Date of Graduation

5-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EdD)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Curriculum and Instruction

Advisor/Mentor

Pijanowski, John C.

Committee Member

Lasater, Kara A.

Second Committee Member

Brady, Kevin P.

Keywords

Arkansas; Autonomy; Burnout; Engagement; Novice; Retention

Abstract

Administrators and experienced faculty frequently disagree on the degree of autonomy that should exist for classroom teachers. Administrators seeking to make adjustments to the levels of autonomy experienced by their teachers may struggle to account for differences between novice teachers and their more seasoned counterparts. This study applies researched-based models for exploring the relationship between various job resources and demands and their ultimate impact on workers. A mixed method designed employing a survey across three large school districts in Arkansas asked participants questions intended to uncover the degree of autonomy novice teachers typically experience, levels of burnout & workplace engagement, and intentions to remain in or exit the teaching profession. Qualitative data intended to identify themes in the experiences of novice teachers related to the aforementioned topics was collected through interviews. The convergence of data indicates that while there may not be a statistically significant relationship between any of the primary variables discussed, there does exist a relationship between the degree of collegiality and trust in a work environment, and novice teacher perceptions and opinions of autonomy.

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