The influence of teaching motivation and New Public Management on academic teaching

Based on two surveys of German university professors that were conducted in 2009 and 2016-2017, this article asks if the influence of teaching motivation on the importance attached to methods of instructional design has changed with the implementation of New Public Management. Using Self-determination Theory and the concept of transformational and transactional governance, three hypotheses were tested via regression analyses. Whereas intrinsic motivation is the strongest predictor for the importance attached to methods of instructional design in both surveys, the impact of identified teaching motivation has only become statistically relevant since 2016-2017. Albeit weak in impact, the transactional and transformational modes of governance also gained influence in 2016-2017. However, a comparison of means reveals that feelings of guilt when neglecting one's teaching duties have considerably increased from 2009 to 2016-2017, while more autonomous forms (intrinsic, identified) of teaching motivation have remained unchanged.