The Views, Difficulties and Suggestions of Teachers Having Graduate Education About the Process

Many individuals pursuing graduate education attempt to balance their professional lives with their academic commitments. This situation becomes even more complex, particularly for working teachers. The aim of this study is to examine the challenges faced by teachers who continue their professional teaching careers while simultaneously enrolled in graduate education programs, and to gather their views and suggestions. The study group consists of 30 teachers working in Bitlis province and its districts during the 2023 2024 academic year, who are also enrolled in graduate programs in various fields. The research follows a qualitative design, specifically the phenomenological approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the participants. According to the results of the study, teachers believe that graduate education contributes most significantly to their professional development, particularly in terms of professional renewal. However, they face challenges during the graduate education process due to time constraints caused by personal reasons, issues related to course selection from the university, and the irregularities in course schedules imposed by their institutions. Continuing graduate education while maintaining their teaching profession has especially contributed to teachers' ability to empathize with their students. Suggestions were also gathered from the participants on how to make graduate education more effective and of higher quality.