A Study Of Individual And Collective Agency Of Science Teachers ——The Case Of School Y In Shanghai

With the modernisation of education,there is a consensus that teachers are the actors of educational reform.Teacher agency is therefore crucial to the effectiveness of educational reform.Stimulating teacher agency can lead to a change from a passive to an active state of development,yet the factors influencing teacher agency and the mechanisms shaping it are currently unclear.In the context of China's “double reduction” reform,this study explores how to activate the individual and collective agency of the science teachers in a public junior high school(School Y)and analyses its constraints,in order to inform the construction of individual and collective agency of science teachers in the face of complex social structures.Combining psychological and sociological theories of agency,this study uses the psychological perspective to analyse the internal characteristics of teachers and the sociological perspective to analyse external environmental factors.Three research questions need to be answered:1.How is individual agency of science teachers reflected in teaching?2.How is collective agency of science teachers reflected in teaching?3.How does the individual and collective agency of science teachers present in practice?This study employed ethnography and case studies.The data was obtained through field observations,interview methods,and the collection of reflective diaries from researchers and teachers.The data collection process lasted for four months,while the researcher worked as a trainee science teacher and trainee classroom teacher in school Y.The researcher continuously observed the factors influencing the individual and collective agency of five junior high school science teachers as a “inner member”.The data were analysed using a constant comparative approach,and the findings showed that:(1)individual agency was significantly influenced by personal history,social structure,work ethic and students characteristics;and(2)collective agency was influenced by social structure and school leadership;and(3)collective agency creates the demands of teachers' individual professional development and cooperative culture.In order to facilitate the formation of individual and collective teacher agency,this study makes the following recommendations: first,broaden the channels for the expression of teachers' demands.Second,schools establish a reasonable mechanism for collaboration.Third,the school set up a reasonable professional title evaluation system.Fourth,the awakening of teacher agency consciousness.