Accounting for teacher agency

Patrick Hampshire

How do we make sense of How do we make sense of what we see?what we see?

Understanding teacher Understanding teacher agencyagency

Archer (1979, 2013) and Alexander (2000) Archer (1979, 2013) and Alexander (2000) looked at teaching in classrooms in different looked at teaching in classrooms in different states and they concluded that teaching is a states and they concluded that teaching is a socially embedded activity that can only be socially embedded activity that can only be understood in its particular contextunderstood in its particular context

Hence, teaching is not a ‘simple’ task that Hence, teaching is not a ‘simple’ task that can be observed simply. In order to can be observed simply. In order to understand what teachers are doing you understand what teachers are doing you need a broader cultural and institutional need a broader cultural and institutional understandingunderstanding

The morphogenetic The morphogenetic approachapproach

Archer proposes, in her Archer proposes, in her Social Origins of Educational Social Origins of Educational Systems Systems (published in 1979 and republished with a new (published in 1979 and republished with a new introduction in 2013), that the way education systems introduction in 2013), that the way education systems developed in response and reaction to national events and developed in response and reaction to national events and concerns determined a specific cultural response to the concerns determined a specific cultural response to the education of children and young people education of children and young people

These systems, though, are not static; rather they are These systems, though, are not static; rather they are dynamic dynamic

There are three stages:There are three stages: Structural conditioning (the forces that initiate a system)Structural conditioning (the forces that initiate a system) Social Interaction (this can also include external forces – Social Interaction (this can also include external forces –

such as PISA)such as PISA) Structural elaboration (a volatile state)Structural elaboration (a volatile state)

Different systems Different systems == different levels of agencydifferent levels of agency

Archer (2013) argues that different Archer (2013) argues that different systems allow for different levels of systems allow for different levels of agency and this can change swiftly, agency and this can change swiftly, though not without difficulty (Brouillette though not without difficulty (Brouillette 1996; Bangs, MacBeath and Galton 2011)1996; Bangs, MacBeath and Galton 2011)

Archer’s approach, though, leaves Archer’s approach, though, leaves significant questions about how we significant questions about how we account for individual teachers in their account for individual teachers in their contexts when we observe them in the contexts when we observe them in the school environmentschool environment

Subject areas as social Subject areas as social practicepractice

Afdal (2010) argues that religious Afdal (2010) argues that religious education (RE) teachers form a ‘social education (RE) teachers form a ‘social practice’ in their own right – and this practice’ in their own right – and this would be true of other subjects. would be true of other subjects.

Being part of a social practice involves Being part of a social practice involves the process of induction into what it the process of induction into what it means to be a ‘teacher of ……’ Although means to be a ‘teacher of ……’ Although in British RE this can be problematic in British RE this can be problematic (Barnes 2014, Conroy et al, 2013, Gearon (Barnes 2014, Conroy et al, 2013, Gearon 2013)2013)

Engeström – activity Engeström – activity theorytheory

Putting it togetherPutting it together

Afdal’s use of Engeström’s activity Afdal’s use of Engeström’s activity theory enables the researcher to theory enables the researcher to account for the complexity of the account for the complexity of the teacher-in-context, part of which can teacher-in-context, part of which can be theorised from Archer’s be theorised from Archer’s perspective.perspective.

This enables the development of a This enables the development of a sophisticated explanatory narrative sophisticated explanatory narrative around teacher agencyaround teacher agency

The pilotThe pilot

Two case studies in schools in close Two case studies in schools in close proximity but having significant proximity but having significant differentiating features – allowing for differentiating features – allowing for comparison and contrast (Yin 2014)comparison and contrast (Yin 2014)

Focus 1: the contextFocus 1: the context Focus 2: the teacherFocus 2: the teacher Understanding the teacher in context Understanding the teacher in context

allows for an explanatory narrative to allows for an explanatory narrative to be developed for each schoolbe developed for each school

Research methodsResearch methods

Four methods were used in the pilot Four methods were used in the pilot schoolsschools

1.1. Documentary analysisDocumentary analysis

2.2. Written tasksWritten tasks

3.3. InterviewsInterviews

4.4. Spatial analysis Spatial analysis

Documentary analysisDocumentary analysis

There are different types of document There are different types of document that feature in the life of a school. that feature in the life of a school. These can be categorised as ‘outward’ These can be categorised as ‘outward’ facing and ‘inward’ facingfacing and ‘inward’ facing

These documents have different These documents have different audiences and purposes audiences and purposes

When analysed (Cohen, Manion and When analysed (Cohen, Manion and Morrison 2011) it is clear that there are Morrison 2011) it is clear that there are alternative narratives at work within alternative narratives at work within schools schools

Written tasksWritten tasks

The teachers who were the focus of the The teachers who were the focus of the research were given two written tasks, research were given two written tasks, one about their own attitudes and values one about their own attitudes and values and one a biographical sketch based on a and one a biographical sketch based on a previous national project model (Caught, previous national project model (Caught, Jowett and Power 2005)Jowett and Power 2005)

Teachers were given a template for Teachers were given a template for responses to enable structured analysis – responses to enable structured analysis – although they did not have to adhere to although they did not have to adhere to the templatethe template

InterviewsInterviews

There were a number of interviews at each There were a number of interviews at each school, all recorded and then analysed through school, all recorded and then analysed through coding: coding:

1.1. With a member of the senior leadership With a member of the senior leadership team in light of the schools documentation team in light of the schools documentation – seeking clarification and ‘impressions’ of – seeking clarification and ‘impressions’ of the place and status of the subject within the place and status of the subject within the schoolthe school

2.2. With the teacher – here were a series of With the teacher – here were a series of interviews exploring the attitudes and interviews exploring the attitudes and values statement and the biography as well values statement and the biography as well as one focussing on a curriculum productas one focussing on a curriculum product

The curriculum productThe curriculum product

This was a programme of study for one This was a programme of study for one year in the school that had been year in the school that had been developed by the teacher, in both cases developed by the teacher, in both cases Year 8Year 8

The programme of study was linked to The programme of study was linked to the school’s documentation – sometimes the school’s documentation – sometimes provided by other agencies – the provided by other agencies – the teacher’s attitudes and values statement, teacher’s attitudes and values statement, their biographical statement, as well as their biographical statement, as well as being a focus for one interviewbeing a focus for one interview

Spatial analysisSpatial analysis

A key question was around where the A key question was around where the school placed the teaching of the school placed the teaching of the subject and the resources that the subject and the resources that the department had at its disposaldepartment had at its disposal

The symbolic nature of space and how it The symbolic nature of space and how it shapes perception of the self and others shapes perception of the self and others in relation to the status of the subject is in relation to the status of the subject is part of understanding why certain part of understanding why certain decisions are made (Dahl and Fihl 2013)decisions are made (Dahl and Fihl 2013)

What was learned?What was learned?

Documents are not a good predictor of Documents are not a good predictor of teacher agency but inward facing teacher agency but inward facing documents are often more useful than documents are often more useful than outward facing documentsoutward facing documents

Senior leader interviews are problematic Senior leader interviews are problematic because they may be disconnected from because they may be disconnected from the reality of the classroom and there is a the reality of the classroom and there is a confusion between ‘research’ and confusion between ‘research’ and ‘inspection’‘inspection’

Written tasks may not be done sufficiently Written tasks may not be done sufficiently well or they may be misunderstoodwell or they may be misunderstood

What else was learnedWhat else was learned

Teachers’ own explanatory narratives about Teachers’ own explanatory narratives about their work reflects not only their ‘actual’ their work reflects not only their ‘actual’ context but also their ‘imagined’ contextcontext but also their ‘imagined’ context

Teachers can subvert what is expected and Teachers can subvert what is expected and place that subversion within an explanatory place that subversion within an explanatory narrative which makes them ‘agentless agents’ narrative which makes them ‘agentless agents’ – therefore they would do ‘something else’ but – therefore they would do ‘something else’ but they feel they have to do ‘this’ insteadthey feel they have to do ‘this’ instead

It does not follow that what a teacher delivers It does not follow that what a teacher delivers in the classroom is what they expect of in the classroom is what they expect of themselves on paperthemselves on paper

Complex data analysisComplex data analysis

The more sources of data the greater level of The more sources of data the greater level of reliability and the great opportunity to reliability and the great opportunity to triangulate and validate different data parcels triangulate and validate different data parcels and have data convergence (Yin 2014)and have data convergence (Yin 2014)

The more data the more complex the process The more data the more complex the process of analysis and easier it is to ‘get lost’ in the of analysis and easier it is to ‘get lost’ in the datadata

Therefore, there needs to be an organising Therefore, there needs to be an organising principle which shapes data collection and principle which shapes data collection and analysis (Cohen, Manion and Morrison 2011) analysis (Cohen, Manion and Morrison 2011) otherwise making sense of data become otherwise making sense of data become almost unmanageablealmost unmanageable

What the pilot didn’t doWhat the pilot didn’t do

The pilot focussed on testing method not The pilot focussed on testing method not methodologymethodology

The overall effect of this was a restricted The overall effect of this was a restricted ability to contextualise the research ability to contextualise the research within a theoretical framework. As such it within a theoretical framework. As such it may have lent itself more to grounded may have lent itself more to grounded theory (Yin 2014) than a preselected theory (Yin 2014) than a preselected theoretical basetheoretical base

Hence, knowing what you want the pilot Hence, knowing what you want the pilot to test needs to be built in from the to test needs to be built in from the beginningbeginning

The theoretical contextThe theoretical context

Being able to put the data which forms Being able to put the data which forms each case study back into the each case study back into the theoretical context is important. theoretical context is important. Otherwise you undermine your ability to Otherwise you undermine your ability to analyse the data effectively and critique analyse the data effectively and critique the theoretical context itself (Archer the theoretical context itself (Archer 2013, Yin 2014)2013, Yin 2014)

Hence, research becomes a dynamic Hence, research becomes a dynamic process in itself and moves forward the process in itself and moves forward the task of social sciencetask of social science

BibliographyBibliographyAfdal, G. (2010). Researching Religious Education as Social Practice, Munster, Waxmann.

Alexander, R. J. (2000). Culture and pedagogy : international comparisons in primary education, Oxford, Blackwell.

Archer, M. S. (1979, 2013). Social origins of educational systems, Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, Routledge.

Bangs, J., Macbeath, J. E. C. & Galton, M. J. (2011). Reinventing schools, reforming teaching : from political visions to classroom reality, London, Routledge.

Barnes, L. P. (2014). Education, Religion and Diversity. Developing a new model of religious education. Abingdon, Routledge.

Brouillette, L. (1996). A geology of school reform : the successive restructurings of a school district, Albany, State University of New York Press.

 

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