The attractiveness of the teaching profession: a integrative literature review
The widespread shortage of teachers highlights the urgent need to examine the factors influencing the attractiveness of the teaching profession. This issue is driven by high rates of early-career attrition, an ageing workforce, and a decline in candidates entering teacher education programs. Underst...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Education |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2024.1380942/full |
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| author | Leanete Thomas Dotta Sónia Rodrigues Luciana Joana Maria João Carvalho Maria João Carvalho |
| author_facet | Leanete Thomas Dotta Sónia Rodrigues Luciana Joana Maria João Carvalho Maria João Carvalho |
| author_sort | Leanete Thomas Dotta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The widespread shortage of teachers highlights the urgent need to examine the factors influencing the attractiveness of the teaching profession. This issue is driven by high rates of early-career attrition, an ageing workforce, and a decline in candidates entering teacher education programs. Understanding the factors that make the profession appealing—or unappealing—has become essential for ensuring educational quality and equity. An integrative literature review was conducted to identify the key themes related to the attractiveness of the teaching profession, synthesizing evidence from multiple studies and highlighting research gaps. Findings reveal that teaching still attracts candidates driven by intrinsic motivations and social utility. However, external factors such as low salaries, challenging working conditions, and limited career progression remain significant deterrents. The social image of teaching, shaped by media and community perceptions, also influences career choices. The intersection of demographic shifts and educational policy changes highlights the complexity of addressing teacher shortages. Despite increased attention from policymakers, significant gaps remain, particularly in relation to interventions that reduce early-career attrition and support teacher retention. Future research should explore targeted strategies to support early-career teachers and examine the socio-economic factors that influence career decisions. Addressing these issues is critical to developing sustainable policies that enhance the attractiveness of the teaching profession and promote educational equity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a908fdbd463f444db0bb04edf88e303f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2504-284X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Education |
| spelling | doaj-art-a908fdbd463f444db0bb04edf88e303f2025-01-10T12:40:35ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2025-01-01910.3389/feduc.2024.13809421380942The attractiveness of the teaching profession: a integrative literature reviewLeanete Thomas Dotta0Sónia Rodrigues1Luciana Joana2Maria João Carvalho3Maria João Carvalho4CeiED - Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Education and Development, Lusofona University, Lisbon, PortugalCLUP - Centre of Linguistics of the University of Porto, Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Porto, Porto, PortugalCIIE – Centre for Research and Intervention in Education, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Porto (FPCEUP), Porto, PortugalCIIE – Centre for Research and Intervention in Education, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Porto (FPCEUP), Porto, PortugalDepartment of Education and Psychology of University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, PortugalThe widespread shortage of teachers highlights the urgent need to examine the factors influencing the attractiveness of the teaching profession. This issue is driven by high rates of early-career attrition, an ageing workforce, and a decline in candidates entering teacher education programs. Understanding the factors that make the profession appealing—or unappealing—has become essential for ensuring educational quality and equity. An integrative literature review was conducted to identify the key themes related to the attractiveness of the teaching profession, synthesizing evidence from multiple studies and highlighting research gaps. Findings reveal that teaching still attracts candidates driven by intrinsic motivations and social utility. However, external factors such as low salaries, challenging working conditions, and limited career progression remain significant deterrents. The social image of teaching, shaped by media and community perceptions, also influences career choices. The intersection of demographic shifts and educational policy changes highlights the complexity of addressing teacher shortages. Despite increased attention from policymakers, significant gaps remain, particularly in relation to interventions that reduce early-career attrition and support teacher retention. Future research should explore targeted strategies to support early-career teachers and examine the socio-economic factors that influence career decisions. Addressing these issues is critical to developing sustainable policies that enhance the attractiveness of the teaching profession and promote educational equity.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2024.1380942/fullteaching attractivenessintegrative literature reviewteaching professionrecruitmentteacher shortage |
| spellingShingle | Leanete Thomas Dotta Sónia Rodrigues Luciana Joana Maria João Carvalho Maria João Carvalho The attractiveness of the teaching profession: a integrative literature review Frontiers in Education teaching attractiveness integrative literature review teaching profession recruitment teacher shortage |
| title | The attractiveness of the teaching profession: a integrative literature review |
| title_full | The attractiveness of the teaching profession: a integrative literature review |
| title_fullStr | The attractiveness of the teaching profession: a integrative literature review |
| title_full_unstemmed | The attractiveness of the teaching profession: a integrative literature review |
| title_short | The attractiveness of the teaching profession: a integrative literature review |
| title_sort | attractiveness of the teaching profession a integrative literature review |
| topic | teaching attractiveness integrative literature review teaching profession recruitment teacher shortage |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2024.1380942/full |
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