Teachers play a vital role in the lives of their students. They impart knowledge, provide pastoral care, act as role models and, above all, create an effective learning environment. However, teaching is fraught with numerous challenges that could lead to dissatisfaction and to eventually leaving the profession

1. Science teachers’ satisfaction:
Evidence from the PISA 2015
teacher survey
Andreas Schleicher
Director for Education and Skills

2. The PISA 2015 teacher survey
 In 2015, over half a million students participated in the PISA assessment
• representing 28 million 15-year-olds in 72 countries/economies
 In 9 OECD countries and 10 partner countries and economies, teachers
filled out the teacher questionnaire
 Teachers were defined as those eligible to teach, have taught, are teaching,
or will be teaching the modal grade
 Teachers randomly sampled into two populations: science and non-science
teachers
• In total, 32 071 science teachers and 62 765 non-science teachers were surveyed

3. OECD
• Australia
• Chile
• Czech Republic
• Germany
• Italy
• Korea
• Portugal
• Spain
• United States
Country participation
Partners
• Brazil
• B-S-J-G (China)
• Colombia
• Dominican Republic
• Hong Kong (China)
• Macao (China)
• Peru
• Chinese Taipei
• United Arab Emirates
• Malaysia*

4. Why teacher satisfaction?
 Many countries and economies around the world are
struggling to attract and retain teachers
 Inadequate teacher supply was blamed for the shortage
of qualified science teachers
 In reality, retention was the problem
Why are
teachers
quitting their
jobs?

5. Satisfaction with the
teaching profession
• The advantages of being a
teacher clearly outweigh the
disadvantages
• If I could decide again, I would
still choose to work as a teacher.
• I regret that I decided to become
a teacher
• I wonder whether it would have
been better to choose another
profession
Satisfaction with the
current job
• I enjoy working at this school
• I would recommend my school as
a good place to work
• I am satisfied with my
performance in this school.
• All in all, I am satisfied with my
job
Teacher satisfaction measures in PISA 2015

6. Relationship between the indices of satisfaction with
the teaching profession and with the current job
Australia
Chile
Czech Republic
Germany
Italy
Korea
Portugal
Spain
United States
Brazil
B-S-J-G (China)
Colombia
Dominican
Republic
Hong Kong
(China)
Macao (China)
Peru
Chinese Taipei
United Arab
Emirates
OECD average
Average-18
-0.6
-0.4
-0.2
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
-0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2
Index of satisfaction with the current job
Indexofsatisfactionwiththe
teachingprofession
Source: Figure 3.1
OECD countries
All countries

7. Satisfaction with the teaching profession
0 20 40 60 80 100 %
Germany OECD average-9 Average-18
I wonder whether it
would have been better
to choose another
profession
I regret that I decided to
become a teacher
If I could decide again, I
would still choose to
work as a teacher
The advantages of being
a teacher clearly
outweigh the
disadvantages
Source:Figure 3.2

8. Satisfaction with the current job
0 20 40 60 80 100 %
Germany OECD average-9 Average-18
All in all, I am satisfied
with my job
I am satisfied with my
performance in this
school
I would recommend my
school as a good place
to work
I enjoy working at this
school
Source: Figure 3.3

9. Teachers who were motivated to pursue a career in the
teaching profession tend to be more satisfied
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
Change in satisfaction with the teaching
profession
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
Change in satisfaction with the current job
United Arab Emirates (66.0)
Dominican Republic (72.4)
Brazil (52.7)
Peru (64.1)
B-S-J-G (China) (77.2)
Italy (46.4)
Chile (68.1)
Macao (China) (51.1)
Average-18 (57.7)
Portugal (54.0)
Spain (42.7)
OECD average-9 (53.0)
Korea (56.7)
United States (26.9)
Hong Kong (China) (56.9)
Colombia (74.5)
Czech Republic (68.9)
Australia (35.5)
Chinese Taipei (46.8)
Germany (77.7)
Source: Figure 4.9
Percentage of science teachers
whose goal was to pursue a
career in the teaching profession
after <ISCED level 3>
Index change Index change

10. Self-efficacy in teaching science boosts teacher
satisfaction
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
Change in satisfaction with the teaching
profession
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
Change in satisfaction with the current job
Mean index of self-efficacy
related to teaching science
Dominican Republic (0.92)
Colombia (0.47)
B-S-J-G (China) (-0.05)
Portugal (-0.12)
Chile (0.20)
Brazil (0.06)
United Arab Emirates (0.66)
Average-18 (0.01)
Macao (China) (-0.51)
Peru (0.17)
OECD average-9 (0.01)
Germany (-0.05)
Australia (0.31)
Chinese Taipei (-0.53)
Czech Republic (-0.11)
Hong Kong (China) (-1.00)
Spain (0.13)
United States (0.24)
Korea (-0.54)
Source: Figure 4.7
Index change Index change

11. Self-efficacy with science content also enhances
teacher satisfaction
-0.1 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
Change in satisfaction with the teaching
profession
Dominican Republic (0.48)
B-S-J-G (China) (-0.69)
Colombia (0.28)
Portugal (-0.12)
Peru (0.02)
Macao (China) (-0.67)
Brazil (0.00)
Chile (0.30)
Average-18 (-0.14)
United Arab Emirates (0.18)
Czech Republic (-0.12)
Chinese Taipei (-0.76)
Korea (-0.56)
OECD average-9 (0.03)
Hong Kong (China) (-1.45)
Australia (0.14)
Germany (0.16)
Spain (0.17)
United States (0.25)
-0.1 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
Change in satisfaction with the current job
Mean index of self-efficacy
related to science content
Index change Index change
Source: Figure 4.8

12. 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
Change in satisfaction with the teaching profession
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6
Change in satisfaction with the current job
Participation in more than three professional development activities
boosts teacher satisfaction
Chile (39.5)
B-S-J-G (China) (81.6)
Brazil (64.8)
Peru (65.2)
Chinese Taipei (53.9)
Australia (62.6)
Macao (China) (51.7)
United States (53.5)
Average-18 (52.3)
Spain (48.7)
OECD average-9 (43.8)
Italy (36.7)
United Arab Emirates (65.4)
Germany (39.4)
Czech Republic (26.2)
Portugal (36.0)
Hong Kong (China) (32.0)
Dominican Republic (75.9)
Korea (51.5)
Colombia (56.7)
Source: Figure 4.6
Index change Index change
Percentage of science teachers
who participated in more than
three professional activities
during the previous 12 months

13. 0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
Brazil
DominicanRepublic
Peru
UnitedStates
Germany
Chile
UnitedArabEmirates
B-S-J-G(China)
Average-18
OECDaverage-9
Spain
Colombia
Macao(China)
Korea
CzechRepublic
Italy
Portugal
HongKong(China)
ChineseTaipei
Australia
After accounting for science teachers' demographic profile Before accounting for science teachers' demographic profile
A positive disciplinary climate in the school helps
improve teachers’ satisfaction with the current job
Index change
Source: Figure 5.8

14. -1.4
-1.2
-1.0
-0.8
-0.6
-0.4
-0.2
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
DominicanRepublic0.73
Colombia0.18
Spain-0.01
Germany-0.52
Peru0.13
Australia0.19
UnitedStates-0.12
OECDaverage-9-0.04
Average-180.12
Chile-0.23
Italy-0.16
ChineseTaipei0.01
HongKong(China)-0.04
Macao(China)0.25
CzechRepublic-0.26
UnitedArabEmirates0.68
Korea0.45
Portugal0.30
Brazil-0.18
B-S-J-G(China)0.71
Bottom quarter Second quarter Third quarter Top quarter
Teachers who collaborate with colleagues are more
satisfied with the teaching profession
Mean index
Source: Figure 6.2
Mean index of science
teachers’ collaboration

15. -1.4
-1.2
-1.0
-0.8
-0.6
-0.4
-0.2
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
DominicanRepublic0.73
Colombia0.18
Spain-0.01
Germany-0.52
Peru0.13
Australia0.19
UnitedStates-0.12
OECDaverage-9-0.04
Average-180.12
Chile-0.23
Italy-0.16
ChineseTaipei0.01
HongKong(China)-0.04
Macao(China)0.25
CzechRepublic-0.26
UnitedArabEmirates0.68
Korea0.45
Portugal0.30
Brazil-0.18
B-S-J-G(China)0.71
Bottom quarter Second quarter Third quarter Top quarter
Teachers who collaborate with colleagues are more
satisfied with the current job
Mean index
Source: Figure 6.2
Mean index of science
teachers’ collaboration

16. Teachers who perceive greater staff shortages are less
satisfied with the teaching profession
-1.2
-1.0
-0.8
-0.6
-0.4
-0.2
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
DominicanRepublic-0.30
Spain0.18
Germany0.39
Colombia0.02
Australia-0.24
Chile-0.07
UnitedArabEmirates0.27
Peru0.23
Average-180.11
OECDaverage-90.08
UnitedStates-0.07
Macao(China)0.55
ChineseTaipei0.04
HongKong(China)-0.02
Italy0.04
Portugal0.62
Brazil0.03
Korea0.54
CzechRepublic-0.64
B-S-J-G(China)0.44
Bottom quarter Second quarter Third quarter Top quarter
Source: Figure 6.3
Mean index of science
teachers' views on staff
shortage

17. Teachers who perceive greater staff shortages are less
satisfied with the current job
-1.2
-1.0
-0.8
-0.6
-0.4
-0.2
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
DominicanRepublic-0.30
Spain0.18
Germany0.39
Colombia0.02
Australia-0.24
Chile-0.07
UnitedArabEmirates0.27
Peru0.23
Average-180.11
OECDaverage-90.08
UnitedStates-0.07
Macao(China)0.55
ChineseTaipei0.04
HongKong(China)-0.02
Italy0.04
Portugal0.62
Brazil0.03
Korea0.54
CzechRepublic-0.64
B-S-J-G(China)0.44
Bottom quarter Second quarter Third quarter Top quarter
Source: Figure 6.3
Mean index of science
teachers' views on staff
shortage

18. -0.2 -0.1 0.0 0.1
Change in satisfaction with teaching profession
-0.3 -0.2 -0.1 0.0 0.1
Change in satisfaction with the current job
Teachers are less satisfied when there are differences in perception
between them and school principals on staff shortages
Chile (0.77)
Brazil (1.01)
United States (0.81)
Dominican Republic (0.80)
Germany (0.80)
United Arab Emirates (1.10)
Peru (0.89)
Australia (0.78)
Average-18 (0.89)
OECD average-9 (0.85)
Hong Kong (China) (0.83)
B-S-J-G (China) (1.06)
Spain (0.98)
Colombia (0.92)
Czech Republic (0.78)
Portugal (0.81)
Italy (0.97)
Chinese Taipei (0.78)
Macao (China) (1.05)
Korea (0.92)
Source: Figure 6.8
Index change Index change
Mean index of difference in
views on staff shortage
between teachers and school
principals

19. • large proportions of immigrant students in the
school (more than 30%)
• large proportions of students who do not speak
the language of the host country (more than
30%)
Factors not associated with teacher
satisfaction

20.  Most satisfied teachers tend to be those who were personally motivated
from the beginning to become teachers
 Teachers tend to more satisfied when:
• They work in a collaborative environment
• They have sufficient human and educational resources
• They have the opportunity to undertake professional development activities
 In contrast, a poor disciplinary climate undermines teacher satisfaction
while a more diverse school environment does not
Conclusion

21.  Pay attention to motivation
 Provide sufficient educational resources for teaching
science and improve school climate
 Encourage science teachers’ collaboration and self-
growth
Implications

22. Find out more about our work at www.oecd.org/pisa
– All publications
– The complete micro-level database
Email: Andreas.Schleicher@OECD.org
Twitter: SchleicherOECD
Wechat: AndreasSchleicher
Thank you