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A Phenomenological Study of First-Year Primary School Teachers’ Experiences during the Pandemic Era

Year 2023, Volume: 7 Issue: 2, 34 - 50, 31.07.2023

Abstract

The first year of the profession is a difficult experience for everyone, but especially for teachers. The first year is the reflection of knowledge in practice for any job. During the years 2020 and 2021, the COVID-19 outbreak has made more complicated this challenge for first-year teachers. The purpose of this study is to explore the phenomenon of being a first-year primary school teacher during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, the phenomenological research design was employed. Using a purposeful sampling method, eight primary school teachers in their first year of teaching was chosen. The study group consisted of teachers from both urban and rural schools. Semi-structured interviews with each participant were conducted via Zoom. The themes were created based on the content analysis method. The findings of the study revealed the challenges that the participants experienced during the pandemic, as well as how they tackled those challenges. In addition, the role of their colleagues, principals, and other stakeholders in dealing with the process was highlighted. They also described the impacts of their pre-service and in-service preparation on their ways of dealing with teaching in the pandemic. Last, but not least, they addressed the lack of affordances of the technologies that they used in distance education during the pandemic. The study concluded that the experiences of the first-year primary teachers provided strong insights on the level of preparedness of educators, as well as how to better prepare for future scenarios.

References

  • Alrefaie, Z., Hassanien, M., & Al-Hayani, A. (2020). Monitoring online learning during Covid-19 pandemic: Suggested online learning portfolio (Covid-19 OLP). MedEdPublish, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.15694/mep.2020.000110.1
  • Bibi W, Ali A (2012). The impact of pre-school education on the academic achievements of primary school students. The Dialogue; VII (2), 152-159.
  • Burke, J., & Dempsey, M. (2020). COVID-19 Practice in primary schools in Ireland report. https://jtade.com/index.php/jtade/article/view/7/8
  • Çakın, M., & Külekçi Akyavuz, E. (2020). Covid-19 süreci ve eğitime yansıması: Öğretmen görüşlerinin incelenmesi [Covid-19 process and its reflection on education: Examination of teacher opinions]. International Journal of Social Sciences and Education Research, 6(2), 165-186.
  • Çelik, Y. (2020). Mezunlarının görüşlerine göre sınıf öğretmenliği programlarının değerlendirilmesi [Evaluation of primary education programs according to graduates’ opinions]. Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 39(3), 329-349.
  • Çetin, B. (2013). Sınıfta istenmeyen öğrenci davranışlarıyla ilgili sınıf öğretmenlerinin karşılaştıkları sorunlar ve çözüm önerileri [Problems that class teachers faced in the classroom related to undesired behaviors and their solutions]. Ahi Evran Üniversitesi Kırşehir Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 14(1), 255-269.
  • Chang, G. C., & Yano, S. (2020). How are countries addressing the Covid-19 challenges in education? A snapshot of policy measures. https://gecv.ac.in/uploads/ssip/UNESCO%20snap%20shot%20for%20maintaining%20education.pdf
  • Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (Fifth Edition). SAGE Publication
  • Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative ınquiry & research design choosing among five approaches. (Fourth edition). SAGE Publication
  • Fauzi, I., & Khusuma, I. (2020). Teachers’ elementary school in online learning of Covid- 19 pandemic condition. Jurnal Iqra’:Kajian Ilmu Pendidikan, 5(1), 58-70. https://doi.org/10.25217/ji.v5i1.914
  • Giannini, S., & Lewis, S. G. (2020). Three ways to plan for equity during the coronavirus school closures. https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2020/03/ 25/three-ways-to-plan-for-equity-during-the-coronavirus-school-closures/
  • Karahan, E. & Bozan, M. A. & Akçay, A. O. (2020). Sınıf öğretmenliği lisans öğrencilerinin pandemi sürecindeki çevrim içi öğrenme deneyimlerinin incelenmesi [The online learning experiences of primary school pre-service teachers during the Covid-19 pandemic process]. Turkish Studies, 15(4), 201-214. https://dx.doi.org/10.7827/TurkishStudies.44348
  • Karlberg, M., & Bezzina, C. (2022). The professional development needs of beginning and experienced teachers in four municipalities in Sweden. Professional Development in Education, 48(4), 624-641. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2020.1712451
  • Lack, K. A. (2013). Current status of research on online learning in postsecondary education. https://sr.ithaka.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ithaka-sr-online-learning-postsecondary-education-may2012.pdf
  • Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualıtatıve research a guide to design and implementation. (Fourth Edition). John Wiley & Sons
  • Merriweather, L. R., & Morgan, A. J. (2013). Two cultures collide: Bridging the generation gap in a non-traditional mentorship. The Qualitative Report, 18(6), 1–16.
  • Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldana, J. (2014). Qualitative data analysis a methods sourcebook (3. Edition). SAGE Publication
  • Ministry of National Education. (2020). https://www.meb.gov.tr/mevzuat/liste
  • Müller-Fohrbrodt, G., Cloetta, B., Dann, H. D. (1978). Der Praxisschock bei jungen Lehrern: Formen, Ursachen, Folgerungen. Ernst Klett Verlag
  • OECD, (2020). Education responses to Covid-19: Embracing digital learning and online collaboration. http://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/education-responses-to-covid-19-embracing-digital-learning-and-online-collaboration-d75eb0e8/
  • Ontario Ministry of Education. (2010). A resource handbook for new teachers. http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/teacher/NTIPTeacher.pdf
  • Orlando, J., & Attard, C. (2016). Digital natives come of age: the reality of today’s early career teachers using mobile devices to teach mathematics. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 28(1), 107–121.
  • Öztürk, M. (2016). Köy ve kasabalarda görev yapan öğretmenlerin mesleğin ilk yılında yaşadıkları güçlükler [Induction challenges experienced by novice teachers teaching in villages and small towns]. İlköğretim Online, 15(2). 378-390.
  • Rasmitadila, R., Aliyyah, R. R., Rachmadtullah, R., Samsudin, A., Syaodih, E., Nurtanto, M., & Tambunan, A. R. S. (2020). The perceptions of primary school teachers of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic period: A case study in Indonesia. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 7(2), 90-109. http://dx.doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/388
  • Sarı, M. H. & Altun, Y. (2015). Göreve yeni başlayan sınıf öğretmenlerinin karşılaştıkları sorunlar [Problems faced by new elementary school teachers]. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 30(1), 213-226.
  • Schleicher, A. (2020). How can teachers and school systems respond to the COVID-19 pandemic? Some lessons from TALIS, OECD Education and Skills Today. https://oecdedutoday.com/how-teachers-school-systems-respond-coronavirus-talis/
  • Sikirit, D. (2020). Learning from the home during the COVİD 19 pandemic. https://www.unicef.org/indonesia/coronavirus/stories/learning-home-during-covid-19-pandemic
  • Soffer, T., & Nachmias, R. (2018). Effectiveness of learning in online academic courses compared with face‐to‐face courses in higher education. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 34(5), 534-543.
  • Sowell, M. (2017). Effective practices for mentoring beginning middle school teachers: Mentor’s perspectives. The Clearing House, 90(4), 129–134. https://doi.org/10.1080/00098655.2017.1321905
  • Tomšik, R. & Gatial, V. (2018). Choosing teaching as a profession: Influence of big personality traits on fallback career. Problems of Education in the 21th Century, 76(1). 100-108.
  • Ugur-Erdogmus, F., & Albayrak, D. (2022). A phenomenological analysis of primary school teachers’ lived distance education experience during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey. International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2022.2124879
  • UNICEF, (2020). Key messages and actions for COVID-19 prevention and control in schools. https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/key-messages-and-actions-for-covid-19-prevention-and-control-in-schools-march-2020
  • United Nations. (2020). Policy Brief: Education during Covid-19 and beyond.
  • VanVoorhis, F. L. (2003). Interactive homework in middle school: Effect on family involvement and students’ science achievement. The Journal of Educational Research, 96, 323–339.
  • Veenman, S. (1984). Perceived problems of beginnig teachers. Rewiev of Educational Research Summer, 143-178.
  • Voss, T., & M. Kunter. (2020). Reality Shock’ of Beginning Teachers? Changes in Teacher Candidates’ Emotional Exhaustion and Constructivist-oriented Beliefs. Journal of Teacher Education, 71(3), 292–306. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487119839700
  • Yavuzer, Y., Dikici, A., Çalışkan, M., & Aytekin, H., (2006). Sınıf öğretmenliği mezunlarının öğretmen yetiştirme programlarından yararlanma düzeylerine ilişkin görüşleri [Views of primary school graduates on the level of benefiting from teacher training programs]. Çukurova Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 3(32), 35-41.
  • Yıldırım, N., Fidan, N. K., & Ergün, S. S. (2017). A qualitative study on the difficulties experienced by novice classroom teachers. International Journal of Social Science Research, 6(2), 1-18.

Mesleğe Yeni Başlayan Sınıf Öğretmenlerinin Pandemi Sürecindeki Deneyimlerine Dönük Fenomenolojik Bir Çalışma

Year 2023, Volume: 7 Issue: 2, 34 - 50, 31.07.2023

Abstract

Mesleğin ilk yılı herkes için ama özellikle de öğretmenler için zor bir deneyimdir. İlk yıl, herhangi bir meslek için bilginin uygulamaya yansımasıdır. 2020 ve 2021 yıllarında Covid-19 salgını mesleğe yeni başlayan sınıf öğretmenleri için bu zorluğu daha da karmaşık hale getirmiştir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Covid-19 salgını sırasında sınıf öğretmeni olma olgusunu keşfetmektir. Bu nedenle, fenomenolojik araştırma deseni kullanılmıştır. Amaçlı örnekleme yöntemi kullanılarak, öğretmenliklerinin ilk yılında olan sekiz ilkokul öğretmeni seçilmiştir. Çalışma grubu hem merkezi hem de kırsal okullardan öğretmenlerden oluşmuştur. Her bir katılımcıyla yapılan yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler Zoom aracılığıyla toplanmıştır. Temalar içerik analizi yöntemine dayalı olarak oluşturulmuştur. Çalışmanın bulguları, katılımcıların pandemi sırasında yaşadıkları zorlukları ve bu zorluklarla nasıl başa çıktıklarını ortaya koydu. Buna ek olarak, meslektaşlarının, müdürlerinin ve diğer paydaşların süreçle başa çıkmadaki rolü vurgulanmıştır. Ayrıca, hizmet öncesi ve hizmet içi hazırlıklarının pandemide öğretimle başa çıkma yolları üzerindeki etkinliğine de vurgu yapmışlardır. Son olarak, pandemi sırasında uzaktan eğitimde kullandıkları teknolojilerin olanaklarının yetersizliğine de değinilmiştir. Çalışma, mesleğe yeni başlayan öğretmenlerinin deneyimlerinin, eğitimcilerin hazırlık düzeyi ve gelecekteki senaryolara nasıl daha iyi hazırlanabilecekleri konusunda güçlü içgörüler sağladığı sonucuna varılmıştır.

References

  • Alrefaie, Z., Hassanien, M., & Al-Hayani, A. (2020). Monitoring online learning during Covid-19 pandemic: Suggested online learning portfolio (Covid-19 OLP). MedEdPublish, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.15694/mep.2020.000110.1
  • Bibi W, Ali A (2012). The impact of pre-school education on the academic achievements of primary school students. The Dialogue; VII (2), 152-159.
  • Burke, J., & Dempsey, M. (2020). COVID-19 Practice in primary schools in Ireland report. https://jtade.com/index.php/jtade/article/view/7/8
  • Çakın, M., & Külekçi Akyavuz, E. (2020). Covid-19 süreci ve eğitime yansıması: Öğretmen görüşlerinin incelenmesi [Covid-19 process and its reflection on education: Examination of teacher opinions]. International Journal of Social Sciences and Education Research, 6(2), 165-186.
  • Çelik, Y. (2020). Mezunlarının görüşlerine göre sınıf öğretmenliği programlarının değerlendirilmesi [Evaluation of primary education programs according to graduates’ opinions]. Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 39(3), 329-349.
  • Çetin, B. (2013). Sınıfta istenmeyen öğrenci davranışlarıyla ilgili sınıf öğretmenlerinin karşılaştıkları sorunlar ve çözüm önerileri [Problems that class teachers faced in the classroom related to undesired behaviors and their solutions]. Ahi Evran Üniversitesi Kırşehir Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 14(1), 255-269.
  • Chang, G. C., & Yano, S. (2020). How are countries addressing the Covid-19 challenges in education? A snapshot of policy measures. https://gecv.ac.in/uploads/ssip/UNESCO%20snap%20shot%20for%20maintaining%20education.pdf
  • Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (Fifth Edition). SAGE Publication
  • Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative ınquiry & research design choosing among five approaches. (Fourth edition). SAGE Publication
  • Fauzi, I., & Khusuma, I. (2020). Teachers’ elementary school in online learning of Covid- 19 pandemic condition. Jurnal Iqra’:Kajian Ilmu Pendidikan, 5(1), 58-70. https://doi.org/10.25217/ji.v5i1.914
  • Giannini, S., & Lewis, S. G. (2020). Three ways to plan for equity during the coronavirus school closures. https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2020/03/ 25/three-ways-to-plan-for-equity-during-the-coronavirus-school-closures/
  • Karahan, E. & Bozan, M. A. & Akçay, A. O. (2020). Sınıf öğretmenliği lisans öğrencilerinin pandemi sürecindeki çevrim içi öğrenme deneyimlerinin incelenmesi [The online learning experiences of primary school pre-service teachers during the Covid-19 pandemic process]. Turkish Studies, 15(4), 201-214. https://dx.doi.org/10.7827/TurkishStudies.44348
  • Karlberg, M., & Bezzina, C. (2022). The professional development needs of beginning and experienced teachers in four municipalities in Sweden. Professional Development in Education, 48(4), 624-641. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2020.1712451
  • Lack, K. A. (2013). Current status of research on online learning in postsecondary education. https://sr.ithaka.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ithaka-sr-online-learning-postsecondary-education-may2012.pdf
  • Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualıtatıve research a guide to design and implementation. (Fourth Edition). John Wiley & Sons
  • Merriweather, L. R., & Morgan, A. J. (2013). Two cultures collide: Bridging the generation gap in a non-traditional mentorship. The Qualitative Report, 18(6), 1–16.
  • Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldana, J. (2014). Qualitative data analysis a methods sourcebook (3. Edition). SAGE Publication
  • Ministry of National Education. (2020). https://www.meb.gov.tr/mevzuat/liste
  • Müller-Fohrbrodt, G., Cloetta, B., Dann, H. D. (1978). Der Praxisschock bei jungen Lehrern: Formen, Ursachen, Folgerungen. Ernst Klett Verlag
  • OECD, (2020). Education responses to Covid-19: Embracing digital learning and online collaboration. http://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/education-responses-to-covid-19-embracing-digital-learning-and-online-collaboration-d75eb0e8/
  • Ontario Ministry of Education. (2010). A resource handbook for new teachers. http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/teacher/NTIPTeacher.pdf
  • Orlando, J., & Attard, C. (2016). Digital natives come of age: the reality of today’s early career teachers using mobile devices to teach mathematics. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 28(1), 107–121.
  • Öztürk, M. (2016). Köy ve kasabalarda görev yapan öğretmenlerin mesleğin ilk yılında yaşadıkları güçlükler [Induction challenges experienced by novice teachers teaching in villages and small towns]. İlköğretim Online, 15(2). 378-390.
  • Rasmitadila, R., Aliyyah, R. R., Rachmadtullah, R., Samsudin, A., Syaodih, E., Nurtanto, M., & Tambunan, A. R. S. (2020). The perceptions of primary school teachers of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic period: A case study in Indonesia. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 7(2), 90-109. http://dx.doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/388
  • Sarı, M. H. & Altun, Y. (2015). Göreve yeni başlayan sınıf öğretmenlerinin karşılaştıkları sorunlar [Problems faced by new elementary school teachers]. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 30(1), 213-226.
  • Schleicher, A. (2020). How can teachers and school systems respond to the COVID-19 pandemic? Some lessons from TALIS, OECD Education and Skills Today. https://oecdedutoday.com/how-teachers-school-systems-respond-coronavirus-talis/
  • Sikirit, D. (2020). Learning from the home during the COVİD 19 pandemic. https://www.unicef.org/indonesia/coronavirus/stories/learning-home-during-covid-19-pandemic
  • Soffer, T., & Nachmias, R. (2018). Effectiveness of learning in online academic courses compared with face‐to‐face courses in higher education. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 34(5), 534-543.
  • Sowell, M. (2017). Effective practices for mentoring beginning middle school teachers: Mentor’s perspectives. The Clearing House, 90(4), 129–134. https://doi.org/10.1080/00098655.2017.1321905
  • Tomšik, R. & Gatial, V. (2018). Choosing teaching as a profession: Influence of big personality traits on fallback career. Problems of Education in the 21th Century, 76(1). 100-108.
  • Ugur-Erdogmus, F., & Albayrak, D. (2022). A phenomenological analysis of primary school teachers’ lived distance education experience during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey. International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2022.2124879
  • UNICEF, (2020). Key messages and actions for COVID-19 prevention and control in schools. https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/key-messages-and-actions-for-covid-19-prevention-and-control-in-schools-march-2020
  • United Nations. (2020). Policy Brief: Education during Covid-19 and beyond.
  • VanVoorhis, F. L. (2003). Interactive homework in middle school: Effect on family involvement and students’ science achievement. The Journal of Educational Research, 96, 323–339.
  • Veenman, S. (1984). Perceived problems of beginnig teachers. Rewiev of Educational Research Summer, 143-178.
  • Voss, T., & M. Kunter. (2020). Reality Shock’ of Beginning Teachers? Changes in Teacher Candidates’ Emotional Exhaustion and Constructivist-oriented Beliefs. Journal of Teacher Education, 71(3), 292–306. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487119839700
  • Yavuzer, Y., Dikici, A., Çalışkan, M., & Aytekin, H., (2006). Sınıf öğretmenliği mezunlarının öğretmen yetiştirme programlarından yararlanma düzeylerine ilişkin görüşleri [Views of primary school graduates on the level of benefiting from teacher training programs]. Çukurova Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 3(32), 35-41.
  • Yıldırım, N., Fidan, N. K., & Ergün, S. S. (2017). A qualitative study on the difficulties experienced by novice classroom teachers. International Journal of Social Science Research, 6(2), 1-18.
There are 38 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Studies on Education
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Ahmet Oğuz Akçay 0000-0003-2109-976X

Mehmet Arif Bozan 0000-0003-3554-4828

Engin Karahan 0000-0003-4530-211X

Early Pub Date August 1, 2023
Publication Date July 31, 2023
Submission Date March 27, 2023
Published in Issue Year 2023 Volume: 7 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Akçay, A. O., Bozan, M. A., & Karahan, E. (2023). A Phenomenological Study of First-Year Primary School Teachers’ Experiences during the Pandemic Era. International Primary Education Research Journal, 7(2), 34-50.