Why teaching? A validation of the fit-choice scale in the Serbian context

Abstract

The aim of this study was to validate the structure of the FIT-Choice scale on a Serbian sample of pre-service teachers, as well as to determine the motivations and beliefs about the teaching profession, and test if motivation differs across different groups of pre-service teachers. After prospective class and subject teachers (N = 433) filled in the FIT-Choice scale, the CFAs were performed. For Motivations, the adjusted 12-factor model fits the data best. Ten original factors were replicated, and Bludging and Time for family appeared as separate factors, like in the first version of the FIT-Choice model, while Transferability and Security merged into one. The six-factor Beliefs model with one item removed had the best fit indices. Intrinsic value, Social utility value and Perceived teaching ability were the highest rated motivations. Females and prospective class teachers were more motivated by altruistic motives and perceived the profession as more demanding than males and prospective subject teachers. The authors conclude that the FIT-Choice scale demonstrated acceptable structural and known-groups validity and reliability, and that the results on Motivations were similar to those obtained in Western countries.