Empowering Teachers through Emerging Media Arts

Framework

The framework for this study is grounded in the concept of teacher agency, defined as a teacher's ability to intentionally shape and influence their professional environment and instructional methods (Biesta et al., 2017; Priestley et al., 2015). Teacher agency involves the capacity to act with purpose and reflection, as described by Rogers and Wetzel (2013), who defined it as “the capacity of individuals to act intentionally and thoughtfully in their world” (p. 63). This framework shows that teacher agency is a critical factor in promoting professional growth, fostering collaborative learning among educators, and enhancing student achievement, as supported by previous research (e.g., Rose, 2019; Toom et al., 2015). This study will explore how enhancing teacher agency through arts-integrated professional development leads to transformative practices in classrooms and schools.
References
Biesta, G., Priestley, M. & Robinson, S. (2017) Talking about education: Exploring the significance of teachers' talk for teacher agency. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 49(1), 38-54.
Priestley, M., Biesta, G., & Robinson, S. (2015). Teacher agency: What is it and why does it matter? In R. Kneyber & J. Evers (Eds.), Flip the system: Changing education from the bottom up (pp. 134-148). Routledge.
Rogers, R., & Wetzel, M. M. (2013). Studying agency in literacy teacher education: A layered approach to positive discourse analysis. Critical Inquiry in Language Studies, 10(1), 62-92.
Rose, A. (2019). The role of teacher agency in refugee education. The Australian Educational Researcher, 46(1), 75-91.
Toom, A., Pyhältö, K., & Rust, F. O. C. (2015). Teachers’ professional agency in contradictory times. Teachers and Teaching, 21(6), 615-623.

Methods

Participants
Participants of this study were six generalists and eight art k12 educators were already recruited as the participants of a federally-funded grant project.
Data Sources
Teachers’ focus groups and semi-structured individual interviews. Teachers were asked open-ended questions about the impacts of participating in the professional learning program and applying emerging media arts on their teaching practices, classrooms, and schools. For instance, “How participating in this professional learning benefited you as an individual or teacher?” or “To what extent do you feel Art TEAMs is relevant or applicable to your work?”.

Analytical approach
The analytical approach of this study employs constructivist grounded theory, a qualitative method that emphasizes the co-construction of meaning between researchers and participants. This iterative process began with initial coding using Atlas.ti software, where data from focus group interviews were analyzed at the utterance level to identify key concepts and actions without imposing preconceived categories. Following this, the researchers engaged in focused coding, selecting the most significant or frequent codes to categorize larger data segments.

In the axial coding phase, relationships between codes were identified, linking categories to subcategories to specify their properties and dimensions. This step aimed to understand the conditions, contexts, actions, and consequences associated with the phenomena. Finally, theoretical coding was used to integrate and refine the categories into a grounded theory, highlighting overarching themes and constructs that connect the data. The study also conducted inter-rater agreement checks and member checking to ensure the validity and reliability of the findings.

Results

The research results revealed that arts-integrated professional learning significantly enhanced teacher agency and empowerment, leading to transformative changes in both teaching practices and classroom environments. Teachers reported incorporating arts-based methods, such as creative research processes and thinking walls, which fostered a more student-centered approach. Participants expressed feeling more empowered to step outside the constraints of traditional curricula, experimenting with new teaching strategies that increased student engagement and participation.

Key themes that emerged from the data included teacher empowerment, with participants citing the project as a source of confidence and professional growth. They reported becoming more decisive and proactive in their teaching, reflecting a greater sense of professional autonomy. Teachers also noted an increased ability to collaborate with peers and influence school policy, further extending their sense of agency.

The results indicated that this empowerment translated into tangible student benefits, including higher levels of engagement, curiosity, and active learning. Teachers described their classrooms as more dynamic and flexible, with students taking greater responsibility for their learning. The findings suggest that professional learning programs that integrate arts and emerging media can have a profound and lasting impact on both teacher development and student outcomes.

Importance

The present study was aimed at examining the impact of arts-integrated professional development on enhancing teacher agency and empowerment. The findings revealed that integrating visual and emerging media arts into K-12 pedagogy can foster transformative professional growth among art and generalist teachers. The resulting sense of agency and empowerment led to taking a student-centered approach that can be applicable in various educational settings, resulting in increased student engagement. Through highlighting the interconnected network of factors involved in professional learning, this research offers valuable insights for designing holistic professional learning programs. Additionally, the proposed model can be used for creating more dynamic educational environments, ultimately contributing to improved educational outcomes.

References

Biesta, G., Priestley, M. & Robinson, S. (2017) Talking about education: Exploring the significance of teachers' talk for teacher agency. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 49(1), 38-54.
Blase, J., & Blase, J. (1999). Principals’ instructional leadership and teacher development: Teachers’ perspectives. Educational administration quarterly, 35(3), 349-378.
Bryant, A., & Charmaz, K. (2007). Grounded theory in historical perspective: An epistemological account. In A. Bryant & K. Charmaz (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of grounded theory (pp. 31-57). Sage.
Charmaz, K. (2014). Grounded theory in global perspective: Reviews by international researchers. Qualitative inquiry, 20(9), 1074-1084.
Marks, H. M., & Louis, K. S. (1997). Does teacher empowerment affect the classroom? The implications of teacher empowerment for instructional practice and student academic performance. Educational evaluation and policy analysis, 19(3), 245-275.
McKim, C. (2023). Meaningful member-checking: a structured approach to member-checking. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 7(2), 41-52.
Morgan, D. L. (1996). Focus groups as qualitative research (Vol. 16). Sage publications.
Park, B. J. (1998). Teacher empowerment and its effects on teachers' lives and student achievement in US high schools. The University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Priestley, M., Biesta, G., & Robinson, S. (2015). Teacher agency: What is it and why does it matter? In R. Kneyber & J. Evers (Eds.), Flip the system: Changing education from the bottom up (pp. 134-148). Routledge.
Rogers, R., & Wetzel, M. M. (2013). Studying agency in literacy teacher education: A layered approach to positive discourse analysis. Critical Inquiry in Language Studies, 10(1), 62-92.
Rose, A. (2019). The role of teacher agency in refugee education. The Australian Educational Researcher, 46(1), 75-91.
Short, P. M. (1992). Dimensions of teacher empowerment (Report No. SP-035-133). State College, PA: Pennsylvania State University. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED368701)
Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research techniques. Sage Publications.
Toom, A., Pyhältö, K., & Rust, F. O. C. (2015). Teachers’ professional agency in contradictory times. Teachers and Teaching, 21(6), 615-623.