Date
3-2015
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Chair
Barbara Boothe
Keywords
merit pay, performance pay, teacher incentives, teacher motivation
Disciplines
Education
Recommended Citation
Dionne, Dana Gayle, "Phenomenological Study: Perceptions of Teachers at a Christian High School Toward Performance Pay" (2015). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 4146.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/4146
Abstract
The purpose of this consensual phenomenological study was to delve into the thoughts, perceptions, and personal experiences of teachers at a Christian high school in the Midwest in order to understand the perceived reality of those directly affected by pay for performance. In order to reduce bias, consensual qualitative research method using a research team was utilized. The research team consisted of two additional core members. Teachers were asked questions to determine how performance pay influences their motivation, their teaching, and their relationship with co-workers. For the purpose of this research, performance pay is generally defined as paying teachers according to their performance or the performance of their students rather than the traditional method of looking at years of experience and degrees earned. Performance pay is a controversial topic in most educational fields. Although it is common in sales and other business fields, it is sporadically used in educational settings. In the instances where it has been implemented, the outcomes vary drastically. During this study, the perceptions of teachers who have personally experienced performance pay were collected through one-on-one interviews followed by a focus group. The research team through coding and recoding of the transcribed interviews identified common themes and subcategories.
