Open Access'Back to School after PhD': Exploring Teachers' Work Experiences
Author(s) -
Muhammad Saqib,
Syed Abdul Waheed,
Nadia Gilani
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
global educational studies review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2708-3608
pISSN - 2708-2113
DOI - 10.31703/gesr.2021(vi-i).08
Subject(s) - snowball sampling , face (sociological concept) , phenomenon , pedagogy , psychology , work (physics) , school teachers , interpretative phenomenological analysis , lived experience , mathematics education , medical education , sociology , qualitative research , medicine , engineering , social science , mechanical engineering , physics , pathology , quantum mechanics , psychoanalysis
Working in a school after attaining one of the highest research degrees is uncommon in academia. Nevertheless, this is an emerging phenomenon due to an increased number of PhDs in Pakistan. Yet, many PhDs are unemployed. On the other hand, a school is a place that requires content expert and pedagogically skilled teachers. In the present study, the researchers attempted to address the central questions of the study; how is it like to work in schools after completing PhD and how do PhDs experience being the most qualified persons teaching in schools? A phenomenological approach was employed to uncover participants lived experiences of working in schools. Thirteen PhDs were approached through snowball sampling who were teaching in schools. The data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews at different schools that were analyzed using phenomenological analysis. As a result, three main themes and two sub-themes emerged from the interview transcripts. The themes included working in schools, joining the school after PhD (sub-themes; teaching and managing classroom, assessing and interaction with students) and working with non-PhDs. The study results have implications for PhDs working in schools, other school teachers and heads of the school, and the school education department.