Teacher Autonomy in the Post-Pandemic New Normal

The aim of this study is to identify the areas of autonomy that teachers required during the COVID-19 pandemic and to evaluate the positive and negative impacts of the presence or absence of these areas on teachers and the educational process. The research was structured using a phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research methods, and was conducted based on the views of teachers working in the province of Kilis. According to the research findings, teachers primarily associated the concept of autonomy with freedom, flexibility, and student-centered instruction. It was determined that during the pandemic, teachers were significantly restricted in terms of selecting instructional materials and conducting student assessments, and therefore were unable to exercise an adequate level of autonomy. Participants attributed this situation to the centralized structure of the education system and the low societal status of the teaching profession. Furthermore, the lack of teacher autonomy was found to negatively affect the quality of education for both students and teachers, leading to decreased motivation and an increase in standardized teaching practices. As a result, the study proposes several recommendations aimed at enhancing teachers' autonomy in the "new normal" period.