Achieving Professional Agency in the Context of a Ph.D. Scholarship

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 2
  In Roundtable Session: Teacher Leaders as Change Agents

Abstract

In the Netherlands a PhD Scholarship provides ambitious teachers with funding to conduct a PhD study, positioning teachers as leading actors. In this study, we aim to deepen our understanding of teachers’ professional agency by studying how, when and under which conditions teachers are able to achieve agency within this context, the factors influencing agency and the impact on their professional and school development. Data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews and digital journals. Results show 1) differences in the manifestations of agency and the relation between professional and school development, 2) influence of personal and contextual factors and the interplay of these, 3) perceived impact mainly on professional development and to a lesser extent on school development.

Author

• Helma Oolbekkink, Radboud University Nijmegen