Negotiating Needs in an Accountability Regime

A Culturally Mediated Hierarchy of Needs Among Chinese Novice Teachers

Datos Bibliográficos

ID21297121
AutoresZihan Dai (0009-0000-4449-3052, Chinese University of Hong Kong), Menghua Zhu (0009-0005-6691-7086, Shanghai Normal University), Jocelyn L N Wong (0000-0002-2408-2616, Chinese University of Hong Kong, autor de correspondencia)
Año2026
Páginas1-23
Fecha de publicación2026-05-06
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaBritish Journal of Educational Studies (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0007-1005 • E-ISSN: 1467-8527
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00071005.2026.2669663
OpenAlexW7160410477
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas33

This study examines how novice teachers in a Confucian-heritage context negotiate their personal needs while responding to external accountability demands. The purpose is to understand how these teachers navigate tensions between workplace expectations and their own perceptions of what they require to work sustainably. Interviews were conducted with fourteen early-career teachers, and the data were analyzed thematically with reference to a revised hierarchical needs framework. The results suggest that teachers’ needs can be described in hierarchical terms, but cultural norms and liangxin (an internalized moral conscience) often prompt participants to move beyond unmet basic needs in order to meet what they view as the moral expectations of teaching. Security and belonging emerged as interrelated forms of perceived support, while accountability pressures contributed to increased workload and emotional strain. Despite these challenges, many teachers continued to pursue what they understood as professional fulfillment, indicating a form of needs-level crossover shaped by both external cultural expectations and internal moral commitments. These findings point to policy and school-level arrangements that may help teachers address essential needs more consistently, while also enabling them to engage in meaningful professional development without compromising their well-being

Accountability · Hierarchy · Negotiation · Qualitative research · Semi-structured interview · Work (physics) · Cultural Differences and Values · Innovative Education and Learning Practices · Teacher Education and Leadership Studies