Abstract:
This paper examines the department-level work environment of early career secondary school science teachers in New Zealand. Fifty-three secondary school science teachers in their third, fourth or fifth year of teaching completed the Department-Level Environment Questionnaire (DLEQ), an instrument adapted from the School- Level Environment Questionnaire (SLEQ) (Fisher & Fraser, 1990). A comparison between actual and preferred perceptions showed statistically significant differences on all scales and indicated that the teachers preferred a more favourable level of each of the DLEQ scales. That is, less Work Pressure and an increase in the other scales. Two of the greatest differences were found for Resource Adequacy and Professional Interest. Two of the smallest differences were found for Affiliation and Empowerment. Follow-up interviews were conducted with nine of the participants to gain a richer understanding of the participants’ perceived actual work environments and how they would prefer their work environment to be, in the area of Resource Adequacy, Professional Interest, Affiliation and Empowerment. Factors that either support or hinder early career secondary school teachers’ in their science department work environments are discussed and improvements to these environments are suggested.
