Teachers’ engagement within state secondary schools in Malta : implications for practice

Abstract

Notwithstanding the positive outcomes associated with teacher engagement, the engagement construct in the education sector has not received the same attention as it did in other occupational areas. In Malta, research about this construct is very limited altogether. The aim of this study is to gauge the engagement levels of teachers working within State Secondary Schools in Malta. The study also tries to unravel individual and organizational characteristics that affect teacher engagement levels, as well as to identify strategies employed by Heads of School to increase teachers’ engagement. A mixed method approach was employed to collect the necessary data. Quantitative data were collected through online survey questionnaires distributed to State Secondary School Teachers, whilst qualitative data were gathered through one-to-one semi-structured interviews with Heads of Secondary Schools. The results obtained were evaluated against other findings elicited through the literature. The study confirms the role of the Head of School in nurturing positive relationships within a warm and welcoming environment that offers the necessary psychological safety to teachers, as well as the adoption of strategies to re-establish teachers’ meaningfulness at work. These factors, together with teachers’ dispositions and outlooks towards work, affect the quality of transactions that occur in school, which in return affect teacher engagement. Findings suggest that despite teacher engagement not being affected by gender and age, teaching experience may influence the nature of engagement. It is recommended that the measurement of teacher engagement is undertaken on a regular basis within schools, to better inform both school managers and education authorities on policy and program design that encourage teacher well-being. Furthermore, it is suggested that future studies related to teacher engagement adopt both a qualitative approach as well as a broader and diversified population to better understand the construct in the Maltese context.