To What Extent Techers in Al-Balqa’ Applied University Practice/ Implement Empowerment as Perceived by Them

Abstract

This study aims at investigating the degree of teacher’s practicing the process of empowerment as perceived by them. The study population consisted of 128 persons; 60 have responded to the questionnaire making 47%. The study covered five independent variables: sex, years of experience in teaching, specialization, academic rank, and nature of work; and one dependent variable which is the degree of teachers’ practicing the process of empowerment in Al-Balqa’ Applied University. The scale built by Short & Rinehart (1992) was adopted and modified to suit universities in Jordan in order to be used as a questionnaire in this study. It includes 32 items covering five fields: decision making, professional development, position, self-value, and effect. Analysis was carried out through calculating means, standard deviations and multiple anova analysis. The results were as follows: 1. Low levels of empowerment in the above mentioned fields; the empowerment levels ranged in a descending order as follows: decision making, professional development, self-value, effect, and position. 2. Most items that contain the higher empowerment level are in the field of decision making. 3. There are statistical significant differences at (α =0.05) in the effect of work nature in favor of staff members. 4. There are statistical significant differences at (α =0.05) in the effect of the academic rank in favor of the associate professor, assistant professor, and the assistant teacher as compared with the professor; and in favor of the assistant teacher as compared with the teacher, and in favor of the assistant teacher as compared with the teacher. 5. There are non-statistically significant differences at (α =0.05) in the effect of sex, experience, and specialization. In light of the above conclusions, the researcher recommends that: - More empowerment should be given to faculty members in Al-Balqa’ Applied University and other academic institutions and in all fields in an equal and comparable way that fits to the teacher’s academic rank. - More studies should be carried out in this field.