The Role of Academic Motivation, Life Aspirations and Self-congruence in the Professional Intentions of Teacher Education Students

<p>The article presents the results of the study of the influence of psychological factors on the professional intentions of teacher education students. The training of students for their future work at schools is very important. Considering intentions as a motivational phenomenon, the authors apply self-determination theory. A research hypothesis explains that the intention of students to work at schools is indirectly related to self-congruence. The mediators of this relationship may include satisfaction with the profession, intrinsic academic motivation, and the aspiration to contribute to the community. 240 students (aged 17 to 25 years, 67% girls) were recruited for the study. The results of the structural equation modeling confirmed the hypothesis of a mediated relationship between the intention to work at schools and self-congruence. Satisfaction with the profession and intrinsic academic motivation function as mediators of this relationship. The aspiration to contribute to the community is related to the intention to work at schools, but it does not mediate the relationship with self-congruence. From a practical perspective, it is important to support students’ satisfaction with the profession and their intrinsic academic motivation during their study in order to strengthen their aspiration to work at schools.</p>