Methodological and Contextual Trends of Teacher Work Engagement and its Conceptualization: A Systematic Literature Review (2018-2022)

Abstract

Teachers play a crucial role in shaping the educational landscape, with their commitment to influencing student performance and educational quality. Despite extensive research on work engagement, the majority focuses on psychology and business, leaving a gap in educational studies. This systematic literature review addresses this gap by exploring methodological trends and conceptualizations of work engagement in educational context from 2018 to 2022. Scopus and Science Direct databases were utilized to identify relevant literature. Adopting the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach, 35 articles were systematically analyzed. The findings indicate a rising trend in the number of articles over the years, predominantly consisting of quantitative studies conducted globally, with China and the United States leading in research output. Many studies have utilized Schaufeli et al's (2002) model and Klassen et al.'s (2013) multidimensional view to define teacher work engagement. However, diverse perspectives emerge, highlighting teacher work engagement as a holistic construct encompassing personal expression, goal-directed activities, and proactive behaviours, which is associated with enthusiasm, meaning, and satisfaction. The study may stimulate future research and serve as a reference for scholars interested in the topic of engagement in the educational field, providing valuable insights for research directions.