A Qualitative Exploration of the Professional Development Pursuit of Physical Education Graduate Students

This phenomenological study aimed to explore and discover the experiences of PE Graduate Students in their professional development pursuit. This study was anchored on the Self Determination Theory and the System Theory. The study was limited to the personal responses of the fifteen PE Graduate Students in different SUCs and LUCs in Davao de Oro. Data were collected using IDI and FGD and were analyzed using thematic analysis. Major themes were extracted. On the lived experiences of PE Graduate Students, the results unfold four major themes such as: assistance from others for professional development, struggles relative to financial and learning resources, clash between academic schedules and work responsibilities; and personal issues with classmates. Furthermore, on the means of coping with the challenges encountered; there were six major themes emerged: seeking guidance and motivation from support systems, scheduling and task prioritization, engaging in recreational activities, being optimistic and resilient, upgrading technological skills, and having faith in God. Moreover, from the insights gained by the PE Graduate Students four themes emerged: collaborating with others and motivation to complete the master’s program, being optimistic in dealing with challenges, attending to professional development, and using AI tools responsibly. With all of these, appropriate actions and supports should be given for the benefit and improvement of the professional development pursuit among PE Graduate Students.