Student teachers' motives for participating in the teacher training program: a qualitative comparison between continuing students and switch students

Over the last few decades, the Netherlands has been experiencing that numerous student teachers (i.e., pre-service teachers) leave teacher training after a short period of time. To address this attrition problem the current study aimed to gain insight into student teachers' motives for enrolling, continuing or withdrawing from a primary teacher education program, and compare these motives between continuing students and switch students before and after their enrolment. Twenty-two Dutch student teachers (continuing students: N = 10; 70.0% females, M-age = 20.00, switch students: N = 12; 66.7% females, M-age = 20.83) participated in this interview study. Several motives regarding the teacher education program were identified. Both groups primarily cited intrinsic motives for enrolling in the program. Disappointment in the profession, as well as content of the program and difficulty level of the program, were the main motives to leave. Enthusiasm about the profession and the social environment were the primary motives to continue in the program.