Motivations for teaching and relationship to general pedagogical
knowledge
Johannes König (University of Cologne, Germany)
Models of professional competences of teachers postulate both cognitive and non-cognitive
elements as relevant for successful mastery of professional tasks (Baumert & Kunter, 2006). Teacher
knowledge is regarded as a multidimensional construct, at least consisting of content knowledge (CK),
pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and general pedagogical knowledge (GPK). Non-cognitive
elements are considered to contain various constructs such as teaching motivation, beliefs, selfefficacy.
Although on a general level, hypotheses about interrelationships exist, such as known from
motivational psychology that, for example, highly intrinsically motivated persons generally
outperform less intrinsically motivated persons, whereas extrinsic motivation is usually associated
with poorer performance and educational outcomes (Baker, 2004), very few studies have specifically
investigated the interrelationships between relevant cognitive and motivational elements of
professional teacher competences.
The aim of the presentation is to report about research on the relationship between
motivations for teaching and the general pedagogical knowledge (GPK) of teachers. It focuses on two
studies that have been carried out to specifically investigate future teachers’ GPK as an outcome of
teaching motivations (König & Rothland, 2012; König et al., 2013). Besides, adjacent studies that also
investigate the relationship between non-cognitive elements of teacher competence (e.g., selfefficacy) and pre-service or in-service teachers’ GPK are mentioned. The presentation will give input
to discuss the following questions:
• What conceptual frameworks have been used to consider the relationship between
motivations for teaching and GPK (e.g., what hypotheses are used)?
• What do the empirical findings show to explicate the relationship (e.g., to what extent
and how are motivation and knowledge connected)?
• What could be recommended for future research?
The two studies focused on in this presentation are longitudinal studies investigating teaching
motivations using the well-known framework developed by Watt and Richardson (2007).
Founded on expectancy-value theory and the international state of research on future
teachers’ motivations for choosing teaching as a career, Watt and Richardson (2007) developed and
empirically examined a model with several factors that specifically influence future teachers’
decisions to become a teacher. The main components of the model are self-reports on individual
ability related to teaching, individual values, professional beliefs, anticipated advantages, salary,
external influences and prior experiences. This model of empirically tested factors provides the basis
for the operationalisation into the FIT-Choice scale.
The first study (König & Rothland, 2012) examines possible effects the FIT-Choice
motivational factors have on the acquisition of general pedagogical knowledge of pre-service teachers
during initial teacher education. In the second study (König et al., 2013), those effects of the FITChoice motivational factors on GPK are investigated using a mediation model in which achievement
motivation and goal orientations will mediate between motivations for choosing teaching as a career
and GPK.
Teachers’ general pedagogical knowledge is measured by a paper-and-pencil test instrument
(König et al., 2011) that was developed in the ‘Teacher Education and Development Study – Learning
to Teach Mathematics’ (TEDS-M; Tatto et al., 2008). GPK is related to task-based dimensions, namely
GPK needed to prepare, structure and evaluate lessons (‘structure’), to motivate and support
students as well as manage the classroom (‘motivation/classroom management’), to deal with
heterogeneous learning groups in the classroom (‘adaptivity’) and to assess students (‘assessment’).
Teachers’ declarative and procedural GPK is tested by the instrument thus covering various qualities
of teacher knowledge (König et al., 2011).
Baker, S.R. (2004). Intrinsic, extrinsic, and amotivational orientations: Their role in university
adjustment, stress, well-being, and subsequent academic performance. Current Psychology,
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Baumert, J., & Kunter, M. (2006). Stichwort: Professionelle Kompetenz von Lehrkräften [Keyword:
professional competencies of teachers]. Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft, 9, 469–520.
König, J., Blömeke, S., Paine, L., Schmidt, B., & Hsieh, F.-J. (2011). General pedagogical knowledge of
future middle school teachers. On the complex ecology of teacher education in the United
States, Germany, and Taiwan. Journal of Teacher Education, 62, 188–201.
König, J. & Rothland, M. (2012). Motivations for Choosing Teaching as a Career: Effects on General
Pedagogical Knowledge during Initial Teacher Education. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher
Education, 40(3), 291-317.
König, J., Rothland, M., Darge, K., Schreiber, M. & Tachtsoglou, S. (2013). On the Relation of
Motivations for Choosing Teaching as a Career and Pedagogical Knowledge: Results from
First-Year Preservice Teacher Cohorts in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. American
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development study in mathematics (TEDS-M): Conceptual framework. East Lansing, MI:
Michigan State University.
Watt, H.M.G., & Richardson, P.W. (2007). Motivational factors influencing teaching as a career choice:
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167–202.