Navigating Academic Careers: Professional Pathways of Bachelor of Elementary Education Graduates
Main Article Content
Abstract
The study aimed to explore the career pathways of Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEEd) graduates under Contract of Service (COS) status who are teaching college students. Specifically, it examined the motivations that led them to pursue college teaching, described their career pathways in the college setting, and identified the opportunities and challenges that characterize their teaching experiences. The study employed a qualitative research method using a descriptive phenomenological design. Colaizzi’s method of data analysis was utilized in interpreting the data gathered from eight (8) informants. Findings revealed that BEEd COS instructors were motivated to enter college teaching because of degree alignment, competitive salary and prestige, opportunities for professional growth, and personal preference for teaching adult learners. Their career pathways were marked by transition, pedagogical adaptation, continuous learning, and personal fulfillment through shaping future educators. The study also found that their experiences involved challenges in instructional and classroom practices, limited resources and facilities, and concerns regarding recognition and compensation. Despite these difficulties, the informants remained committed through adaptability, supportive colleagues, and professional development opportunities. The study concluded that BEEd graduates under COS status were able to succeed in a profession outside their expected specialization through resilience, flexibility, and dedication to teaching. The findings provide valuable insights for higher education institutions and policy makers in developing support systems, training programs, fair employment practices, and career advancement opportunities for contractual college instructors.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Ahmad, R., Nawaz, M. R., Ishaq, M. I., Khan, M. M., & Ashraf, H. A. (2023). Social exchange theory: Systematic review and future directions. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 1015921. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1015921
Albatin, C. J., Calagos, A. C., Figueroa, K. J. Q., Lopez, J. R. F., Sacdalan, M. J. R., Santos, J. M., Robles , R. R., & Faustino, J. B. (2025). Trailblazer in teaching education: BEED graduates' competencies and experiences in their career choices. ISA Journal of Multidisciplinary (ISAJM), 2(3), 102-116. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15569538
American Association of University Professors. (2024). Background facts on contingent faculty positions. https://www.aaup.org/background-facts-contingent-faculty-positions
Anthony, W., Brown, P. L., Fynn, N., & Gadzekpo, P. (2020). The plight of adjuncts in higher education. NOSS Practitioner to Practitioner, 10(4), 3–10. https://thenoss.org/resources/Documents/NOSS%20Practitioner/NOSS%20Practitioner%20to%20PractitioneUpdated%20version%20Feb%202020.pdf
Attia, N. (2017). Teachers’ perception on the relationship between subject-specialized teaching and students’ achievement in elementary classrooms. Master of Teaching Research Projects. http://hdl.handle.net/1807/76925
Baluyos, G., Rivera, H., & Baluyos, E. (2019). Teachers’ job satisfaction and work performance. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 7(8), 206–221. https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2019.78015
Belmonte, C. J. (2020). Adjunct faculty job satisfaction: Intangible and financial factors affecting the academic majority (Publication No. 223) [Doctoral dissertation, Old Dominion University]. ODU Digital Commons. https://doi.org/10.25777/hynh-2b46
Berja, E. (2026). Employability and program effectiveness of BSESS graduates in the Philippines: A tracer study. Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (MJSSH), 11(6), e003927-e003927. https://doi.org/10.47405/mjssh.v11i6.3927
Béteille, T., & Ramachandran, V. (2016). Contract teachers in India. Economic and Political Weekly, 51(25), 40–47. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44003636
Bland, J. A., Wojcikiewicz, S. K., Darling-Hammond, L., & Wei, W. (2023). Strengthening pathways into the teaching profession in Texas: Challenges and opportunities. Learning Policy Institute. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED630218
Branson, T. A. (2021). Capital, hard work, and luck: How part-time instrumental music educators in Arizona continue to work despite the COVID-19 pandemic [Doctoral dissertation, Arizona State University]. ASU Digital Repository.
Cabello, C. A., Logos, J., & Bonotan, A. M. (2022). Part-time instructors in the higher education institutions: The less, the limited, the left-over, and the survivors. Journal of Positive School Psychology, 6(3), 6202–6214. https://journalppw.com/index.php/jpsp/article/view/3526
Campbell, S., Greenwood, M., Prior, S., Shearer, T., Walkem, K., Young, S., Bywaters, D., & Walker, K. (2020). Purposive sampling: complex or simple? Research case examples. Journal of research in Nursing, 25(8), 652-661. https://doi.org/10.1177/1744987120927206
Carino, C. M. (2022). Lived experiences of college instructors with meager salary: A phenomenological study. In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Education and Technology (ICETECH 2021) (pp. 336–342). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.220103.048
Colaizzi, P. (1978). Psychological research as a phenomenologist views it. In: Valle, R. S. & King, M. (1978). Existential Phenomenological Alternatives for Psychology. Open University Press.
Danaei, K. J. (2019). Literature review of adjunct faculty. Educational Research: Theory and Practice, 30(2), 17–33. http://www.nrmera.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/2-Danaei-2019.pdf
David, S. A., & Hill, C. (2021). Postgraduate students' experiences and perspectives on transformation of teaching and learning in tertiary education. Education+ Training, 63(4), 562-578. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-05-2020-0122
De Cuyper, N., De Vos, A., Forrier, A., & Van der Heijden, B. (2026). Social exchange theory and employability. In Handbook of Social Exchange Theory in Organizations (pp. 280-294). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035322473.00022
Echazarra, A., Salinas, D., Méndez, I., Denis, V., & Rech, G. (2016). How teachers teach and students learn: Successful strategies for school. OECD Education Working Papers, 2016. https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/how-teachers-teach-and-students-learn_5jm29kpt0xxx-en.html
Gaytos, C. E. G., Lacay, S. C., & Manzano, E. C. (2023). Demographic profile, employment status, competencies, skills and values acquired among bachelor of elementary education graduates. East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (EAJMR), 2(4), 1375-1386. https://doi.org/10.55927/eajmr.v2i4.3739
Generalao, I. N., Ducanes, G., Yee, K. M., & David, C. C. (2022). Teacher education in the Philippines: Are we meeting the demand for quality. Philippine Journal of Public Policy: Interdisciplinary Development Perspectives, 2022, 1-65. https://cids.up.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/1-Generalao-et-al.-2022-Teacher-education-in-the-PH.pdf
Handayani, R., & Hidayat, H. (2025). Facilities and infrastructure management in improving the quality of student learning. Journal of Innovation and Research in Primary Education, 4(4), 2334-2345. https://doi.org/10.56916/jirpe.v4i4.2083
Hansen, M., & Quintero, D. (2017). Scrutinizing equal pay for equal work among teachers. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/scrutinizing-equal-pay-for-equal-work-among-teachers/
Hitch, D., Mahoney, P., & Macfarlane, S. (2018). Professional development for sessional staff in higher education: A review of current evidence. Higher education research & development, 37(2), 285-300. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2017.1360844
Ivic, S. (2016). Frequency of applying different teaching strategies and social teaching methods in primary schools. Journal of Education and Practice, 7(33), 66-71. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1122875
Japor, J. E. (2021). Organizational career growth: Literature review and future agenda. International Journal of Business and Administrative Studies, 7(1), 12-24. doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.20469/ijbas.7.10002-1
Kapur, R. (2019). Infrastructure development in schools. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334029594_Infrastructure_Development_in_Schools
Kraft, M. A., & Lyon, M. A. (2024). The rise and fall of the teaching profession: Prestige, interest, preparation, and satisfaction over the last half century. American Educational Research Journal, 61(6), 1192-1236. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312241276856
Ladd, H. F., & Sorensen, L. C. (2015). Do master's degrees matter? Advanced degrees, career paths, and the effectiveness of teachers. working paper 136. National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research (CALDER). https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED587162
Len, K. E. (2018). Classroom communication techniques: A tool for pupils’ participation in the learning process across the curriculum. Creat. Educ, 9(03), 535-548. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2018.93037
Levin, J. S., & Hernandez, V. M. (2014). Divided identity: Part-time faculty in public colleges and universities. The Review of Higher Education, 37(4), 531–557. https://doi.org/10.1353/rhe.2014.0033
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. SAGE Publications.
Malacapay, M. C. (2022). The competence disparity of elementary and secondary teacher-education graduates. Philippine Social Science Journal, 5(1), 57-70. https://doi.org/10.52006/main.v5i1.466
McKendrick-Calder, L., Smith, S., Choate, J., & Nelson, J. (2026). What are the emotional burdens of precarious educators working in the higher education sector? A scoping review. Higher Education Research & Development, 45(3), 661-679. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2025.2559649
Morrow, R., Rodriguez, A., & King, N. (2015). Colaizzi’s descriptive phenomenological method. The psychologist, 28(8), 643-644. https://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/26984/1/Morrow_et_al.pdf
Müller, M. M., & Gold, B. (2026). Exploring profiles of pre-service teachers’ situation-specific skills regarding classroom management. European Journal of Teacher Education, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2026.2614700
Musa, G. A. (2020). An assessment of the relationship between part-time instructors and performance of university graduates in Kenya’s economy: Effects of salary payments. European Journal of Business and Management Research, 5(2), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.24018/ejbmr.2020.5.2.278
Pepito, R. S., & Bianan, R. D. (2026). Quality assurance in teacher education: An evaluation of the bachelor of elementary education program. Journal of Intelligent Decision Making and Information Science, 3(5s), 1368-1388. https://doi.org/10.59543/jidmis.v3.1275
Pham, T., Sugiarto, I. K., & Negara, R. (2026). What drives graduate employability? Insights from a mixed-methods investigation of employability capitals. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2026.2684783
Pollard, A., Wyse, D., Craig, A., Daly, C., Harmey, S., Hayward, L., Higgins, S., McCrory, A., & Seleznyov, S. (2023). Reflective teaching in primary schools. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Powers, E. (2016). How industry professionals learn to become effective adjunct professors [Doctoral dissertation, Northeastern University]. Northeastern University Repository. https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82mz10q/fulltext.pdf
Price, H. E., & Weatherby, K. (2018). The global teaching profession: How treating teachers as knowledge workers improves the esteem of the teaching profession. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 29(1), 113-149. https://doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2017.1394882
Primas, V. K. (2021). A Qualitative Study of Employee Intrinsic Motivations and Their Relation to Employee Intent to Leave [Doctoral dissertation, Trident University Internasional]. https://www.proquest.com/openview/c2bb449468d1605b986976d818eb3914/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
Quin, D. (2017). Longitudinal and contextual associations between teacher–student relationships and student engagement: A systematic review. Review of educational research, 87(2), 345-387. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654316669434
Rico Erika, P., & Caballes Dennis, G. (2026). Factors Influencing teachers’ promotion decisions in Philippine basic education. American Journal of Educational Research, 14(6), 159-164. https://doi.org/10.12691/education-14-6-1
Rivero, M. del R. (2015). The link of teacher career paths on the distribution of high qualified teachers: A Chilean case study. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 23, 73. https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.v23.1710
Robinson, O. C. (2014). Sampling in interview-based qualitative research: A theoretical and practical guide. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 11(1), 25–41. https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2013.801543
Rudio, V. O., Carreon, R. D., & Ocampo, E. S. (2020). Student teachers' perceptions toward elementary education student teaching program in the Philippines. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 8(12), 7036-7046. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2020.081271
Rugayan, M. S. (2026). Teachers’ welfare implementation and job satisfaction in public schools in Buguias district, Philippines. Journal of Education, Learning, and Management, 3(2), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.69739/jelm.v3i2.1923
Salendab, F. A., Ocariza-Salendab, R. L. A., & Sanchez, R. D. (2023). Employers’ feedback on the performance of bachelor of elementary education (BEED) graduates in the workplace: A pre-deployment training remediation implications. International Journal of Open-access, Interdisciplinary and New Educational Discoveries of ETCOR Educational Research Center (iJOINED ETCOR), 2(3), 882-897. https://etcor.org/storage/iJOINED/Vol.%20II(3),%20882-897.pdf
Sanchez-Danday, A. S. Q. (2023). Employability of elementary education graduates and undergraduates: The case of a teacher education institution in the Philippines. European Modern Studies Journal, 7(3), 198–210. https://doi.org/10.59573/emsj.7(3).2023.20
Saripah, A., & Tejawiani, I. (2026). Management facilities and infrastructure in improving quality learning at elementary school. Journal of Innovation and Research in Primary Education, 5(1), 207-217. https://doi.org/10.56916/jirpe.v5i1.2760
Singh, A. (2026). Impact of compensation on employee motivation, engagement, and retention. In Strategies for Effective Employee Rewards and Compensation Management , 209-228. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-3820-0.ch009
Teräs, H. (2016). Collaborative online professional development for teachers in higher education. Professional development in education, 42(2), 258-275. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2014.961094
Times Higher Education. (2024). Data and insights. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/our-solutions/data-and-insights
Vicente, E. (2017). An exploration of contingent faculty experiences at a private, liberal arts college. The Review of Social Sciences, 2(3), 09–23. https://doi.org/10.18533/rss.v2i3.91
Villano-Ac, A. R. (2024). Non-specialized teachers handling major subjects. International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Studies, 4(5), 203. https://www.ijams-bbp.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/5-IJAMS-MAY-2024-203-215.pdf
Villena-Martínez, M. D., & Muñoz-García, A. (2026). The effect of teacher personality on the social competence of students: An empirical study in primary education classrooms. Teachers and Teaching, 32(2), 224-238. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2024.2445823
Webb, A. S., & Welsh, A. J. (2019). Phenomenology as a methodology for scholarship of teaching and learning research. Teaching & Learning Inquiry, 7(1), 168–181. https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.7.1.11
Whitmore, J. B. (2023). Feeling the burn: A phenomenological study on burnout among adjunct professors at higher education institutions [Doctoral dissertation, Liberty University]. Liberty University Digital Commons. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/4547
Wirihana, L., Welch, A., Williamson, M., Christensen, M., Bakon, S., & Craft, J. (2018). Using Colaizzi’s method of data analysis to explore the experiences of nurse academics teaching on satellite campuses. Nurse Researcher, 25(4), 30–34. https://doi.org/10.7748/nr.2018.e1516
Woods, P., & Jeffrey, B. (2019). Teachable moments: The art of teaching in primary schools. Routledge.
Xu, D. (2019). Academic performance in community colleges: The influences of part-time and full-time instructors. American Educational Research Journal, 56(2), 368–406. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831218796131
Zitko, P. A., & Schultz, K. (2020). The adjunct model as an equity crisis in higher education: A qualitative inquiry into the lived experience of “part-time” community college faculty in Northern California. Education Leadership Review of Doctoral Research, 8, 1–19. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1292069.pdf