貝里斯中等學校校長對教師使用之激勵策略研究

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(1)CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION The introduction chapter provides an insight to this research. It discusses the background, problem statement, purpose, research questions, and significance of the study as well as definition of terms in helping one to understand the focus of the study.. Background of the Study “Teachers are one of the most important groups of professionals for our nation’s future and they determine the quality of education that children receive” (Retrieved on November 26, 2007 from UNESCO Organization, 2006 website, p.1). Teachers want to be effective and to learn, explore new challenges, and engage in ongoing personal and professional development. They are active by nature and determined to continuously adapt to changes in the environment in order to be successful. However, an article on Understanding Motivation and Supporting Teacher Renewal stated that “teachers are likely to give their best to schools that give them something in return” (Retrieved on November 8, 2007 from Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 2001 website, p.1). Belize is a developing country on the eastern coast of Central America. Education is one of the main focus areas of the government of the country. This was uttered by the Minister of Education, Keys do not open doors by themselves. Keys must be supported, they must be positioned, they must be turned by someone possessing that key in order that that lock be opened. Education is our key and it is up to us to support, position and turn this key to open the door to social justice and a safe and healthy environment (Retrieved May 14, 2008 from Belize News 5 website, p. 1). As a result, the Ministry of Education has spent a significantly large amount of money to improve the education system in Belize which includes infrastructure, services and most importantly, the human resource capital where there is a need for principals to strengthen and assume their roles as administrative leaders. When speaking of the term. 1.

(2) ‘roles of a leader’ it also includes motivating employees, which is a major concern for principals of secondary schools. This was also affirmed by Panti, The principals are the ones who actually execute whatever education within their schools, so when there isn’t that leadership within an institution, you see what I call phenomenon of interpersonal relationships going sour within the institutions and that hampers education within institutions, (Retrieved on May 14, 2008 from Belize News 5 website, p. 2). Thus the current study focuses on motivational strategies implemented by principals to boost their teachers’ morale to enable them to do their job with enthusiasm. From the researcher’s point of view it is known that human resources management (HRM) function includes a variety of activities.. Key among these is. deciding what are the staffing needs and whether to use independent contractors or hire employees to fill these needs; recruiting and training the best employees and ensuring they are high performers; dealing with performance issues, and ensuring personnel and management practices conform to various regulations, (Cullen & Parboteeah, 2005). But in Belize education system one member state, Teacher training has to do with one, how many teachers you accept within the system, how many teachers leave the education system once they are trained and also its recruitment; how many teachers have the passion. Some of them only use teaching as a stepping stone and later you see they leave the profession. So it’s a cycle that we need to break, (Panti, p.2, retrieved on May14, 2008 from Belize News 5website). Activities also include managing one’s approach that will be beneficial to employees. Therefore, motivating employees would be seen as one of HRM duty. Consequently, it is disturbing to hear the countless concerns voiced by numerous teachers in secondary schools in Belize today; they are not motivated by their employer and dissatisfied. A classic case as reported by 7 News (Retrieved on March 11, 2008 from Belize News 7 website) was that at a secondary institution “23 teachers did not show up – they called in sick. Only 7 were left, and by midday the students themselves gave up and walked out. The rest of the teachers left shortly after that – and by 1:30 pm – the school was deserted” (p.1). It is alarming to see that more than three quarter of the 2.

(3) teachers did not show up to work. It is apparent that the issue at this institution had escalated and teachers felt that they had no other choice but to use other measures to first get attention from higher authority and then to seek help. Nevertheless principals are seen as leaders of secondary institutions and they should have leadership strategies. According to Sergiovanni (2001), when leadership is viewed as developmental stages, “the emphasis is not on which leadership strategy is best, but which of the strategies makes most sense given the stage of school improvement in question” (p. 132). A study on Understanding Motivation and Supporting Teacher Renewal stated that “principals, service providers, and other teacher advocates wanting to inspire teachers’ motivation to renew practice will want to understand the variables at play”, (Retrieved November 26, 2007 from Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, Dec. 2001 website, p. 3). They should start by recognizing that teachers own their motivation, and their response will depend on a situation, experience, person, or event originating deep within themselves and the decision to act, or not, is determined by the teacher alone. Other aspects that frame teachers’ identities to their responses to any interaction or event are culture, ethnicity, experience and content expertise. Therefore, it is clear that teachers hold different inner resources and experience challenges differently; hence these factors contribute to significant discrepancy in personal motivation. An article from Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA), (Retrieved November 8, 2007 from Oregon School Boards Association, 2000 website), mentioned that in the last two decades of education reform, teachers have been viewed as central to both the problems of education and their solutions. Education researchers and school leaders have faced the challenge of motivating teachers to high levels of performance. This statement has shown that there is a problem worldwide in the education system where principals as leaders need to motivate their teachers both internally and externally. Bossé-Smith (2005) commented that presently, as organizations rethink their modes of operations, the main focus is motivating staff for the success of teams, departments and organization. However, in order to properly motivate employees, leaders and trainers need to first understand their behaviors; otherwise they are very likely to offer wrong solutions that would not work. As a result, this can de-motivate them instead of motivate these employees. 3.

(4) Hence, motivation is seen as “one of the most basic elements of human behavior” (Werner & DeSimone, 2006, p. 48). Employee behavior can be classified into two categories: The first one is external forces – those that are found in the work environment, coworkers, leadership, etc. and also the external environment; and the second is internal forces – that is, those within the employee, including attitudes, KSAs (knowledge, skills and abilities) and motivation. So as a leader in that particular system one must study the background of each member of staff. This will help in applying motivational strategies for that unique institution. Since the focus of the research is on strategies used by principals to motivate teachers, this study used Belize as a case study to discuss this issue. This choice is based on two reasons. First, since Belize is a very small, developing country striving to converge the challenges of the global society in education, it is important as leaders in the education system to focus on one of the main aspect of managing a secondary school; that is, to help motivate employees to meet the goals of that institution as well as the goals of the Ministry of Education. The stated goals of the Ministry of Education are as follows: a) to deliver quality and relevant educational services in Pre, Primary and Secondary Schools; b) to improve performance of educators in schools through effective monitoring and supervision and c) to provide pedagogic support to schools based on feedback from supervision and monitoring (Retrieved October 29, 2007 from Belize Ministry of Education Goals website). Thus, for institutions to accomplish their goals, principals cannot forget that employees play an important role. Therefore, a vital focus of principals’ intervention is to work with employees from different cultures in shaping their behavior and attitude in the workplace. However, to change employee behavior, the causes of their behavior must first be identified. Second, the researcher is employed as a teacher at a secondary school institution for 11 years prior to pursuing further educational studies abroad. During the tenure of the researcher it was noticed that some teachers were not motivated by management which lead the person to perform below standard. As a result of this experience, and the pursuit of educational studies in human resource management, the researcher takes this opportunity to study the strategies implemented by principals in secondary institutions to motivate their staff. 4.

(5) The reasons for choosing to conduct this study in this area of strategies used by principals in secondary school institutions is firstly, because of the amount of years teaching experience at that level. Secondly, being equipped to be an administrator and be faced with the challenges of motivating teachers, and finally because of the time constraint to prepare the research. Hence upon completion of this study the information gathered will offer principals in Belize secondary education institution some data which will help to improve their leadership skills in motivating teachers. Also it will guide the members in the Ministry of Education to search for competent principals to motivate teachers in secondary institution to help in meeting the goals of the institution and also, making the job of the Ministry of Education (MOE) much easier when it comes to the area of teachers’ motivation. The data analysis will offer first hand information regarding the motivational strategies used by principals, their similarities and differences in motivating teachers.. Statement of the Problem Motivation is selected as the focus of the research because the literature reveals that this dimension of understanding teachers’ ability to do their jobs effectively is persistently neglected. Thus the researcher recognized the problem statement to be that: Teachers are one of the most important groups of professionals for a nation’s future and also they determine the quality of education that children receive. As a result, it is disturbing to find out that many teachers in Belize today are not motivated by their supervisors or employers. Presently in Belize, there is no data on teacher motivation that would have helped principals in secondary schools to be equipped to better manage their employees.. The Ministry of Education in Belize lacks competent leaders in the. secondary education system to motivate their teachers, which is one of the most critical areas in making the institution a success.. 5.

(6) Purpose of the Study Thus, the researcher places importance on evaluating the performance of teachers in secondary education institution in Belize. A better understanding of the motivational strategies which will help principals in secondary schools in Belize and finding solutions to the problem of teachers not being motivated. Hence, the purpose of this study focuses on: 1. Understanding the challenges faced by principals in secondary school education in motivating their teachers. 2. Exploring the motivational strategies that are used by principals in secondary education to motivate their teaching staff in meeting the institutional goals. 3. Finding out the necessary interventions used by principals to increase teachers’ motivation in Belize secondary education system.. Research Questions of the Study In this investigation the researcher has identified three questions used for the discussion. The three questions will serve as the basis for the current study as follows: 1. What are the motivational strategies used by principals in secondary education to motivate teachers? 2. What are the challenges faced by principals in motivating teachers? 3. How does administration manage staff members who are not motivated?. Significance of the Study The findings from the study of motivational strategies that is implemented by principals in secondary institutions to motivate their staff provide in-depth data as to how well principals are motivating their teachers.. The study identify the motivational. strategies used among secondary institution principals, similarities and differences in motivational strategies, effectiveness of the motivational strategies, and other factors which is significant in assisting principals and the Ministry of Education in Belize. Secondly, it provides the researcher as well as new principals with information needed to 6.

(7) help in implementing motivational strategies for the institution. Lastly, in conducting this study in Belize, it reveals information to the Ministry of Education, principals and teachers as to the present situation of the motivational strategies implemented by principals in secondary institutions and can contribute to changes if necessary to secondary institution in Belize. The study includes principals and teachers from different districts at secondary education systems and the Ministry of Education in Belize. The samples from various areas provide the researcher with a general overview in making analysis of the motivational strategies used by principals in the six different districts in Belize.. 7.

(8) Definition of Terms The following definitions and terms are presented in order to elucidate their usage in this current study: Secondary Institution a learning school for students after leaving primary school catering for students in the 12-21 age group. Secondary Institution Principal refers to administrative leaders, who administer and operates four year secondary schools in the school system of Belize. Board of Management a group of people responsible for supervising the affairs of and institution. Motivation Robins and Judge ( 2007) mentioned that it is the processes that account for an individual’s intensity, direction and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal. Motivational Strategies the overall plan used by a leader to cause the arousal, direction, and persistence of voluntary actions that are goal directed. Human Resource Management Werner and DeSimone (2006) noted that it is the effective selection and utilization of employees to best achieve the goals and strategies of organization, as well as the goals and needs of employees. Leadership Style the trait characteristics exhibited by a person. Harris and Lambert (2003) noted that it is the latent as well as the currently lived and enacted expressions of leading. It is an enacted variable dependent upon the interactions between leaders, followers and context. Government institutions are those schools that are maintained wholly by the general revenue of the government.. 8.

(9) Grant-aided institutions a school for which the government pays 70 percent of secondary teachers’ salaries in accordance with the provisions of the act. Special-aided institutions refer to institutions that are privately owned. These schools are assisted under special circumstances, schools that have not yet been granted full grant-aided status might receive salaries only for certain members of staff. This could be due to lack of meeting certain requirements, for example the minimum number of students. Monetary rewards include direct payments such as salaries, wages, benefits and bonuses. Extrinsic motivation factors outside of us that influence our internal needs, wants, and subsequent behaviors such as rewards and promotion. Intrinsic motivation factors that is, those within employees, such as attitudes, knowledge skills and abilities. Recognition notice of achievement by peers, supervisor, or the organizations as a whole.. 9.

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(11) CHAPTER II. LITERATURE REVIEW The aim of this chapter is to present literature that highlighted significant concepts correlated to this study. This chapter is divided into four sections: history of Belize and its geographic location, motivational theories, teachers’ motivation and principals’ role as motivators in secondary institution.. History of Belize History of Belize and its geographic location. The Maya are the original inhabitants of Belize. The Mayan civilization broadened itself over Belize between 1500 BC and 300 AD and boom until about 900 AD. European settlement started with British Jews, privateers and shipwrecked English seamen as early as 1638. The derivation of the name Belize is unclear, but one suggestion is that it stems from the Spanish pronunciation of the surname of the pirate who formed the first settlement in Belize in 1638, Peter Wallace. Another option is that the name is from the Maya word belix, meaning “muddy water”, applied to the Belize River. In January1964, Belize became a self-governing colony and was renamed “Belize” on June 1, 1973; it was the United Kingdom’s last colony on the American mainland. Honorable George Price led the country to full independence on September 21, 1981 after impediments caused by territorial debates with neighboring Guatemala, which did not formerly recognize the country. Belize is an official English speaking country positioned in Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico, with the Belize River flowing down through the center of the country. Belize consists of six districts namely: 1Belize District, 2 – Cayo District, 3 – Corozal District, 4 – Orange Walk, 5 – Stann Creek District and 6 – Toledo District. See figure 2.1. 11.

(12) Figure 2.1 Districts of Belize Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belize#History The north of Belize consists mostly of flat, swampy costal plains, in places heavily forested. The flora is highly diverse considering the small geographical area. The south contains the low mountains range of the Maya Mountains. The highest point in Belize is Doyle’s Delight at 1,124 meter (3,688 feet). The Caribbean coast is lined with a coral reef and some 450 islets and islands known locally as cayes, forming approximately 200 mile (322 kilometer) long. Belize has the longest Barrier Reef in the western hemisphere and the second largest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Austrailia. Three of the four coral atolls in the Western Hemisphere are also located off the coast of Belize. The climate is tropical and generally very hot and humid. The rainy season lasts from May to November and hurricane and floods are frequent natural hazards. The region has a population of 294, 385 people and a total estimated area of 22, 966 square kilometer. Education in Belize Education in early times was not a high priority for the colonial administration. Eventually British and later United States missionaries stepped in to govern primary and secondary schools which were limited throughout the colony. Students were taught how to be good British subjects. During that time very few people had an opportunity to attend 12.

(13) university and the few who studied abroad would return and become part of the Civil Service or enter private business or professional careers. The educational system, nonetheless, remained colonial. Under colonialism, very little was invested in education. In 1930, only 3.3 percent of the country’s budget was for education; in 1951 it was still only 8 percent and in 1990’s about 17 percent of the budget was used for education, Chapters of A History of Belize, 1994. Thompson (2000) mentioned that the Belizean school system was a loose aggregate of the education subsystems. The system was broken down into three levels: primary, secondary and tertiary. Belizean children spend eight years in the primary level; secondary level was divided into four forms and tertiary two-year postsecondary programmes. Secondary schools also varied according to curriculum and cultural orientation. Most private and denominational schools emphasized academic and commercial studies, although some also offered technical-vocational programs. Other postsecondary institutions included Belize Teachers’ College, The Belize School of Nursing, the Belize College of Agriculture, the Belize Technical College, University of the West Indies and the University of Belize. However in the latter half of the 1980’s religious denominations controlled the majority of primary schools, but the government or private, community-based boards of governors manage more than 50 percent of secondary institutions. The dominance of government institutions at the secondary level was a moderately new development; as recently as 1980, the greater parts of secondary schools were controlled by religious management. Even now, denominational representatives maintain considerable authority on the managing boards of private, apparent nondenominational institutions. Nevertheless the Ministry of Education, on behalf of the Government of Belize moved toward accomplishing their goals by working in “partnership with the churches and other voluntary agencies to ensure that adequate support systems exist for the delivery of appropriate and equitable education services” (Retrieved on October 29, 2007 from Belize Ministry of Education Mission Statement website). The Ministry of Education made their action plan for 2005-2010 and in that plan it was stated that one of their activity is to ensure that citizenship or civic education is embedded in secondary curriculum and the expected outcome of that activity will be that the education system is 13.

(14) designed to teach positive attitudes and behavior for social integration (Retrieved November 26, 2007 from Ministry of Education Action Plan website).. Hence the. literature reveals that the task of the teachers is fundamental to the development of Belize.. Theories of Motivation Empirical studies have examined many factors in an attempt to find which ones promote motivation. Motivation is a word we use to describe and account for how we do things and as Robins and Judge (2007) states; it is the processes that account for an individual’s intensity, direction and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal. On the contrary the study of motivation does not come with a clear definition to mark its domain and boundaries. Among theorists and researchers in psychology, agreement has not been reached concerning the nature of motivation (Edwards, 1999). However, it is difficult for theorist to be in agreement over a single theory that can include the complete aspect of motivation, because motivation is for the most part the basic elements of human behavior (Lindner, 1998). Motivational theories attempt to explain how effort is generated and channeled. Theories of work motivation is plentiful, even though some theories share common processes and constructs, there is no single, inclusive and widely accepted explanation of work motivation. In general, approaches to explaining motivation can be grouped into three categories: need-based the needs for safety or power and drive motivation; cognitive a process controlled by conscious thoughts, beliefs, and judgments; and non-cognitive is an interaction between behavior and external events without appealing to internal thoughts or needs (Werner & DeSimone, 2006). Hence a great value of importance is place on the study of literature review because it will give us a better understanding of motivational theories and will also help the researcher to be able to examine which motivational strategy implemented by principal’s works best for teachers in the secondary education system to have a better performance and meet the goals of that particular institution. Harvard Business School Press (2005) stated that, “clearly, motivating people to be their best requires complex approaches and a deep understanding of human nature” (p. 17).. However, we have to. bear in mind that what works best for one person will not work for another. Individuals are unique and have different needs, behavior and, way to take our problems and 14.

(15) challenges, and with this issue it is important to realize that what motivate one person may not motivate the other in the same way, but maybe for some persons with different status. Presently there are numerous theories existing on motivation. Robbins and Judge (2007) mentioned that during 1950s which were a fruitful period in the development of motivation concepts. These three specific theories that have been formulated are the hierarchy of needs theory, Theories X and Y, and the Two-Factor theory. However these three theories were heavily attacked and now questionable in terms of validity, and are now probably still the best known explanations for employee motivation. Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory According to Apter (1982), Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory which is wellknown hypothesized that within every human being there exists a hierarchy of five needs. These needs are: the first, physiological which includes hunger, thirst, shelter, sex and other bodily needs. This need is referring to needs that can be solved or covering the monetary factors. As Cullen and Parboteeah (2007) point out that when employees accomplish a good economic income which includes benefits, salaries rewards and others they will fulfill their physiological needs. For this reason many employees leave their workplace as identified by Schuler and Jackson (2006); the second is safety: includes security protection from physical and emotional harm. Therefore it shows that when employees feel like they are a part of a team work of the organization, Bruce and Pepitone (1999) they are motivated and perform better. The third is social: which includes affection, belongingness, acceptance and friendship. This need can be a factor as managers and coworkers relationship, and communication channels that make the employee feel that they are part of a group or team which link to organizational culture category. When the workforces feel that they are part of a group or team they will try to satisfy the need of esteem, which is link with recognition category, where the employee will feel that the job are recognized and appreciated by their superiors and coworkers (Nelson & Apitzer, 2003). The fourth is esteem: includes internal esteem factors such self-respect, autonomy and achievement whereas external esteem factors are status, recognition, and attention. And the last is self-actualization: the force to become what one 15.

(16) is capable of becoming which include growth, achieving one’s potential and selffulfillment. For example, a person who has reliable and stable means of meeting physiological and safety needs will become motivated to fulfill social needs and continue to move to the next level (Daniels & Spiker, 1991). As these needs become to a great extent satisfied, the next need becomes dominant. Beck (1990), stated that the ordering of outcomes from left to right is a hierarchy of desirability. Maslow’s stipulations is that higher level needs do not come into play until lower needs are satisfied, and the same hierarchy applies to all individuals. So it is important to understand what level of the hierarchy that individual is currently on and focus on satisfying the needs at or above that level. McGregor theory X and theory Y According to Adair (1990) the theory construct by McGregor theory X is label as negative and Y is positive, this is whereby managers’ views of the nature of human beings are based on a certain grouping of assumptions which tend to mold mangers’ behavior toward employees according to these assumptions. Under Theory X, the four assumptions held by managers are: 1. Employees naturally dislike work and, whenever possible, will attempt to avoid it. 2. Since employees dislike work, they must be forced, controlled, or threatened with punishment to achieve goals. 3. Employees will avoid responsibilities and seek formal direction whenever possible. 4. Most workers place security above all other factors associated with work and will display little ambition. Under Theory Y, the four assumptions of mangers are: 1. Employees can view work as being as natural as rest or play. 2. People will exercise self-direction and self-control if they are committed to the objectives. 3. The average person can learn to accept, and even seek responsibility. 16.

(17) 4. The ability to make innovative decisions is widely dispersed throughout the population and is not necessarily the sole province of those in management positions. Theory X assumes that lower-order needs dominate individuals while on the other hand Theory Y assumes that higher-order needs dominate individuals. Therefore, it is believe that theory Y assumptions are more valid. Hence, proposed such ideas as participative decision making, responsible and challenging jobs, and good group relations as approaches that would boost an employee’s job motivation. Hence it is clear to be seen that leaders prefer to have a staff that is capable of being creative and self motivated. Herzberg two-factor theory Robbins and Judge (2007) acknowledged that Herzberg two-factor theory belief is that an individual’s relation to work is basic and that’s one attitude toward work can very well determine success or failure. Therefore, if managers want to motivate people on their jobs Herzberg suggested emphasizing factors associated with the work itself or to outcomes directly derived from it, such as promotional opportunities, opportunities for personal growth, recognition, responsibility and achievement are the characteristics that people find intrinsically rewarding. Harvard Business School Press, (2005) stated that many managers presume that a salary increase, bonus, or some other monetary reward is sufficient to motivate employees to excel. The writer even went further to claim that it is more than just monetary, “but the most motivating rewards, recognition, and incentives comprise a mix of monetary and nonmonetary forms. Indeed, some experts argue that nonmonetary rewards can have a far more motivating influence than monetary forms,” (p. 15). Adair (1990) stated that Maslow’s and Herzberg’s share the common concept of self-actualization, however on the other hand Maslow’s basic need’s physiological, safety and social needs might create dissatisfaction if they were not met, but they had little power to afford satisfaction. By contrast, the meeting of esteem and self-actualization needs could lead to a more positive and longer-lasting sense of satisfaction. Werner and DeSimone (2006) stated that workers can be motivated by ensuring that hygiene factors 17.

(18) are present, thereby preventing dissatisfaction and then adding motivator factors to create job satisfaction. This strategy is referred to as job enrichment. Expectancy theory Expectancy theory of (Vroom, 1964) comes from the second group of motivation theories known as cognitive process theories, which argue that people’s conscious thoughts play a role in how they behave because their motivation is based on their personal thoughts, beliefs and judgments. Expectancy theory stated “that people choose their behaviors and effort levels after considering whether their behaviors and effort will improve their performance and lead to desired consequences for example recognition and rewards” (Schuler & Jackson, p. 410). As Ladew (1998) stated that, Resentment, low morale, slow-downs, errors, endless gossip, absenteeism and unexplained illness are all signs that you, or management in general, have been taking your employees for granted. Neglecting to give employees a well-deserved pat on the back or some other form of recognition is the greatest of bad morale in companies. When it comes to recognition, you know what you want. Your people want it too (p. 75). The author even went further to identify that there are some ways that you can recognize your employees’ hard work by earned praised, recognition for performance, respect, equal treatment, rewards for work well-done and tangible evidence of recognition. Expectancy theory stated that individuals make three judgments when choosing which behavior and tasks to take on. The first judgment is expectancy, where the belief represent if the individual increase effort it will result in successful accomplishment. Secondly, instrumentality belief is connected to outcome desire and last, valence is what value the individual places on a specific outcome (Geen, 1995). Expectancy theory supports Maslow’s theory, in that it stated that an individual own needs will motivate the employee to strive in improving their performance (Rouse, 2004). Expectancy theory also stated that employees will be motivated to exert a high level of effort when they believe that effort will lead to a good performance appraisal; that a good appraisal will lead to organizational rewards such as bonus, a salary increase, or a promotion; and that the rewards will satisfy the employees’ personal goals (Robbins, 1989). Feather (1982) noted that psychologists used expectancy theory to account for 18.

(19) important characteristics of motivated behavior such as changes in the direction of behavior following choice or decision, the latency of response and the persistence of behavior in a particular direction, effort expended, and level or spaciousness of performance. Equity theory Equity theory of motivation proposed “that motivation is strongly influenced by the desire to be treated fairly and by people’s perception about whether they have been treated fairly” (Werner & DeSimone, 2006, p. 56). This theory is based on three assumptions: firstly, people develop beliefs about what is fair to them to receive in exchange for their output; secondly, people determine fairness by comparing with returns of others; and lastly, people who believe that they had been treated unfairly (called inequity) will experience tension, and will be motivated to find other ways of reducing it. However, there are five ways individuals use to decrease inequity: (1) cognitively distort-ing views of contributions or rewards; (2) influencing the perceived rival to change his or her contributions or rewards; (3) changing one’s own contributions or rewards; (4) comparing oneself to a different person and finally, (5) leaving the situation. According to Robbins & Judge (2007) we perceive what we get from a job situation (outcomes) in relation to what we put into it (input), and then we compare our outcomeinput ratio with the outcome-input ratio of relevant others. When we see ourselves as under rewarded, the tension creates anger; when over rewarded, the tension creates guilt. McClelland theory According to Robbins and Judge (2007), McClelland’s theory of needs focuses on three needs: achievement, power and affiliation. Achievement needs is the drive to excel, to achieve in relation to a set of standard, to strive to succeed; they are striving for personal achievement rather than the rewards of success per se. These people strive to something better than it had been done before. They seek to situations in which they can attain personal responsibility for finding solutions to problems and in return get rapid feedback to their performance so they know if they have improve or not. Secondly need for power is to make others behave in a way that they would not have behaved otherwise. 19.

(20) These people want to be influential and to control others and love being in charge or placed into a competitive and status oriented situation. Lastly need for affiliation which is the desire for friendly and close interpersonal relationships. These people prefer cooperative situations rather than competitive ones. Marston DISC theory At a first glance, one may believe it is impractical to know all employees and what makes them tick. This is possible, however, using the modified version of the DISC (Decisive, Influential, Steady and Complaint) model of behavior; “one can assess how people are wired, which will give clues about what motivates them” (Bossé-Smith, 2005, p. 22). This was a devised theory made during the 1920s by Dr. William Marston, a Columbia University psychologist. Therefore, using this theory it can enhance your team and create happier, more satisfied workers. The following are the descriptions of the four basic styles of the theory DISC which will help to identify the employees that fit each style. Decisive The first group represents about 10 percent of the total population. These people are outgoing, and their internal compasses direct them towards tasks. Influential The second group represents about 25 – 30 percent of the population. They are also outgoing like decisive people; nonetheless, their internal compasses point them towards people. Steady About 30 – 35 percent of the population is comprised of the largest group. These individuals are shy and quiet and have internal scope that incline towards people. Complaint The final 20 - 25 percent of individuals can be defined as compliant. They are reserved, quiet, analytical by nature, and their internal area prefer tasks.. 20.

(21) Once deciding on motivating staff, as a leader or trainer, the role takes on new dimensions, so one should accommodate to meet other needs. “Truly successful companies have figured out that without happy and motivated people, they do not have a business” (Bossé-Smith, 2005, p. 22). The theories discussed in this section of the literature review give rise to different outcome variables that relate to this study. As the well-known theorist Maslow, mentioned that in every human being there exist a hierarchy of five needs: physiological, safety, social, esteem and self actualization. However, within every need individuals are motivated in different ways such as money, security and protection, coworkers’ relationship; participate in decision making, communication channels, recognition, fairness, challenging jobs and growth. So it is clear to be seen that not only monetary factor plays a vital role in motivating employees but also nonmonetary rewards. We can use these theories to understand factors that motivate employees in a workplace to achieve their goals. Also we can recognize that there are different factors which can be tangible or intangible that motivates employees in an institution.. Teachers’ Motivation Education in developing countries is at a critical stage, as international efforts are stimulated towards the success of internationally agreed targets to expand and improve education as part of the Education For All (EFA) movement. However at the same time, a potential crisis in teaching threatens the ability of many developing-country governments to reach these targets. In such countries, the teaching force is demoralized and fractured. Most developing countries have encountered a marked decline in standards of living and purchasing power since the mid-1970s, when fiscal pressure caused by hindrance in economic growth started to take its toll on public purses. This was intensified by the adoption of structural adjustment policies in the 1980s, when teacher salaries became an obvious target for cost-savings in education budgets which leads to low teachers performance, (Retrieved November 26, 2007 from VSO Organization, 2006 website). “Motivation cannot be done to someone – it cannot be controlled or commanded into being; it is a complex human dynamic that, at best, we can aim to understand and work to inspire” (Retrieved November 8, 2007 from Northwest Regional Educational 21.

(22) Laboratory, 2001 website). As a result it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that teachers perform to the best of their abilities. In order to get this task done government must take notice of a number of factors that affect teachers’ performance. Teacher compensation is vital but not the only factor in teacher motivation; Educators may be compensated through salaries or other cash payments, food, training, or special assistance such as shelter, transport or agricultural support. Robbins and Judge (2007) stated in the terms of definition that the three components of motivation are intensity, direction and persistence. Intensity focus on how hard a person tries which is the focal point when discussing the topic on motivation. Nevertheless, elevated intensity is improbable to lead to favorable job-performance outcomes except if the effort is channeled in a direction that benefits the institution. Therefore, one must take into account the quality of effort as well as its intensity. Effort that is directed toward, and consistent with, the institution’s goals is the kind of effort that principals should be seeking. Lastly, motivation has a persistence dimension which is a measure of how long a person can maintain effort. Motivated individuals stay with a task long enough to achieve their goal. According to Diamantes (2004) little research has been conducted to study teacher motivation in regards to what rewards they value. However, he stated that Public perception of teaching usually includes the belief that all teachers are completely free to do whatever they want immediately after school dismisses at 3pm and have all the summer off (never mind grading papers, lesson-planning and night courses in graduate school and most summers back at the university, (p. 2). Neves de Jesus and Conboy (2001) stated that there are three reasons why teachers motivation is important first for the effect on student motivation, secondly the advance of educational reform and finally for the satisfaction and fulfillment of teachers themselves. Beyond the level of personal well-being, such feelings of satisfaction are consistently associated with lower levels of organizational absenteeism and turnover. Thomas (1984) mentioned that the proper tactic to work motivation lies in a careful distinction between extrinsic and intrinsic rewards. Herzberg (1964) distinguishes between extrinsic rewards surrounding a job such as salaries, fringe benefits, and job security; and intrinsic rewards of the job itself can be classified as self-respect, sense of 22.

(23) accomplishment, and personal growth. Intrinsic rewards, according to Herzberg, are more satisfying and motivating.. However, Thomas (1984) sited three policies that. administrators can use which will effectively improved morale and motivate staff: shared governance, in-service education (formal and informal), and systematic supportive evaluation. Firstly, shared governance will enhance teachers’ professional status and their ownership in planning and operation of the school. As a consequence teachers show interest in school performance and also promote harmony and trust among themselves and administrators. Secondly, formal in-service education promotes sharing of ideas and interdependence among teachers which can be done through workshops and seminars; while informal include resource sharing or conversations among teachers about professional concerns. Thirdly, an evaluation system, if well designed, provides teachers with the necessary feedback to assess their own professional growth. Thus an inadequate design evaluation system can be devastating, putting teachers against administrators and stimulate anxiety, mistrust, and resentment. Principals’ efforts to empower teachers Teacher empowerment in many schools has expanded the role of teachers in helping in the process of planning and making decisions to help the school achieve its goals and formulate policies. “In this context, power involves the formal authority or control over organizational resources, and empowerment is the process of sharing that power” (Davis & Wilson 2000, p. 349). It is widely believe that if teachers participate in the decision making process, the greater their job satisfaction. Some research, therefore, has reveal that if teachers help in the decision making there will be negative outcomes on the lives of the teachers and the principals because of their perceptions. Another view of empowerment is when teachers become more professional and work towards improving their performance. This will help the teacher in building selfconfidence and to shape the way the job is to be done. It is evident that personal power needs are met when individuals believe they have the power to cope with situations. It is evident from the literature that due the market decline in standard of living and purchasing power since the mid-1970’s which hinders economic growth on public 23.

(24) purses, which later in 1980s lead to adjustment policies when teachers salaries was targeted for cost-savings in education budgets hence lead to low teachers motivation. Nevertheless, motivation cannot be done to someone; one must first understand what motivate that individual to be inspired.. However there are three policies that. administrators can utilize to enhance teachers morale: share governance which will improve teachers’ professional status; in-service education which helps in promoting of ideas; and thirdly a systematic supportive evaluation which facilitate teachers to assess their personal growth. As a result the government as well as principals must take into consideration what factors affect teachers’ performance so that those can be eliminated to boost teachers’ performance and move forward in accomplishing their goals.. Principals’ Role as Motivators in Secondary Institution Education leader is an important part of the education environment, “it is with the educational environment that the organizations members interact and therefore the principal can determine the nature and quality of the teachers’ motivation” (Diamantes, 2004, p. 2). According to Ladew (1998) “the first critical question to ask yourself when you become a supervisor is whether you’re going to manage the people who report to you or lead them,” (p. 8). The author also state that research after research shows that one gets the greatest end result when they manage assets and lead people. The writer even went further to mention that many organizations have been unsuccessful because they believe that business is built on management and that leadership takes care of itself. Leadership must come first; that means you must be knowledgeable about how to be a leader before you can succeed as a supervisor. Many authors have theorized that leadership plays an important role in creating an empowering environment, one that is positive and motivating, and one that promotes selfdetermination and self-efficacy. Leaders can nurture intrinsic empowerment that will help to enhance personal growth as well as the organization growth and minimize the negative outcome associated with sharing decisions. Ubben and Hughes (1992) mentioned, “Principals make a difference. But what is it that principals do that makes the difference?” According to Adair (1990 p. 5), “leadership and motivation are like brother and sister.” It is difficult to think of a leader who does not motivate others. 24.

(25) Management approach Rebore (2001) stated that administration is the process of managing human, financial, and material resources to accomplish an educational mission, formulated as policies by the board of education. The author also mentioned that a school is not only run by the principal but also by the government, family and the church. However, the administrators are person to make decisions in the supervisory process as it relates to staff, faculty and students since they are granted such authority. It was noted that school districts only see human resources function as hiring competent teachers but it should go far beyond just that function; it should also include human resource planning, placement and induction of personnel, staff development, appraisal of personnel, compensation of personnel and collective negotiations. The author also point out that principals should use technology in the office which will benefit the administrators in many ways.. For. example: cost-effectiveness, efficiency, engagement, job enhancement and assessment. Robbins (1989) gives an in-depth view of information and how to differentiate effective managers from ineffective ones. The author points out that there are three approaches that one must focus on to identify an effective manager. The three approaches are behaviors, motivation and skills. The author even went further to emphasize that behavior is one of the more sophisticated approaches related to managerial effectiveness which lists the following six roles for set behaviors controlling the organization’s environment and its resources: 1. organizing and coordination 2. information handling 3. providing for growth and development 4. motivating employees 5. handling conflict 6. strategic problem solving The second approach, motivation, is referred to as the motivation-to-manage research program which list seven subparts:. 25.

(26) 1. authority acceptance 2. competitive games 3. competitive situations 4. assertiveness 5. imposing wishes 6. distinctiveness 7. routine functions The third and final approach, skills, are classified as the most popular, affirm that competent manager must have the following four skills: conceptual, human, technical and political. Even though the three approaches to managerial effectiveness do not generate perfectly reconcilable findings, the author believes that the success of managers depends on the competence of their interpersonal skills because this skill must be employed to accomplish all three approaches. The role of the principal and school improvement Research has revealed that literatures have shifted since the early 1980’s the role of the principals from gatekeeper to the principal as the instructional leader (Fullan, 1992). It shows that when principals pay attention to particular innovations, there will be better classroom management. However there are two problems with this conclusion. First despite a great deal of attention to the implementation roles of principals during 1980s as dynamic change agents are still empirically rare probably less than one in ten. “Is this simply a function of training, selection of training, selection, and support on the job, not yet catching up with practice? Or do we have the wrong conception of what the role should be?” (Fullan, 1992, p. 83). Secondly, a number of the research, such as the findings on which basing new policies and expectations, is seriously limited in that it reports on what happens only to ‘single’ innovations. What a principal does with one innovation does not mean that he or she will do the same with the other. We cannot generalize from studies of single innovations because principals are in the business attempting to manage multiple innovations.. 26.

(27) Every principal has a way of leading his or her institution these conceptions vary as we have seen some actively engaged in leading or facilitate while others are not. We could also say that principals are insecure about their change leadership role because they do not feel that they have the ability to carry it out. As a result what should they do in this situation? The implementation change does not come from people around us, from the system but from within themselves, and should focus on the short-term and long-term improvement. Ten guidelines have been provided for the individual principal formulated to contribute by actions not words and to overcome lack of concern (Fullan, 1992), 1. Avoid ‘if only’ statements, externalizing the blame 2. Start small, think big 3. Focus on more important things like curriculum and instruction 4. Focus on something fundamental for example the professional culture of the school 5. Practice fearless and other forms of risk-taking 6. Empower others below you 7. Build a vision relevant to both goals and change processes 8. Decide what you are not going to do 9. Build allies 10. Know when to be cautious These guidelines thus do not assume principals should passively implement system policies. “The school is the centre of change, and that is where focusing, coherence, and consistency must be forged” (Fullan, 1992, p. 96). Consequently this is the reason why the principal is seen as the key to school improvement and reorganization. Kimbrough and Burkett (1990) found that leadership skills are essential to the performance of the tasks involved in instructional leadership. Since the performance of the instructional leadership tasks involves working with groups of teachers, parents, and students, sensitivity to and knowledge of group dynamics is a certainty. In preparation for leadership with work-related groups, the principal may consider several questions? 27.

(28) 1. How should the leader function in the group? 2. What are some variables that explain the behavior groups? 3. What is the role of the leader in conducting meetings in helping a group move toward decisions? Some recommendations for conducting a faculty meeting may seem like routine, yet authors have frequently seen that this is not true. Meetings could be better stimulating and productive through the observance a few leadership practices, that are currently routine with persons skilled in group dynamics. There are also skills that are use for principals in conduct large group meeting however the one that applies to this study is the skill in motivating the faculty and staff to work hard which the primary importance here are the leadership skills and common-sense process the principal may use to motivate members of the faculty and staff. The principal should display enthusiasm for work and the achievement of goals to set a role model for members of the faculty and staff.. High visibility of instructional leadership and. willingness to assist teachers can be a symbol of the principal’s commitment to a school of quality and a caring attitude. According to Ramsey (2005) each school leadership situation is different, but they all have one thing in common today: Overload! For most of the nation many leaders, the plate is not just over full, its overflowing to the point of cracking. Unfortunately, people even leaders can crack too.. Psychologists have known for a long time about the. “happiness of subtraction.” However, adding on does not bring happiness, less is better. Happiness lies in removing or reducing distractions and dumping lesser diversions. Simple organizations run smoother with simple solution that’s why many successful businesses follow the no-frills advice, K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, and Stupid). The instructional leader Lahui-Ako (2001) conducted a qualitative case study to investigate to what extent Papau New Guinea (PNG) high school principals engaged in tasks which constitute instructional leadership. Lahui-Ako (2001) decided to conduct the survey because he found out from previous research that strong administrative leadership was a 28.

(29) characteristic of instructionally-effective schools and principals have not been providing such leadership quality to schools. Lahui-Aiko (2001) decided to conduct a research on what principals should do as leaders to identify needs and ways to improve the quality of schooling because he did not want to make bias judgments from the previous research. After conducting the research, Lahui-Ako (2001) found that there is a critical mass of positive factors when put together will make a difference in the school environment. Some of the factors mentioned are sense of mission, high expectations, academic focus, and feedback on academic performance, positive motivational strategies, and conscious attention to a positive, safe, ordered community climate, administrative leadership, and teachers taking responsibility, parental involvement and system support. The case study has also shown that principals are promoted according to friends they know or their teaching skills in class and not their ability to lead, which plays a vital role in the education system. Whitaker (2003) noted that principals know that they are the filter of the school. Whether they are aware of it or not they are held accountable for the behavior milieu of the school. Therefore if people see them running through the hallway screaming Fire! They should practice sense of calm, avoid unnecessary bad news, keep their attention on the issues that matter the most, and keeping the school in a positive ambiance improves everything they do. So, it can be seen that most effective principals select their filters carefully. Principals are very fortunate to work in education, but sometimes they forget how blessed they are. As a result if principals filter out the negative and share the positive attitude they can create a more successful environment. Sergiovanni (2001) mentioned that not all principals are face with the same leadership strategy because a principal of a highly motivated institution will go the opposite direction from the principal whom is working with a developing and uncommitted staff. For example in the craft like area one must create his practice depending on the situation, no one best approach will work. Hence, principal must demonstrate their leadership ability depending on the situation they encounter.. 29.

(30) Sergiovanni (2001) commented that there are four leadership strategies and tactics that can be used by principals when in the developmental process of a successful school. These are: 1. Bartering - When principals and teachers exchange what each other wants. The emphasis is on the needs and wants for cooperation and fulfillment. 2. Building - Principals provide a good interpersonal working environment to support teacher individual needs for achievement, responsibility, competence and esteem. The emphasis here is less on building but focused more on teacher psychological fulfillment. 3. Bonding - Principals and teachers develop a bonding so that they share common values about the relationship they want to share and the ties they want to create to become a community of leaders. 4. Binding. - Principals and teachers commit themselves shared values to establish the moral authority that called on teachers to be morally responsive which will bring them together. The emphasis in binding is on developing common commitments and conceptions about purposes, teaching and learning and to bring them together as one mind, heart and practice.. Sergiovanni (2001) also indicated that the bartering strategy can be seen as a transactional leadership and building, bonding and binding is transformational leadership. Therefore, each strategy can be thought of as developmental stages, but each will be used according to the various levels of school competence and excellence. For the future Wilmore (2004) mentioned that never in history has there been a shortage of quality principals. The problem is that new principals, as well as assistant principals, are facing difficulty over the transition from classroom positions to the complex roles of school leadership. There is high staff turnover among teachers because they do not have the support of administrators. The school will continue to lose skilled and experienced teachers who are tired, exhausted or want more money for their efforts. Also, schools continue to have experienced administrators who still struggle with what is the right 30.

(31) decision to make for the school environment to be a better place, and also surviving the political wars and dilemmas that go hand in hand with any kind of organizational leadership. The author named ten top all-around tips for new administrators. They are as follows: 1. Have a heart – don’t lose focus on why you have become and administrator. 2. Remember you are a school instruction leader try to keep every thing in perspective. 3. Continue to grow and learn so that you can maximize your productivity. 4. Learn to balance your job and personal time before you have nothing else to give physically, mentally or emotionally. 5. You must allow school related activities to affect or neglect your family. 6. Remember that your staff is an important key to school success. 7. Be proactive and solve problems before they develop. 8. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. 9. Always have food in the office and at meetings. 10. Always have a mentor while nurturing through training. There is nothing better than helping others. There are people in the education system presently who are struggling and alone. Try to make a team and mentor someone so that we have more good people coming in, not more good people leaving.. Summary of Motivational Theories In conclusion, some theories have been examined which is displayed in table 2.1 such as Maslow’s hierarchy of need theory, McGregor Theory X and Theory Y, Herzberg two-factor theory, expectancy theory, equity theory, McClelland theory of needs and Marston DISC Theory to have a better understanding of the human needs and what motivates them to perform better. Nevertheless the review reveal the following behaviors of motivating human: must first fulfill their needs at the lower level of the hierarchy which is physiological needs before they can move up to the other level; their attitude 31.

(32) towards work can determine success or failure and the more positive reward given to them the more likely they will be greatly motivated. Table 2.1 Comparison factors among motivational theories. Maslow’s. McGregor. Herzberg. Expectancy. Equity. McClelland. Marston. hierarchy. Theory X. Two-Factor. Theory. Theory. Theory. DISC. of needs. and. Theory. Theory. Theory Y -Physiological. Theory X. -Promotion. -Safety. -Dislike work. -Growth. -Social. -Threatened. -Achievement. -Esteem. -Forced. -Recognition. -Self-. -Controlled. -Responsibility. Actualization. -Punish. -Improve performance -Outcome. -Treated fairly (output,. -Need for achievement -Need for. desire. returns,. Power. -Value on. inequity). -Need for. outcome. -Decisive -Influential -Steady -Complaint. Affiliation. Theory Y -Selfdirected -Self-control -Responsible -Innovative. Also it can be seen that developing countries in education needs to focus and place importance on motivating and value teachers if they want to have a quality education system. This can be done by principals along with the help of government in compensating teachers intrinsically or extrinsically. As a result the environment will be a better place for teachers which will increase performance and low staff turnover in secondary institutions. Finally, since the focus of the study is based on principals and the way they implement strategies for teachers’ motivational it was fundamental to gather literature on roles of the principal as leaders in an institution. The literature review bring to light that as leaders in education they play an important part of the education environment because they determine the nature and quality of the teachers’ motivation. Even though we can 32.

(33) see that institutions are manage by different management such as government, family and the church, but on the other hand the principals are the one to make decisions in the supervisory process as it relates to staff. However, for principals to manage effectively they must be competent of good interpersonal skills. Even so, it can be seen that some principals lack the ability of being able to manage their environment due to one of the two factors: the fact they have been promoted for their teaching skills in class and not their ability to lead the institution; or they are not face with the same leadership strategy because they are in different environment which may be working with a developing and uncommitted staff. Hence principals must demonstrate their leadership ability depending on the situation they encounter. This can be done by using four leadership strategies namely bartering, building, bonding and binding which will help in the development of a successful school.. 33.

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(35) CHAPTER III. RESEARCH METHODS This chapter describes the framework, methods, case study and procedures used to collect data in the research. It explains the strategies of qualitative processes use to explore the motivational strategies used among secondary institution principals, similarities and differences in motivational strategies, the effectiveness of the motivational strategies and other factors which play a role to the wealth of information needed to support principals and the Ministry of Education in Belize.. Research Framework The research framework (see figure 3.1) of the study was developed in accordance with the purpose of the study of the literature review. The researcher tries to establish the role of the different factors that would influence principals in implementing strategies to aid in the increase of teachers’ performance.. Research Approach This study utilized qualitative research to investigate the participants under study for the development of the data gathering that was address the research questions. Qualitative research was conducted in order to explore and analyze the motivational strategies used by principals in secondary institutions in Belize. Method This study employs qualitative research method to gather data to address the research questions. The researcher used two methods of data collection. This was in the form of open-ended questionnaires for teachers and structured interview for principals and member of the Ministry of Education. The purpose of the open-ended questionnaire and the structured interview is that it allows the researcher to grasp an in-depth knowledge of the concerns interrelated to teachers’ motivational strategies which help to make the research more rich and meaningful.. 35.

(36) Monetary. Recognition -Self actualization -Promotion -Fair treatment. -Salary -Rewards -Bonuses -Benefits. Principals’ motivational strategies that influence teachers level of motivation. -Principal & coworkers relationship -Working conditions -Communication. Organizational Culture Figure 3.1 Research framework of the study Target population The study’s research participants were drawn from 50 secondary institutions which consist of three cross sectional areas in Belize Education segment. They included the following: (1) principals in secondary education from three areas: a) 19 government schools: these are schools that are maintained wholly by the general revenue of the government; b) 7 special aided schools: refer to institutions that are privately owned. These schools are assisted under special circumstances. Schools that have not yet been granted full grant-aided status might receive salaries only for certain members of staff. 36.

(37) This could be due to lack of meeting certain requirements, for example the minimum number of students; and c) 24 grants aided schools: a school for which the government pays 70 percent of secondary teachers’ salaries in accordance with the provisions of the act; (2) member of the Ministry of Education, and (3) teachers in secondary institution. The data triangulation in the target population is to ensure that different views on teachers’ motivational strategies are gathered from principals in the different areas of management in the study. Targeting the member in the Ministry of Education helped to bring out important facts on the following: a) how the participant views principals as management in terms of motivating their teachers and other management issues; b) Also, how the Ministry of Education can assist administrators in secondary institution to motivate teachers to have a better performance and meet the goals of the institution; and c) also the goals of the Ministry of Education. Finally, choosing the third target population which is the teachers is to share their views of how they see their management in terms of motivating teachers. Sampling size The researcher used random sampling to draw a sample from the given size as shown in figure 3.2; this gave an equal chance of being selected for the study. The purposeful sampling techniques were used to collect data from a member of the Ministry of Education in Belize. The researcher targeted 14 principals in secondary institution from the six districts in Belize.. The principals were chosen from three areas of. management: government, special aided and grant aided. From these three management sector half was randomly selected from each part. Purposive sampling was used to gather data from the member of the Ministry of Education, since the participant have more affiliation with principals in secondary institution in Belize. The last set of participants was 12 teachers chosen from the institutions where the 14 principals were selected from. After the selection of the 12 teachers a teacher list was used to choose the teacher that appears at the middle of the list to be the participant. Therefore, they were invited to accept to complete the open-ended questionnaire in order to carefully address the research questions and give in-depth information to the researcher’s study. Table 3.1 and. 37.

(38) 3.2 show the demographic data of the principals and teachers who participated in the study. Random. Principals (14). Member of Ministry of Education (1). Teachers (12) Random. Purposive. Figure 3.2 Sampling source and size. 38.

(39) Table 3.1 Demographic data of principals used in the study (total principals n = 14) DEMOGRAPHIC DATA. ENTRIES. Gender. Male Female. 7 7. Qualification. Masters Bachelors. 10 4. Years of experience as a teacher. 2 - 5 years 6 - 10 years 11- 20 years 21- 30 years. 2 3 8 1. Years of experience as a principal. 2 - 5 years 6 - 10 years 11 - 20 years 21 - 30 years. 8 4 1 1. Period of time working in the institution. 2 - 5 years 6 - 10 years 11 - 20 years 21 – 30 years. 8 3 1 2. Managing authority. Government Non-government. 7 7. District of interview. Belize Orange Walk Cayo Corozal Stann Creek Toledo. 7 3 3 0 1 0. 39.

(40) Table 3.2 Demographic data of teachers used in the study (total teachers n = 12) DEMOGRAPHIC DATA. ENTRIES. Gender. Male Female. 4 8. Qualification. Masters Bachelors Associates. 1 8 3. Years of experience as a teacher. 2 - 5 years 6 - 10 years 11- 20 years. 5 4 3. Period of time working in the institution. 1 - 5 years 6 - 10 years 11 - 20 years. 7 3 2. Managing authority. Government Non-government. 6 6. District of interview. Belize Orange Walk Cayo Corozal Stann Creek Toledo. 6 3 3 0 0 0. Instrumentation The researcher used two methods of data collection. This was in the form of openended questionnaires for teachers and structured interview for two groups of participants; principals who were randomly selected and member of the Ministry of Education who was be purposively selected. The two methods of data collection allowed the researcher to gain detail knowledge of the issues related to teachers’ motivational strategies which help to make the study more significant. Thus the researcher used expert validation to ensure the reliability of the instruments. Firstly, the researcher developed the instruments by using information that 40.

(41) has been solicited from the literature review. Secondly, during the development of the instrument the researcher ask her peers to evaluate, criticize and make suggestions to improve the questions. Thirdly, after that process was completed the researcher then edited the questions with the suggestions made by peers. Fourthly, the researcher then sent the instruments to experts in the area of research: these are my advisor in Taiwan who is a qualitative researcher, two Doctorate professors in IWED department and two professors in Belize, one who holds a Masters Degree and the other holds a Doctorate Degree, to do the same as peers had done. Finally, once the instruments had been received from the experts a final draft of the instruments was prepared to be used in the study. Development of instruments Interview Instrument for principals Principals in secondary institutions are vital to education, especially when it comes to motivating teachers to meet the goals of the institution. Therefore the review of literature on teachers’ motivation has facilitated the researcher to acquire an insight of critical matters that affect principals in motivating teachers. This has lent a hand to detect different indicators for developing questionnaires that point out the factors that affect teachers’ motivation. The various literature reviewed has specified numerous ways to develop interview questions that aided the researcher in answering the research questions. The survey instrument was developed to interview the random selection of principals and to gather data from the principals on challenges they face in implementing motivational strategies in secondary institution. Interview Instrument for Ministry of Education Heads The literature review shows that as heads of the Ministry of Education in Belize they are seen as stakeholders because they are the ones who are responsible to mold the education system to ensure adequate support systems exist for the delivery of appropriate and equitable education services. Therefore this makes it relevant to solicit information from such a group of people who work with secondary institutions in making sure that principals are managing their institution properly and also to ensure that teachers are 41.

(42) being motivated to meet the goals of that said institution and the Ministry of Education. Hence, the researcher designed a structured interview sheet to gather the information needed for the study. Secondary Teachers Open-ended Questionnaires As the literature revealed teachers are one of the most important groups of professionals for our nation’s future and they determine the quality of education that children receive. Consequently, it is the responsibility of the government as well as the principals to ensure that teachers are motivated so that they can perform to best of their abilities. However if teachers are not motivated by these bodies then it means that the principals of the institution as well as the heads in the Ministry of Education lack some management skills. As a result the researcher used open-ended questionnaire to gather data from teachers which helped in evaluating teachers’ response towards their management. Validity and Reliability According to Johnson and Christensen (2004), “reliability and validity are the two most important psychometric properties to consider in using a test or assessment procedures” (p. 132). Therefore since the researcher conducted a qualitative research the questions were develop by the researcher. As mentioned by Maxcy, (1991) efforts to develop a qualitative posture in educational research have obtained extensive applause from researchers and practitioners alike. As stated by Johnson and Christensen (2004), when qualitative researchers speak of research validity they are usually referring to a research that is plausible, credible, trustworthy and therefore defensible.. Thus the. researcher used expert validation to ensure the reliability of the instruments. Another strategy that will be use in this study is data triangulation. As Arksey and Knight (1999) acknowledged, that in view of the fact that the concept of triangulation was initially introduced into the social sciences and others who share the same interest about validity and bias have further developed the original perception of multiple methods. Triangulation, which is said to be one of the best strategies, was used by the researcher in this study to enhance internal validity. This method involves diverse data 42.