The role of principals’ transformational leadership style and teachers’ motivation in professional development readiness / Uloga transformacijskoga stila vodstva ravnatelja i motivacije odgoj

Petra Gotal, Daria Tot

University of Zagreb, Faculty of Teacher Education, 

petragotal@gmail.com, daria.tot@ufzg.hr

Education for personal and professional development

Abstract

The transformational leadership style is considered very effective in preschool institutions because it contributes to creating a stimulating environment for teachers. Principals who adopt this leadership style prioritize teacher motivation, engagement, and professional development, understanding the significant impact of their competences on work quality. Therefore, this research examines the relationship between transformational leadership style, teacher motivation, and professional development readiness. 

The study involved 260 teachers whose attitudes were examined with the Transformational Leadership Style Questionnaire (Podsakoff et al., 1990), the Multidimensional Work Motivation Scale (Gagné et al., 2015) and the Professional Development Readiness Scale (Beara & Okanović, 2009).

The results show a statistically significant positive correlation between the transformational leadership style and teachers’ autonomous motivation (r = 0.216, p < 0.001), and autonomous motivation of teachers and their professional development readiness (r = 0.465, p < 0.001). Teachers’ autonomous motivation (F = 37.081, df = 2;245, p<0.01) is a significant predictor, while transformational style does not contribute to professional development readiness (F = 1.838, df = 1;247, p = 0.176). The analysis of variance analysis revealed that teachers' self-initiative for professional development increases with age (F = 6.619, df = 3/250, p < 0.001).

The findings can guide principals in enhancing the management process in early and preschool education institutions, boosting overall efficiency and work quality.

Key words

efficiency; leadership; motivation; work quality

Petra Gotal, Daria Tot

University of Zagreb, Faculty of Teacher Education, 

petragotal@gmail.com, daria.tot@ufzg.hr

Odgoj i obrazovanje za osobni i profesionalni razvoj

Sažetak 

Transformacijski stil vodstva u predškolskim ustanovama smatra se vrlo učinkovitim jer doprinosi stvaranju poticajnoga okružja za odgojitelje. Ravnatelji koji prakticiraju ovaj stil fokusirani su na poticanje motivacije, angažmana i profesionalnoga razvoja odgojitelja, svjesni da njihove kompetencije ključno utječu na kvalitetu rada. Stoga je cilj ovoga istraživanja ispitati povezanost između transformacijskoga stila vodstva, radne motivacije odgojitelja i njihove spremnosti za profesionalni razvoj.

U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 260 odgojitelja čiji su stavovi ispitani Upitnikom transformacijskoga stila vodstva (Podsakoff i sur., 1990), Multidimenzionalnom skalom radne motivacije (Gagné i sur., 2015) i Skalom spremnosti na profesionalni razvoj (Beara i Okanović, 2009).

Rezultati pokazuju statistički značajnu pozitivnu povezanost transformacijskoga stila vodstva i autonomne motivacije odgojitelja (r = 0,216, p < 0,001) te autonomne motivacije odgojitelja i njihove spremnosti na profesionalni razvoj (r = 0,465, p < 0,001). Autonomna motivacija odgojitelja (F = 37,081, df = 2;245, p < 0,01) značajan je prediktor, dok transformacijski stil ne doprinosi spremnosti na profesionalni razvoj (F = 1,838, df = 1,247, p = 0,176). Analizom varijance utvrđeno je da samoinicijativa odgojitelja za profesionalnim usavršavanjem raste s porastom dobi (F = 6,619, df = 3/250, p < 0,001).

Nalazi istraživanja mogu poslužiti kao smjernice ravnateljima za unaprjeđenje procesa upravljanja u ustanovama ranoga i predškolskoga odgoja s ciljem podizanja cjelokupne učinkovitosti i kvalitete rada.

Ključne riječi

kvaliteta rada; motivacija; učinkovitost; vođenje