교회학교 교사가 인지한 팀효과성이 교육부서 헌신도에 미치는 영향: - 교육부서 만족도의 매개효과를 중심으로 -

Abstract

This study examines how team effectiveness perceived by church schoolteachers affects their commitment to education departments through the mediating variable of satisfaction. Although the downturn of church school growth in Korea began long ago, the internal movements of the church have been very active to overcome this decline and advance in the direction of regrowth. The role of church schoolteachers among the internal factors for the growth of church schools is paramount. Church schoolteachers play a key role in students’ spiritual maturity and growth. In particular, teachers’ leadership skills may boost satisfaction with and commitment to education departments, thereby positively affecting student guidance. Until now, discussions on the leadership of church schoolteachers have focused on personal leadership. However, teachers’ perceptions of team effectiveness within their departments may boost satisfaction with their departments and thus have a positive impact on their commitment. Team effectiveness has already been the subject of active research by government organizations and general companies. Most of the research results have reported that team effectiveness contributes to effective management and increased productivity of organizations. Results also indicate that team effectiveness within regular schools may bring positive educational results. On the contrary, research on team effectiveness has not been actively conducted in the area of Christian education. However, teamwork within departments is believed to affect the management efficiency of departments. Therefore, this study examined the effects of teachers’ perceptions of team effectiveness within the departments at church schools on their commitment to the departments through the mediating variable of satisfaction with their departments. This study was conducted using quantitative research methods, and 344 teachers from 19 churches located in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province participated in the research survey. According to the research results, satisfaction showed a mediating effect (.308) on the relationship between church schoolteachers’ perceptions of departments’ team effectiveness and commitment (.604). On the other hand, the group of teachers who took a leadership course had significantly higher average scores on team effectiveness, commitment, and satisfaction. The experienced teachers aged 40–50 had higher commitment and team effectiveness scores than those in their twenties. Based on this result, three important Christian educational implications were proposed. First, education departments should increase team effectiveness to improve teachers’ satisfaction and commitment. To do so, they should utilize the various models of team effectiveness presented in the Bible. Second, an organic learning system and a community of believers should be formed between experienced teachers and less experienced teachers to increase the team effectiveness within the departments at church schools. Third, team effectiveness should be improved through ongoing leadership training for church schoolteachers, which will ultimately lead to healthier church schools. To do so, we propose the establishment of a “teacher leadership” course in the teacher education programs that are currently in progress in each church.