The Mediating Role of School Climate in the Relationship Between Teacher Autonomy and Job Satisfaction Among Teachers in the UAE: Evidence from TALIS 2018

Abstract

This study examined the relationships between teacher autonomy, school climate, and teacher job satisfaction among 1554 teachers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who participated in the 2018 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS). The researchers used structural equation modeling (SEM) in Mplus and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to analyze the data. The findings showed that teacher autonomy was not associated with either dimension of teacher job satisfaction. School climate, however, had a statistically significant link with satisfaction with the work environment and the profession. Additionally, there was a significant association between teacher autonomy and school climate. Nonetheless, school climate did not mediate the relationship between teacher autonomy and teacher job satisfaction. These results suggest that school leaders and stakeholders can enhance teacher satisfaction by fostering a positive, supportive, and collaborative work environment to boost overall job satisfaction.