Career aspirations and migration intentions of filipino science teachers in the united states of america / Jeah Lorraine C. Ortega-Secando

Includes bibliographical references

Abstract
Teacher migration has become an increasingly significant global phenomenon, reshaping educational systems in both sending and receiving countries. While international recruitment addresses teacher shortages, particularly in science and other STEM fields, less is known about how migrant science teachers make sense of their professional futures within the context of migration.
This study employed a descriptive interpretive qualitative research design to explore the career aspirations and migration intentions of Filipino science teachers teaching in the United States of America. The study examined how teachers construct meanings around career development and long-term mobility as they navigate professional practice in a foreign educational context. Conducted in the United States, the study involved Filipino science teachers currently teaching in K-12 schools, selected through purposive sampling to ensure depth and relevance of experience.
Data were gathered through in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted online about the career aspirations and migration intentions of Filipino science teachers in the United States.
Results showed that Filipino science teachers' career aspirations are anchored in professional growth, adaptability, and continuous learning, with participants emphasizing openness to new pedagogical practices and educational technologies as essential to sustaining their roles. Advanced education emerged as a central aspiration, valued as intellectual empowerment rather than hierarchical advancement. Participants defined success holistically, prioritizing peace, balance, fulfillment, and family well-being over material gains, reflecting Filipino cultural values such as collectivism, resilience, and relational commitment. Migration intentions were shaped by economic opportunities, family support, program-related obligations, cultural adjustment, and the transformative nature of migration.
The study highlights teacher migration as a meaning-driven and culturally grounded experience beyond purely economic explanations and recommends that educational institutions and policymakers develop culturally responsive support systems addressing migrant science teachers' professional development, well-being, and long-term career pathways.
Keywords: Filipino science teachers, teacher migration, career aspirations, migration intentions, descriptive-interpretive qualitative research professional identity

Theses/Dissertations Graduate Studies