Professional status of elementary teaching in Turkey: a Delphi study

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Şahin A. E.

TEACHERS AND TEACHING, vol.16, no.4, pp.437-459, 2010 (SSCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 16 Issue: 4
  • Publication Date: 2010
  • Doi Number: 10.1080/13540601003754822
  • Journal Name: TEACHERS AND TEACHING
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.437-459
  • Keywords: professionalism, profession, professional recognition, professionalization of teaching
  • Hacettepe University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This study examines whether elementary teaching can be considered to be a profession in Turkey in comparison to selected characteristics that previous scholars have found to be common to all professions. Evidence was drawn primarily from a Delphi study conducted in three rounds. Educators of various kinds served as Delphi participants. The consensus reached by Delphi participants in that study concluded that elementary teaching met only two of the 11 characteristics analyzed and failed to meet four. Elementary teaching was neutral on four of the remaining five characteristics and reached no consensus at all on the last one.