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17 pages, 293 KiB

Open AccessArticle

“Sailing Together in the Storm”: Chinese EFL Teachers’ Trajectory of Interpersonal Emotion Regulation towards Well-Being

by Jing Xiao and Guoxiu Tian

Sustainability 2023, 15(7), 6125; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15076125 - 2 Apr 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2037

Abstract

Teaching is an emotion-laden process during which teachers are inevitably confronted with emotional disturbance. This study examines how Chinese EFL teachers transform emotional disturbance into well-being through interpersonal emotion regulation (IER). Previous research has examined teacher emotion regulation at an individual level, yet [...] Read more.

Teaching is an emotion-laden process during which teachers are inevitably confronted with emotional disturbance. This study examines how Chinese EFL teachers transform emotional disturbance into well-being through interpersonal emotion regulation (IER). Previous research has examined teacher emotion regulation at an individual level, yet the interpersonal perspective has not been sufficiently adopted. In order to have an in-depth investigation of teachers’ IER, three Chinese EFL teachers were selected; qualitative data were collected from narrative reflections, interviews, class observation, and field notes. The findings reveal that (1) EFL teachers’ trajectory of IER moves from deconstruction of emotional blocks in companionship and re-construction of emotional strength through trust to co-construction of emotional pedagogy with dialogues; (2) Intrinsic IER of teachers’ own emotion and extrinsic IER of students’ emotion were not separate but dynamically interacted; (3) Effective IER entails the interplay between teachers’ readiness for reflective inquiry and learning peers’ capacity for emotional support; (4) Teachers’ IER is interwoven with ethical development. The study also suggests that effective teacher IER contributes to their professional learning in terms of triggering the revisitation of teaching conceptions and educational beliefs to better serve students’ learning. This study sheds light on the construction of a social support system for the sustainability of teachers’ emotional well-being as well as their professional development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

14 pages, 746 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Predictors of Teacher Well-Being: An Analysis of Teacher Training Preparedness, Autonomy, and Workload

by Hui-Ling Wendy Pan, Chih-Hung Chung and Yi-Chun Lin

Sustainability 2023, 15(7), 5804; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15075804 - 27 Mar 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5826

Abstract

Utilizing the job demand-resource theoretical framework, this study expands on previous research by examining the role of teacher workloads in the relationship between teachers’ resources and teacher well-being. The study used data from Taiwanese lower secondary school teachers in the TALIS 2018 survey [...] Read more.

Utilizing the job demand-resource theoretical framework, this study expands on previous research by examining the role of teacher workloads in the relationship between teachers’ resources and teacher well-being. The study used data from Taiwanese lower secondary school teachers in the TALIS 2018 survey and conducted a structural equation modeling analysis. The results showed that teacher training preparedness had a direct positive effect on well-being and an indirect effect that was mediated by teaching and student behavior workloads. On the other hand, teachers’ perceived autonomy did not have a direct impact on well-being but was indirectly related to well-being through the teaching workload. Additionally, the study found that teaching and student behavior workloads were negatively associated with well-being. By incorporating workload as a mediator, this study offers new insights into the complex relationship between job demands, resources, and well-being in the teaching profession. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

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17 pages, 260 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Service Provider and “No Accident”: A Study of Teachers’ Discipline Risk from the Perspective of Risk Society

by Penghui Hu, Shasha Du and Guoxiu Tian

Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 4434; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054434 - 1 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1589

Abstract

Teachers face a high degree of risk when disciplining students in contemporary China. Under the guidance of risk society theory, based on a qualitative study of teachers at a county town high school in Southwest China, this paper finds that, in the context [...] Read more.

Teachers face a high degree of risk when disciplining students in contemporary China. Under the guidance of risk society theory, based on a qualitative study of teachers at a county town high school in Southwest China, this paper finds that, in the context of shifting responsibility for education from family to school and inequal risk distribution system in school, teachers become a primary risk taker. The culture of the teacher as a service provider with unlimited responsibilities and the institution of “No Accident” in daily management supported by schools and local government is constructing the sense of risk in teachers. The consequences of risky events are unbearable for teachers in most cases, so they have to adopt limited discipline strategies with a focus on risk avoidance. Reconceptualizing cooperative family–school relations and constructing a reasonable risk allocation mechanism in school would be the keys to eliminating teachers’ conception of discipline risk. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

16 pages, 669 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Relationships between Pre-Service Preparation and Student Teachers’ Social-Emotional Competence in Teacher Education: Evidence from China

by Siping Wu, Xiaoshuang Zhu, Guoxiu Tian and Xiaowei Kang

Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 2172; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032172 - 24 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3027

Abstract

The role of social-emotional competence in sustaining teachers’ professional development has been increasingly gaining prominence. Using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, this study attempted to explore the deep internal mechanisms of the influence of university climate on student teachers’ social-emotional competence in the context [...] Read more.

The role of social-emotional competence in sustaining teachers’ professional development has been increasingly gaining prominence. Using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, this study attempted to explore the deep internal mechanisms of the influence of university climate on student teachers’ social-emotional competence in the context of China. A cluster sampling method was used to conduct a questionnaire survey on 1776 student teachers from 20 universities in 17 provinces of China. This study uses a structural equation model to analyze the effect of university climate and basic psychological needs on social-emotional competence, which is moderated by relative deprivation. This study found that university climate has a significant positive effect on social-emotional competence; the association between university climate and social-emotional competence is mediated by basic psychological needs; relative deprivation plays a moderating role. The direct effect of university climate on social-emotional competence and the path from university climate to basic psychological needs were moderated by relative deprivation. Specifically, compared with low relative deprivation individuals, the university climate had a weaker positive effect on social-emotional competence and basic psychological needs in high relative deprivation individuals. Based on above empirical evidence, this study shed light on the mechanism for cultivating student teachers’ social-emotional competence, thus improving our understanding of the sustainable professional development of teachers from an emotional perspective. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

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21 pages, 307 KiB

Open AccessArticle

“Learn to Conserve Your Passion and Care”: Exploring the Emotional Labor of Special-Post Teachers in Rural China

by Jianjian Wu and Huan Song

Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 1991; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15031991 - 20 Jan 2023

Viewed by 2133

Abstract

In recent decades, the growing trend of post-structuralist research on teacher emotional labor has offered a discursive lens to elucidate rural teachers’ identities and their teaching practices. To date, however, few studies have explored the emotional labor of special-post teachers in rural China. [...] Read more.

In recent decades, the growing trend of post-structuralist research on teacher emotional labor has offered a discursive lens to elucidate rural teachers’ identities and their teaching practices. To date, however, few studies have explored the emotional labor of special-post teachers in rural China. Through a post-structuralist framework, this study aimed to explore the emotional labor of special-post teachers. Ethnographic qualitative data from a rural primary school in northern China showed that special-post teachers experienced various emotional conflicts embedded in multiple discourses. As teaching experience increases, special-post teachers obtain agentive emotional and practical responses to lighten their negative emotional burden for work. The findings suggested that the role overload and conflicts of special-post teachers were especially prominent in the social context of the urban–rural dichotomy. Emotional reflexivity and vulnerability of special-post teachers in their identity construction as educator, professional-service-provider, and also passer-by were also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

13 pages, 526 KiB

Open AccessArticle

More Leadership, More Efficacy for Inclusive Practices? Exploring the Relationships between Distributed Leadership, Teacher Leadership, and Self-Efficacy among Inclusive Education Teachers in China

by Tiantian Wang, Meng Deng and Guoxiu Tian

Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 16168; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142316168 - 3 Dec 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3297

Abstract

In response to the need for facilitating the sustainable development of inclusive education, this study conducts a pioneering attempt to analyze the relationship between two types of school leadership, organizational (i.e., distributed leadership, DL) and individual (i.e., teacher leadership, TL), and teacher self-efficacy [...] Read more.

In response to the need for facilitating the sustainable development of inclusive education, this study conducts a pioneering attempt to analyze the relationship between two types of school leadership, organizational (i.e., distributed leadership, DL) and individual (i.e., teacher leadership, TL), and teacher self-efficacy among inclusive education teachers in Mainland China. A total of 893 teachers from primary inclusive education schools in Beijing and Shenzhen, China, participated in this study. Structural equation modeling examining the direct and mediating effects was conducted on collected data. The findings imply that principal-distributed leadership and inclusive education teacher leadership both positively predicted teacher self-efficacy. Additionally, inclusive education teacher leadership and its two dimensions, namely advocating inclusive values and liaising with an external support system, significantly mediated the influences of distributed leadership on inclusive education teacher self-efficacy. The implications of facilitating inclusive education in Chinese schools and other similar contexts are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

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16 pages, 316 KiB

Open AccessArticle

What Causes Burnout in Special School Physical Education Teachers? Evidence from China

by Guoqiang Sang, Chuang Yuan, Min Wang, Jun Chen, Xingye Han and Ruibao Zhang

Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 13037; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013037 - 12 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2313

Abstract

Special physical education is considered a challenging process concerned with the development of the physical and mental health of students with physical disabilities. Special physical education teachers face pressures from society, parents, schools, and themselves, which can easily lead to burnout and increase [...] Read more.

Special physical education is considered a challenging process concerned with the development of the physical and mental health of students with physical disabilities. Special physical education teachers face pressures from society, parents, schools, and themselves, which can easily lead to burnout and increase levels of teacher attrition. In our paper, we explore the significant effects of role and job stress (divided into role ambiguity and conflict, and stressors and stress responses, respectively), teaching efficacy (divided into general and personal teaching efficacy), job satisfaction (divided into internal and external job satisfaction), and social support (divided into objective and subjective support) on burnout (divided into emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment). We chose to conduct an empirical analysis using data from different regions of China. Our study results showed that role conflict, general teaching efficacy, job satisfaction, and objective support were the main factors influencing burnout among special physical education teachers in China. Stressors were the main factors influencing emotional exhaustion. General teaching efficacy, job stress, and role conflict significantly influenced depersonalization. Internal job satisfaction and personal teaching efficacy mainly influenced feelings of reduced personal accomplishment. Attributes such as seniority, marriage status, gender, academic titles, and education level also affected burnout. Additionally, we verified that there are regional disparities in the factors influencing burnout. Finally, our study of burnout among special physical education teachers could improve the physical and mental health of students with physical disabilities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

16 pages, 466 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Examining the Relationships between Student Teacher Professional Identity Tensions and Motivation for Teaching: Mediating Role of Emotional Labor Strategies in China

by Wenjie He, Guoxiu Tian, Qiong Li, Laura B. Liu and Jingtian Zhou

Sustainability 2022, 14(19), 12727; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141912727 - 6 Oct 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3066

Abstract

Learning to be a teacher through teaching practicum is viewed as a highly complex process in which multiple dilemmas and tensions emerge. These tensions may influence student teachers’ motivation for teaching. However, previous studies on teacher motivation have mainly focused on social status [...] Read more.

Learning to be a teacher through teaching practicum is viewed as a highly complex process in which multiple dilemmas and tensions emerge. These tensions may influence student teachers’ motivation for teaching. However, previous studies on teacher motivation have mainly focused on social status and welfare, seldom taking their emotion regulation into account. Sampling 752 student teachers from 15 teacher education institutes in China, this study examined the relationships between student teachers’ emotional labor strategies, professional identity tensions, and motivation for teaching during their practicum. The results indicated that emotional labor strategies were found to be important resources for student teachers to cope with the challenges brought by the tensions of professional identities in teaching practicum. In particular, deep acting and expression of naturally felt emotions enhanced student teachers’ intrinsic motivation to become a teacher. The results indicated that student teachers should perform emotional labor strategically, which may motivate them to be a teacher intrinsically. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

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14 pages, 802 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Subjective Wellbeing and Work Performance among Teachers in Hong Kong during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Does Autonomy Support Moderate Their Relationship?

by Kapo Wong, Siushing Man and Alan H. S. Chan

Sustainability 2022, 14(19), 12092; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141912092 - 24 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2140

Abstract

(1) Background: A higher level of subjective wellbeing is often assumed to have a positive effect on the performance of workers. However, this relationship has seldom been studied extensively among teachers shifting from face-to-face teaching to online teaching. Thus, this study provided quantitative [...] Read more.

(1) Background: A higher level of subjective wellbeing is often assumed to have a positive effect on the performance of workers. However, this relationship has seldom been studied extensively among teachers shifting from face-to-face teaching to online teaching. Thus, this study provided quantitative evidence regarding the effect of subjective wellbeing on work performance among male and female teachers during the outbreak of a pandemic. (2) Methods: We examined the subjective wellbeing of teachers from three perspectives, namely workload, organisational support, and interaction with students. Furthermore, we tested whether autonomy support affected the association between subjective wellbeing and work performance, and a comparison between male and female teachers was drawn. (3) Results: The findings suggested that the student interaction wellbeing of female teachers positively and significantly affected their work performance (b = 1.19, t = 4.28, p < 0.001). Moreover, autonomy support tended to amplify the positive effect of organisational wellbeing for both male and female teachers (males’ OWB: b = 0.25, t = 2.44, p < 0.05; females’ OWB: b = 0.31, t = 0.09, p < 0.05). (4) Conclusions: This study provides useful information for educational management when reviewing teacher performance and wellbeing during the pandemic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

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17 pages, 1327 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Perceived Self-Efficacy and Satisfaction on Preservice Teachers’ Well-Being during the Practicum Experience

by Irene García-Lázaro, María Pilar Colás-Bravo and Jesús Conde-Jiménez

Sustainability 2022, 14(16), 10185; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141610185 - 16 Aug 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3496

Abstract

Teachers’ psychological and social well-being has become a relevant concern for the educational community. Specifically, damage to it affects preservice teachers (PSTs) when confronting educational challenges during their initial teacher education. PSTs’ well-being is related to self-perceptions of professional worth, which impacts their [...] Read more.

Teachers’ psychological and social well-being has become a relevant concern for the educational community. Specifically, damage to it affects preservice teachers (PSTs) when confronting educational challenges during their initial teacher education. PSTs’ well-being is related to self-perceptions of professional worth, which impacts their emotional states, actions, and beliefs. Perceived self-efficacy is a well-known indicator to measure these self-perceptions, allowing us to explore PSTs’ valuation of their competence during experiential opportunities for professional development. The practicum is considered for investigating perceived self-efficacy predictors, since direct professional performance can be observed. This context also allows the exploration of their satisfaction with their competence development and the training environment. This study analyzes PSTs’ perceived self-efficacy predictors and job satisfaction during practicum experiences. A mixed methodological design was selected with 258 PSTs participating in the quantitative part and nine PSTs in the qualitative part. Descriptive, correlational, and inferential statistical analyses and two focus group sessions were conducted. The findings show changes in perceived self-efficacy are generated by social interactions and mastery experiences. Changes in perceived self-efficacy, satisfaction with one’s competence, and the school environment are related significantly. Our conclusions highlight the role of mentoring during the practicum in caring for PSTs’ self-perceptions and improving their satisfaction with the experience. The importance of caring for well-being to avoid stressful situations during the first training stages and prevent burnout in teachers in service is considered. Research implications in the lines proposed are further discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

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28 pages, 1039 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How to Increase Teacher Performance through Engagement and Work Efficacy

by Sorina Ioana Mișu, Cătălina Radu, Alecxandrina Deaconu and Simona Toma

Sustainability 2022, 14(16), 10167; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141610167 - 16 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3253

Abstract

Work engagement, work efficacy and performance are key concepts in today’s human resources field, impacting both personal and organisational levels. However, not many studies investigate them in a core professional area: pre-university teachers. After measuring the work engagement, work efficacy and work performance [...] Read more.

Work engagement, work efficacy and performance are key concepts in today’s human resources field, impacting both personal and organisational levels. However, not many studies investigate them in a core professional area: pre-university teachers. After measuring the work engagement, work efficacy and work performance variables of teachers, we identified the differences in teachers’ work engagement, work efficacy and work performance according to their seniority in education and the position of the high school in the top national rankings. Our paper’s focus is on exploring the relationship between work engagement and work performance among pre-university teachers from Romanian high schools. This relationship is analysed both directly and indirectly by including work efficacy as a mediating factor. A sample of 817 Romanian high school teachers participated in this study (questionnaire applied in April 2021). The results can lead to a better understanding of human resources behaviour, and, on this basis, to the formulating of human resource policies in the educational field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

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21 pages, 1610 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pattern and Dynamics of Teacher Emotions during Teaching: A Case Study of a Senior Secondary Mathematics Teacher

by Zheng Jiang, Ida Ah Chee Mok, Xin Yang, Simiao Liu and Mudan Chen

Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9097; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159097 - 26 Jul 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2398

Abstract

Understanding the emotional dimension of classroom practices benefits sustainable education. However, the dynamic nature of teacher emotions during teaching remains understudied. To acquire an “in-depth” description of the emotional phenomena during teaching, a case study was adopted to examine the pattern and dynamics [...] Read more.

Understanding the emotional dimension of classroom practices benefits sustainable education. However, the dynamic nature of teacher emotions during teaching remains understudied. To acquire an “in-depth” description of the emotional phenomena during teaching, a case study was adopted to examine the pattern and dynamics of a senior secondary mathematics teacher’s teaching-related emotions. Seven new mathematics lessons were observed and videotaped, and three video-stimulated, post-lesson teacher interviews were conducted. Based on appraisal theories of emotions, thematic analysis and content analysis were mainly used to analyse the data. The study revealed that the teacher most frequently experienced happiness/satisfaction as positive emotions and confusion/surprise as negative emotions. The emotions followed a three-stage process: perceptions, multilevel appraisals, and responses. The teacher most often perceived her students’ cognitive accuracy and adopted goal/need conduciveness/attainment, the discrepancy from expectations, and causal attribution as core appraisal dimensions. Teacher emotions in classrooms were also often hierarchical and cumulative, shifting from more negative at the beginning of a new semester to more positive at the middle of the semester. This study shed light on the dynamic development of teacher emotions, extending the theories and process models of emotions from the psychological field to educational research and facilitating teachers’ sustainable professional development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

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17 pages, 1038 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Smaller the Power Distance, the More Genuine the Emotion: Relationships between Power Distance, Emotional Labor, and Emotional Exhaustion among Chinese Teachers

by Xiaoshuang Zhu, Guoxiu Tian and Zhonghui Liu

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8601; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148601 - 14 Jul 2022

Viewed by 2410

Abstract

Using Grandey’s model of emotional labor, this study attempted to reveal the effects of cultural and social factors on teachers’ emotions. Specifically, taking a sample of 3312 Chinese teachers, we examined the effects of power distance (PD) and emotional labor on emotional exhaustion, [...] Read more.

Using Grandey’s model of emotional labor, this study attempted to reveal the effects of cultural and social factors on teachers’ emotions. Specifically, taking a sample of 3312 Chinese teachers, we examined the effects of power distance (PD) and emotional labor on emotional exhaustion, focusing on the mediating role of emotional labor with different interactive partners. The results showed that Chinese teachers used surface acting (SA) the most with parents, and the least with students; they used the expression of naturally felt emotions (ENFE) the most with students, and the least with colleagues and leaders. They also used deep acting more when working with students and parents. In addition, PD negatively influenced ENFE and positively influenced SA with the three interactive partners. Only SA mediated the relationship between PD and exhaustion. These results improve our understanding of teachers’ emotions in terms of power and suggest that we should consider personal psychological factors (i.e., emotional labor), social factors (i.e., interactive partners), and national culture (i.e., PD) to promote teachers’ well-being. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

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19 pages, 303 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring EFL Teachers’ Emotions and the Impact on Their Sustainable Professional Development in Livestream Teaching: A Chinese Case Study

by Haibo Gu, Yuting Mao and Qian Wang

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8264; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148264 - 6 Jul 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3553

Abstract

Due to the impact of COVID-19, most Chinese universities have launched livestream teaching. Faced with this significant change of teaching mode, teachers experienced different emotions, including predominant negative emotions such as anxiety, stress, and anger, alongside a few positive emotions like satisfaction, love, [...] Read more.

Due to the impact of COVID-19, most Chinese universities have launched livestream teaching. Faced with this significant change of teaching mode, teachers experienced different emotions, including predominant negative emotions such as anxiety, stress, and anger, alongside a few positive emotions like satisfaction, love, and happiness. With the rising attention on teacher emotion research, this study explores the emotional experiences of five Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in livestream teaching. Drawing from data collected via interviews and case documents, it examines the causes of these teachers’ emotions and the impact thereof on their sustainable professional development. The findings suggest that teacher emotions were produced through the interaction between teachers’ goals and the environment, which included students’ performance, features of livestream teaching, and the institutional livestream teaching requirements. The impacts of teacher emotions on their sustainable professional development were identified: deepening teachers’ understanding of online teaching, shaping teacher identities, and motivating teachers to take action. Implications regarding developing teachers’ coping strategies for various emotions and sustaining their professional development in online teaching are also included. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

17 pages, 642 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Profiles of Mathematics Teachers’ Job Satisfaction and Stress and Their Association with Dialogic Instruction

by Sunghwan Hwang

Sustainability 2022, 14(11), 6925; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116925 - 6 Jun 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2861

Abstract

High-quality mathematics instruction is a primary element for quality education and the sustainable development of society. Some studies have highlighted the critical role of teacher job satisfaction and stress on their instruction. However, limited research has focused on the combinational influence of job [...] Read more.

High-quality mathematics instruction is a primary element for quality education and the sustainable development of society. Some studies have highlighted the critical role of teacher job satisfaction and stress on their instruction. However, limited research has focused on the combinational influence of job satisfaction and stress on mathematics teachers’ dialogic instruction. This study aims to examine their combinational influence on mathematic teachers’ dialogic instruction using latent profile analysis and draws three conclusions. First, this study found three profiles: high job satisfaction and very low stress, very low job satisfaction and high stress, and moderately high job satisfaction and slightly high stress. Second, latent profile membership was differentially related to self-efficacy and leadership support. Third, mathematics teachers with very low job satisfaction and high stress were less likely to implement dialogic instruction compared to teachers in other profiles. This study also provides implications based on these results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

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13 pages, 595 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Roles of Transformational Leadership and Growth Mindset in Teacher Professional Development: The Mediation of Teacher Self-Efficacy

by Wei Lin, Hongbiao Yin and Zhijun Liu

Sustainability 2022, 14(11), 6489; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116489 - 26 May 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 10037

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of school-related factors (i.e., transformational leadership) and teacher-related factors (i.e., teachers’ growth mindset and self-efficacy) in teachers’ sustainable professional development, as indicated by their reported desirable professional attitudes and their adoption of teaching strategies using the method of [...] Read more.

This study investigated the effects of school-related factors (i.e., transformational leadership) and teacher-related factors (i.e., teachers’ growth mindset and self-efficacy) in teachers’ sustainable professional development, as indicated by their reported desirable professional attitudes and their adoption of teaching strategies using the method of structural equation modelling. Based on a questionnaire survey of 1297 teachers in China, the results of this study showed that, compared with teachers’ growth mindset, transformational leadership had a stronger effect on teacher self-efficacy; transformational leadership, rather than teachers’ growth mindset, was significantly and directly related to teachers’ professional attitudes towards classroom teaching and their adoption of desirable teaching strategies. Moreover, teacher self-efficacy significantly mediated the effects of transformational leadership and growth mindset on teachers’ professional attitudes and the adoption of desirable teaching strategies. These findings highlight the importance of teachers’ affective attributes (e.g., growth mindset, self-efficacy, and professional attitudes) in teacher professional development, and provide implications for school leaders and teachers to sustain effective teacher professional development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

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18 pages, 494 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Teachers’ Error Orientations on Students’ Mathematics Learning: The Role of Teacher Emotions

by Qian Zhao, Jiwei Han, Wenkai Lin, Siyu Zhang and Yiran Li

Sustainability 2022, 14(10), 6311; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14106311 - 22 May 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3080

Abstract

Several attempts have been made to explore the factors influencing teacher emotions, most of which focus on external factors such as student behaviors and classroom teaching. However, research on the links between internal factors and teacher emotions is scant. Based on the control [...] Read more.

Several attempts have been made to explore the factors influencing teacher emotions, most of which focus on external factors such as student behaviors and classroom teaching. However, research on the links between internal factors and teacher emotions is scant. Based on the control value theory, this article explored the influence of junior secondary mathematics teachers’ error orientations on their emotions, and how teachers’ error orientations and emotions were related to students’ mathematics learning strategies. A sample of 70 junior high school mathematics teachers and their students (N = 2453) in mainland China participated in this study. Confirmatory factor analysis and multilevel structural equation modeling were used to analyze the data. The results showed that teachers’ positive error orientation increased their positive emotions and reduced their negative emotions, whereas teachers’ negative error orientation increased their negative emotions and reduced their positive emotions. Regarding the effects of teacher emotions, teachers’ positive emotions increased students’ positive mathematics achievement emotions and reduced their negative emotions. Meanwhile, students’ negative mathematics achievement emotions significantly reduced their adoption of desirable mathematics learning strategies. The findings highlight the importance of teachers’ positive error orientation and positive emotion for students’ mathematics learning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

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16 pages, 739 KiB

Open AccessArticle

More Knowledge, More Satisfaction with Online Teaching? Examining the Mediation of Teacher Efficacy and Moderation of Engagement during COVID-19

by Shenghua Huang, Hongbiao Yin, Yule Jin and Wenlan Wang

Sustainability 2022, 14(8), 4405; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084405 - 7 Apr 2022

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3571

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, university teachers need to spend time and energy getting used to the online teaching system and adapting their teaching materials to the new teaching mode. According to the social cognitive theory, teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) and their [...] Read more.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, university teachers need to spend time and energy getting used to the online teaching system and adapting their teaching materials to the new teaching mode. According to the social cognitive theory, teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) and their work engagement, both of which can be important sources of efficacy beliefs, can be critical in conducing teachers’ self-efficacy for online teaching and in turn their well-being. Based on the data collected from 2763 university teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic in China, this study explored how TPACK and work engagement contribute to teachers’ self-efficacy for online teaching, if there is any interaction between TPACK and work engagement, and how self-efficacy mediates the relationships between TPACK and teachers’ online-teaching-related emotional exhaustion, teaching satisfaction, and their intention to use online teaching in the future. The implications for theory and practice are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

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17 pages, 625 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Relationships among Transformational Leadership, Professional Learning Communities and Teachers’ Job Satisfaction in China: What Do the Principals Think?

by Jia Zhang, Qinan Huang and Jianmei Xu

Sustainability 2022, 14(4), 2362; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14042362 - 18 Feb 2022

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 6404

Abstract

This study explores the relationships among transformational leadership, professional learning community (PLC) components, and teachers’ job satisfaction from Chinese principals’ perspective. A survey was conducted among 572 principals from different provinces in China. Structural equation modelling results revealed that transformational leadership had a [...] Read more.

This study explores the relationships among transformational leadership, professional learning community (PLC) components, and teachers’ job satisfaction from Chinese principals’ perspective. A survey was conducted among 572 principals from different provinces in China. Structural equation modelling results revealed that transformational leadership had a significant effect on all five components of PLCs (i.e., shared purpose, collaborative activity, collective focus on student learning, deprivatized practice, and reflective dialogue), and these five PLC components all significantly predicted teachers’ job satisfaction. Meanwhile, the effect of transformational leadership on teachers’ job satisfaction was also significant. Mediation analysis showed that all five components of PLCs were significant mediators between transformational leadership and teachers’ job satisfaction. The practical implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

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12 pages, 409 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Emotional Labor Mediates the Relationship between Clan Culture and Teacher Burnout: An Examination on Gender Difference

by Ying Zhang, Kwok Kuen Tsang, Li Wang and Dian Liu

Sustainability 2022, 14(4), 2260; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14042260 - 16 Feb 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3795

Abstract

Teacher burnout is a psychological syndrome affecting many teachers across the globe. Therefore, numerous studies have investigated antecedents of teacher burnout in order to provide recommendations to alleviate it. Although the studies pay attention to either the role of environmental factors, such as [...] Read more.

Teacher burnout is a psychological syndrome affecting many teachers across the globe. Therefore, numerous studies have investigated antecedents of teacher burnout in order to provide recommendations to alleviate it. Although the studies pay attention to either the role of environmental factors, such as school culture, or individual factors, such as gender, in contributing to teacher burnout, they less frequently examine how teacher burnout is concurrently influenced by both factors. Thus, this study aims to understand the relationship between clan culture and burnout by examining the mediation effect of emotional labor and the moderating effect of gender. A sample of 467 primary and secondary schoolteachers from China participated in this study. The result demonstrated the following: (1) clan culture was negatively related to teacher burnout; (2) deep acting mediated the relationship between clan culture and teacher burnout, while surface acting did not; (3) the mediating effect of deep acting was only significant in the female group of teachers, not the male group. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

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15 pages, 716 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Relationship between Chinese Teachers’ Emotional Labor, Teaching Efficacy, and Young Children’s Social-Emotional Development and Learning

by Sha Xie, Dandan Wu and Hui Li

Sustainability 2022, 14(4), 2205; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14042205 - 15 Feb 2022

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4270

Abstract

The existing literature has established the effects of emotional labor on teachers’ wellbeing indicators and teaching efficacy, leaving its impact on students’ outcomes unexplored. Following Grandey’s integrative model of emotional labor and social-emotional learning (SEL) framework, this study explored the relationship between teachers’ [...] Read more.

The existing literature has established the effects of emotional labor on teachers’ wellbeing indicators and teaching efficacy, leaving its impact on students’ outcomes unexplored. Following Grandey’s integrative model of emotional labor and social-emotional learning (SEL) framework, this study explored the relationship between teachers’ emotional labor, teaching efficacy, and young children’s social-emotional development and learning in early childhood settings. Thirteen preschools were recruited through stratified random sampling in Shenzhen, China. Altogether, 49 classrooms were involved, and three teachers and six children were sampled from each classroom, resulting in a sample of 124 teachers and 241 children. Teachers’ emotional labor strategy, sense of efficacy, and children’s social-emotional development and learning were surveyed. Structural equation modeling has confirmed that teachers’ natural and surface acting predicted their teaching efficacy. Bootstrapped mediation analysis revealed that the mediation paths from teachers’ emotional labor to children’s learning approaches and social-emotional development varied significantly for teachers in different positions. The study implies that different guidelines and training are needed for teachers in different positions to help them cope with varied emotional labor at work and promote their teaching efficacy for young children’s better development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

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19 pages, 272 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spiral Emotion Labor and Teacher Development Sustainability: A Longitudinal Case Study of Veteran College English Lecturers in China

by Xiaowei Ding, Peter I. De Costa and Guoxiu Tian

Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1455; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031455 - 27 Jan 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2660

Abstract

Because the current literature on teachers’ emotion labor (EL) mainly focuses on strategies and how EL correlates with relevant factors in the educational context, EL is generally treated as static and synchronic. The purpose of this study is to explore two veteran English [...] Read more.

Because the current literature on teachers’ emotion labor (EL) mainly focuses on strategies and how EL correlates with relevant factors in the educational context, EL is generally treated as static and synchronic. The purpose of this study is to explore two veteran English lecturers’ dynamic and diachronic EL development over the span of nearly two decades of their professional careers in China. Based on qualitative data that included multiple interviews, class observations, teacher reflective notes, student feedback, and institutional documents, the 18-month longitudinal study found that (1) veteran college English lecturers have mixed emotions and pervasive EL throughout their professional development experience, (2) the teachers’ EL habitus has been shaped and reshaped by their life history in personal, relational, institutional, and sociohistorical contexts, and (3) their previous EL experiences have influenced their present EL practice, which in turn tends to predict their future EL preferences. In addition, our findings revealed that effective EL effort, especially in the form of actions combined with deep acting and genuine expression, is critical to the virtuous circle of EL and sustainable professional development of college English teachers. By contrast, ineffective EL effort, particularly the long-term surface acting of depressing negative emotions without eradicating the root causes or changing the unfavorable conditions, can impede the long-term sustainability of teacher development. Based on these findings, we conceptualize teachers’ EL as a contextual and dynamic process that takes the form of spiral circles that teachers encounter throughout their professional life. These spiral circles, we add, can be virtuous or vicious in nature, and can thus either facilitate or undermine, respectively, the sustainability of their professional development. Research implications, limitations, and future directions are also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

18 pages, 2578 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Perceived Organizational Support and Career Satisfaction among Chinese Teachers: The Mediation Effects of Job Crafting and Work Engagement during COVID-19

by Mohamed Oubibi, Antony Fute, Weilong Xiao, Binghai Sun and Yueliang Zhou

Sustainability 2022, 14(2), 623; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020623 - 6 Jan 2022

Cited by 59 | Viewed by 10074

Abstract

Recently, scientific theories on career satisfaction (CS) have been promoted worldwide. Research on the subject has become more and more popular, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study adds to the existing literature by investigating the impact of organizational support on career satisfaction [...] Read more.

Recently, scientific theories on career satisfaction (CS) have been promoted worldwide. Research on the subject has become more and more popular, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study adds to the existing literature by investigating the impact of organizational support on career satisfaction through the mediation role of job crafting and work engagement among Chinese teachers. A diverse sample of teachers (n = 3147) was drawn from various schools in Zhejiang province (P.R. China), from June to September 2021. SPSS 26 software with PROCESS macro and JASP was used to analyze the data. The findings demonstrate that perceived organizational support (POS), job crafting (JC), and work engagement (WE) have a significant and positive relation with teachers’ career satisfaction. POS was serially associated with JC (b = 0.34, p = 0.001), CS (b = 0.40, p = 0.001), and WE (b = 0.49, p0.001). The residual direct pathways for JC → CS (b = 0.55, p = 0.001, 95% CI = [0.51, 0.60]) and for WE → CS (b = 0.47, p = 0.001, 95% CI = [0.44, 0.50]) were significant. Sequentially, JC and WE mediated the relation between POS and CS. The multiple mediation model supported our general hypothesis that JC and WE mediate the relationship between POS and CS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

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17 pages, 9674 KiB

Open AccessArticle

School Management Culture, Emotional Labor, and Teacher Burnout in Mainland China

by Kwok Kuen Tsang, Yuan Teng, Yi Lian and Li Wang

Sustainability 2021, 13(16), 9141; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13169141 - 16 Aug 2021

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4650

Abstract

The literature suggests that teacher burnout is influenced by the market and hierarchy cultures of school management and teachers’ emotional labor strategies of surface and deep acting. However, studies have suggested that school management cultures and emotional labor strategies may not function independently [...] Read more.

The literature suggests that teacher burnout is influenced by the market and hierarchy cultures of school management and teachers’ emotional labor strategies of surface and deep acting. However, studies have suggested that school management cultures and emotional labor strategies may not function independently based on the emotional labor theory. Nevertheless, the literature has paid less attention to the relationship between the school management cultures, emotional labor, and teacher burnout. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the relationship between the three variables in China via an online questionnaire survey. After surveying 425 kindergarten, primary and secondary teachers who participated in a professional development program organized by a public university in Beijing, the study found that teacher burnout was positively related to market culture but negatively related to hierarchy culture. Moreover, the impact of the market culture was fully mediated by surface acting while the impact of hierarchy culture was partially mediated by surface acting and deep acting. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

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Review

Jump to: Research

19 pages, 723 KiB

Open AccessReview

Teachers’ Satisfaction, Role, and Digital Literacy during the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Ming Li and Zhonggen Yu

Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1121; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031121 - 19 Jan 2022

Cited by 107 | Viewed by 19152

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has unexpectedly affected the educational process worldwide, forcing teachers and students to transfer to an online teaching and learning format. Compared with the traditional face-to-face teaching methods, teachers’ professional role, career satisfaction level, and digital literacy have been challenged in [...] Read more.

The COVID-19 pandemic has unexpectedly affected the educational process worldwide, forcing teachers and students to transfer to an online teaching and learning format. Compared with the traditional face-to-face teaching methods, teachers’ professional role, career satisfaction level, and digital literacy have been challenged in the COVID-19 health crisis. To conduct a systematic review, we use critical appraisal tools from the University of the West of England Framework We removed the irrelevant and lower-quality results to refine the results and scored each selected paper to get high-quality studies with STARLITE. The number of finally included studies is 21. We used the PICO mnemonic to structure the four components of a clinical question, i.e., the relevant patients or population groups, the intervention (exposure or diagnostic procedure) of interest, as well as against whom the intervention is being compared and considered appropriate (outcomes). We formulated five research questions regarding teachers’ professional role, satisfaction, digital literacy, higher educational practice, and sustainable education. The study found that teachers’ professional roles changed complicatedly. Moreover, they were assigned more tasks during the online teaching process, which also implicated a decline in teachers’ satisfaction. After the COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary to conduct a blended teaching model in educational institutes. Teachers should have adequate digital literacy to meet the new needs of the currently innovative educational model in the future. In addition, the study reveals that teachers’ digital literacy level, career satisfaction, and professional role are significantly correlated. We measured to what degree the three factors affected the online teaching and learning process. Ultimately, the study may provide some suggestions for methodological and educational strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Teachers’ Emotions and Well-being for Sustainable School Development)

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