Chinese Novice Teachers’ Perception of Professional Agency : A study through the lens of the perspectives on novice teachers’ perception professional agency in Finland

Abstract

This study examined the perception of professional agency among Chinese novice teachers via the lens of perspectives in Finland (Eteläpelto et al., 2015) in order to get a global grasp of the issue. The study topics are as follows: (1) How do novice Chinese teachers view their professional agency in work, and what do they regard to be the primary restrictions and resources c? (2) How do Chinese novice teachers view their professional agency in the renegotiation of their identities, and what do they view as the most significant restrictions and resources (Eteläpelto et al., 2015)? The study was conducted in semi-structured interviews and used qualitative research methodology and a model derived from the results of prior research (Eteläpelto et al., 2015). Two Finnish and seven Chinese primary school teachers within five years of experience were interviewed and content analysis was applied to the data. The outcomes of the study indicated that novice Chinese teachers had little agency in the workplace and a strong need to renegotiate their professional identities. In contrast to Finnish teachers, Chinese novice teachers lacked competence in embracing student-centred educational strategies. Both Chinese and Finnish teachers demonstrated a lack of agency in social management of classroom, particularly in terms of student behaviour and social-emotional well-being. Inappropriate parental participation was a highlighted constraint to Chinese novice teachers’ agency. In contrast to Finland, the hierarchical working culture in China hindered teachers’ agency to contribute to the professional community. In addition, Chinese teachers must renegotiate their identify because of the test-based educational system and the complexities of school life, resulting in value conflicts when they entered the classroom. The research recommends communication and collaboration between the two nations in teacher education with the aspects of student-centred pedagogy and inclusive education.