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<p>Motivational heterogeneity among early childhood education (ECE) pre-service teachers remains underexplored—particularly in systems facing demographic contraction and teacher saturation. Drawing on Archer’s realist social theory, this study analyzed nationally representative survey data from 1,362 Chinese ECE pre-service teachers. Latent profile analysis revealed five motivational types—“Detached,” “Flat,” “Altruistically Focused,” “High Balanced,” and “Idealistically Committed”—varying in both motivational intensity and internal coherence.&#xa0;Multinomial regression further revealed that motivation is socially patterned and context-dependent: family and regional economic conditions jointly shape how students perceive the value and feasibility of teaching. Students from wealthier home regions are generally more likely to hold aspirational motivations, and the positive influence of regional affluence is strongest among those from low-income families. These findings illustrate that the meaning and appeal of teaching are contextually constructed rather than uniform, highlighting the need for preparation programs that respond to motivational diversity and regional inequality within the ECE workforce.</p>

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Navigating Career Choice Motivation and Commitment Among Pre-Service ECE Teachers: Who Will Teach as Kindergarten Demand Declines in China?

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月20日

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  • Shenji Zhou,
  • Xinyao Li,
  • Xiuyun Li

摘要

Motivational heterogeneity among early childhood education (ECE) pre-service teachers remains underexplored—particularly in systems facing demographic contraction and teacher saturation. Drawing on Archer’s realist social theory, this study analyzed nationally representative survey data from 1,362 Chinese ECE pre-service teachers. Latent profile analysis revealed five motivational types—“Detached,” “Flat,” “Altruistically Focused,” “High Balanced,” and “Idealistically Committed”—varying in both motivational intensity and internal coherence. Multinomial regression further revealed that motivation is socially patterned and context-dependent: family and regional economic conditions jointly shape how students perceive the value and feasibility of teaching. Students from wealthier home regions are generally more likely to hold aspirational motivations, and the positive influence of regional affluence is strongest among those from low-income families. These findings illustrate that the meaning and appeal of teaching are contextually constructed rather than uniform, highlighting the need for preparation programs that respond to motivational diversity and regional inequality within the ECE workforce.