Relationship between principals' transformational leadership and teacher motivation in central schools of Zhemang district, Bhutan

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to determine the level of transformational leadership behaviors and the motivation levels of teachers based on the perceptions of the teachers and to investigate the relationship between transformational leadership behavior and teacher motivation in central schools of Zhemgang district, Bhutan. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods. The sample consisted of entire 178 teachers in the four central schools. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) was adapted and used to measure the transformational leadership behaviors of principals and the researcher developed a questionnaire to measure the teacher motivation based on Nelson (2003) seven levels of motivation. Both the survey questionnaires were administered to the entire population of 178 teachers in the central schools. Descriptive statistical analysis and Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient were employed in analyzing the data. Content analysis was applied to analyze the interviewed data. The validity test confirmed that all the items under the variables had an IOC of 1.00 and was validated by three experts. The reliability test confirmed that the variables were reliable with Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient value of 0.91 for transformational leadership behaviors and 0.86 for teacher motivation, which was greater than 0.65. The findings revealed that the teachers perceived the principals' transformational leadership behaviors at a high level, however, the motivational level of the teachers were perceived at low level. Further the study indicated, no significant relation between principals' transformational leadership behaviors and teacher motivation in the central schools. The negative relationship can be attributed to potential factors which the survey questionnaire of this study could not have encompassed.