Research article | Open Access
Turkish Journal of Teacher Education 2026, Vol. 15(1) -
The Evaluation of Status and Selectivity Perceptions in the Teaching Profession
pp. -
Publish Date: June 30, 2026 | Single/Total View: 0/0 | Single/Total Download: 0/0
Abstract
This study examines teachers’ perceptions of professional status and selectivity in light of quantitative data and analyzes whether these perceptions differ by demographic and contextual variables. Using a general survey model as a quantitative research method, the study collected data through an online questionnaire administered to 520 teachers working at different educational levels and in different residential settings. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and ANOVA analyses were used in the data analysis process. Teachers’ perception of general status and selectivity was limited, with a mean score of M = 2.82 on a 5-point Likert scale, indicating a “low-to-moderate” tendency. Examination of the sub-dimensions revealed that participants reported the highest perception level in the dimension of “Professional Competence and Confidence” (M = 3.45), whereas the lowest perception clustered in the dimension of “Social Prestige and Respectability” (M = 2.24). The difference between these dimensions was found to be statistically significant (F = 18.62; p < .05). In terms of contextual variables, teachers working in villages and small towns reported higher perception scores (M = 3.55) compared to those working in city centers (M = 2.44), supporting the argument that socio-cultural environment plays a decisive role in professional status. On the other hand, the perception scores of expert teachers (M = 3.20) and head teachers/master teachers (M = 3.95) remaining below the expected levels indicate that the current career hierarchy has not yet generated sufficient momentum to strengthen professional prestige and that the system has limited social and professional recognition. As a result, the process should shift to a more selective, quality-oriented, and context-sensitive structure.
Keywords: Teaching profession, career stages, status perception, selectivity perception, social prestige.
APA 7th edition
Yildirim, O., & Gilic, N. (2026). The Evaluation of Status and Selectivity Perceptions in the Teaching Profession. Turkish Journal of Teacher Education, 15(1), -.
Harvard
Yildirim, O. and Gilic, N. (2026). The Evaluation of Status and Selectivity Perceptions in the Teaching Profession. Turkish Journal of Teacher Education, 15(1), pp. -.
Chicago 16th edition
Yildirim, Osman and Naci Gilic (2026). "The Evaluation of Status and Selectivity Perceptions in the Teaching Profession". Turkish Journal of Teacher Education 15 (1):-.
Abazoğlu, İ., Yıldırım, O., & Yıldızhan, Y. (2014a). Historical development of teacher education policies in Turkey. Education and Science, 39(173), 167–183. https://doi.org/10.15390/EB.2014.2185
Abazoğlu, İ., Yıldırım, O., & Yıldızhan, Y. (2014b). Teacher profile in Turkey: Socio-demographic characteristics, working conditions and expectations. Education and Science, 39(174), 143–158. https://doi.org/10.15390/EB.2014.2184
Akıncı, H. (2021). The relationship between teachers’ professional status perceptions and burnout levels [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Istanbul University–Cerrahpaşa Institute of Graduate Studies.
Akyüz, G. (2021). The status perception of the teaching profession and its relationship with organizational variables: A meta-analysis study. National Education Journal, 50(232), 407–430. https://doi.org/10.37669/milliegitim.763393
Arslan, G. (2022). The impact of teacher education policies on professional status: A quantitative analysis [Doctoral dissertation, Gazi University]. Council of Higher Education Thesis Center.
Barber, M., & Mourshed, M. (2007). How the world’s best-performing school systems come out on top. McKinsey & Company.
Boland, J., Boeskens, L., & Chernyshenko, O. S. (2024). Teacher attractiveness and retention: A global challenge. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/teacher-retention-2024-en
Boland, W. C., Ervin, A. M., & Moore, G. W. (2024). Teacher status and the global teacher shortage: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Educational Policy, 39(2), 145–168. https://doi.org/10.3102/01623737022002129
Çelik, S. (2022). The changing status of the teaching profession: A sociological perspective. Journal of Social and Educational Sciences, 10(1), 85–104. https://doi.org/10.51531/tebd.1032488
Demir, H., & Aras, S. (2022). Teaching in rural and urban areas: A comparative study on socio-cultural environment and professional prestige. Journal of Educational Leadership and Policy, 10(1), 112–130. https://doi.org/10.47116/jelp.1054231
Demirtaş, H. (2020). Examination of teachers’ and school administrators’ perceptions of professional prestige. Journal of Educational Theory and Practice Research, 6(2), 174–192. https://doi.org/10.38089/ekuad.2020.17
Erdem, A. R. (2017). The changing status of teaching in society. Journal of Higher Education and Science, 7(2), 241–252. https://doi.org/10.5961/jhes.2017.204
Erdem, C. (2019). Teachers’ views on the status of the teaching profession: A phenomenological study. Journal of Educational Theory and Practice Research, 5(1), 12–28. https://doi.org/10.38089/ekuad.2019.1
Furlong, J. (2013). Education: An anatomy of the discipline. Routledge.
Hargreaves, A., & Fullan, M. (2020). Professional capital: Transforming teaching in every school. Teachers College Press.
Hattie, J., & Clarke, S. (2019). Visible learning: Feedback. Routledge.
Hoyle, E. (2001). Teaching: Prestige, status and esteem. Educational Management & Administration, 29(2), 139–152. https://doi.org/10.1177/0263211X010292002
Ingersoll, R. M., & Merrill, L. (2011). The status of teaching as a profession. In J. Ballantine & J. Spade (Eds.), Schools and society: A sociological approach to education (pp. 185–189). Pine Forge Press.
Ingersoll, R. M., Merrill, L., & May, H. (2018). Teacher accountability and teacher retention. Educational Researcher, 47(8), 563–576. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X18785678
Karasar, N. (2012). Scientific research methods: Concepts, principles, techniques (24th ed.). Nobel Academic Publishing.
Kraft, M. A., & Lyon, M. A. (2024). The rise and fall of the teaching profession’s status. Educational Policy, 38(1), 3–27. https://doi.org/10.1177/08959048231234567
Larson, M. S. (1977). The rise of professionalism: A sociological analysis. University of California Press.
OECD. (2019). Education at a glance 2019: OECD indicators. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/f8d7880d-en
OECD. (2020). Teachers and school leaders as valued professionals. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/82f0f8f7-en
OECD. (2023). Education at a glance 2023: OECD indicators. OECD Publishing.
OECD. (2024). Education at a glance 2024: OECD indicators. OECD Publishing.
Ölçme, Seçme ve Yerleştirme Merkezi. (2024). 2023-KPSS teacher subject knowledge test (ÖABT) evaluation report. https://www.osym.gov.tr
Özkan, M. (2023). The impact of the Teacher Professional Law and career stages on teachers’ professional identity. Journal of Education and Society Research, 10(1), 200–218. https://doi.org/10.51531/etad.1215421
Özkan, T. (2023). A psychometric analysis of teacher candidates’ attitudes toward the social status of the teaching profession [Doctoral dissertation, Necmettin Erbakan University]. Council of Higher Education Thesis Center. https://acikbilim.yok.gov.tr
Özoğlu, M. (2017). The status of the teaching profession and socio-economic rights. Education-Bir-Sen Strategic Research Center (EBSAM).
Parkin, F. (1979). Marxism and class theory: A bourgeois critique. Columbia University Press.
Savaş, H. (2024). Teacher status in the context of socio-spatial differentiation: A rural-to-urban analysis. Journal of Social and Educational Sciences, 12(1), 88–112. https://doi.org/10.51531/tebd.1384295
Schleicher, A. (2018). World class: How to build a 21st-century school system. OECD Publishing.
Schleicher, A. (2022). First class: How to build a 21st-century school system. OECD Publishing.
Schmidt, F. L., & Hunter, J. E. (1998). The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel psychology. Psychological Bulletin, 124(2), 262–274. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.124.2.262
TEDMEM. (2023). 2022 education outlook: Monitoring and evaluation report. Turkish Education Association Publications.
UNESCO. (2021). Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education. UNESCO.
Yıldırım, O., & Arhan, S. (2017). Transformation of teacher education programs and professional identity. Journal of Theory and Practice in Education Sciences, 17(3), 985–1012. https://doi.org/10.12738/estp.2017.3.0344
Yıldırım, O., & Yılmaz, A. (2015). Comparison of KPSSP-10 and KPSSP-121 scores of social science graduates in the 2013 teacher selection exam. *Sakarya University Journal of Education Faculty, (30), 155–167. https://doi.org/10.19126/suefd.108264
Yılmaz, A. (2025). Teacher education policies in Turkey: A profession between quantity and quality. Journal of Educational Theory and Practice, 11(1), 45–68. https://doi.org/10.38089/ekud.2025.124
Yılmaz, K. (2019). The relationship between teachers’ job satisfaction and perceived social prestige: A meta-analysis. Education and Science, 44(198), 115–132. https://doi.org/10.15390/EB.2019.7845
Yılmaz, K., & Altınkurt, Y. (2021). The relationship between teachers’ professional status perceptions and organizational commitment. Theoretical Educational Science Journal, 14(2), 234–256. https://doi.org/10.30831/akukeg.814282
Council of Higher Education. (2026). YÖK Higher Education Atlas placement statistics. Retrieved January 13, 2026, from https://yokatlas.yok.gov.tr
