Teacher Agency in Universities: Exploring Underlying Beliefs and Agentic Orientations when Navigating University Teaching Practices

Abstract

University lecturers face challenges aligning their teaching beliefs with evolving institutional and societal demands. This study explores how teacher agency – briefly defined as lecturers’ capacity to act purposefully to influence their teaching practices – could support this alignment. Semi-structured and scenario-based interviews with 12 participants at a Scottish university revealed three shared agentic orientations related to navigating teaching practices: (1) Accommodating & Supporting, (2) Leading, Accommodating & Supporting, and (3) Leading. These agentic orientations reflect distinct responses to teaching challenges. Within these three groups, lecturers expressed common beliefs about teaching, namely (1) Inclusivity and Equity, (2) Responsibility and Collaboration, and (3) Change and Innovation. The study provides empirical insights into the dynamic, context-dependent nature of teacher agency and shows how lecturers’ beliefs support their approach to teaching. It frames teacher agency as a heuristic for understanding the conditions that enable lecturers to act with agency.