Examination of Teachers’ Perceptions of Individual Values in Their Workplaces: A Case of Burdur Province

The purpose of the research is to reveal the individual values perceptions of the teachers working in the Burdur Provincial Directorate of National Education operating under the body of the Ministry of National Education. Participants comprised 131 male and 169 female teachers. When the mean and standard deviation values regarding the teachers’ perceptions of individual values in their workplaces were examined, it was seen that they agreed with the discipline and responsibility dimension, they were undecided about the trust and forgiveness dimension, and they agreed with the honesty and sharing dimension as well as the respect and truth dimension. When perceptions were examined according to range values for the respect and truth dimension, there were significant differences the trust and forgiveness dimension and the sharing and respect dimension. Accordingly, male teachers’ perception levels in the trust and forgiveness dimension were significantly higher than the levels of the female teachers. On the other hand, the perception levels of the female teachers in the sharing and respect dimension were significantly higher than the levels of the male teachers. The perception levels of the single teachers in the trust and forgiveness dimension were significantly higher than the levels of the married teachers. On the other hand, the perception levels of the married teachers in the sharing and respect dimension were significantly higher than the levels of the single teachers. According to the results that we evaluated by the task type variable, a significant difference between groups was observed only in the trust and forgiveness dimension. Accordingly, the perception levels of the contracted teachers in the trust and forgiveness dimension were significantly higher than the levels of the permanent teachers.


Introduction
The concept of value, with its most general definition, is a feature which determines the importance of events or objects for a society or an individual (Sayrac, 2016). Individual values reflect the generalisations related to culture at the social level and how administrative practices and institutional behaviours are affected based on cultural profiles (Hofstede, 2001). Values are the criteria that guide behaviours. They show likes, preferences, and undesired situations depending on what is important for individuals (Smith, 1969). When the concept of value is considered as an important factor directing behaviours, it refers to a stable belief that a particular behaviour or life purpose is superior to another and expresses the superiority of one object or situation over another (Kluckhohn, 1951). Hofstede (2001), who conducts intercultural researches on values, states that value is a great tendency towards preferring certain situations over others (Allport et al., 1960). Individual values are important in terms of explaining human behaviors. Many fields such as psychology, anthropology are intensively studied. The study conducted by Allport, Vernon and Lindzey (1951) was the first study addressing values in a tangible way by associating them with daily activities (such as reading newspapers, watching movies, and voting) (Tekeli, 2017). When a child matures, he or she attends social environments where one value competes with other values. For example, he or she may need to make a choice among problems or questions such as "what is better? Being hard-working, staying honest, being independent and being obedient for achievement or making an effort or being accepted in the social environment for self-respect? In such problems that the individual confronts in gaining step-by-step experiences and progressing into adulthood, values are arranged in order of priority or importance and they find their places in a hierarchical order. As a result, problems are solved by integrating the instrumental and terminal values learned (Rokeach, 1973). In the classification of Feather (1991)        According to Table 3, in the light of the results of the T test analysis where we examined the teachers' perceptions of individual values in their workplaces by the gender variable, significant differences were observed in the Trust and Forgiveness dimension and Sharing and Respect dimension. Accordingly, the male teachers' perception levels (x = 3.17 ± 0.56) in the trust and forgiveness dimension were significantly higher than the levels (x = 3.02 ± 0.51) of the female teachers (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the female teachers' perception levels (x = 4.24 ± 0.53) in the sharing and respect dimension were significantly higher than the levels (x = 4.11 ± 0.61) of the male teachers (p < 0.05). According to Table 4, in the light of the results of the T test analysis where we examined the teachers' perceptions of individual values in their workplaces by the task type variable, significant differences were only observed in the Trust and Forgiveness dimension. Accordingly, the contracted teachers' perception levels (x = 3.28 ± 0.53) in the trust and forgiveness dimension were significantly higher than the levels (x = 3.08 ± 0.54) of the permanent teachers (p < 0.05). Note. ** It refers to a significant difference at the level of P < 0.05.
According to Table 5, in the light of the results of the one-way anova test analysis where we examined the teachers' perceptions of individual values in their workplaces by the marital status variable, significant differences were observed between the groups in the Trust and Forgiveness dimension and Sharing and Respect dimension. The single teachers' perception levels (x = 3.28 ± 0.44) in the trust and forgiveness dimension were significantly higher than the levels (x = 3.04 ± 0.57) of the married teachers (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the married teachers' perception levels (x = 4.21 ± 0.58) in the sharing and respect dimension were significantly higher than the levels (x = 3.99 ± 0.56) of the single teachers (p < 0.05).  Vol. 9, No. 3;2020 According to Table 6, in the light of the results of the one-way anova test analysis where we examined the teachers' perceptions of individual values in their workplaces by the professional experience variable, significant differences were observed between the groups in the Trust and Forgiveness dimension and Sharing and Respect dimension. The perception levels (x = 3.33 ± 0.47) of the teachers with 1-5 years of professional experience, in the trust and forgiveness dimension were significantly higher than the levels of the teachers with 11-20 years of professional experience (x = 3.01 ± 0.55) and the teachers with over 21 years of professional experience (x = 2.85 ± 0.58) (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the perception levels of teachers with 11-20 years of professional experience (x = 4.29 ± 0.62) in the sharing and respect dimension were significantly higher than the teachers with 6-10 years of professional experience (x = 4.06 ± 0.54) (p < 0.05). Note. ** It refers to a significant difference at the level of P < 0.05.
According to Table 7, in the light of the results of the one-way anova test analysis where we examined the teachers' perceptions of individual values in their workplaces by the self-definition variable, significant differences were only observed between the groups in the Sharing and Respect dimension. The perception levels of the teachers, who define themselves as calm (x = 4.30 ± 0.52), in the sharing and respect dimension were significantly higher than the levels of the teachers who define themselves as hyperactive (x = 3.95 ± 0.60) and the teachers who define themselves as angry and hot-blooded (x = 3.88 ± 0.61) (p < 0.05). For the same factor, the perception levels of the teachers, who define themselves as social and extrovert (x = 3.20 ± 0.57) were significantly higher than the levels of the teachers who define themselves as angry and hot-blooded (x = 3.88 ± 0.61) (p < 0.05).

Discussion and Conclusion
The mean and standard deviation values related to the individual values perceptions of the teachers participating in the research were obtained as x = 4.15 ± 0.47 for the discipline and responsibility dimension consisting of 16 items and this corresponds to the I agree value according to the 5-point likert scale range values. For the trust and forgiveness dimension consisting of 12 items, x = 3.10 ± 0.54 was obtained as the general mean and according to the 5-point likert scale range values, this corresponds to the I am undecided value. For the honesty and sharing dimension consisting of 9 items, x = 3.97 ± 0.45 was obtained as the general mean and according to the 5-point likert scale range values, this corresponds to the I agree value. For the respect and truth dimension consisting of 6 items, x = 3.46 ± 0.50 was obtained as the general mean and according to the 5-point likert scale range values, this corresponds to the I agree value. For the sharing and respect dimension consisting of 4 items, x = 4.17 ± 0.58 was obtained as the general mean and according to the 5-point likert scale range values, this corresponds to the I agree value. When the literature is examined, it is possible to encounter studies analyzing the relationship between the socio-demographic variables (gender, marital status, age, educational level, family income) and attitudes or consumptions of the consumers having environmental consciousness (Balderjahn, 1988;Straughan & Roberts, 1999;Tilikidou & Delistavrou, 2001;Vaizoglu et al., 2005;Yaras et al., 2011).
When the results obtained regarding the teachers' "perceptions of individual values in their workplaces were examined by the gender variable, significant differences were observed in the trust and forgiveness dimension and the sharing and respect dimension. Accordingly, male teachers" perception levels in the trust and forgiveness dimension were significantly higher then to the levels of the female teachers. In their study, Kolaç and Karadağ (2012) state that regardless of gender, teachers give priority to the values of honesty, trust and respect (Kolac & Karadag, 2012). On the other hand, the perception levels of the female teachers in the sharing and respect dimension were significantly higher than the levels of the male teachers.
According to the results of the T test analysis where we examined the teachers' perceptions of individual values in their workplaces by the task type variable, significant differences were observed only in the trust and forgiveness dimension. In the research, it is important to strengthen common values so that societies can continue their lives together in a sustainable way (Acar, 2016;Gozum, 2019). Accordingly, the perception levels of the contracted teachers in the trust and forgiveness dimension were significantly higher than the levels of the permanent teachers. Another study, emphasised that knowledge is not independent of cultural environment, traditions and values (Akbas, 2008).
According to the results of the one-way anova test analysis where we examined the teachers' perceptions of individual values in their workplaces by the marital status variable, significant differences were observed between the groups in the trust and forgiveness dimension and the sharing and respect dimension. The perception levels of the single teachers in the trust and forgiveness dimension were significantly higher than the levels of the married teachers. On the other hand, the perception levels of the married teachers in the sharing and respect dimension were significantly higher than the levels of the single teachers. In his study, Schwartz (2012) handles values and the relationships between these values as a whole and proposed a structure including the system of values (Acar, 2015;Schwartz, 2012).
According to the results of the one-way anova test analysis where we examined the teachers' perceptions of individual values in their workplaces by the professional experience variable, significant differences were observed between the groups in the trust and forgiveness dimension and the sharing and respect dimension. The perception levels of the teachers with one to five years of professional experience in the trust and forgiveness dimension were significantly higher than the levels of the teachers with eleven to twenty years of professional experience and the teachers with more than twenty one years of professional experience. On the other hand, the perception levels of teachers with with eleven to twenty years of professional experience in the sharing and respect dimension were significantly higher than the teachers with six to ten years of professional experience.
According to the examination of the teachers' perceptions of individual values in their workplaces by the self-definition variable, significant differences were observed only between groups in the sharing and respect dimension. The perception levels of the teachers, who define themselves as calm in the trust and forgiveness dimension were significantly higher than the levels of the teachers who defined themselves as hyperactive and the teachers who defined themselves as angry and hot-blooded. For the same factor, the perception levels of the teachers, who defined themselves as sociable and extroverted were significantly higher than the levels of the teachers who define themselves as angry and hot-blooded.