Abstract

• The aim of the study is to develop the attitude scale for student teachers towards teaching profession. Moreover, it is intended to examine the attitude of student teachers towards teaching profession by gender and subject stream. The participants were selected by using simple random sampling technique. Descriptive research design and quantitative survey method were used. A total of 210 first year student teachers (105 males and 105 females) from Sagaing University of Education participated. In the section of data analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, item analysis, descriptive statistics, independent sample t test, one-way ANOVA and Post Hoc multiple comparison test were used. The newly constructed scale consists of 27 items with 18 positive and 9 negative items. Reliability coefficient of Cronbach's alpha (.819) was established using internal consistency method. Content validity and criterion related validity was also established. Concurrent validity was found to be (.505). Based on the results, attitude towards teaching profession of student teachers was satisfactory. In addition, attitude towards teaching profession of male student teachers was not significant difference from that of female student teachers. By subject stream, there was a significant difference in attitude towards teaching profession (p<.001). Attitude towards teaching profession of arts student teachers were highest, that of science student teachers were second and that of arts-science students were lowest. The present study contributed both for the developing of attitude scale for student teachers towards teaching profession and examining the attitude of student teachers. It is also hoped that the finding of this scale would enable the investigators to make suggestions towards improving the student teachers' perception towards their profession.