University Teacher Educators’ Professional Agency: A Literature Review

Abstract

paper presents a scoping review and thematic analysis of literature on university teacher educators’ professional agency between 2007 and 2019. Its aim is to map empirical studies to date and identify gaps in research to inform a future research agenda. 28 articles that met the inclusion criteria were subjected to thematic analysis, using line-by-line open and axial coding. Four main interrelated themes were identified: (i) education policies, (ii) professional development, (iii) identity, and (iv) social justice. This thematic intersection reflects intricated factors promoting and hindering the achievement of teacher educators’ professional agency. Findings suggest that more research is needed to develop theoretical and empirical understandings of the multidimensional character of their professional agency, and the myriad of opportunities and constraints impacting on it.

Perspectives of transformative learning and professional agency: A native Chinese language teacher’s story of teacher identity transformation in Australia

“…These factors included teaching loads, institutional discourses, unequal power relations and school culture. The story indicates that structural changes may increase the degree to which a teacher is able to act on intentionality and thus create potentiality for enactment of enhanced agency ( Hinostroza, 2020 ). Moreover, the different facets of the teacher’s professional self emerged as individual resources and constraints in the achievement of teacher agency.…”

“…It showed how this tension informed the shaping of teacher agency. The complexity of interplay between a L2 teacher’s multiple identities in the shaping of agency within structural constraints of a cross-border teacher education program has not captured scholars’ attention, even though teacher-researcher identity tension is not new in studies of teacher educators’ agency ( Hökkä et al, 2012 ; Hinostroza, 2020 ) and university academics’ identity conflicts ( McCune, 2021 ). Further, the teacher’s story lent empirical support to the temporal dimension of teacher agency, “the dynamic interplay between past experience, engagement with the present and orientations toward the future” ( Eteläpelto et al, 2013 ).…”

Agents, Agency, and Teacher Education

“…We would suggest that research exploring the conditions and contexts that enable or constrain the emergence of teacher/teacher education agency is of particular importance and relevance, especially in these complex times in which many issues related to teacher quality, equity, and justice are so highly contentious and politicized. (e.g., Cong-Lem, 2021;Hinostroza, 2020;Parker, 2016).…”

“… 1. See the whole section on “Learning Teacher Agency in Teacher Education,” edited by Lily Orland Barak in Clandinin and Husu’s (2017) SAGE Handbook of Research on Teacher Education as well as recent literature reviews of teacher agency (e.g., Cong-Lem, 2021; Hinostroza, 2020; Parker, 2016). …”

Reflexivity and agency in university-based teacher educators: a critical realist analysis

“…It is reserved and maintainable, implying high resistance and performing the minimum required activities, progressive and transformative if they innovatively and approvingly engage with change (Vähäsantanen 2015), or corporate if they join in coordinated, strategic action for change (Archer 1995). Hence, TEs' agency emerges from individuals' interactions with professional settings (Forsman, Collin, and Eteläpelto 2014;Hinostroza-Paredes 2020b). Multiple forms of agency enable TEs to act upon the relationship between their professional identitiesattributes, beliefs, values, motives and experiences through which individuals define themselves in a professional role (Ibarra 1999)and professionalism.…”