Teacher agency: the ecological approach

Abstract

The last 10 years has seen an explosion in research literature deploying the concept of teacher agency. At the same time, the term has become commonplace in educational policy. Agency is a remarkably slippery term, offering multiple meanings and interpretations; while the literature has offered some excellent examples of nuanced attempts to elaborate agency theory, there have also been many instances of more problematic framing. In policy, agency can be used to justify narrow external reform agendas, with the term change agentry often conflated with agency. In research, we have seen literature which conflates concepts and hybridises different (often incommensurate) theories.

In this webinar, I seek to chart a course through this minefield, drawing upon the new second edition of our book ‘Teacher Agency: An Ecological Approach’ (Priestley & Biesta, with Robinson, 2026). I first provide an overview of the ecological approach to teacher agency – a distinctive conceptualisation that views agency as something achieved in particular and unique situations, rather than as simply an innate human capacity. I then examine some of the themes and trends that have emerged from the past 10 years of writing on this subject, explaining how these articulate with the ecological approach.

Bio

Mark Priestley is Professor of Education at the University of Stirling. His research interests lie in the school curriculum – theory, policy and practice – and especially the processes of curriculum making across different layers of education systems. Mark was Lead Editor of the Curriculum Journal from 2018-2024, and is a member of the Scottish Government’s Curriculum and Assessment Board and a Co-Convener of the EERA network 3, Curriculum. His publications include 'Teacher Agency: An Ecological Approach' and 'Curriculum making in Europe: policy and practice within and across diverse contexts'.