Author/s:
Mangali, Glen*
Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Manila, Philippines (glen.mangali@letran.edu.ph)
David, Adonis
Philippine Normal University, Manila, Philippines (david.ap@pnu.edu.ph)
Abstract:
Adult learners such as teachers and professors should engage themselves in adult education to become lifelong learners. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are providing professional development and adult education abroad which is shaped by patterns of social investment through crossing boarders or global dimensions in relation to building knowledge. A phenomenological method was used to provide a window in describing and analyzing the essence or essences of lived experience of five Filipino doctoral science students in Japan. Driven by two central questions: What does “teachers as learners” means to Filipino doctoral science students in Japan? and What characterizes “teachers as learners” in Japan?, a series of interviews were conducted. The responses to the research questions gave direction and focus which was provided with an in-depth personal perspective of this study. Through constant analysis and coding, the Periodic Table of Japan Experience as Teachers as Learners (PeTJET-L) emerged. The PeTJET-L showed the the lived experience of the participants can be grouped into four themes or stages, namely: Enjoying, Enduring, Gaman and Teacher as Learner. The study revealed that the lived experiences of Filipino doctoral students in Japan provided them to become “gaman” demonstrating strength in facing academic difficulty and suffering. Moreover, their experiences developed them to become aggressive, independent, expectant, passionate and reflective learner who are subject expert, research scholars and educational leaders.
Keywords: Gaman; enjoying; enduring; teachers as learners; Japan; Philippines; phenomenology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2017.1832
*Corresponding Author