The professionalization process of pre-service technical teacher education in Thailand: The problem of recruitment to the career retention

Abstract

© 2017 American Scientific Publishers All rights reserved. This was a mixed methods research that aimed to study the socialization outcome and process in pre-service technical teacher education. The research designed in two phases: Phase 1; the quantitative research was done by selecting 111 participants to establish the variable levels in teacher concerns, efficacy and basic knowledge. The data were analyzed by a cluster analysis technique which participants had different outcomes. They were divided into three groups including (1) High Teacher Professionalism: HTP = 39 (35%), (2) Low Teacher Professionalism: LTP=20 (18%), and (3) Medium Teacher Professionalism: MTP= 52 (47%). Phase 2; the qualitative research was collected from 21 interviewees who passed the classification in phase 1, the data were analyzed by using content analysis. The result found that the socialization process had the problem from the recruitment that the majority did not completely understand and did not have a special interest in the technical teacher profession, but they chose this field because it related to the technical knowledge. In the study period, they were cultivated through the experiences from the technical lifestyle rather than from the teacher. They absorbed the essence of technology more than pedagogy. These affect to the career retention. However the majority of participants could be either teachers or technicians. They make a career choice according to the opportunities and tend to change their career.