Dr. Robert Shockley

Research Agenda

My current and recent research falls into four related areas: teacher retention; costs of teacher attrition; teacher induction; and teacher satisfaction. A summary of each of these areas follows:

Multi-Year Teacher Retention Study

This multi-year study tracks 2,129 new teachers hired in four South Florida school districts (Broward, Palm Beach, St. Lucie and Okeechobee) during the 200-01 academic year. The study profiles teachers that are at risk of attrition through a series of planned contrasts, both qualitative and quantitative.

Findings

This study assesses the degree of relationship between teacher retention and various demographic variables such as age, gender, race, preparation, and assignment with the intention of producing a model for predicting teacher retention based upon these variables.

At the end of year one, only 4% of the 2,129 teachers hired in the four school districts were not retained. Only in the cases of gender ( \(x^2 = 6.14, p < .05\) ) , whether the teachers were assigned infield (\(x^2 = 21.90, p < .01)\) , or came from in- or out-of-state (\(x^2 = 7.91, p < .01)\) were there significant associations with retention. Males were slightly less likely to be retained as were teachers who were assigned out-of-field or came from out-of-state. In the case of age, the retained teachers were significantly younger, t(2110) = 2.959, p < .01.

At the end of year two, the retention rate dropped to 79.8%. Significant associations with retention occurred in the cases of gender (\(x^2 = 12.254, p < .001)\) , preparation (\(x^2 = 23.928, p < .001)\) , and whether teachers were placed in- or out-of-field (\(x^2 = 13.633, p < .01)\) , or came from in- or out-of-state (\(x^2 = 15.573, p < .001)\) . Out-of-state hires and out-of-field hires were less likely to be retained. Males were less likely to be retained than females. Teachers with alternative preparation were more likely to be retained than those with an approved program or no preparation.

Year three results reflected a steady and consistent drop in teacher retention to 72.8%. Significant associations of variables remained the same as Year Two in the areas of gender (\(x^2 (1) = 13.03, p < .001\) , preparation (\(x^2 (2) = 9.93, p < .01)\) , in- or out-of-state (\(x^2 (1) = 15.17, p < .001)\) and in- or out-of-field (\(x^2 (1) = 7.807, p < .01)\).

The fourth year of the study saw the trends from year three become more pronounced. The same variables that were significant during year three maintained their significance during year four. Retention losses appeared to have tapered off for most of the school districts and one district actually experienced a gain in retention. The Okeechobee school district had teachers from the original cohort return and consequently the retention rate for year four inched back up to 62%. Broward continued experiencing the highest retention rate at 74%, Palm Beach retained 61% of its new teachers and St. Lucie’s retention rate dropped to 54%.

Retention losses between year four and five had a couple of surprise findings. Okeechobee School District saw a 20% decline in teacher retention, ending the study with the lowest retention rate of all districts at 43%. St. Lucie County experienced a slight decrease to end the study at 50% retention. Broward had a retention rate of 67% by the end of the study and Palm Beach retained 59% of its original study cohort. Variables identified as significant in years 3 and 4 remained the same during year 5.

For all four school districts, the retention rate decreased significantly from year one to year two and three. Four variables remained significant from year one to year two and three. Preparation emerged as a significant variable in year two and remained in year three. Considerable differences existed in the retention rates among the four districts. Broward’s second and third year retention rates (88% and 81%) were significantly higher than the other three districts combined (66% and 60%).

Sample Publications/Papers

Watlington, E., Shockley, R., Lieberman, M., Morris, J., Huie, K., & Earley, D. (2004). Variables associated with teacher retention: A multi-year study. The Teacher Educator, 40(1), 56-66.

Huie, K, Earley, D., Lieberman, M., Morris, J., Shockley, R., & Watlington, E.(2003). District self-reporting and teacher retention. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 7(1), 179-182.

Shockley, R., Watlington, E., Huie, K., Carlstrom, D., Morris, J., & Lieberman, M. (2007, February). Teacher attrition and retention: A longitudinal study. Paper presented at the American Association for Colleges of Teacher Education, New York, NY.

Shockley, R., Morris, J., Watlington, E., Lieberman, M., Carlstrom, D., & Huie, K.(2006, April). Demographic variables associated with teacher retention: A longitudinal study. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association (AERA). San Francisco, CA.

Costs of Teacher Attrition Study

The cost of teacher turnover on school finance has only just begun to be studied and understood. Quality teacher turnover has been shown to have a deleterious effect on student performance. The implications for further study in this area, therefore, not only includes potential policy reform to increase the efficiency of school district finance and operations, but the planning of teacher induction programs that can improve both teacher retention and student achievement as well. In this study, two fiscal measurement instruments are discussed, the School Turnover Analysis and the Teacher Turnover Cost Calculator, including a summary of the results of pilot studies used to test their validity in measuring the cost of teacher retention to school districts around the nation.

Sample Publications/Papers

Watlington, E., Shockley, R., Guglielmino, P., & Felsher, R. (2010). The high cost of leaving: An analysis of the cost of teacher turnover. Journal of Education Finance, 36(1), 22-37.

Shockley, R., Guglielmino, P., Watlington, E. (2006). A National Crisis in Teacher Retention: What are the Costs? In Teacher recruitment and retention (pp.109-114) Amerst, MA: National Evaluation Systems, Inc.

Shockley, R., Watlington, E., & Felsher, R. (2011, February). The high cost of teacher attrition: Balancing the cost of teacher turnover with the investment in teacher induction. Paper presented at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.

Teacher Induction Study

The authors conducted a qualitative meta-analysis study of the research and literature on the efficacy of teacher induction on the retention of high-quality secondary school teachers and challenges current assumptions about the efficacy of induction despite the proliferation of induction programs nationwide. A theoretical model for the design of future teacher induction programs that emerged from the research is presented. Recommendations for secondary school leadership, policy, and future research are included.

Sample Publications/Papers

Shockley, R., Watlington, E., & Felsher, R. (2011). Lost at sea: Summary results of a meta-analysis of the efficacy of teacher induction with implications for administrative practice. AASA Journal of Scholarship and Practice 8(3), 12-25.

Shockley, R., Watlington, E., & Felsher, R. (2013). Out on a limb: The efficacy of teacher induction in secondary schools. NASSP Bulletin 97(4), 350-377. doi:10.1177/0192636513510595

Predictors of Teacher’s Job Satisfaction

The purpose of the study is to determine if there is a correlation between selected independ variables and overall job satisfaction. The researchers are using the IES Teacher Questionnaire – Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) for 2011-12. The population for the study include 37,497 participants who answered the survey. This study is designed to further clarify teacher satisfiers and dissatisfiers in the workplace. The study will also provide additional clarification on the assumptions embedded in the Weighted Balance Satisfier Model.

In an effort to close the gap between theory and practice with regard to induction, the researchers created a theoretical model, the Weighted Balance Satisfier Model. This model is adapted from Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation; a needs-based behavioral theory for understanding job satisfaction, to challenge schools’ approaches to teacher induction programs. The model suggests that school leadership must emphasize motivational factors and invest resources in areas that increase teacher job satisfaction to increase teacher retention, and potentially enhance quality of instruction and realize higher levels of student achievement.

Contextual variable included were autonomy, school stress, student behavior, leadership and administrative support, and salary. Findings indicated small relationships between job satisfaction and contextual variables, but with but with minor exception those effects were not moderated by level of instruction. Recommendations for policymakers and practioners are tendered.

Sample Publications/Papers

Shockley, R., Morris, J, Watlington, E.. & Hidrowoh, J., (In Review). Teachers job satisfaction relationships between satisfiers and dissatisfiers in the workplace. The Professional Educator Journal.

Shockley, R., Morris, J, Watlington, E.. & Hidrowoh, J. (2017, April). Predicting teacher’s job satisfaction.. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association (AERA). San Antonio, Texas

Job Satisfaction Among MIllennnial teachers: A Predictive Model

The purpose of the study was to identify job satisfiers and job dissatisfiers that millennial teachers are experiencing in the workplace, using the lens of the Weighted Balance Satisfier Model. Contextual variables incuded school stress, student behavior, administrative behavior, teacher autonomy, and salary.

The researchers are using the IES Teacher Questionnaire – Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) for 2011 -12. The population for the study include 37,497 participants who answered the survey. The study will also provide additional clarification on the assumptions embedded in the Weighted Balance Satisfier Model.

For the study, teachers who were born 1982 or later were considered millennials. The researchers were interested in the differences of how non-millennials and millenials teachers respond to contextual variables. Since the 2012 IES Teacher questionaire was used, 18% of the sample were conidered millenials.

Significant levels of difference were found related to overall job satisfaction, autonomy, administrative support, student behavior and stress. School leaders continue to struggle with challenges of providing a positive and supportive work enviornment for teachers. By, 2020 millennials wil be the majority of the global workforce. It is important that school leaders adapt to the changing demographic. This study revealed significant differences between millennials and non-millennials on teacher satisfaction issues. These findings have significant impact on teacher retention and induction policy and practice.

Sample Publications/Papers

Shockley, R., Morris, J, Watlington, E.. & Hidrowoh, J. (2017,November). Job satisfaction among millennial teachers in US classrooms. Paper presented at the Florida Educational Research Association (FERA). Coca Beach, Florida

Shockley, R., Morris, J, Watlington, E.. & Hidrowoh, J. (In Review). Millenials in US classrooms: A comparision to non-millenials in job satisfaction. Education Forum.

The Weighted Balance Satisfier Model -Teacher Job Satisfaction Research

Built upon the work of Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory and Maslow’s needs hierarchy theory, a conceptual model was developed for purposes of understanding the dynamics surrounding job satisfaction among teachers. Given a growing national crisis related to teacher shortages, combined with high rates of teacher turnover fueled by low morale and teacher dissatisfaction, it is imperative for the professional community to have a better understanding this pressing problem in order to successfully address a long-standing issue in K-12 education. Based upon a conceptual framework referenced as The Weighted Balance Satisfier Theory, my research team has developed the Weighted Balance Satisfaction (WebS) instrument. This instrument has now been translated into 6 languages. A research team has collected data from over 2,000 teachers from K-12 teachers in Malaysia, China, Indonesia and Twain. Additional studies are planned for US and Iraq. Data are currently under analysis. The researchers are examining the influence of culture, environment, individual differences and extrinsic/intrinsic motivation on variables demonstrated in the literature to influence teacher satisfaction, such as autonomy, leadership and support, stress, and school culture and climate,

Sample publications/papers:

Shockley, R., Yan-Li, S., DeDonno, M., Na, J., & Sriyanto, J., (In Review). Weighted Balance Satisfaction Instrument: Assessing Teacher Job Satisfaction. Journal of Applied Psychology.

Shockley, R., & Yan-Li, S. (2018). Weighted Balance Satisfier Assessment (WeBS): An instrument to assess teacher job satisfaction using the Weighted Balance Satisfaction Model. Unpublished manuscript. Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida.

Shockley, R.,Morris, J, Watlington, E., & Hidrowoh, J., (In Review). Job satisfaction among millennial teachers in US classrooms. The Clearing House.

Shockley, R., Morris, J, Watlington, E.. & Hidrowoh, J., (In Review). Predictors of Teacher Job Satisfaction. Alberta Journal of Educational Research.

Shockley, R., Watlington, E., & Felsher, R. (2013). Out on a limb: The efficacy of teacher induction in secondary schools. NASSP Bulletin 97(4), 350-377. doi:10.1177/0192636513510595

Shockley, R., Watlington, E., & Felsher, R. (2011). Lost at sea: Summary results of a meta-analysis of the efficacy of teacher induction with implications for administrative practice. AASA Journal of Scholarship and Practice 8(3), 12-25.

Impact of the Student Teaching Internship on Beginning Teacher Precieved Effectiveness

The purpose of the student was to determine the impact of time in the student teaching internship on beginning teacher perceived effectiveness as well as to determine if teacher job satisfaction is a contextual variable. The researchers are using the IES Teacher Questionnaire – Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) for 2011 -12. The population for the study is 4000+ participants who answered the survey. Given that Teacher Preparation programs offer a variety of models for the student teaching internship, where there is a great difference in the time required, this study should provide some guidance for teacher preparation requirements for the internship. Significant differences were identified, where more time spent in student teaching was related to the level of teachers’ perceived preparation in areas of classroom management, teaching in standards and assessment, with small effect sizes.

Sample publications/papers:

Dassa, L., Shockley, R. & Morris, J. (In Review). Practice makes perfect... or does it? The relationship of time spent in the student teaching experience to teachers’ perceptions of preparation to teach. Issues in Teacher Education.