Anna Marie V. Alfante
Dario M. Orencia
Ligaya Z. Del Rosario
Vivian I. Buhain
Luzale D. Henson
Luningning B. De Castro
New Era University, Quezon City, Philippines
How to Cite:
Alfante, A. M. V., Orencia, D. M., Del Rosario, L. Z., Buhain, V. I., Henson, L. D., & De Castro, L. B. (2024). Exploring academic competitions: A phenomenological study of foreign teachers coaching students for local and international competitions. International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Research and Studies, 4(3), 1272–1293. https://doi.org/10.62225/2583049X.2024.4.3.2935
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Abstract
This study sought to explore the experiences of foreign teachers coaching for academic competitions. Applying transcendental phenomenological research. Following Moustaka’s four main processes in conducting phenomenological research, the researcher transcribed the interview material, then read and re-read it to develop codes and classified them into categories and themes. The researcher determined six themes from the interview recordings by considering the Conservation of Resources Theory by Hobfoll (1989) as the basis, which were then thoroughly evaluated. The data analysis revealed that foreign teachers’ experiences in coaching for academic competitions could be described using the following themes: Teacher educational career, remarkable experience, support, strategies in coaching, challenges in coaching and teacher reflection. Coaching experiences might inspire teachers to continue developing and coaching students. However, not all cases are the same due to the circumstances they face. The results revealed that teachers who received support from the school and other stakeholders were content with their experience, which gave them a positive attitude toward academic competition. The findings suggested that students, teachers, and schools should be adequately prepared before participating in a competition, whether local or international. Teachers and students must be willing to confront any problems that may arise throughout the preparation process. The school can provide assistance to teachers by offering training, materials, and emotional support, as well as other support such as time, money, or tokens of appreciation.
Keywords: Academic Competitions, Coaching Experiences, Foreign Teachers
Introduction
Academic competition is an important aspect of education. Aside from the core curriculum that every educational institution provides, competition inside or between schools, within the region, nationwide or internationally, presents challenges that can put students’ capacity to go beyond the boundaries of typical educational environments. Admission Sight (2024) [1] defines academic competitions as events in which teams or individuals compete against one another in a specific academic discipline. These competitions serve a purpose beyond the desire to win. They intend to stimulate people’s interest in the subject, foster collaboration and teamwork, and increase participation.
Background of the Study
Teachers are often assigned to coach students in academic competitions. These teachers typically have regular teaching responsibilities in addition to serving as competition coaches, making their job more difficult. According to Roloff, J. et al. (2022) [26], burnout characteristics and personality factors are highly associated in teachers in a manner akin to professional organizations. Aside from their job is prone to burnout, another problem is teaching students from other countries. For foreign teachers, employing English as a medium of instruction is critical for transferring their ideas. However, challenges arise in countries that utilize English as a foreign language rather than a second language. Agung, A. S. N. (2019) [2] identified socio-cultural barriers as the most significant, with minor challenges such as limited language proficiency, insufficient resources, communication gaps, and students’ lack of enthusiasm to learn.
Despite the importance of coaches in academic competition, there is a scarcity of study in this field. Miles (2017) [20] identifies seven categories of research gaps. One of these gaps is the empirical gap, which frequently discusses conflicts that have not been directly addressed in any previous studies. to examine a subject or topic using empirical methods. Contrary to the fact that there have been numerous studies on athletic coaching, language difficulties, and students competing in academic competitions, there is inadequate research on teachers coaching in academic competitions. How much more for foreign teachers working overseas and coaching for academic competitions?
The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of foreign teachers who had been coaching for local and international competitions.
Problem Statement
According to Van Den Berg, L., and Surujlal, J. (2020) [31], a successful talent development environment is required, which includes coaches’ clear long-term goals as well as broad and consistent support. As coaching is a tough job, especially for teachers teaching abroad, it takes focus and experience to prepare students for academic competitions. The objective of the study was to understand the experiences of foreign educators who served as coaches for local and international academic competitions. Given the researcher’s current location in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, finding a school with a sufficient number of foreign teachers with relevant coaching expertise for academic competitions was necessary. One of the three schools in Nay Pyi Taw that offered the Cambridge program was Nay Pyi Taw International Science Academy. They were renowned for having a large number of foreign teachers on staff. This prompted the researcher to select the school as the study’s location.
Review of Related Literature
In regard to the experiences of foreign teachers coaching for local and international competitions, the following studies under the following areas are examined: The topics covered include academic competition, competition coaching, and teaching in a foreign country.
Academic Competition
Every educational environment has included a significant amount of competition, placing mentors, students, and schools toward one another in an intense contest for knowledge, ideas, and abilities. According to Islam, M. P., & Idris, S. A. M. (2022) [15], the competition between organizations that declare their schools to be the best is a growing indicator of competitiveness. Naturally, this raises concerns for the institutions that are less developed in terms of both quantity and quality. When an institution lacks competition, fewer people apply, which leads to the institution being compelled to close. The expanding number of academic competitions in both local and international settings may be attributed in part to competition among educational institutions. This may also have an impact on the competition between students who compete locally and internationally as representatives of their schools or nations.
According to Li, G. et al (2022) [18], academic success is a crucial sign of a student’s learning circumstances and serves as a foundation for deciding if a student is eligible to continue their education. Furthermore, academic accomplishment is frequently used as a benchmark to assess the quality of instruction provided in schools. As a result, society, parents, and students all pay close attention to learners’ academic performance. Aside from success in the classroom, academic success can also be in the form of academic competition in schools, localities, nationwide, or internationally. Nguyen Hoang Tien et al (2019) [22] mentioned in their study that every industry is becoming more competitive, and education is no exception. As a result, the leader of the institution needs to have the strongest brand marketing and strategic vision. This makes academic competition a stepping stone for every school to elevate the school’s reputation and credibility.
Kowalski, M., and Christensen, A. L. (2019) [17] investigate the views of high school students on academic competition. According to the study’s findings, students may suffer because of competitiveness. When students were focused on demonstrating their skills in a way that was better than others, they found competition to be stressful. According to Mustasof, P. (2024) [21], despite widespread recognition of competition’s detrimental psychological and impact on society, it remains a cornerstone of the educational system because it is viewed as a powerful motivator for academic accomplishment. Therefore, it is vital for the school to uphold a culture of competition, as it not only establishes social norms but also reflects the school’s status and accomplishments.
Competition Coaching
Teachers are one of the most important resources in terms of academic competition. Some students found competitions very stressful because of the pressure from their parents and even from the school. Teaching is vital in preparing students not only in terms of knowledge and skills but also emotionally. Teachers who act as coaches or mentors to the students need to be responsible for training the students and supporting them throughout the competition. According to Van Den Berg, L., and Surujlal, J. (2020) [31], coaches have an impact on students’ development and performance. An effective talent development environment characterized by coaches’ clear long-term goals and broad and consistent support is thus essential.
According to Hilali, Khalid et al (2020) [13], coaches need to possess a range of styles, abilities, and strategies that are suitable for the context in which they work, in addition to processing knowledge and understanding. The key to a successful development strategy that will serve as a means of assistance in helping an individual realize their full potential for performance optimization is coaching. Coaching aids students in applying what they have learned to excel in challenging, independent performances (Kamarudin, M., et al 2020) [16].
In an article by Together Mentoring Software (2024) [24], called the Principles of Coaching: A Guide for 2024, they listed ten coaching principles that all companies must adhere to. These concepts can be stated as coaches recognizing their own style and establishing a positive environment in which kids can nurture growth, be responsible, and have independence, while students must know and understand that the program’s goal is to help them improve. This increases team satisfaction, performance, and synergy. These guidelines can help coaches enhance their methods of coaching as well as schools that encourage these programs to help students progress in their preparation for both group and individual competitions.
According to San Jose, M. T. N. (2022) [28], students with the skills and confidence to compete and win international competitions have many more opportunities when schools are driven to maintain high standards of performance and earn or regain trust, and when teachers and coaches are driven to assist in showcasing talents for professional growth and satisfaction. San Jose, M. T. N. (2022) [28] also recommends student participants be continuously profiled since their experiences constitute a valuable basis for the elements influencing their success, which is something that should be taken into serious consideration when strengthening and improving the performance of these students in international competitions. Additionally, teachers need more training on how to prepare students for international competitions so they may become more proficient in identifying students’ potential and getting them ready for the competition. This highlights how crucial it is for the school and other stakeholders to support students in their pursuit of higher competitive standards.
It is critical to understand the underlying theories of coaching and mentoring because these processes are essential for preparing students for academic competitions. Three theories are discussed in a Kamarudin, M. et al. (2020) [16] study that supports the idea of coaching. These ideas include the Presage-Process-Product Model, the GROW Model, and the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and scaffolding.
Starting with Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development to understand these theories. The underlying concept behind Vygotsky’s approach is the distinction between the ability of learners for independent task completion and guidance (Kamarudin, M. et al 2020) [16]. To put it another way, this is the difference between what the students are capable of and what they can accomplish with assistance from mentors or coaches. While the concept of scaffolding is to operationalize the zone of proximal development according to Wells (1999), Wells’s (1999) definition of scaffolding is a way of operationalizing Vygotsky’s (1987) principle of working within the zone of proximal growth (Kamarudin, M. et al 2020) [16]. Well’s work focuses on how to make Vygotsky’s work easier to understand and how the scaffolding will occur. Karamudin, M. et al (2020) [16] explained that Wells introduced three essential scaffolding elements. The first is knowledge co-constructed, the second is knowledge implanted, and the final is the artifact that facilitates knowing to simplify, learn, practice, and evaluate.
The next theory is Biggs’s Presage-Process-Product Model, the Presage-Process-Product, or 3P, model proposed by Biggs (1996) was created to describe the expectations that learners and instructors would have for the teaching and learning process (Kamarudin, M. et al 2020) [16]. Presage refers to what the students already know, the process is what happens while coaching or teaching, and the product is what the students learn during the process.
Whitmore’s (2009) GROW Model found that because it is solution-focused, it helps with problem solving and goal achievement. The concept consists of four stages in which the coach must engage the student’s attention. To help people grow and realize their potential, a single question, or a set of related questions, was used to represent each of the four unique stages. This model is excellent for purpose planning, issue solving, preserving individual achievement, and productivity (Leedham & Parsloe, 2016; Kamarudin, M. et al 2020 [16]). The Grow, Reality, Option, and Way-forward are the four phases of the GROW model. The coach and the students must decide on a goal for the GROW stage. Giving the pupils a realistic understanding of the competition they are entering is the reality on the ground. The purpose of Option is to inform the students of their alternatives regarding competing, the training regimen, and any issues that might come up throughout the instruction. On the other hand, the way forward gives the pupils the freedom to pursue any course of action they choose.
Teaching in a Foreign Country
Even teaching can be difficult at times; imagine how much more if you have to teach abroad or in an unfamiliar setting. According to Hasanah, N., & Utami, P. T. (2019) [12], the three main problems that hinder learning English in non-native English-speaking countries are inadequate textbooks, large class sizes, and unfavorable school environments, and low student motivation. In this study, they found out that many educators complain that English textbooks aren’t always appropriate for students of today. It takes time to prepare a textbook that meets the needs of students through multiple processes and revisions. For many pupils in a class, learning a new language can be challenging and needs a lot of focused attention. The last new challenge is students’ motivation to learn English, which is a major issue across all study nations.
Another study by Agung, A. S. N. (2019) [2], supported Hassanah’s claim while adding other factors such as language comprehension, method and approach, practical implementation, and socio-cultural environment. The biggest obstacle, according to Agung, A. S. N. (2019) [2], was the sociocultural element since the value of education—especially the sanctity of studying English—was not ingrained in society. Providing children with a quality education will gradually change the paradigm; infrastructural improvement, which is seen to be crucial to creating a positive learning environment, could accelerate this process.
Due to its widespread usage, English is typically the primary language utilized in international competitions. Since language proficiency might be a requirement for participation in any competition, foreign teachers coaching students in an international competition have challenges because their students may not be proficient in the language as this is not their first language. The socio-cultural barrier is another issue a teacher could run into since it can impede their ability to use successful instructional strategies or styles.
Theoretical Framework
This research had its foundation in the Conservation of Resources Theory, which was first put forth by Dr. Stevan E. Hobfoll in 1989. It is often utilized in research about how people cope with stress at work or in other settings, as well as how they develop resilience or learn from the experience. The theory has steps involved in encountering, managing, and developing resilience in the face of challenges and stress. There are a total of seven steps. The following steps are pre-disposing resource lack, fragile environment and setting, pre-existing strength, possible stressful events, resource loss, resource gain, and negative personal and material outcomes.
The study employed the Conservation of Resources Theory to demonstrate the elements that led to the challenges foreign instructors and coaches faced during competition preparation, the benefits they received, and their reflections on their experience. This theory helped in understanding how people overcame the challenges in most workplaces. According to Coatman, L. W. (2022) [8], the conservation of resources theory also addressed the question of stress in the work environment. Bettini, E. et al. (2020) [4] applied conservation of resources theory to investigate how job requirements and resources interacted with one another and with educators’ assignments to predict motivations for carrying on teaching. Since the study revolved around the teachers who provided coaching and were also employees, the researcher found that the theory fit to explain their experiences, as coaching served as a second job for them aside from teaching in normal educational settings.
The Theory of Conservation of Resources by Hobfol examines the psychological aspects of how people handle difficult circumstances and find solutions. This study focused on the teachers’ preparation for academic competitions, whether local or international, and the challenges they faced during the preparatory phase. The study centered on interviewing educators who had previously coached students of various nationalities for competitions. The Conservation of Resources Theory provided useful guidance for data analysis of the participants’ responses, particularly in developing themes from the responses.
Purpose Statement
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological qualitative study was to explore the challenges and preparation of coaching students in local and international competitions for selected foreign teachers at Nay Pyi Taw International Science Academy in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. At this stage in the research, coaching students for local and international competitions was generally defined as a lived experience for foreign teachers coaching abroad. (Creswell 2016) [6].
This study specifically sought to answer the following questions:
1. What are the lived experiences of foreign teachers in coaching students for local and international competitions?
2. What strategies do participants employ in coaching the students?
3. How do participants accept the coaching job and encourage them to continue coaching students?
Scope and Delimitation
The research employed transcendental phenomenological research, and seven foreign teachers with coaching experience were interviewed using a semi-structured interview method by the researcher. The main subjects of this study were the challenges and experiences faced by foreign educators who coached during the academic year 2023-2024 for local and international competitions. The study was conducted in 2023-2024 at Nay Pyi Taw International Science Academy (NISA) in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.
The study’s scope was restricted to the challenges and experiences faced by foreign instructors at NISA who had years of experience coaching participants both locally and internationally. Academic coaches in subjects like English, Sciences, Mathematics, ICT, and MAPE (Music, Art, and Physical Education) were included in the study.
The researcher had planned to conduct observations of some of the competitions joined by the participants; however, due to the timeline of those events not aligning with the data collection period for the study, the researcher was unable to carry out any observations. Additionally, the researcher had also planned to collect journals, but this was impeded by some participants leaving the school at the end of the academic year and having had no contact with them since then.
Significance of the Study
The significance of the study is to better understand the challenges and experiences faced by foreign instructors when coaching in local as well as international competitions. The challenges they encounter are mostly related to the following considerations:
Students will be given valuable resources that will help them prepare for the competition. These resources may be funds, instructional materials, or emotional and social support.
Teachers can acquire fresh approaches and methods for managing challenging students who can succeed. As they attempt coaching students in a competition, they will learn how to adapt to any situation that may arise.
Headteachers will have the opportunity to train or give seminars for the coaching teachers under them to assist them improve as coaches.
School administrators will be able to support the coaching program’s success in any local or international competition by providing incentives to coaches.
Stakeholders such as parents will be able to devote the time required to monitor their children’s growth and provide additional assistance in the form of tuition in addition to the coaching provided by teachers. Other stakeholders, such as business partners or parent-teacher leaders, will be able to contribute financially and in kind to support this type of program.
Since there aren’t many studies in this field, Future Researchers might focus on issues like the challenges faced by becoming an academic coach and the need to improve the coaching experience.
Summary
In this chapter, the statement of the problem and its background were included, which revolved around the foreign teacher’s experience coaching students from another country. The conservation of resources theory by Hofball (1989) served as the framework, and the purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of foreign teachers in academic coaching and their significance to students, teachers, the school, stakeholders, and future researchers. Finally, the study limitations and definitions of terms that were important to the study were provided.
Methodology
This chapter discussed the study process and methodologies, settings, sample and sampling techniques, data analysis and procedures, trustworthiness, reflexivity, and ethical considerations.
Research Design
The researcher employed a qualitative method specifically transcendental phenomenology to explore and understand the experiences of foreign teachers coaching for academic competitions. Qualitative research was a collection of approaches for assessing data in the form of natural language and expressions of experiences (Creswell, J. W., et al. 2018) [7]. In this method, the researcher analyzed the data by detecting patterns in the phenomenon in order to make sense of it based on the patterns. According to Duda, S. et al. (2020) [9], qualitative research was a field study methodology used to analyze the cultural environment or the context in which a product or service was used. This research design helped the researcher explore the experiences of foreign teachers coaching for local and international competitions. This design was also appropriate for addressing the problem statement because it required qualitative data.
The research used phenomenology, a form of qualitative research that focuses on the study of an individual’s lived experiences within the world (Neubauer, B. E., et al., 2019) [23]. Phenomenology is the study of the meaning of people’s lived experiences with a phenomenon (Tomaszewski, L. E., 2020) [30]. Transcendental phenomenology, a stage in which the objective researcher progresses beyond the participants’ statements of facts of the underwent experience to universal essences of the phenomenon, at which point consciousness itself could be apprehended (Neubauer, B., et al, 2019) [23]. The phenomenon examined in this study was academic competition coaching. This method was ideal for exploring foreign teacher preparations for coaching students for academic competitions, as the study aimed to explore their experiences in coaching for both local and international competitions. Transcendental phenomenology could give distinct facts about each participant’s experience that differed from the others. It could also help readers understand these details in a way that was understandable to everyone.
Research Setting
The researcher aimed to interview foreign teachers with experience coaching students in academic competitions. The study was held in an international school with a substantial number of foreign teachers who have experience coaching students for academic competition. The research interviewed seven foreign teachers who have experience coaching for local and international competitions at Nay Pyi Taw International Science Academy, which is one of the largest international schools in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. The school offers a Cambridge curriculum and an IGCSE program. The school has around 400 students and around 20 foreign teachers from different countries in Asia, Africa, and Europe. The interview took place between February 28th and March 10th, 2024 (see Appendix E). The interviewed teachers have been in the educational sector for at least 5 years and have been coaching for different local and international competitions from different countries and schools throughout their teaching careers. Most of them were still coaching students this year and preparing them for local and international competition.
Sample
This study was carried out by the researcher in the academic year 2023–2024. Except for native Myanmar subjects, Nay Pyi Taw International Science Academy hired foreign teachers to fill open teaching posts because it offered a Cambridge program. The researcher interviewed seven teachers employed at Nay Pyi Taw International Science Academy who fit the following criteria: (1) A foreign teacher, (2) with at least 2 years of teaching experience, (3) who had taught in different international schools outside the country, (4) had been teaching any of the following subjects Mathematics, English, Sciences, Social Science, ICT and MAPE (Music, Arts, and PE), (5) had coaching experience, and (6) had been coaching foreign students for years.
Sampling Procedure
The researcher used purposive sampling in the study. In contrast to random sampling, purposeful sampling procedures ensured that particular types of cases or individuals who could contribute meaningfully were included in the research study’s final sample (Campbell, S. et al. 2020) [5]. Purposive sampling is used to better match the sample to the research’s goals and objectives, hence boosting the study’s rigor and the trustworthiness of the data and findings (Campbell, S. et al. 2020) [5].
Purposive sampling was used by the researcher to select participants from the group of foreign teachers. The researcher requested the school’s permission to conduct the study, but this approval did not give them the right to interview certain teachers directly. Since the researcher was employed by the school, the researcher-initiated correspondence with these educators via emails, direct messages, or informal in-person discussions to verify if they met the requirements. For the teachers who met the requirements, the researcher explained to them the confidentiality associated with handling and processing the data and asked if they wanted to participate in the study. The research moved forward by arranging the appropriate interview date, time, and location if the participants agreed to them.
Data Collection Methods
The researcher employed multiple techniques to gather information from the subjects, including art-based photos, recordings, and in-depth interviews. The primary means of gathering information was through in-depth interviews, which were utilized to obtain information about participants’ individual experiences in coaching competitions. A secondary method of gathering data was an art-based method, where the researcher asked for pictures of the participants from the competitions they had joined with their students. The last method employed was observation to complement the content of the interview.
The interviews were transcribed, and each participant was given a copy to check and guarantee that the transcription was correct. They were provided with a consent form to obtain their consent to use the data from the transcription. Throughout the virtual interview, the researcher took detailed notes to help track important points for review later or to emphasize themes of particular interest or importance.
Interview
Interviews were used by the researcher to gather data. The researcher obtained the participants’ opinions and sentiments regarding their own experiences through interviews. Face-to-face communication was used during the interview to record participants’ gestures, tones, and emotions when responding to specific questions. A qualitative interview helped give the reader a thorough explanation of the topic so they could appreciate the significance of the study from the participant’s point of view.
According to Rutledge, P., and Hogg, J. (2020) [27], to collect information about participants’ subjective experiences, qualitative researchers employ a variety of methods, including in-depth interviews. The study aimed to explore the experiences of the foreign teachers in coaching for academic competitions. Gathering this important data using in-depth interviews is important to capture the essence of the experience.
This was considered the best way to collect information from the participants. Since the study participants were international and had worked in different locations before beginning work in Myanmar, they had unique perspectives and experiences. Each encounter was either distinct from the others or identical to them, making each participant a distinct case. The interview was documented by the researcher, who also verified any information that was unclear during the interview (see Appendix E).
Arts-Based Data
The researcher had collected pictures taken by foreign teachers regarding competitions or with students when they were coaching and had asked for a brief description of each picture. (see appendix F)
Data Collection Procedure
The phenomenological study presented in this research utilized a qualitative research approach to understand and describe the themes that give rise to the essence of the experiences of foreign teachers who coach students for academic competitions. To initiate data gathering, the researcher first wrote to the principal of Nay Pyi Taw International Science Academy to request permission to conduct the study. Upon approval of the request, the researcher proceeded to the next phase of the study, which involved contacting each teacher individually to verify if they met the qualifications needed for participation. The participants who fit the criteria were invited to participate in the interview. Then the researcher scheduled interviews with the participants who accepted the invitation.
These invitations included terms outlining the purpose of the study, how their personal information would be protected and kept confidential, how a code would be used to keep them anonymous, why the interview would be recorded for transcription and triangulation, and how these recordings would be deleted after the study. The researcher arranged a one-on-one interview with the teacher after they had agreed to all terms and conditions.
Before the researcher conducted any interviews, the researcher first presented the interview questions to research advisers who experts in the field of research were. After the questions were approved, the researcher conducted a trial interview with the first two participants. This helped the researcher adjust and finalize the research questions.
The interview proceeded based on the date and schedule agreed upon by the researcher and the teacher participants. After the interview, there was another meeting scheduled for the researcher to meet with the participants for the verification of the details of the interview and approval of the transcript. Once the participants approved of the transcript, the researcher presented to them the consent to use the data collected in the interview for the study. The consent included that the participants were allowing the researcher to use the data collected in the interview for the research and that the participants were allowed to back out at any time before the final defense.
Following the interview, each participant received a memento of appreciation from the researcher. After the interview was transcribed, the next step in the study was to analyze the information obtained and complete the manuscript. The researcher employed interpretative phenomenological analysis following the 4 key steps by Clark Moustakas to analyze the data. Once the paper was finished, it was time to seek out advisors and experts for assistance in getting the research project approved for final defense. The last section was the final defense, which addressed any issues that needed to be polished in the study. The final step was submitting the paper and obtaining the dean’s approval.
The researcher began the interview by informing the participants that it would be documented so that it could be accurately transcribed. The researcher also informed the participants that they would be given a copy of the transcription and would keep the documentation until the thesis was complete. Throughout the interview, the researcher refrained from asking irrelevant questions. For the sake of careful consideration, the researcher did not make any recommendations or ideas during the interview. The participants were allowed to narrate their experiences and delve into comfortable depth about each aspect with the researcher. The researcher thanked the participants for their participation in the study after posing all questions and any follow-up inquiries. Subsequently, the researcher arranged a follow-up meeting to facilitate cooperation and validation of the information that would be included in the transcript. A copy of the transcript was provided to each participant so they could verify that all of the information was true and accurate.
Data Analysis
The researcher Clark Moustakas’ four key steps for performing phenomenological research were covered in a paper by Greening (2019) [10]. The following steps were taken: Bracketing, intuiting, analyzing, and describing. The researcher used bracketing by disregarding any preconceived notions about the phenomenon of the foreign teachers’ experiences in coaching students for academic competition. The next process was intuition, where the researcher focused on the phenomena of the study. Analyzing was the process of identifying codes, themes, and categories. To do this, the researcher applied transcendental phenomenology, and read and re-read the participant transcript to identify codes, from the codes categorized each code to create themes and categories. Then identify the universal structure of the codes under the themes. These universal structures were time, space, things, causes, and relationships to oneself, to God, and to others. The last step was describing; the researcher described the phenomena based on the analyzed results from the participants’ responses.
Trustworthiness
In Lincoln and Guba’s (1985) version of trustworthiness, they introduce four general criteria. These are credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability (Stahl, N. A., & King, J. R., 2020) [29].
Credibility. The researcher used triangulation to validate the data gathered from the participants to ensure the study’s credibility. After transcribing the data and conducting data analysis using Moustaka’s 4 steps for conducting phenomenological research, feedback was sought from the participants regarding the identified themes and codes. Since the research was phenomenological, the analysis of the data varied among the seven participants, and most of the data were unique since they were coached for different competitions. To support the participant interviews, the researcher utilized an art-based method by collecting photos of the participants in the competitions they participated in, along with a short narrative describing what is depicted in each photo.
Transferability. The research has transferability since the topic of this study, coaching, is a reality for a significant number of educators. Many educators have served as competition coaches at some point in their careers, making this topic relevant to a wide range of educational settings. Furthermore, while there are numerous studies involving competition, there is a scarcity of research focused specifically on the role of teachers in competitions, making this topic especially timely and filling a gap in the existing literature.
Dependability. By ensuring that all data, transcripts, and research notes are thoroughly documented, including the researcher’s background, the researcher will establish dependability. Using a research journal is another way the researcher will continue to practice reflexivity. The researcher also maintained the audit trail to ensure dependability in the research (see Appendix E).
Confirmability. According to Guba and Lincoln (1989), confirmability, the final criterion for determining trustworthiness or rigor in a qualitative study, will be established once credibility, transferability, and dependability are all met (Stahl, N. A., & King, J. R., 2020) [29]. The researcher ensured that all three trustworthiness criteria—credibility, transferability, and dependability—are met to achieve confirmability.
Reflexivity
The researcher graduated with a Bachelor of Secondary Education majoring in Mathematics from the University of Rizal System in Antipolo City in 2010. Following graduation, she worked as an assistant instructor at various colleges and universities for four years. After gaining experience in the Philippines, the researcher worked abroad in different international schools located in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Myanmar. She was employed as a mathematics teacher in Myanmar and serves as an olympiad coordinator, responsible for informing students and teachers about upcoming competitions. While the researcher was somewhat involved in sharing competition information with the foreign teachers in this study, the researcher was not directly involved in preparing students, as that responsibility lay with the competition coach.
In qualitative research, reflexivity involves the deliberate examination of the researcher’s subjective point of view and the identification of potential effects of subjectivity on research findings (Reflexivity in qualitative research: Why you’ll never be an objective observer, 2023) [25]. The researcher was aware of various forms of reflexivity that could influence the investigation. Therefore, she carefully examines, considers, and employs methods of inquiry while crafting the study’s material to prevent biased interpretations that could impact the study’s findings. The researcher also followed Moustakas’s 4 steps in conducting phenomenological research and set aside any personal views and experiences from writing the interview questions, conducting the actual interviews, analyzing the data, and writing up the results.
Ethical Consideration
Research ethics was important for providing guidelines for conducting responsible research. This ethical standard ensured that research was performed at a high ethical standard. Organizations such as the American Psychologists published an ethics code that provided guidelines for conducting ethical research (Bush, 2019) [3]. These codes of ethics, along with national and institutional policies governing ethical research conduct, served as guides for the researcher.
The researcher initiated the data collection process by seeking approval to conduct the study at Nay Pyi Taw International Science Academy. Following approval, all the teachers were informed about the study. Subsequently, the researcher engaged in discussions with the possible participants to verify if they met the criteria for participation and to inform them about the purpose of the study. Upon confirmation of eligibility, the researcher scheduled interviews with the participants at their preferred time and day. Prior to commencing the interviews, the participants were briefed on the data collection procedures and the duration for which the data would be retained.
The participants were provided with a consent form for the researcher to use their data. Following transcription, each participant received a copy of their transcript to review its content. The researcher also consulted them for triangulation of the data. Subsequently, each participant was assigned an alias to protect their identity, and any pictures used for documentation and arts-based activities were blurred to maintain their privacy. The consent form also included a clause stating that participants were permitted to withdraw from the study until the research defense.
Summary
This chapter provides details on how the data was collected, the methods utilized for collection, ensuring data transparency, and establishing data credibility. The study employed qualitative research methods, following Moustakas’s method of conducting phenomenological research, to comprehensively describe and understand the experiences of foreign teachers in coaching students.
The researcher utilized in-depth interviews to gather data, while also observing participants’ behavior and emotions. Additionally, an arts-based approach was used to collect evidence of the competition experience. The chapter also addresses trustworthiness, ensuring that the research is credible, transferable, dependable, and confirmable. To safeguard participants’ data privacy and ensure the research is free from biases, reflexivity and ethical considerations measures were incorporated.
Results
This chapter discusses the results and analysis of the data collected in this study. The study aimed to know and understand the lived experiences of the foreign teachers coaching for local and international competitions The lived experiences included their situations, preparations, challenges, coping mechanisms, and reflections.
All the research participants were foreign teachers who had taught in Myanmar, with experience teaching and coaching students from various countries and nationalities. The teachers taught different disciplines, including English, Mathematics, Sciences, and MAPE (Music, Arts, and Physical Education).
The data from in-depth interviews described the lived experiences of the teachers in coaching students for a competition. This also included the challenges, preparations, strategies, and their reflections on the experience. They also provided advice to teachers who would be undertaking coaching assignments or were currently facing challenges in coaching students for a competition. Additionally, they offered recommendations to schools on how they could support their students and teachers in a competition. This chapter reported the results of the semi-structured interviews, arts-based activities, and observations.
This study attempted to investigate the challenges faced by foreign teachers coaching for international and local competitions, specifically addressing the following questions: (1) What are the lived experiences of foreign teachers in coaching students for local and international competitions? (2) What strategies do participants employ in coaching the students? (3) How do participants accept the coaching job and encourage them to continue coaching students?
The participants provided comprehensive data that described their life experiences, challenges, coping mechanisms for overcoming problems, and thoughts on these experiences.
Following Moustaka’s 4 steps in performing phenomenological research, the researcher was able to identify the codes, categories, and themes. Despite the fact that these teachers taught diverse disciplines, each participant had their own unique experience. Using transcendental phenomenology, the researcher identified the universal structure of each code. In the majority of cases, the following themes emerged: (1) Teachers educational career, (2) Remarkable experiences, (3) Support, (4) Strategies in coaching, (5) Challenges in coaching and (6) Teacher’s reflection in coaching experience.
Operational Data Collection
The researcher created 15 interview questions, five for each statement of the problem. The research advisor received the questions for verification. Subsequently, the researcher presented a letter of request to the principal of Nay Pyi Taw International Science Academy to carry out the investigation. The principal invited the researcher to a meeting to discuss the study’s goal and other details. Following that, the principal informed the researcher that the request would be reviewed by the administration team for permission. Once the letter had been authorized by the administration team, the principal sent an electronic message to the researcher instructing her to begin data collection.
The researcher then contacted the foreign teachers via direct messaging, casual discussion, and email to determine whether they met the criteria for the study. Following multiple discussions, the researcher identified nine foreign educators with extensive coaching expertise who had taught in various countries and backgrounds. The researcher then arranged a meeting with the foreign teachers to describe the purpose of the study, their protections, and how the data would be handled. Once they agreed, the researcher conducted the semi-structured interviews according to the participants’ available time. The first two interviews were used as a trial to test and customize the interview questions. The remaining seven volunteers became the primary participants of the study.
The researcher commenced interviewing the subjects on February 28, 2024, with each session lasting between 10 and 17 minutes. The interviews were recorded and subsequently transcribed. The transcription, along with notes and interpretations, were documented in Google Docs. The researcher shared each individual Google Doc with its corresponding participant for review of the substance of the transcription. The researcher took two to three days to finish one transcription. The researcher started writing the transcription on March 5, 2024; the last transcription was sent on March 18, 2024. Later, once the participants examined and updated their transcriptions, the researcher provided each participant with a consent letter requesting permission to use the data acquired in the transcription until March 28, 2024. Following that, the participants were consulted about the themes and their code names for the researcher from April 8 to April 12, 2024. Additionally, the researcher requested photos from the participants showcasing their coaching and the competitions they had joined from May 9 to May 20, 2024 (See Appendix H).
Operational Data Analysis
The researcher utilized transcendental phenomenological analysis to examine and explore the data gathered from the participants’ experiences coaching students for academic competitions. Transcendental phenomenology encompasses various perspectives, identifying units of meaning and subsequently organizing them into themes to construct textural descriptions (Neubauer, B. E., et al., 2019) [23]. Following Moustaka’s four key steps in conducting phenomenological research, the researcher initiated the process by bracketing herself, setting aside any preconceived beliefs or opinions about coaching, and acknowledging the unique experiences of each participant. Subsequently, in the phase of intuition, the researcher concentrated on each individual transcription, repeatedly reading and analyzing the transcripts, taking notes on her understanding of the phenomena, and engaging in informal discussions with the participants to clarify their responses to the questions. Following intuition, the researcher proceeded to analysis, whereby she generated codes, categories, and themes from the participant data, while also discerning the universal structure inherent in each code. The final step involved description, where the researcher summarized and described the participants’ experiences, analyzed the codes, categories, and themes, and drew conclusions and recommendations from the resultant data.
To aid the researcher in identifying the codes, themes, and categories, the researcher employed a theoretical framework based on Hobfoll’s (1989) Conservation of Resources Theory, considering coaches as part of the workforce. By utilizing the Conservation of Resources Theory by Hobfoll (1989) as a guide in crafting themes, the researcher delineated the following themes: (1) Teachers educational career (Pre-Existing strength) , (2) Remarkable experience (Fragile Environment and setting), (3) Support (Predisposing Resource Lack), (4) Strategies in coaching (a potentially stressful event), (5) Challenges in coaching (resources losses) and (6) Teachers reflection (Resources gain and Negative, Personal, Social, and Material Outcomes).
