no significant difference between Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Biological
Sciences and Social Studies student teachers on their attitudes.
- There is no significant difference between Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Biological
Sciences and Social Studies student teachers on their dimensions of attitudes.
Method
Sample
The sample consists of 437 student teachers with the bifurcation of 239 male and 198
female student teachers and 143 Mathematics, 48 Physical Sciences, 134 Biological Sciences and
112 Social Studies student teachers. The sample was collected by way of random sampling
method.

Tool

The Teachers’ Attitude scale was developed by the present study investigators. The tool
consists of 60 items with 7 dimensions viz. professional problems, teachers’ pay scales,
vacancies and other privileges, nature of work and workload, teachers’ interest towards pupils,
teachers’ attitude towards management and professional status of teachers. The tool is a three
point scale with Agree, Neutral and Disagree. The range of the scoring of the tool is in between
60 to 180 and all the items are validated with the scoring.

Procedure
The questionnaire was administered to 437 student teachers studying in Vizianagaram
District from 7 selected colleges of education. The preliminary information of the student
teachers along with the questionnaire was administered by giving some instructions to the
student teachers. The filled in questionnaires were collected afterwards.

Data Analysis
The data obtained from the sample of 437 student teachers were scored and analyzed with
the help computer. The analysis involved with Mean, Standard Deviation, and t-test.

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International Journal of Social Science & Interdisciplinary Research__________________________________ ISSN 2277- 3630
IJSSIR, Vol.2 (1), January (2013)
Online available at indianresearchjournals.com

Results and Discussion

Table-1
Comparison of male and female student teachers on their attitude

Dimensions Category N A.M S.D t-value

Male 239 109.61 16.73
Total attitude 2.24*
Female 198 113.27 17.28
Male 239 16.92 2.45
Professional 2.22*
Female 198 16.43 2.23
Male 239 10.27 2.76
Pay scales 3.23**
Female 198 11.11 2.84
Male 239 16.24 2.66
Vacations 2.53*
Female 198 15.58 2.81
Male 239 9.68 2.21
Work load 1.66
Female 198 10.48 2.33
Male 239 12.27 2.06
Pupils interest 2.40*
Female 198 11.79 2.29
Male 239 12.28 1.73
Management 4.65**
Female 198 11.46 1.92
Male 239 13.84 2.11
Status 3.25**
Female 198 14.49 2.16

*P< 0.05 **P< 0.01

The mean, standard deviation and t- values of the dimensions of attitude across gender
were tabulated in Table-1. It is evident that significant differences were found between male and
female in the total attitude and Professional, Pay scales, Vacations, Pupils interest, management
and Status dimensions. So the null hypotheses framed on the total attitude and the dimensions of
attitude were rejected. The other dimension work load was not differed significantly. So the null
hypothesis framed on work load was accepted.

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International Journal of Social Science & Interdisciplinary Research__________________________________ ISSN 2277- 3630
IJSSIR, Vol.2 (1), January (2013)
Online available at indianresearchjournals.com

Table-2
Comparison between subjects of study on student teachers attitude

S.No Subject Category N A.M S.D t-value

Mathematics 143 116.31 17.42
1 1.35
Physical Sciences 48 112.84 18.22
Mathematics 143 116.31 17.42
2 3.56**
Biological Sciences 134 180.82 17.53
Mathematics 143 116.31 17.42
3 0.80
Social Studies 112 115.25 17.46
Physical Sciences 48 112.84 18.22
4 1.32
Biological Sciences 134 108.82 17.53
Physical Sciences 48 112.84 18.22
5 0.77
Social Studies 112 115.25 17.46
Biological Sciences 134 108.82 17.53
6 1.60
Social Studies 112 115.25 17.46

**P<0.01

The mean, standard deviation and t- values of the dimensions of attitude across subject of
study were tabulated in Table-2. It is evident that there was significant differences observed
between Mathematics and Biological science student teachers in the total attitude. So the null
hypotheses framed on Mathematics and Biological science was rejected. The other
methodologies were not differed significantly. So the null hypotheses framed on other
methodologies were accepted.

Table-3
Dimension wise t-values of Methodology subjects

Methods Maths Maths Maths Physics Physics Biology

Dimensions Physics Biology Social Biology Social Social
Professional 2.28* 3.78** 1.08 4.52** 2.84** 2.43*
Pay scales 0.91 0.69 2.27* 2.24* 1.53 4.15**
Vacations 1.90 5.36** 3.86** 1.05 0.43 0.96
Work load 1.84 4.32** 1.14 0.48 1.51 1.69
Pupils 1.59 2.21* 4.34** 0.16 0.34 0.12
Management 1.61 4.36** 5.00** 0.98 1.58 0.63
Status 2.00* 4.76** 7.25** 0.56 2.11* 2.70**

*P< 0.05 **P< 0.01

The t- values of the dimensions of attitude across subject of study were tabulated in
Table-3. It is evident that there were many significant difference found between Attitude
dimensions and Methodologies of student teachers. So the null hypotheses framed on significant

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 International Journal of Social Science & Interdisciplinary Research__________________________________ ISSN 2277- 3630
IJSSIR, Vol.2 (1), January (2013)
Online available at indianresearchjournals.com

values were rejected. The null hypotheses framed on other dimensions of attitude were not
differed significantly and were accepted.
Conclusion
Male and female student teachers were differed significantly in attitude towards the
teaching profession. Male and female student teachers were differed significantly in the areas of
professional problems, teachers’ pay scales, vacations and other privileges, teachers’ interest
towards pupils, teachers’ attitude towards management and professional status of teachers in
their attitude towards the teaching profession. Student teachers belong to different subjects
differed significantly in their attitude towards teaching.
The college managements have to provide good infrastructure and institution facilities to
the student teachers. The quality education should be given to the teacher trainees by appointing
qualified teacher educators. If all the facilities are good, automatically the attitude towards the
teaching profession will be favourable to the student teachers. Teaching profession is a noble
profession. So those whom are involved in this profession must follow the value system with
sanctity and devotion.

References

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York, P: 2.
Bhandarkar, B. G. (1980). A study on polytechnic teachers attitude towards teaching profession and its
correlates, Abstract: 1126, III Survey Report, Govt. Polytechnic, Jalgaon.
Garret, H.E. (1971). Statistics in Psychology and Education. Bombay, Vakils, Feffer and Simons Private
Limited, (6th Ind. Edi.)
Green, B. F. (1959). Attitude Measurement, Wesley Publishing Co, Massachusetts, USA, P: 335.
Guilford, J.P. (1978). Fundamental statistics in Psychology and Education. Mc-Graw Hill Publishing
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Jaleel, S. S. & Pillay, G. S. (1979). Bureaucratic of college teachers and their attitude towards teaching
profession.Abstract:1161, III Survey Report, Edu, Madhurai, M. K. University.
Mishra, G. (1977). A study of attitude of teachers working in government aided and conventional
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Nayar, P. R. (1977). Mysore teachers attitude scale, Abstract: 708, III Survey Report, Dept. of Edu,
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