The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a member of the Teacher Task Force (TTF) network, recently published the results from its 2024 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS). A key tool in amplifying teachers’ voices and opinions, the results of the new TALIS are critical to better understand the current state of the teaching profession, the various stresses teachers endure daily, and the importance of collective thinking.
How has teaching in today’s world evolved?
As staff shortages, funding deficits, and digital technologies continue to alter the educational landscape, the teaching profession has shifted in tandem. As we know from our 2024 Global Report on Teachers, currently, 44 million primary and secondary teachers are missing from the teaching profession, and in order to ensure equitable education for all by 2030, this gap needs to be filled. According to TALIS, 23% of teachers reported working in a school affected by the shortage of qualified teachers, thus limiting their school’s capacity to offer quality instruction.
Funding has continued to remain an issue, both affecting broader investments in education systems and teacher salaries. Investing not only financially, but in building new technological competencies has also been at the forefront of educational evolution. Even years after the COVID-19 global pandemic, hybrid and online teaching modalities have been maintained, with over 16% of teachers reported having taught at least one online or hybrid lesson. Further technological innovations, such as artificial intelligence, also emerge as a key facet to address in teacher training and development. According to TALIS, 29% of teachers feel that AI should be included in professional development resources.
What are the various demands of teaching today?
Overall, 90% of teachers report that they are satisfied with their jobs, but their work is not free from pressure. Leading a classroom is one of the many demands teachers must encounter each day, and other elements of the job such as administrative work, lesson planning, marking and grading, maintaining discipline, and more have surfaced as substantial sources of stress. In fact, 50% of teachers reported excessive administrative work as a source of work-related stress.
Additionally, as classrooms are becoming more diverse, some teachers, particularly younger teachers, have found it challenging to adapt. 37% of teachers report that modifying lessons to support inclusive education is a source of stress, and novice teachers are more likely to be exposed to classrooms in which 10% of students have difficulties understanding the language of instruction. Therefore, it is essential that both initial teacher training and continuous professional development highlight ways to support students of various backgrounds, ensuring quality and equitable education for all.
Are teachers participating in decision-making and leadership opportunities?
Countless initiatives, such as the Global Report on Teachers and Santiago Consensus, reaffirm the importance of teacher voices and call for their contributions in policy- and decision-making; however, involvement of teachers in school-level policy decisions is declining. According to TALIS, less than 4 out of 10 teachers work in schools that engage them in defining school improvement policies.
Teachers that feel a greater sense of empowerment and autonomy over their work are often more satisfied with their jobs, leading to more confidence in the classroom. This includes designing lessons, selecting teaching methods, and implementing different curricula with flexibility, overall allowing for a more tailored experience for learners.
How has collaboration played a role in the teaching field?
As emphasized in our latest World Teacher’s Day fact sheet, collaboration forms the foundation of professional growth and quality education. The 2024 TALIS finds that teachers today feel that they are spending more time working together compared to 2018. Four in five teachers work in a school with a mentoring program, yet only one in four teachers are assigned a mentor.
Positive professional relationships, whether with other teachers, principals, parents and guardians, or students, have resulted in higher well-being and job satisfaction. Opportunities to further promote this stem from continuous professional development and other initiatives, such as team teaching, joint activities across classes, classroom observation feedback, and collaborative professional learning.
What keeps educators engaged and motivated to remain in their profession, and how can that be further sustained?
Encouraging participation in continuous professional learning (CPL) keeps educators engaged and offers the opportunity to build new skills while sharpening old ones, especially as new digital competencies rise, such as the use of AI. Even though nearly all teachers surveyed were actively involved in CPL, only half of them found activities to have a positive impact. These results call for greater attention towards better tailoring CPL to meet the needs of teachers and including teacher voices in development planning.
Despite CPL efforts, teacher attrition continues to threaten the future of the teaching profession and is highest amongst those under the age of 30 and over 50. 22% of teachers under the age of 30 intend to leave the career within the next five years, and these statistics are often linked to how valued teachers feel.
While salary satisfaction has increased, there are more elements that comprise a teacher’s overall job satisfaction. Only 1 in 5 teachers agree or strongly disagree that their profession is valued by policymakers. Therefore, moving forward, teachers must be prioritized in the education agenda and engaged in decision-making processes. Revalorizing the profession remains an important part of the Teacher Task Force’s mission and is essential in maintaining and further attracting motivated and qualified teachers.
Read more:
- OECD, Results from TALIS 2024, The State of Teaching
- World Teacher’s Day fact sheet
- Global Report on Teachers
- Promoting and protecting teacher agency in the age of artificial intelligence
Photo credit: OECD