Teacher professional agency in relation to digital technology integration in teaching in Estonian and Latvian schools
Date
2017-06-02
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Abstract
Doktoritöö “Õpetaja professionaalne agentsus digitaalse tehnoloogia integreerimisel õpetamisse Eesti ja Läti koolides” eesmärgiks on uurida, kuidas õpetaja professionaalne agentsus on väljendatud viisides, millega õpetajad tegutsevad erinevates personaalsetes, situatiivsetes ja kontekstuaalsetes tegurites, mis on seotud digitaaltehnoloogia integreerimisega õppetöösse nii Läti kui ka Eesti koolides. Minu doktoritöö aktuaalsus on ühest küljest seotud asjaoluga, et Euroopa õpetajad on üldiselt vabad otsustamaks kasutatavate õpetamisviiside üle, kuid teisest küljest mainivad õpetajad järjest piiravamaid töö hindamisvahendeid, väliseid hindamissüsteeme, aruandereegleid ning õppekavade nõudeid. Taoliste pingete uurimine näitab, kuidas õpetaja professionaalne agentsus ilmneb konkreetsetes kontekstides erinevate personaalsete, situatiivsete, sotsiaalsete ja kontekstuaalsete mõjude taustal. Oma doktoritöös soovin selle asemel, et läheneda õpetaja agentsusele “muutuste poolt” vs “muutuste vastu” vaadete kaudu, mõista õpetajate reageeringuid hariduslikele muudatustele oluliselt laiema spektri kaudu. Selle doktoritöö empiirilised materjalid hõlmavad andmeid 26 semistruktureeritud intervjuust erinevate aineõpetajatega Eestis ja Lätis, tunnivaatlusi ja uurimust õpetajate infootsingulisest käitumisest veebis. Oma doktoritöö tulemusena pakun välja uue tüpoloogia, mis koosneb viiest erinevast õpetaja agentsuse väljendusviisist: entusiastlik omastamine, pragmaatiline sulandamine, reserveeritud tasakaalustamine, piiratud kohanemine ja skeptiline ritualism. Doktoritöös näitan, et õpetajate seisukohad ja valikud IKT integreerimisel õppetöösse on seotud väga keeruka võrgustikuga mõjutustest, millest olulisematena tuleb rõhutada enesetõhususe tajumist, tugevat ainevaldkonnaga seotud identiteeti ning vajadust
vastata õpetajate tööle esitatud kvaliteedinõuetele. Variatiivsused õpetaja agentsuse väljendusviisides paljastavad raskesti märgatavaid konflikte ja ebakõlasid erinevate ning sageli tehnoloogiaga mitte seotud väärtuste, survete ja nõudmiste vahel, mille keskel püüavad õpetajad leida tasakaalu oma professionaalsete rollide ja vastutuste täitmiseks. Minu doktoritöö näitab, et leidub õpetajaid, kelle jaoks IKT kasutuselevõtt on avanud uusi võimalusi eksperimenteerimiseks, mängimiseks ja uute õpetamismeetodite katsetamiseks. Samas osutus teiste õpetajate jaoks IKT kasutamine vahendiks välise heakskiidu saavutamisel ning kaasaegse ja “moodsa” õpetaja kuvandi loomisel ning hoidmisel. Paljude valimisse kuulunud õpetajate jaoks on IKT kasutus koolides tekitanud olukordi, kus neil on tulnud muuta oma seniseid praktikaid ning teha valikuid selle kohta, kuidas IKT-d õpetamisse sobitada. Tuginedes oma doktoritöö järeldustele, rõhutan, et vaid siis, kui mõistame õpetajate olulist rolli IKT strateegia vahendajana ja pöörame tähelepanu kontekstidele, kus õpetajad sätestatud põhimõtteid tõlgendavad ning ellu viivad, on võimalik aru saada, miks tehnoloogia integreerimine koolides toimub just nii, nagu see toimub. Õpetajate praktikaid mõjutavate erinevate tegurite vastastikmõju komplekssuse ja mitmetahulise olemuse mõistmine võib viia tulemuslikuma dialoogini poliitikakujundajate ning õpetajate kogukonna vahel ning sedakaudu läbimõeldumate arengustrateegiateni.
The aim of the doctoral study “Teacher professional agency in relation to digital technology integration in teaching in Estonian and Latvian schools” is to explore how teacher professional agency is manifested in the ways teachers navigate within the different personal, situational and contextual factors related to digital technology integration in teaching in Latvian and Estonian schools. The topicality of this dissertation lies in the fact that digital technology is widely perceived as an integral part of every subject area. Additionally, teachers in Europe generally are granted autonomy in deciding on their instructional approaches, although they report being increasingly exposed to tightening performativity measures, which include the use of ICT, external evaluation systems, accountability rules and curriculum requirements. Explorations of such tensions reveals how teacher professional agency emerges in relation to ICT use within particular contexts shaped by various personal, situational, social and contextual influences. This doctoral study avoids the often-applied “pro-change versus con-change” conceptualization of teacher agency, instead showing the broadness of the spectrum of teachers’ responses to educational change. The empirical basis of this study consists of data from 26 semi-structured interviews with different subject teachers in Estonia and Latvia, class observations, and a study of teacher online search behaviour. As a result of this doctoral study, a new typology of teacher agency manifestations is proposed, distinguishing between enthusiastic appropriation, pragmatic assimilation, reserved balance, hampered accommodation and sceptical ritualism. This PhD study demonstrates that out of the complex network of influences, teacher stances and choices of ICT integration in teaching are most strongly related to self-efficacy beliefs, strong subject-related identity and the need to establish teacher accountability policies. Variations in teacher agency manifestations reveal the underlying conflicts and inconsistencies between the different and often non-technological values, pressures and demands which teachers try to balance in order to fulfil their professional roles and responsibilities. This doctoral study indicates that for some teachers the arrival of ICT opened new avenues for experimenting, playing and trying out new teaching methods, while for others the use of ICT turned out to be a means of receiving external approval and creating and sustaining the image of being a “modern” teacher. For many teachers in the sample, the presence of ICT in schools created situations where teachers had to re-consider their existing practices and make choices regarding how ICT could be made to fit in. Speaking of the implications of this study, it should be emphasised that only through acknowledging the important role of teachers as mediators of ICT policy implementation and paying close attention to the contexts in which teachers “read” and enact policy messages is it possible to understand why technology integration in schools happens in the ways it does. Understanding the complexity and multifaceted nature of the interplay of various factors shaping teachers’ practices might lead to better policies and improved dialogue between policy makers and teachers.
The aim of the doctoral study “Teacher professional agency in relation to digital technology integration in teaching in Estonian and Latvian schools” is to explore how teacher professional agency is manifested in the ways teachers navigate within the different personal, situational and contextual factors related to digital technology integration in teaching in Latvian and Estonian schools. The topicality of this dissertation lies in the fact that digital technology is widely perceived as an integral part of every subject area. Additionally, teachers in Europe generally are granted autonomy in deciding on their instructional approaches, although they report being increasingly exposed to tightening performativity measures, which include the use of ICT, external evaluation systems, accountability rules and curriculum requirements. Explorations of such tensions reveals how teacher professional agency emerges in relation to ICT use within particular contexts shaped by various personal, situational, social and contextual influences. This doctoral study avoids the often-applied “pro-change versus con-change” conceptualization of teacher agency, instead showing the broadness of the spectrum of teachers’ responses to educational change. The empirical basis of this study consists of data from 26 semi-structured interviews with different subject teachers in Estonia and Latvia, class observations, and a study of teacher online search behaviour. As a result of this doctoral study, a new typology of teacher agency manifestations is proposed, distinguishing between enthusiastic appropriation, pragmatic assimilation, reserved balance, hampered accommodation and sceptical ritualism. This PhD study demonstrates that out of the complex network of influences, teacher stances and choices of ICT integration in teaching are most strongly related to self-efficacy beliefs, strong subject-related identity and the need to establish teacher accountability policies. Variations in teacher agency manifestations reveal the underlying conflicts and inconsistencies between the different and often non-technological values, pressures and demands which teachers try to balance in order to fulfil their professional roles and responsibilities. This doctoral study indicates that for some teachers the arrival of ICT opened new avenues for experimenting, playing and trying out new teaching methods, while for others the use of ICT turned out to be a means of receiving external approval and creating and sustaining the image of being a “modern” teacher. For many teachers in the sample, the presence of ICT in schools created situations where teachers had to re-consider their existing practices and make choices regarding how ICT could be made to fit in. Speaking of the implications of this study, it should be emphasised that only through acknowledging the important role of teachers as mediators of ICT policy implementation and paying close attention to the contexts in which teachers “read” and enact policy messages is it possible to understand why technology integration in schools happens in the ways it does. Understanding the complexity and multifaceted nature of the interplay of various factors shaping teachers’ practices might lead to better policies and improved dialogue between policy makers and teachers.
Description
Väitekirja elektrooniline versioon ei sisalda publikatsioone
Keywords
Läti, Eesti, tehnoloogiasiire, õpetamise metoodika, info- ja kommunikatsioonitehnoloogia, hoiakud, enesetõhusus, õpetajad, digipädevus, infopädevus, infoteadus, Latvia, Estonia, technology transfer, teaching methodology, information and communication technology, attitudes, efficacy expectations, teachers, digital competence, information competencies, information science