Impact Of Psychological Contract On Teachers’ In-role Performance Behavior In University-school Partnerships

The study was conducted to explore the impact of psychological contracts on in-roleperformance among university-based teachers participating in university-school partnershipsin China. Firstly, this study purported to examine extent of motives influencing engagementof university based teachers in university-school partnership and motives’ relation to theirpost developed psychological contract; secondly, the study intended to examine theperceptions of university based teachers on economical and relational contexts as componentof their psychological contract in the partnership; thirdly, to examine the effect ofpsychological contract on university based teachers’ in-role performances.The study employed case study design, and involved a total of61respondents,comprised of seventeen (17) teacher educators and forty four (44) student teachers whoresponded to the5-point scale questionnaire. Also, twelve (12) university based teacherswere interviewed involving seven (7) student teachers, five (5) teacher educators and two (2)leaders. The quantitative data were analysed by statistical package for social sciences (SPSS)to determine frequencies and percentages, mean scores (M) and standard deviations (SD);and correlations.The findings revealed that the need to improve theory and practice about teachingprocess is the most influential motive by95.8%(M=1.54); however teachers were al sostrongly influenced by the need to accomplish their academic requirements (credit for theircourses) which had strongly moderated psychological contract among university-basedteachers in partnership projects. Also, the findings showed higher relational contractfulfilment (M=2.10) compared transactional contract fulfilment agreed by (M=2.25)indicating far more conducive social than economic settings perceived by for university-based teachers in the partnership project. Moreover, findings revealed relational contract hadmore effect than transactional contract on university-based teachers’ in-role performances.The study recommends that university to (i) improvement of communicationstrategies with middle schools’ principals and teachers,(ii) improve financial incentives,(iii)develop clear policy on university-school partnership at university level, and (iv) to providemore training to academic staffs. Moreover, further studies on psychological contract arerecommended.