| Volitional strategy use plays an important role in helping an individual move from an intention to the execution of a goal. This study explored how volitional strategy use is described within a middle-school teacher population. The ever-changing focus on teachers' abilities to produce students who can pass test and meet minimum standards causes teachers to encounter many obstacles along the way. The purpose of this study was to provide preliminary data that describe the perceived use of volitional strategies in teachers. In addition, a comparison was made between teachers' use of volitional strategies for themselves personally and their use of these strategies in the classroom. To better describe volitional strategy use, differences were noted by comparing teachers with varying years of experience, different types of pre-service training, and different areas of certification. Finally, a model for predicting volition was introduced using variables that assess teacher characteristics, both personal and demographic.;Subjects for the study were 53 teachers from three middle schools in Alabama. Participants were asked to complete five questionnaires, the Teacher Volitional Strategies Inventory, the Sources of Volitional Strategies in the Classroom Inventory, the Locus of Control Scale, the Action Control Scale, and a demographic scale.;The results indicated that teachers differed in their use of volitional strategies for themselves and their use of these strategies in the classroom. An analysis of the specific volitional strategies used by teachers indicated that teachers emphasized seeking help, future orientation, and failure avoidance. In addition, a statistically significant difference was found between teachers with different years of experience. Further, results from the study indicated that locus of control, years of experience, and volitional strategy use in the classroom were the most relevant predictors of volition. Action-state orientation and type of pre-service training were not found to be statistically significant predictors.;This study suggests that pre-service programs and administrators should place a focus on instructing and encouraging volitional strategy use in teachers. Further, based on the results of this study, teacher educators and school administrators should further explore how they can help teachers overcome obstacles by using volitional strategies. |
