PREDICTION OF SATISFACTION IN TEACHING HOME ECONOMICS BASED UPON SATISFACTION WITH STUDENT TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Scope and Method of Study. The purpose of this descriptive research was to discover significant predictors of satisfaction in teaching. The sample consisted of all home economics student teachers who graduated from Oklahoma State University in May, 1978; December, 1978; May, 1979; December, 1979; and May 1980. The Purdue Student-Teacher Opinionaire was administered to all 103 (100 percent) students upon completion of the student teaching experience. The Purdue Teacher Opinionaire was to be completed by all of those graduates who were in the teaching profession and those graduates who had left the profession. The number of respondents who had taught was 53 (51.46 percent). The number of graduates who had not taught was 43 (41.75 percent). Seven (6.8 percent) could not be reached for lack of available addresses. Statistical analyses of the data were reported in the form of simple linear regression, t tests, and analysis of variance.;Findings and Conclusions. Of the 7 hypotheses tested, 4 were not completely accepted. The researcher concluded that satisfaction in student teaching was associated with significant relationships with three groups: principals, supervising teachers, and other teachers. There were no significant relationships between the student-teaching variables and grade-point averages. Highly significant satisfaction indicators in teaching came from relationships with the principal and other teachers. Community support of education was a significant factor in teacher satisfaction, but satisfaction with community pressures tended to have the opposite effect on teacher total satisfaction. Student-teaching grades were significant indicators of satisfaction in student teaching. Grade-point averages and student-teaching grade were not significant indicators of teaching satisfaction. Student teachers in Fall semester 1979, were less adept at establishing rapport, had lower GPA's, were less satisfied with student-teaching factors than other groups. The researcher concluded that the Purdue Student-Teacher Opinionaire does not predict satisfaction in teaching as measured by the Purdue Teacher Opinionaire.