The Influencing Factors on the Motivation of Teachers’ Professional Development: A Systematic Literature Review

Background: When determining the states and levels of teachers’ professional development (PD), motivation plays a crucial role in their continuous PD. Teachers’ PD motivation is dynamically influenced by a variety of individual and environmental factors. Many researchers have conducted empirical studies on the influencing factors of teachers’ PD motivation from different perspectives and aspects. However, there is no literature that systematically integrates these influencing factors and reveals the interaction mechanisms among them. Aim: This study aimed to synthesise the influencing factors related to teachers’ PD motivation and management strategies. Methods: This study used a systematic literature review to examine factors influencing teachers’ PD motivation and identify key influencing factors and the interaction mechanisms among them. Results: This study found a few findings. Firstly, the influencing factors of teachers’ PD motivation can be divided into three levels: individual-level, environmental-level, and PD activities level (PD-level). Secondly, the school’s positive shared vision, goals, mission, and value norms are the key to the formation of teachers’ intrinsic motivation for PD. Thirdly, external environmental factors help teachers internalise external values as personal beliefs by meeting their basic psychological needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness, thus forming intrinsic motivation. Conclusion: This study examined factors influencing teachers’ PD motivation and how these factors interact to affect their level and nature. The findings have important implications for teachers, school leaders, and policymakers in supporting teachers’ PD motivation across career stages.