Introduction

Teacher agency is a concept that underscores the pivotal role teachers play in the educational landscape, emphasizing the importance of granting them autonomy and authority in shaping their teaching practices (Aspbury-Miyanishi, 2022). While most research has traditionally focused on primary and secondary education (Cong-Lem, 2021), recent studies have recognized the significant impact of teacher agency on university teaching (Kusters et al., 2023; Vähäsantanen et al., 2020). This study takes a closer look at teacher agency in the university setting, exploring how lecturers manifest agency and make informed decisions within the framework of an ecological approach.

Theoretical Framework

Teacher agency, according to Aspbury-Miyanishi (2022), is the ability to perceive and capitalize on different possibilities within specific situations. It involves the capacity to determine the most suitable option aligned with broader educational goals. Crucially, teacher agency is not merely compliance with conventional approaches but necessitates the identification of opportunities for action. Drawing on the ecological approach, teacher agency is multifaceted and constructed through the iterational, projective, and practical-evaluative dimensions.

The iterational dimension emphasizes the role of personal and professional experiences in shaping teacher agency. This dimension recognizes that lecturers draw upon their past encounters and reflections to navigate current situations. Lecturers, through iterative processes, accumulate knowledge and insights that contribute to their agency.

The projective dimension of teacher agency focuses on forward-looking actions. It involves the ability to envision future possibilities, set goals, and plan for effective teaching practices. Lecturers, within this dimension, go beyond immediate concerns and engage in proactive decision-making that aligns with their pedagogical objectives.

The practical-evaluative dimension roots teacher agency in engagement with current practices, encompassing practical evaluations of cultural, structural, and material contexts. This dimension recognizes that teacher agency requires an awareness of the dynamic and context-dependent nature of teaching. Lecturers assess the impact of their actions within the broader educational environment, adapting strategies to suit specific conditions.

The ecological model of teacher agency, as proposed by Priestley et al. (2015), captures the interconnectedness of these dimensions. It emphasizes the dynamic and context-dependent nature of teacher agency, illustrating how personal and professional experiences, forward-looking actions, and practical evaluations intersect to shape effective teaching practices.

Research Question
The central inquiry of this study revolves around understanding how teacher agency is achieved in varying teaching scenarios within university settings. The research question is as follows: How and in what ways is teacher agency achieved in varying teaching scenarios in universities? By delving into the manifestations of teacher agency, the research aims to illuminate the ways in which lecturers navigate diverse teaching situations, drawing on their personal and professional experiences, engaging in forward-looking actions, and conducting practical evaluations within the ecological framework. The research question drives an exploration of the complexities inherent in teacher agency within the university context and seeks to uncover the nuanced dynamics that contribute to informed decision-making in the realm of university education.

In conclusion, this theoretical framework provides a comprehensive understanding of teacher agency within an ecological approach, laying the groundwork for the exploration of its manifestations in university teaching. The interconnected dimensions of iterational, projective, and practical-evaluative aspects underscore the complex and context-dependent nature of teacher agency, setting the stage for a detailed investigation into how lecturers achieve agency in diverse teaching scenarios within higher education.

Method Participants and data collection 30 academics from various universities participated in this study. Each participant participated in a think-aloud session lasting up to one hour. Using previously developed scenarios based on real teaching experiences (Kusters et al., submitted), participants chose five relevant scenarios in which they could identify themselves. Each scenario ended with "So I knew I had to come up with a solution," promoting multiple and well-informed solutions. An example of a scenario is: "TITLE: Unmotivated students I have been teaching at this university for several years now and have encountered many difficult students, but I had never experienced a class like this one before. Many students seemed uninterested in the material. Some students were sleeping; others were looking at their phones or talking to each other. When I asked who was interested in the subject, only a few hands went up. When I realized that the subject did not interest students at all, I knew I had to come up with a solution." Lecturers shared their thoughts and decision-making processes as they interacted with these scenarios. Analyses Recordings of the sessions were transcribed verbatim to ensure accuracy in capturing participants' voices and nuances. Transcripts were imported into the qualitative data analysis software Atlas.ti for systematic organization and analysis. Thematic content analysis was employed to categorize the considerations associated with each participant's solutions. This method allowed for the identification of recurring themes and patterns within the dataset. The analysis procedure for exploring manifestations of teacher agency was threefold; first, all solutions and accompanying considerations were collected. Second, the considerations were divided into the three dimensions of the ecological model. Finally, narratives were constructed based on participants' solutions and reflections. The purpose of these narratives was to provide a comprehensive understanding of the processes that facilitate or hinder the achievement of agency. The narratives were constructed to highlight the interplay between lecturers’ decision-making processes and the contextual factors that shape their agency.

Preliminary results Preliminary results show that most emphasis is placed on manifestations of teacher agency within the practical-evaluative dimension, and that the iterational and projective dimensions are considered contingent for achieving teacher agency. That is, the opportunities to adjust matters lie in the practical matters because that is where the most short-term impact is experienced. Implications For academic purposes, this study is relevant because follow-up research could focus on how the practical-evaluative dimension is related to professional space (Oolbekkink-Marchand et al., 2017) experienced by academics. For practitioners, professional development programs could be designed that rely more on acting on past (iterational) and future goals (projective) to experience influence on practice (practical-evaluative). When lecturers are more aware of how professional space can be shaped and teacher agency achieved, it contributes to the professionalization of the faculty for the purpose of engaged, innovative teaching staff within universities.

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