Investigation of Professional Commitment Among Practicing Teachers in Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

The present study aims to explore the phenomenon of professional commitment in the institutions of the Higher Education Department in the province of Punjab. The phenomenon is related to the teachers’ commitment to teaching, teamwork, and students’ welfare. The study framework follows the positivistic paradigm and quantitative approach through the survey method for hypothesizing phenomena and gathering and analyzing data. The study population consists of public-sector college teachers from Punjab, Pakistan. Through the multistage sampling technique, 803 public college teachers were selected as a sample of the study. The data was collected through a self-developed questionnaire, i.e., ‘measure for teachers’ professional commitment.’ For the validation purposes of the data tool, qualitative and quantitative analysis was carried out by seeking expert opinion and pilot testing for factor analysis to ensure the reliability and validity of the study instrument. Descriptive statistical analysis was applied to answer the study's research questions. The results reflect that professional commitment among teachers is at a low level, and commitment to teaching and teamwork is at a low level. Based on these conclusions, it is recommended that a low level of teachers’ professional commitment is critically important to be addressed through a selection of teachers who have taught as their first choice for the job to ensure intrinsic motivation. Furthermore, incentives, appreciation, and social recognition might be supportive for enhancing their commitment to teaching.