Abstract

• The primary purpose of this study was to examine the motivations of student teachers for choosing teaching as a career. Then, this study tried to explore the differences in the overall motivations for choosing teaching as a career, the motivation factors for choosing teaching career, the perception factors about the teaching profession and the career choice satisfaction of student teachers with respect to gender and university. A total of 600 first-year student teachers (300 males and 300 females) from Yangon University of Education (YUOE), Sagaing University of Education (SUOE) and University for the Development of the National Races of the Union (UDNR) participated in this study. As the research instrument, the FIT-Choice Scale (Factors Influencing Teaching Choice Scale) developed by Helen M. G. Watt and Paul W. Richardson (2007) was used. The results showed that there was significant difference in the overall motivations of student teachers by gender. But, no significant difference was found by university. In motivation factors, there were significant differences by gender and university. Moreover, there were also significant differences in the perception factors about the teaching profession by gender and university. However, no gender difference was found in the career choice satisfaction of student teachers. By university, there was significant difference. Finally, the results showed that all motivation factors, except job security, job transferability and social influences factors, and all perception factors, except salary factor, were significantly associated with the career choice satisfaction. According to the results of simultaneous multiple regression analysis, motivation factors of intrinsic career value, fallback career, prior teaching and learning experiences and perception factors of expertise, social status and social dissuasion were significant predictors of the career choice satisfaction of student teachers.