Doktorat w pracy zawodowej nauczycieli: między afirmacją a dyskredytacją

Marta KOWALCZUK-WALĘDZIAK

The role of the doctorate in teaching profession: between affirmation and discreditation

Słowa kluczowe: studia doktoranckie, nauczyciele, kształcenie nauczycieli, nauczyciel ze stopniem naukowym doktora.

Key words: doctoral studies, teachers, PhD holding teachers

Abstract: In this article, I present and analyze selected results of a qualitative study being part of an international research project concerning the role of doctoral studies in teachers' professional and personal development. I particularly focus on the value of doctorate in the practice of teaching from the point of view of 28 Polish teachers who have obtained the doctoral degree and work at different types of school. The research results indicate that most of the interviewed teachers evaluate the knowledge, skills and competence gained during the doctoral studies as very useful in their work (e.g. in teaching students through research, in planning and implementing innovations, in working with gifted students, or in internal evaluation). However, more than half of the respondents (17 teachers) point out that the value of their doctorate is belittled by headmasters and other teachers, who do it e.g. by publicly negating their pedagogical skills, excluding them from the school's social life, or failing to pay them for the work done. These findings are discussed in the context of current challenges for the teacher education and teacher professional development.