83Sociedades clandestinas de la era digital

Ajzen (2011), who postulated the Theory of Planned Behaviour, insisted that an individual’s behaviour is directly influenced by the individual’s behavioural intention. A behavioural intention is formed through an aggregation of attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control. These predictors again are influenced by the individual’s background variables such as gender, age and ethnicity. Understanding the relationships between these variables allows for an investigation into how these variables influence an individual’s behaviour. Using this Theory of Planned Behaviour framework, to what extent and why these variables influence the ECTs’ intentions to engage with inclusive practice was investigated. To what extent and why these variables influence the ECTs’ intentions to stay in the teaching profession were also investigated.

Results from the current study indicate that the ECTs’ attitudes towards inclusion played a more significant role in their intentions to engage with inclusive practice than other predictors (β = .322, p = .003). Most of the interviewees said that engaging with inclusive practice was challenging and difficult especially if there was a student with challenging behaviour. With their

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Subjective norms did not seem to influence the ECTs’ intentions to engage with inclusive practice in the current study. However, school culture was mentioned as important when engaging with inclusive practice (e.g., T3). Some of the interviewees said they had seen instances where school culture did not emphasise inclusion. Teachers in the school did not seem to care about students with SENs as much as teachers who worked at schools where inclusion was a big emphasis (e.g., T3 and T5). Within the positive school culture, school staff members offered to support each other and share ideas to educate students with SENs (Hoppey & McLeskey, 2014).

The survey results found that the ECTs’ perceived behavioural control had significant influence on their intentions to engage with inclusive practice (β = .233, p = .004). The interview results were somewhat different from the survey results. There were teachers who were confident in engaging with inclusive practice (e.g., T1 and T2). Other interviewees were less confident (e.g., T3, T4, T5, and T6). However, all of the interviewees were willing to engage with inclusive practice. One of the reasons was having an interest in inclusion (e.g., T1). Another reason was teachers in the school were regularly told that students with SENs have the right to be educated on the same basis as other children by the legislation and therefore they have to include students with SENs. This links to the importance of school culture (e.g., T3).

Collegial support did not show as a statistically significant variable on the ECTs’ intentions to engage with inclusive practice (p = .069) in the survey results. However, collegial support was considered important when engaging with inclusive practice among the interviewees. Particularly, the interviewees specified that support from colleagues who were in the same year or stage level, or who knew the student were helpful and supportive (e.g., T1 and T4).

Among the interviewees a SLSO or paraprofessional was considered as an important support when engaging with inclusive practice, especially with students with challenging behaviour. Interviewees said a SLSO was an extra pair of hands in the classroom. The SLSO would deal with the student’s challenging behaviour while the ECTs worked with other students. Also, the SLSO would help other students while the ECTs addressed a student’s challenging behaviour. The literature highlights a number of cautions when considering the support offered by a SLSO. The teachers need to think whether a SLSO is helpful not only to teachers but also to all students including a student with SENs (Giangreco, 2013).

With regard to ECTs’ intentions to stay in the teaching profession within the Theory of Planned Behaviour, school support with regard to inclusion was positively related to their

intentions to stay in the teaching profession (β = .248, p = .006). The interviewees also commented that support from school staff members helped them to stay in the teaching profession, and to pursue ways to overcome current challenges.

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findings from the interviews provided a deeper and slightly different perspective. Although the interviewees said it was challenging and difficult when managing students’ challenging behaviour, they still intended to stay in the teaching profession (e.g., T1 and T4). The reason behind their intention to stay in the teaching profession even when the engagement with inclusive practice was challenging has been conceptualised as personal resilience. Buchanan (2014) also, could not quantify what contributed to ECTs staying in the teaching profession in their research. This was due to both ECTs who intended to leave, and those who intended to stay in the profession, expressing concerns about the challenging experiences of addressing students’ behaviour

management, the complexity of classroom management and meeting the diverse learning needs of students. Buchanan (2014) posed the variable of personal resilience, a variable that the current study appears to support.

Given the findings from the current study, it can be concluded that the use of the Theory of Planned Behaviour as a framework for the investigation of ECTs’ intentions to engage with

inclusive practice was appropriate. By including personal resilience, variables that influence ECTs’ intentions to stay in the teaching profession would be examined more appropriate.

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Conclusion

In the previous chapter, meta-inferences of the survey and the interview results were drawn based on the research questions. While undertaking the process of meta-inferences, the literature in the topic was linked and addressed. Then the discussion of the results was linked to the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

In this chapter, the limitations of the current study will be presented and discussed.

Suggestions will then be made to support ECTs’ experience in engaging with inclusive practice as well as recommendations for further research in the area.

In document Ciudadanos reemplazados por algoritmos (página 84-92)