Motivational Pathways into Physical Education Teaching: a Cross-Cultural Analysis of Intrinsic Motives, Career Transitions, and Minority Group Dynamics

IntroductionThis study examined the motivational factors influencing the decision to pursue a career in teaching physical education (PE) among 256 preservice and in service teacher education students in Israel, including both undergraduate students and academic career changers.MethodologyUsing a newly adapted questionnaire derived from the AFPE instrument, we assessed five motivational dimensions: work, mission, personal fit, self-development, and family influence. A series of repeated-measures General Linear Models were conducted to explore within-subject differences across motivational domains and between-group differences based on sex, ethnicity, and program type. We also performed a thematic content analysis of open-ended responses from academic career changers to further illuminate the personal narratives underlying their decisions to retrain in PE.ResultsFindings revealed a clear motivational hierarchy across all participants: mission- and value-driven motives were the strongest, followed by personal fit, self-development, and work-related factors, whereas family influence was consistently the weakest motivator. Minority students (Druze, Muslim, Christian) reported significantly higher overall motivation than the majority (Jewish) students, particularly in self-development and work-related dimensions. Sex showed no significant effect on overall motivation. Comparison between undergraduate students and academic career changers revealed broadly similar overall motivation levels, although academic career changers reported a slightly higher overall motivation, reflecting a small but statistically significant effect. Despite between-group differences in motivational intensity, the shape of the motivational profile remained stable across demographic groups and program types. Qualitative themes further supported these findings, highlighting motives related to personal meaning, long-standing aspirations, and employment stability among career changers.DiscussionThis study contributes to theoretical understandings of teacher motivation by providing findings that are consistent with the centrality of autonomous, intrinsic, and value-based motivations proposed by Self-Determination Theory, and by extending findings from the Factors Influencing Teaching Choice model to a culturally diverse Middle Eastern context. Practical implications include the need for selection of strategies emphasizing mission, personal fit, and opportunities for growth, as well as targeted support for minority students and career changers.