Exploring Relationship of Time Management With Teachers' Performance
Exploring Relationship of Time Management With Teachers' Performance
Exploring Relationship of Time Management With Teachers' Performance
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Abstract
This study was conducted to measure the relationship with teachers’ time management
techniques and their class performance. Population of the study comprised of Senior School
Teachers (SST) of Sahiwal district of Punjab. For measuring teachers’ time management
techniques a self-developed instrument “Time Management Scale”(TM) was formulated that
was piloted on 100 SSTs with Chronbach alpha value.72 and validity was ensured by expert
opinion. Instrument was administered personally by the researcher and 420 SSTs were
selected by using simple random sampling technique. A positive relationship between
teachers’ time management techniques and their class performance was found. The study also
inferred that teachers’ lesson planning technique were very effective for their class
performance due to affective time management. It was recommended that time management
skills may be included in teacher training programmes to improve teachers’ managerial and
administrational activities.
Introduction
Time is the most precious thing in the world. Learning about how to
effectively manage time is an important skill that someone will need to acquire to be
successful in his life. Many researchers have given great importance to the process of
time management in every field of life for individuals as well as for whole nation. All
the nations that realized the importance of time, they utilized it in a best way and
finally became capable to compete the other nations in every field of life. The
expectation of success might be increased by appropriately controlling and managing
time in an efficient way. One popular text put its importance in following words, our
time is precious and abundant, so we pass it, save it, waste it, keep it, buy it, kill it,
give it, take it and make it. There are several advantages of learning how to
effectively manage time like increasing motivation, eradicating cramming, and
acquisition of extra time. Learning about time management is also helpful for
minimizing procrastination and reducing anxiety. About the management of time, it is
recommended that one should have only one “to do” list at one time, not several lists
on separate papers at once.
In managing the time, prioritizing the daily tasks is also an effective method
of time handling. For this purpose, one should have to separate and categorize his all
activities according to their importance. It is more suitable to handle less important
tasks intermittently in order to complete the major tasks. It is not suitable to just
switch from one big task to another. Such smaller tasks needed a little more intentions
and thoughts so that they do not reconsider again in next turn (Whetten, 1995). For
most important tasks, suggestion is that do them in your best time. The reason for this
is quite clear. This is because most important task requires more energy and the less
important tasks require less energy or to finish the intended goals. It is the only thing
that makes effective time management tough because individuals should be able to
differentiate the tasks and spend their time on important stuffs that they face every
day. Individuals should understand that the results of their effort (activities) are not
big matters on which they are trying to focus (Chesser, 1994).
Stress is a big factor that affects the time management process. The best way
to address this kind of distracter is to ensure that one should do his tasks effectively
and efficiently and always try to lessen the hurries of work. As Whetten (1995)
concluded two factors, overload of work and lacking in the handling of time, are the
main reasons of anxiety and depression. For avoiding the stress, turning the stuffs
down and staying committed to the work are the best ways of time saving because in
Exploring Relationship of Time Management with Teachers’ Performance 252
this way individuals can complete their allotted work in time. Other propositions for
effective time use are, a) take short intervals in meetings, b) interact instantly to the
others and c) take short and meaningful meetings. This will keep the managers
comfortable and usually helps during prolong meetings (Whetten, 1995). During
meetings with delegations, it is beneficial to direct the subordinates and give
suggestions to the problems. It will help to save time since it distributes the work and
give relieves to the managers during the entire decision making process. Another way
of saving time is by giving focus on every possibility and avoiding from unconscious
interruptions, known as curb interruptions (Lebov, 1980). These interruptions are of
5-10 minutes in lengths and are build-up on each other and have a roll over affect. A
common example of this is a drop-in visitor (interruptions). Many people typically
gave descriptions like about their last weekend or other happenings with them.
Planning, organizing and controlling the different day to day activities may be the
only way to get rid from such interruptions. Many people frequently panic when they
face deadlines and other time constraints against their targets. This all leads the
managers towards procrastination. Many managers faced failure because of
procrastination that is fatal habit, also a biggest source of time wastage (Mayer,
1990). People doing things in such way often lead them towards mistakes. People
should learn how to be delegated with little tasks that are either not as much
important as other.
Making short rang and long range planning are two important skills of time
management behavior. These skills with the collaborations of preferences for
organizations are major acting factors that enhance the time management behavior of
individuals at higher levels (Tesser, 1991). Planning of short range objectives
involves the planning of daily and weekly tasks and activities with respect to their
timeframe. Long range planning can be state in terms of planning of different tasks
for longer durations (Macan, 1994). Time management behaviours are encompass on
following four grounds
Ather, Tahir, Atif & Imran 253
1. Time assessment behavior: This behavior is associated with past, present and
future orientations
2. Time management and self-awareness: This includes the acceptance of tasks
and activities and their responsibilities
3. Planning behavior: Planning like setting goals, task’s prioritization and
handling the group tasks.
4. Monitoring behavior: It includes the observation one’s usage of time during
performing activities. This develops a feedback loop that minimize the other
interruptions
The individual that gives great attention to their tasks always shows higher
outcomes. Better time management will enhance the worker’s productivity and
enables them to work in smarter ways (Green & Skinner, 2005). Likewise, Jamal
(1984) studied that effective time management reduces job stress and increases the
job performance of employees. Claessens (2004) acknowledged that better time
management give more control of individual to his time and resultantly decreases
thework anxiety and higher the job performance.
Training for managing time is also very important. There are a large number
of institutions and training centers available that are widely used for the training of
teachers both at public and private levels in America (Claessens, 2007). The time
management skills that are associated with the teachers are the basic elements of his
profession. Teachers that are not rushed during class instruction, showed better class
performance. The decisions related to time management are important for
effectiveness of teachers and school’s results (Horng, 2010; Master, 2013).
Statement of Problem
Methodology
Nature of study
The current research was descriptive in nature and was conducted through
survey in Sahiwal district in province of Punjab, Pakistan.
Sampling Procedures
Instrumentation
As table No. 1 revealed that Pearson r value (0.318) indicated that relatively
low but significant relationship was found between time management and teachers’
performance at p=0.02<0.05. It is therefore concluded that there exists a significant
relationship between teacher’s time management techniques and their performance at
secondary level.
Table 2
Factors of time management techniques correlation to teachers’ performance
Relationship Mean S.D (r) P-Value
Engage time 3.17 0.375
0.128 0.009
Performance 2.49 .824
Prioritization of tasks 3.03 0.432
0.643 0.562
Performance 2.49 .824
Setting goal techniques 4.05 1.228
0.220 0.510
Performance 2.49 .824
Perceived control over time 4.13 0.342
0.052 0.021
Performance 2.49 0.824
Lesson planning techniques 2.333 0.357
0.530 0.000
Performance 2.49 0.824
Pacing of instruction 1.37 0.484
.055 0.047
Performance 2.49 .824
Experience 2.269 1.051
0.077 0.014
Performance 2.49 0.824
N=360, p<0.05
Table 3
Difference between male and female teachers’ time management techniques
Variable Respondent N Mean S.D t P
Female 174 2.44 .890
Teachers’ performance 1.454 0.032
Male 186 2.53 .758
Female 174 2.27 1.18
Teaching experience .112 0.911
Male 186 2.26 0.91
Female 174 1.24 .426
Time management -5.376 0.000
Male 186 1.50 .501
Urban 226 1.87 .449
Teachers’ performance -1.943 0.0453
Rural 134 1.96 .396
Discussion
Effective use of time has long been recognized as a crucial factor for success
in many different fields and many practical techniques have been devised for
improving time management. Important factors studied in researches are perceived
control over time, engaged time, setting goals, priorities, time mechanics, pacing,
time management behavior and time perspective (present, past and future). In this
Ather, Tahir, Atif & Imran 259
research factors like academic learning time, teachers engaged time and time
allocation for study are found more effective than other factors. However, in past
studies, seven time-management skills or behaviors can be considered essential to
effective time management due to their repetitive prominence in the literature: (a)
time analysis, (b) planning, (c) goal setting, (d) prioritizing, (e) scheduling, (f)
organizing, and (g) establishing new and improved time habits (Barkas, 1984;
Hellsten & Rogers, 2009). These factors are directly associated with performance of
teachers.
Conclusions
there is relatively high relationship between teacher’s lesson planning techniques and
their class performance. This study also demonstrated that management of available
time is directly related to their class performance. Hence, the teachers, that have
better ability to manage available time for their all necessary class activities, showed
better class performances. The present study elaborated that there is a direct
relationship between experience teachers’ time management techniques and their
class performance. This study also depicted that the time management techniques of
female and male teachers with respect to their professional experience was also
different. This difference is gender based and may be due to innate abilities to
manage the things and multitasking.
Recommendations
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