Key factors in work engagement and job motivation of teaching faculty at a university medical centre

B. A. M. van den Berg; Arnold B. Bakker; Th. J. ten Cate

doi:10.1007/S40037-013-0080-1

Key factors in work engagement and job motivation of teaching faculty at a university medical centre

Perspectives on Medical Education

Volume 2 (2013): Issue 5-6

By: B. A. M. van den Berg, Arnold B. Bakker and Th. J. ten Cate

Open Access

|Sep 2013

Abstract

This study reports about teacher motivation and work engagement in a Dutch University Medical Centre (UMC). We examined factors affecting the motivation for teaching in a UMC, the engagement of UMC Utrecht teaching faculty in their work, and their engagement in teaching compared with engagement in patient care and research. Based on a pilot study within various departments at the UMCU, a survey on teaching motivation and work engagement was developed and sent to over 600 UMCU teachers. About 50 % responded. Work engagement was measured by the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, included in this survey. From a list of 22 pre-defined items, 5 were marked as most motivating: teaching about my own speciality, noticeable appreciation for teaching by my direct superior, teaching small groups, feedback on my teaching performance, and freedom to determine what I teach. Feedback on my teaching performance showed the strongest predictive value for teaching engagement. Engagement scores were relatively favourable, but engagement with patient care was higher than with research and teaching. Task combinations appear to decrease teaching engagement. Our results match with self-determination theory and the job demands–resources model, and challenge the policy to combine teaching with research and patient care.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/S40037-013-0080-1 | Journal eISSN: 2212-277X

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Language: English

Page range: 264 - 275

Published on: Sep 14, 2013

Published by: Bohn Stafleu van Loghum

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: 1 issue per year

Keywords:

Teaching motivation,

Teaching workload,

Roles of teacher,

Management and/or staff development,

Staff workload

© 2013 B. A. M. van den Berg, Arnold B. Bakker, Th. J. ten Cate, published by Bohn Stafleu van Loghum
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 2 (2013): Issue 5-6