Education Commons^™

Transition To A Career Calling: A Phenomenological Study, Elaine Buckley

Theses & Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored the experience of eight adults as they perceived, recognized, and transitioned (from valued work) to their career callings. The central phenomenon of this research, callings, is defined as “inner directives towards meaningful life pursuits” (Wall, 2010, p. 7). The response to a calling was explored using William Bridge’s model for moving through life transitions. The research participants were teachers in midlife who had taught in grades K-12 for a minimum of five years after participating in an alternative teacher certification program. Semi-structured interviews included the use of expressive arts providing rich descriptions of the lived experiences …