Influential Factors of Motivations and Perceptions of Teaching among Teacher Students: A Case of Farhangian University

Teachers' ability to motivate students can be a function of their motivation and perception of teaching. Hence, identification of the influential factors incenting teacher students to embark on teacher education programs and to become teachers is of much significance to teacher trainers as well as education administrators. The review of the related studies crystallizes that teacher students' motivation and perceptions of teaching is an under-explored area. Thus, the present study was aimed at delineating these factors in an EFL context through comparing male and female senior and freshman teacher students' motivations for becoming teachers employing FIT-choice scale adapted and validated by Watt and Richardson (2007, 2008). Two hundred senior and freshman teacher students majoring in primary education in Farhangian University shaped the body of participants. The results of t-tests indicated significant difference between senior and freshman teacher students in terms of time for family, job transferability, and prior teaching/learning experience. The results also revealed that male and female students have the same perceptions of teaching though male students outperformed the female ones in ability, job security, and time for family as three components of motivations.