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Teachers’ transformative professional agency: Inspiration and means for promoting educational change in the context of digitalization

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This study examines teachers' transformative professional agency during their participation in the Learning and Teaching in Digital Environments Professional Specialization program. It explores what inspires teachers to develop educational practices and how they drive educational change in the context of digitalization. Data, comprising teachers' application letters and final interviews (n = 28), were analyzed qualitatively using content analysis. The findings reveal teachers' transformative professional agency at four levels: teacher, student, work community, and network. Teacher-level agency helps teachers strengthen their professional competence. At the student level, supporting student learning encourages teachers to adopt new digital pedagogical approaches. In the work community, teachers assist colleagues and contribute to school development. Networking broadens teacher collaboration within and outside the school community. This study contributes to academic research by demonstrating how transformative professional agency unfolds across ecological levels and clarifying the relationship between teachers’ motivations and their practices in driving educational change.

Source: Teaching and Teacher Education

DOI: 10.1016/j.tate.2026.105742

Authors: Satu Kulmala, Kaiju Kangas, Kai Hakkarainen, Tiina Korhonen

Institution: University of Helsinki

Language: English

Topic: Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,380