Our study focused on the leadership strategies of Estonian and Finnish principals aimed at encouraging teachers to participate in school development. We also looked at context-bound factors that form the framework within which principals discuss their work regarding (1) creating a shared vision, (2) implementing shared leadership practices, (3)…

Despite the increasing need for creativity in rapidly evolving markets and work environments, not all employees are able to engage in this crucial behavior at work. The interactionist perspective suggests that creativity in organizations can be predicted by the interplay of individual and situational elements. With this theoretical framework, the…

Technology education internationally has for some time struggled to achieve continuity between what is depicted in policy and curricular documents and the reality of day-to-day practices. With its focus often articulated through the nature of activity students are to engage with, technology teachers are recognised as having significant autonomy in…

This study examines the relationship between teacher agency, autonomy, and teacher attrition and shortage challenges in U.S. K-12 education. Utilizing a quantitative approach, a survey was carried out to 200 teachers in Iowa, achieving a 52% response rate. Findings indicate a positive correlation between teacher empowerment and reduced attrition…

This paper examines teachers' views about the Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher (HALT) Certification 2.0 Modular Model (CMM 2.0). The research reveals teachers' voices and agency in relation to HALT certification. Participants in this study included HALT certified teachers, current HALT participants, and prospective participants. The…

Despite a growing body of research, there is an urgent need for studies on principals' work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given that Sweden, unlike most other countries, decided to keep schools open during the pandemic there is plenty to learn from the Swedish case. This article explores how Swedish principals experienced their autonomy before the…

Increasing numbers of studies have concentrated on teacher autonomy which is considered a crucial component in the work of teachers. This study explores the mediating role of teachers' self-efficacy beliefs in the relationship between organizational trust and teacher autonomy. Data were drawn from 326 teachers working in a southwest city of…

In our societal context, the neoliberal competitive and knowledge-oriented culture still exerts a stranglehold on teachers' sense of professional autonomy giving rise to a deficit image of them as 'excessively entitled'. The purpose of this chapter is to eschew this deficit view of teachers by bringing their agentive side to the fore. First, it…

Teacher attrition remains a significant challenge in high-poverty urban schools, contributing to educational inequities and disrupting student learning. This study explores how teacher empowerment, encompassing systemic flexibility, supportive leadership, autonomy, and peer collaboration, influences teacher retention in these settings. Utilizing a…

This paper explores the role of autonomy in teachers' Continuing Professional Development (CPD), specifically through practitioner research in the UK Further Education (FE) sector. By addressing challenges such as performativity and 'best practice,' it argues for a model of CPD that emphasises teacher autonomy, allowing for self-reflection,…

In England and Scotland, the History National Curriculum avoids the prescription of specific content; expecting schools instead to devise a curriculum appropriate to their pupils within broad guidance. This means in both countries, teachers apparently have responsibility for constructing a curriculum: selecting content, sequencing learning and…

Language teacher agency (LTA) remains understudied in ESL, EFL, and bilingual contexts. Less is known about affordances and constraints of diverse methodologies that are used to explore this concept. This study, therefore, aims to examine how collaborative autoethnography as a methodology plays a role in LTA research. Specifically, three language…

Considerable research has been dedicated to studying teachers' digital competence, yet limited insights have been gained regarding its impact on online teacher autonomy support. Based on the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, this study utilized a multiple regression analysis model to explore how teachers' digital…

Teachers' engagement in active learning from and within their professional community is highly dependent on the support they receive from their colleagues. In this study we examined teachers' sense of agency in the professional community and its relationship with received professional recognition over a five-year follow-up. The sample comprised…

This study conducted confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using both the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC 25) and the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) to create a validated, synergistic, higher-order factor we call Invicti Anima based on the responses 630 teachers and building-based…