WORKPLACE FACTORS AND TEACHERS MASTERY OF THE SUBJECT MATTER IN RELATION TO SUPPORTING STUDENT AUTONOMY

Osnovni namen raziskave magistrskega dela je bil ugotoviti, v kakšnem odnosu so značilnosti delovnega mesta učiteljev ter spodbujanje avtonomije pri učencih in ali obstaja povezanost med učiteljevim obvladovanjem poučevane snovi in spodbujanjem avtonomije pri učencih. Naloga je sestavljena iz teoretičnega in empiričnega dela. V teoretičnem delu smo predstavili teorijo samodoločanja, pri čemer smo se osredotočili na literaturo, ki raziskuje poklic učitelja. V nadaljevanju smo predstavili še dejavnike dela in posameznika, ki lahko vplivajo na učiteljevo spodbujanje avtonomije pri učencih. V empiričnem delu magistrske naloge smo analizirali rezultate anketnega vprašalnika, s katerim smo na vzorcu 260 učiteljev slovenskih srednjih in osnovnih šol preverjali 11 hipotez. Rezultati raziskave so pokazali, da učiteljice bolj spodbujajo avtonomijo učencev kot učitelji, da dlje, kot so učitelji zaposleni na delovnem mestu, bolj spodbujajo avtonomijo, prav tako so višjo stopnjo podpiranja avtonomije izrazili osnovnošolski učitelji. Ugotovili smo, da so učitelji, ki pripravljajo učence na nacionalno preverjanje znanja, bolj usmerjeni k metodam nadzora kot drugi in da bolj kot učitelj obvlada obravnavano poučevano snov, bolj spodbuja avtonomijo učencev.The basic objective of the dissertation was to determine the relation of teachers’ workplace characteristics to their support of student autonomy, and whether a connection exists between teachers’ mastery of the subject and the extent to which they support student autonomy. The dissertation consists of a theoretical and an empirical part. In the theoretical part, Self-Determination Theory is introduced where the main focus is on literature dealing with the teaching profession. Later, individual and work factors which might influence a teacher\u27s support of student autonomy are introduced. The empirical part of the dissertation includes an analysis of results obtained from a survey based on a sample of 260 teachers, working in Slovenia’s secondary and primary schools, in which 11 hypotheses were tested. The research results have shown that female teachers support student autonomy more than male teachers. It has also been proven that teachers who have been employed longer, support student autonomy to a greater degree, and that primary school teachers support student autonomy more strongly. The results have also revealed that teachers who prepare students for high-stakes testing are more orientated towards controlling methods than others. Discoveries also prove that support of student autonomy increases with the teacher’s knowledge and expertise in the subject matter