An evaluation of a professional development program aimed at empowering teachers’ agency for social justice
This article reports on an evaluation study of a professional development program to promote teachers’ agency for social justice and educational equality. Despite that teachers are seen as change agents for social justice, few studies have investigated what empowers them to adopt this role. Therefor...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2024.1244113/full |
| _version_ | 1797337207767302144 |
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| author | Marijke van Vijfeijken Tamara van Schilt-Mol Linda van den Bergh Ron H. J. Scholte Eddie Denessen Eddie Denessen |
| author_facet | Marijke van Vijfeijken Tamara van Schilt-Mol Linda van den Bergh Ron H. J. Scholte Eddie Denessen Eddie Denessen |
| author_sort | Marijke van Vijfeijken |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article reports on an evaluation study of a professional development program to promote teachers’ agency for social justice and educational equality. Despite that teachers are seen as change agents for social justice, few studies have investigated what empowers them to adopt this role. Therefore, we designed a theory of change with seven manifestations of agency for social justice (e.g., being committed and experts, taking initiatives). Fourteen primary school teachers participated, engaging in individual reflections, focus group interviews, and an open-ended questionnaire. Thematic analysis was used to code manifestations of agency such as commitment and initiatives. The results demonstrated an empowered sense of agency among the participants. For example, they displayed heightened awareness of inequalities and a critical stance toward their own actions, school policies, and the education system in relation to educational equality. This study contributes to theoretical knowledge about how a professional development program for experienced teachers can be used to develop agency for social justice. Key factors that supported teachers’ agency included sufficient time and support in the program to familiarize themselves with social justice and educational equality concepts, as well as receiving comprehensive knowledge on practical interventions and dedicated time for discussing their applicability in their own teaching practice. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:06:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2f37afee202b46c18ae56d320f252e12 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2504-284X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:06:11Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-2f37afee202b46c18ae56d320f252e122024-02-01T04:40:05ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2024-02-01910.3389/feduc.2024.12441131244113An evaluation of a professional development program aimed at empowering teachers’ agency for social justiceMarijke van Vijfeijken0Tamara van Schilt-Mol1Linda van den Bergh2Ron H. J. Scholte3Eddie Denessen4Eddie Denessen5School of Education, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Nijmegen, NetherlandsSchool of Education, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Nijmegen, NetherlandsFontys School of Teacher Training for Educational Needs, Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Tilburg, NetherlandsBehavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, NetherlandsBehavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, NetherlandsLeiden University, Education and Child Studies, Leiden, NetherlandsThis article reports on an evaluation study of a professional development program to promote teachers’ agency for social justice and educational equality. Despite that teachers are seen as change agents for social justice, few studies have investigated what empowers them to adopt this role. Therefore, we designed a theory of change with seven manifestations of agency for social justice (e.g., being committed and experts, taking initiatives). Fourteen primary school teachers participated, engaging in individual reflections, focus group interviews, and an open-ended questionnaire. Thematic analysis was used to code manifestations of agency such as commitment and initiatives. The results demonstrated an empowered sense of agency among the participants. For example, they displayed heightened awareness of inequalities and a critical stance toward their own actions, school policies, and the education system in relation to educational equality. This study contributes to theoretical knowledge about how a professional development program for experienced teachers can be used to develop agency for social justice. Key factors that supported teachers’ agency included sufficient time and support in the program to familiarize themselves with social justice and educational equality concepts, as well as receiving comprehensive knowledge on practical interventions and dedicated time for discussing their applicability in their own teaching practice.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2024.1244113/fullchange agentsagencysocial justiceeducational equalityprofessional development |
| spellingShingle | Marijke van Vijfeijken Tamara van Schilt-Mol Linda van den Bergh Ron H. J. Scholte Eddie Denessen Eddie Denessen An evaluation of a professional development program aimed at empowering teachers’ agency for social justice Frontiers in Education change agents agency social justice educational equality professional development |
| title | An evaluation of a professional development program aimed at empowering teachers’ agency for social justice |
| title_full | An evaluation of a professional development program aimed at empowering teachers’ agency for social justice |
| title_fullStr | An evaluation of a professional development program aimed at empowering teachers’ agency for social justice |
| title_full_unstemmed | An evaluation of a professional development program aimed at empowering teachers’ agency for social justice |
| title_short | An evaluation of a professional development program aimed at empowering teachers’ agency for social justice |
| title_sort | evaluation of a professional development program aimed at empowering teachers agency for social justice |
| topic | change agents agency social justice educational equality professional development |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2024.1244113/full |
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