Teacher agency in the professional community and association with burnout: a longitudinal person-centred approach

ABSTRACT

Agentic teacher learning is central for teachers’ professional development, school development and student achievement. The purpose of the study was to explore trajectories of teachers’ professional agency in the professional community during a three-year follow-up period. The data comprised surveys with Finnish comprehensive school teachers (N = 2645) and latent profile analysis was used to identify subgroups of teachers. Four trajectories were identified: High agency, Increase in agency, Decrease in agency and Moderate agency. The results showed that the profiles were partly predicted by school type, teachers’ work experience, leadership role and turnover intentions. Moreover, agency in the professional community was connected to the teachers’ experiences of socio-contextual burnout; teachers with a strong sense of agency in the professional community experienced lower levels of burnout symptoms. The findings imply that teachers’ agentic learning within the professional community can facilitate both their professional development and work-related well-being.

KEYWORDS:

• Teacher agency
• teacher learning
• professional community
• teacher burnout

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education and Culture (Finland) under Grant 6600567 and the Academy of Finland under Grant 295022, 326647 .

Notes on contributors

Jenni Sullanmaa

Jenni Sullanmaa, PhD, is a postdoctoral researcher in the Faculty of Education and Culture, Tampere University. Her research interests include school development and teachers’ professional agency.

Kirsi Pyhältö

Kirsi Pyhältö, PhD, is professor of higher education, at the Center of University Teaching and Learning (HYPE). She is also extraordinary professor, University of Stellenbosch, South-Africa. Her interest focuses on teacher and student learning and well-being and researcher education and early career researchers. She has over 200 research publications.

Janne Pietarinen

Janne Pietarinen, PhD, is full-professor of Educational Sciences, School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education, University of Eastern Finland. Pietarinen works as Dean of Philosophical Faculty at the University of Eastern Finland, and Adjunct Professor at the Tampere University. His research interests are in educational transitions, pupil and teacher learning, and well-being in the context of sustainable school development.

Tiina Soini

Tiina Soini, PhD, is Research Director, in the Faculty of Education and Culture, Tampere University and adjunct professor in Philosophical Faculty, University of Eastern Finland. Her research interest include, educational reforms, school development, teachers’ professional agency and well-being, and pupils learning agency.