Comparative analysis of collaborative impacts on teacher job satisfaction: A cross-cultural study between the United States and China

Abstract

This present research proposed a whole-school approach collaboration model to assess its effects on the job satisfaction of teacher educators in the United States and China. It aims to identify differences in how collaboration influences job satisfaction among American and Chinese teachers, drawing data from the 2018 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS). Utilizing hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), the study constructs models that integrate variables at both stakeholder and teacher levels. The results indicated that teacher-level collaboration had positive effects on American and Chinese teachers’ job satisfaction. Interestingly, this study reveals distinct dynamics in the influence of school leadership on teachers’ job satisfaction: it plays a significant role for American teachers, while its influence on Chinese teachers is not pronounced. This finding highlights the varying cultural contexts and organizational structures within the education system of the United States and China.