Problems of District National Education Directors in Career Entry Phase

Abstract

In this research, it is aimed to examine the problems of the district national education managers in the career entrance phase. For the purposes of the study, a mixed method research approach was used. The quantitative sample of the study was composed of 279 district national education managers. “The Career Entry Phase Problems Scale” was used as a quantitative data collection tool which was developed by the researcher. The scale, which was developed to determine the problems experienced by the district national education managers during the career entrance phase, has 51 items and seven factors. In the qualitative data collection process, the opinions of 62 district national education managers who participated in 8 focus group interviews were analyzed. For the qualitative data analysis, content analysis and descriptive statistical techniques were used. In the qualitative part of the research, the inability to spend enough time to private life, the family-work conflict, the administrative problems arising from inexperience, the lack of preparation and training for the profession, the problems experienced in professional development, the problems of communication within the organization, the problems arising from the double-digit career approach and findings of feeling of career plateau were found as problem areas. In the quantitative findings of the study, the problems that they faced in their career entrance phase revealed the professional development variables. Stress problems were found to be lower in participants aged 55 years or older.