Abstract
This study assessed how teachers understand and value autonomy, collaboration and the relationship between both. Quantitative analyses (N1 = 1610, N2 = 1408) included a multilevel SEM model and identifying teacher profiles based upon perceived autonomy (curricular, didactical-pedagogical) and autonomy attitude (individualistic/reactive, collaborative/reflective). Interviews (N = 17) were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Three teacher profiles were identified: autonomous collaborative, autonomous individualistic and low curricular autonomy collaborative. Teachers in the first profile reported most collaboration. Results demonstrate the need to take the interaction between autonomy and attitude into account. However, small effect sizes and qualitative results indicate that other factors play an important role. Didactical-pedagogical autonomy should be split up into content-related and classroom teaching–related aspects (demonstrating higher sensitivity to external influences). Moreover, while quantitative results demonstrate a unified collaborative attitude, qualitative findings indicate that openness towards deep-level collaboration differs depending on the domain of autonomy. Finally, besides individual autonomy, autonomy at the level of collaboration is influential.
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Katrien Vangrieken. Occupational & Organisational Psychology and Professional Learning, KU Leuven, Dekenstraat 2, Box 3772, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. E-mail: Katrien.Vangrieken@kuleuven.be. Website: http://ppw.kuleuven.be/o2l/english
Current themes of research:
Teacher teamwork and collaboration. Teachers’ (collaborative) professional development. Professional autonomy. Individual and team wellbeing.
Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:
Vangrieken, K., Dochy, F., Raes, E., & Kyndt, E. (2015). Teacher collaboration: A systematic review. Educational Research Review, 15, 17-40.
Vangrieken, K., Dochy, F., & Raes, E. (2016). Team learning in teacher teams: Team entitativity as a bridge between teams-in-theory and teams-in-practice. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 31, 275-298.
Vangrieken, K., Grosemans, I., Dochy, F., & Kyndt, E. (2017). Teacher autonomy and collaboration: A paradox? Conceptualising and measuring teachers’ autonomy and collaborative attitude. Teaching and Teacher Education, 67, 302-315.
Vangrieken, K., Meredith, C., Packer, T., & Kyndt, E. (2017). Teacher communities as a context for professional development: A systematic review. Teaching and Teacher Education, 61, 47-59.
Vangrieken, K., Boon, A., Dochy, F., & Kyndt, E. (2017). Group, team, or something in between? Conceptualising and measuring team entitativity. Frontline Learning Research, 5(4), 1-41.
Eva Kyndt. Occupational & Organisational Psychology and Professional Learning, KU Leuven, Dekenstraat 2, Box 3772, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. E-mail: Eva.Kyndt@kuleuven.be. Website: http://ppw.kuleuven.be/o2l/english. Training and Education Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Antwerp, Sint-jacobsstraat 2, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium. E-mail: Eva.Kyndt@uantwerpen.be. Website: https://www.uantwerpen.be/en/staff/?dept=UA132
Current themes of research:
Human resource development & management. Higher education. Workplace learning. Social networks in organisations. Transition from education to work.
Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:
Kyndt, E., Donche, V., Coertjens, L., Van Daal, T., Gijbels, D., & Van Petegem, P. (2018). Does self-efficacy contribute to the development of students’ motivation across the transition from secondary to higher education? European Journal of Psychology of Education, 2018,1 – 22.
Grosemans, I., Coertjens, L., & Kyndt, E. (2017). Exploring learning and fit in the transition from higher education to the labour market. A systematic review. Educational Research Review, 21, 67-84.
Kyndt., E., Donche v., Trigwell, K., & Lindblom-Ylänne (2017). Higher education transition: Theory and research. London: Routledge.
Meredith, C., Van den Noortgate, W., Struyve, C., Gielen, S., & Kyndt, E. (2017).Information seeking in secondary schools: A multilevel network approach. Social Networks, 50, 35 – 45.
Kyndt, E., Gijbels, D., Grosemans, I., & Donche, V. (2016). Teachers’ Everyday Professional Development: Mapping Informal Learning Activities, Antecedents, and Learning Outcomes. Review of Educational Research, 86, 1111 – 1150.
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Appendices
Appendix 1
Appendix 2. Coding tree interview analyses
Autonomy
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Autonomy—subject group
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Desired autonomy
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Downsides of autonomy
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Evolution of autonomy
Changes in context
Experience
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Experienced autonomy
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Factors influencing autonomy
Gender
Facilitating factors autonomy
Factors inhibiting autonomy
Parallel colleague(s)
Principal/school administration
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Meaning of autonomy
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School culture
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Type of autonomy
Curricular autonomy
Didactical-pedagogical autonomy
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Value of autonomy
Adapt to student needs
Be yourself
Motivation
Teacher as professional
General importance
Collaboration
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Collaboration—subject group
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Parallel colleague(s)
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Collaborative attitude
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Downsides of collaboration
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Evolution of collaboration
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Frequency of collaboration
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Facilitating factors collaboration
Appreciation of effort
Gender
Generation differences
Goal oriented collaboration
Experience/skills
Group composition features
Horizontal organisation
Psychological safety
Reciprocity of collaboration
Social connection/personality
Student needs
Team identification
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Factors inhibiting collaboration
Alignment
Age
Disagreement
Formality
Formation of subgroups
Hierarchy
Lack of collaborative attitude
Lack of reciprocity
Lack of social connection/personality
Negative social dynamics
Practical issues
Short term appointment
Teacher efficacy
Teamwork skills
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School-level influences
Principal/school administration
School culture
School infrastructure
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Type of collaboration
Collaborative activities
Exchange activities
Distribution of tasks
Professional collaboration
Constructive conflict
Formal-informal collaboration
School-level participation
Top-down collaboration
Vertical-horizontal collaboration
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Value of collaboration
Autonomy–collaboration
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Balance
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Tensions
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Interest of the student
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Team autonomy
Appendix 3
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Vangrieken, K., Kyndt, E. The teacher as an island? A mixed method study on the relationship between autonomy and collaboration. Eur J Psychol Educ 35, 177–204 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-019-00420-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-019-00420-0