NAVIGATING STRESS AND PERSONALITY IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION: PATHWAYS TO ENHANCED TEACHING EFFECTIVENESS
This study aimed to investigate the influence of vocational teachers' personality traits on their teaching effectiveness, with a specific emphasis on the mediating role of job stress in this dynamic. Conducted across several higher vocational colleges and universities in Hebei Province, China, the research involved a sample of approximately 380 vocational teachers. The methodological approach utilized the Big Five Inventory to assess personality traits, the Teaching Effectiveness Scale to evaluate teaching effectiveness, and the Job Stress Scale to measure levels of job-related stress. The results of this study underscore the considerable impact that personality traits, particularly conscientiousness, exert on teaching effectiveness among vocational teachers. Moreover, job stress was identified as a significant mediator in the relationship between personality traits and teaching effectiveness. This indicates that elevated levels of job stress can undermine the positive contributions of teachers' personality traits to their effectiveness in teaching roles. Consequently, these findings underscore the critical interplay between personality traits and job stress in determining the quality of teaching and learning within vocational education settings. The insights garnered from this research offer valuable guidance for the formulation of policies and practices aimed at enhancing the quality of vocational education. In particular, the findings suggest the need for strategies that not only recognize the importance of fostering desirable personality traits among vocational teachers but also address the mitigating effects of job stress on teaching effectiveness. Given that the study was situated within the context of higher vocational colleges and universities in Hebei Province, its conclusions are especially pertinent to the unique challenges and opportunities inherent in China's vocational education sector. As such, these results provide critical direction for ongoing educational reforms and teacher development initiatives, thereby contributing to the advancement of vocational education quality in China.
Vocational Education, Teaching Effectiveness, Personality Traits, Higher Vocational College.