Understanding the role of friendship relations in motivation and decision-making processes in educational administration


Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Eğitim Fakültesi, Eğitim Bilimleri Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2021

Tezin Dili: Türkçe

Öğrenci: Zehra Gözde Kula

Danışman: Duygun Göktürk Ağın

Özet:

In this study, it is aimed to understand the role of friendship relations established in the school environment in motivation and decision-making processes through interviewing with teachers and administrators working in a private school in Ankara working under the Ministry of National Education. Motivation is an important factor that should be considered for both the institution and the employees, because the job satisfaction and productivity of the employees are directly related to the motivation they have. Decision-making processes are also an essential mechanism that works both instantaneously and in the long term in an institutional setting. Besides, friendship relations develop as a result of the time teachers and administrators spend at school and the common goals they have, and these relations play a solid role in the construction of motivational aspects and decision-making processes of institutional life. This study employs qualitative research methods, designed as a single instrumental case study which consists of 7 teachers from different branches working at primary and secondary education levels and 3 vice-principals. Semi-structured interviews are used as instruments for data collection. In the study, deductive and inductive coding was applied as an approach, the themes were evaluated as research questions, and the categories were coded through the answers given by the participants to the interview questions matching the research questions. As a result of the fieldwork, one of the main issues that has a role in the motivation of the teachers is the student factor. Also, the friendship relations that teachers establish with their colleagues and administrators and the friendship relations that administrators establish with each other also have a role in the construction of motivational aspects of work life. Along the decision-making processes, it is found that the teachers are generally included in the process, but the administrators make the final decision in the general framework. It is observed that decisions taken are instantaneously and the expectations of parents are prioritized. In addition, it is addressed that friendship relations are disabled in decision-making process and are not included in the process. As a result, the perspectives of teachers and administrators indicate that friendship relations have a positive constructive role in motivation, but this is not valid for the decision-making processes.