EXPLORING THE INFLUENCE OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT ON THE PROFESSIONAL GROWTH OF COLLEGE TEACHERS
Abstract
This study explores the impact of career development on the professional growth of teachers, focusing on key factors such as work-life balance, personal and professional motivation, and professional training. The research adopts a descriptive research design to analyze the relationship between career development and social awareness among educators. The study was conducted among 227 teachers from aided and self-financing colleges in the Tirupattur and Vellore districts, selected using a random sampling technique. Data collection was carried out through structured surveys, and statistical analyses, including correlation tests, were employed to determine the relationships between socio-demographic factors and professional growth. The results indicate that professional development is significantly influenced by institutional factors such as college type and years of teaching experience, while demographic factors such as gender, age, and educational qualification show a weaker correlation. The study also highlights the importance of faculty training programs, workshops, and research initiatives in fostering career advancement. However, challenges such as job burnout, workload pressure, and insufficient time for personal commitments were observed among respondents, indicating a need for institutional policies that support work-life balance. Additionally, the study found that while social awareness plays a role in shaping educators' perspectives, its direct impact on professional growth is limited. The findings emphasize the necessity for structured career development programs that integrate professional training, motivation, and institutional support to enhance teacher growth and job satisfaction.
Keyword : Teacher career growth, professional development, work-life balance, professional training, motivation
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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