The Effects of a Time Management Professional Development Seminar on Stress and Job Satisfaction of Beginning Agriscience Teachers in West Texas

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a time management seminar on stress and job satisfaction of beginning agriscience teachers. The target population for this study consisted of agriscience teachers in the first or second year of tenure. All twenty-three (N = 23) beginning teachers from a selected region of the state participated in the study. There was a 100% response. Eleven participated in the time management seminar (n = 11) and 12 participated in the control group (n = 12). The study employed a quasi-experimental, static-group comparison design. The treatment, a comprehensive time management seminar, included: planning and scheduling, goal setting, and work and family balance. A post-test, including instrumentation for stress and job satisfaction, was administered to both groups. Independent samples t-tests revealed there were not any statistically significant differences between groups on stress levels or job satisfaction levels. However, sub-scale constructs from each instrument resulted in medium to large effect sizes in several sub-scale factors. Stress differences included work-related stress, time management, and professional investment. Job satisfaction differences included pay, recognition and advancement. Overall, the beginning teachers had slight to moderate stress. Additionally, the teachers had slightly above neutral levels of job satisfaction.