Impact of Virtual Exchange on teachers’ and student teachers’ motivation levels

Motivation is a crucial factor in all aspects of a teacher’s life, starting from the decision to pursue the profession to performing at their best within the classroom. Teachers often highlight various factors that influence their motivation, such as “fair promotion system, adequate resources, an excellent working environment, incentives, income, job security, pleasure at work, training, and development, good organizational guidelines, and performance appraisal” (Kumari & Kumar, 2023, p. 9). According to Dörnyei and Ushioda (2001), it is essential to distinguish between two aspects of teacher motivation: the motivation to teach and the motivation to sustain a career in the profession. The factors affecting motivation to teach can differ between individuals at different stages of their teaching careers. In their comprehensive review of teacher motivation studies, Han and Yin (2016) highlight that personal characteristics, social and cultural context, intrinsic values (such as perceptions, expectations, responsibilities and concerns about teaching) and extrinsic values (such as social status, job security, job transferability and time for family) are the main factors that trigger student teachers’ motivation to teach. For teachers, the authors emphasise the significance of various factors, including teacher autonomy, professional input, professional development, professional relations and ties, and the working environment that encompasses leadership, working relationships and institutional support. They also highlight the importance of intrinsic values like self- evaluation and intellectual stimulation, and extrinsic values such as financial benefits, family and community influence, and the convenience and benefits of teaching. In addition, Han and Yin (2016) report on some challenges or demotivating factors, including stress, administration, inadequate career structures and teaching repetitiveness. They discuss the lack of teacher autonomy, particularly in relation to insufficient self- efficacy, and emphasise the significance of extrinsic values like low salaries and limited research opportunities. Furthermore, the authors address the impact of students’ attitudes and behaviours as demotivating factors that affect teachers’ motivation, hindering the sustainability of a career in the profession.