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European Journal <strong>of</strong> Educational Studies 4(2), 2012<br />

The data for this study was collected us<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Job Descriptive Index (JDI) with an abridged Job <strong>in</strong> General Scale<br />

(Bowl<strong>in</strong>g Green State University, 2009). The JDI and <strong>the</strong> JIG scale were chosen for this study because <strong>the</strong>y are<br />

widely used to measure <strong>job</strong> <strong>satisfaction</strong> and <strong>the</strong>y have been shown to be valid predictors (Balzer et al. 1997; K<strong>in</strong>icki<br />

et al. 2002). The JDI is <strong>the</strong> most widely used measure <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>job</strong> <strong>satisfaction</strong> extant because <strong>of</strong> several reasons.<br />

Firstly, <strong>the</strong> Job Descriptive Index is a reliable facet measure over time (K<strong>in</strong>icki, McKee-Ryan, Schriesheim &<br />

Carson, 2002), and applicable across a variety <strong>of</strong> demographic groups (Golembiewski & Yeager, 1978). Secondly, it<br />

is <strong>the</strong> care with which it was developed which is described <strong>in</strong> Smith, Kendall, and Hul<strong>in</strong> (1969). The JDI is said to<br />

possess good content validity, impressive construct validity, and adequate reliability, and very few <strong>in</strong>struments <strong>in</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>dustrial-organizational psychology have received <strong>the</strong> attention <strong>of</strong> researchers that <strong>the</strong> JDI has. It is short and<br />

simple to fill out, seemed ideal from <strong>the</strong> po<strong>in</strong>t <strong>of</strong> view <strong>of</strong> maximization <strong>of</strong> response and practicality <strong>of</strong> scor<strong>in</strong>g. "The<br />

Job Descriptive Index (JDI) measures five important aspects or facets <strong>of</strong> <strong>job</strong> <strong>satisfaction</strong>. The Job <strong>in</strong> General (JIG)<br />

scale evaluates overall <strong>job</strong> <strong>satisfaction</strong>" (Bowl<strong>in</strong>g Green State University 2002). The five aspects or facets <strong>of</strong> <strong>job</strong><br />

<strong>satisfaction</strong> are: Work on Present Job, Pay, Opportunities for Promotion, Supervision, and People on Your Present<br />

Job (Bowl<strong>in</strong>g Green State University, 2009). Normally, <strong>the</strong> JDI conta<strong>in</strong>s ei<strong>the</strong>r n<strong>in</strong>e or 18 items, with an overall total<br />

<strong>of</strong> 72 items (http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/psch/JDI/). The abridged version <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Job Descriptive Index has 30<br />

items while <strong>the</strong> Job <strong>in</strong> General has 8, mak<strong>in</strong>g a total <strong>of</strong> thirty eight. Copies <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> JDI scales and <strong>the</strong> JIG scale were<br />

obta<strong>in</strong>ed from <strong>the</strong> publisher, Bowl<strong>in</strong>g Green State University. The surveys were mailed to <strong>the</strong> adm<strong>in</strong>istrator at <strong>the</strong><br />

facility address with <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>troductory letter addressed to "Colleague." Surveys were not addressed to <strong>in</strong>dividuals<br />

because <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> anticipated movement <strong>of</strong> adm<strong>in</strong>istrators among organizations. Anonymity <strong>of</strong> respondents was<br />

emphasized, thus elim<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g respondent track<strong>in</strong>g. The response rate to <strong>the</strong> s<strong>in</strong>gle mail<strong>in</strong>g was 149, or 36 percent.<br />

This is an acceptable <strong>level</strong> for a s<strong>in</strong>gle mail<strong>in</strong>g (Vehovar and Lozar 1997). A followup mail<strong>in</strong>g was not sent to<br />

prevent record<strong>in</strong>g duplicated data. Permission to use <strong>the</strong> Job Descriptive Index <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Job <strong>in</strong> General Scale<br />

was sought from and given by <strong>the</strong> Bowl<strong>in</strong>g Green State University.<br />

Population and Sample <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> study<br />

The questionnaires were adm<strong>in</strong>istered to primary school <strong>teachers</strong>, junior secondary school <strong>teachers</strong> and senior<br />

secondary school <strong>teachers</strong>. A primary school <strong>level</strong> <strong>of</strong> education <strong>in</strong> Botswana is <strong>the</strong> equivalent <strong>of</strong> elementary<br />

education and it takes seven years; a junior secondary is <strong>the</strong> equivalent <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>termediate school and takes three years<br />

while a senior secondary is <strong>the</strong> equivalent <strong>of</strong> high school and takes two years. The first ten years are regarded as<br />

Basic Education <strong>in</strong> Botswana. For <strong>the</strong> <strong>teachers</strong>, <strong>the</strong>re were five categories (positions occupied) namely, teacher,<br />

senior teacher, head <strong>of</strong> department, deputy headteacher and headteacher. All <strong>in</strong> all, five hundred and twenty<br />

questionnaires were mailed to 60 schools that were randomly selected. There were: 150 for <strong>teachers</strong> (50, primary, 50<br />

junior secondary, and 50 senior secondary); 150 for senior <strong>teachers</strong> (25, primary, 100 junior secondary, and 25<br />

senior secondary), 80 for heads <strong>of</strong> departments (20 primary, 40 junior secondary and 20 senior secondary), 75 for<br />

deputy head<strong>teachers</strong> (25 primary, 25 junior secondary and 25 senior secondary); and 55 for head<strong>teachers</strong> (20<br />

primary, 20 junior secondary and 15 senior secondary). The overall response rate was 67%. The response rate<br />

accord<strong>in</strong>g to positions occupied is illustrated <strong>in</strong> Table 1 below.<br />

Table 1: Response rates accord<strong>in</strong>g to Level and Position held<br />

Position<br />

Total<br />

Teacher Senior Head <strong>of</strong> Deputy Headteacher<br />

Teacher Department Head<br />

Level Primary (82) 41 (80) 20 (15) 3 (100) 25 (45) 9 98<br />

Junior Secondary (68) 34 (85) 85 (85) 34 (20) 5 (80) 16 174<br />

Senior Secondary (64) 32 (52) 13 (90) 18 (60) 15 (0) 0 78<br />

Total (71)<br />

107<br />

(78.6) 118 (68.7) 55 (60) 45 (45) 25 350<br />

Note: % <strong>in</strong> bold and <strong>in</strong> brackets ( ).<br />

223

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