The effect of instructional supervision on teacher work practice, morale, job satisfaction and fulfilment : a case study at St Aloysius College, Malta

Abstract

Schools do their best to attract quality professionals to give their students the best possible learning experience in order to prepare them holistically for life. Keeping quality professionals in the field is challenging. Professionals will need to keep their motivation high, they will need to keep satisfied in their role and they will need their morale to remain high. There are many factors, within the profession, the school environment and the professional’s private life, that may affect the professional positively or indeed negatively. Besides this, broad reflection and research on education keeps proposing changes and improvements to pedagogy and to the professional’s work ethic. Literature shows that Instructional Supervision is a tool that can be used as a support and guidance structure by the school management with teachers. Through Instructional Supervision, the school may provide the much needed support for teachers to continue to believe in themselves and in their profession. It may also serve as a means of professional development for teachers to improve their work practice. This study investigates whether Instructional Supervision achieves these aims in the context of St Aloysius College Secondary School, Malta. Using quantitative techniques to take a before and after measure and qualitative techniques to assess the affects of Instructional Supervision, this study finds that teachers who underwent Instructional Supervision for six months during the scholastic year 2020-2021 did perceive to be more supported and guided, thus feeling that they were given an opportunity to acquire professional development that improves their work practice.