Understanding Teachers’ Competitiveness: Sociocultural Determinants and Organizational Implications in Education

Abstract

This study examines teachers' attitudes toward competitiveness, the sociocultural and organizational determinants of those attitudes, and whether these attitudes differ across demographic variables, including gender, marital status, education level, school type, length of service, employment status, and professional seniority. Using a descriptive survey design, data were collected from 466 teachers working in Kırşehir, Türkiye during the 2024-2025 academic year using the Teacher Competitiveness Scale. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were employed. The findings indicate that teachers’ overall level of competitiveness is moderate. Male teachers scored higher than female teachers on measures of “winning through competition”, “superiority”, and “exclusion”, whereas teachers with a thesis-based master’s degree scored higher on the “need for approval” dimension. Greater professional seniority and permanent employment status were associated with stronger competitive tendencies, while preschool teachers reported lower levels of competitiveness compared to teachers working at other educational levels. Given the non-probability sampling approach, the findings should be interpreted as descriptive results specific to the study sample. The results indicate that teachers' competitiveness reflects sociocultural expectations and organizational dynamics within schools, highlighting the importance of fostering an ethical and inclusive culture of competition while strengthening collaborative professional practices.

Keywords

• Teacher Competitiveness
• Dimensions of Competitiveness
• Demographic Differences
• Organizational Reflections
• School Culture

Öğretmenlerin Rekabet Gücünü Anlamak: Sosyokültürel Belirleyiciler ve Eğitimde Örgütsel Yansımalar

Abstract

Bu çalışma, öğretmenlerin rekabetçiliğe yönelik tutumlarını, bu tutumların sosyokültürel ve örgütsel belirleyicileri bağlamında incelemeyi ve söz konusu tutumların cinsiyet, medeni durum, eğitim düzeyi, okul türü, görev süresi, istihdam durumu ve mesleki kıdem gibi demografik değişkenlere göre farklılaşıp farklılaşmadığını belirlemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Betimsel tarama modeli kullanılarak yürütülen araştırmada, 2024–2025 Eğitim-Öğretim Yılı’nda Türkiye’nin Kırşehir ilinde görev yapan 466 öğretmenden Öğretmen Rekabetçilik Ölçeği aracılığıyla veri toplanmıştır. Verilerin analizinde betimsel istatistikler, bağımsız örneklem t-testi ve tek yönlü varyans analizi (ANOVA) kullanılmıştır. Bulgular, öğretmenlerin genel rekabetçilik düzeylerinin orta düzeyde olBu çalışma, öğretmenlerin rekabetçiliğe yönelik tutumlarını, bu tutumların sosyokültürel ve örgütsel belirleyicileri bağlamında incelemeyi ve söz konusu tutumların cinsiyet, medeni durum, eğitim düzeyi, okul türü, görev süresi, istihdam durumu ve mesleki kıdem gibi demografik değişkenlere göre farklılaşıp farklılaşmadığını belirlemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Betimsel tarama modeli kullanılarak yürütülen araştırmada, 2024–2025 Eğitim-Öğretim Yılı’nda Türkiye’nin Kırşehir ilinde görev yapan 466 öğretmenden Öğretmen Rekabetçilik Ölçeği aracılığıyla veri toplanmıştır. Verilerin analizinde betimsel istatistikler, bağımsız örneklem t-testi ve tek yönlü varyans analizi (ANOVA) kullanılmıştır. Bulgular, öğretmenlerin genel rekabetçilik düzeylerinin orta düzeyde olduğunu göstermiştir. Erkek öğretmenler, “yarışarak kazanma”, “üstünlük” ve “dışlama” boyutlarında kadın öğretmenlerden daha yüksek puan alırken; tezli yüksek lisans mezunu öğretmenler “onaylanma” boyutunda daha yüksek puan elde etmiştir. Mesleki kıdemin artması ve kadrolu istihdam durumu, daha güçlü rekabetçi eğilimlerle ilişkili bulunmuştur. Buna karşılık, okul öncesi öğretmenlerinin rekabetçilik düzeylerinin diğer kademelerde görev yapan öğretmenlere kıyasla daha düşük olduğu belirlenmiştir. Olasılıklı olmayan örnekleme yaklaşımı nedeniyle bulguların, araştırma örneklemine özgü betimleyici sonuçlar olarak yorumlanması gerekmektedir. Sonuçlar, öğretmen rekabetçiliğinin okullardaki sosyokültürel beklentileri ve örgütsel dinamikleri yansıttığını ortaya koymakta; etik ve kapsayıcı bir rekabet kültürünün geliştirilmesi ile iş birliğini güçlendiren mesleki uygulamaların desteklenmesinin önemine işaret etmektedir.

Keywords

• Rekabetçilik Boyutları
• Örgütsel Yansımalar
• Okul Kültürü
• Demografik farklılıklar
• Öğretmen Rekabetçiliği

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