Navigating challenges in university teaching
New research sheds light on how university lecturers make critical deliberate decisions about their teaching in an era of rapid change, revealing the complex ways educators shape and navigate their professional practices amid mounting pressures.
The dissertation by Max Kusters (PhD at ICLON) examined ‘teacher agency’: the capacity of university lecturers to actively and purposefully influence their teaching practices and work conditions. As universities grapple with the rise of artificial intelligence, increasingly diverse student populations, and growing political influence, understanding how and why lecturers exercise ‘teacher agency’ has become crucial for the future of university teaching.
Nuanced ways of engagement
Max Kusters: ‘The most compelling aspect of the project was uncovering the nuanced ways lecturers engage with and respond to challenging teaching situations. It was particularly insightful to see how teacher agency manifested in different forms (leading, accommodating, and supporting actions) and to understand the depth of decision-making in teaching practices.’
Scenario-based approach
Max Kusters developed an innovative scenario-based approach to capture authentic responses from lecturers. He created 23 realistic scenarios that reflect the complex realities of contemporary university teaching. He used this method because teacher agency is strongly context-dependent, requiring rich situational detail to elicit genuine responses from participants about their professional decision-making processes and considerations.
Practical application
The practical applications of this research are already being implemented across multiple universities. The scenarios developed during the study are now being used as reflection tools and conversation starters in various faculties, supporting professional development and promoting meaningful dialogue about teaching realities.
Call for cultural change in universities
The findings advocate for a fundamental shift in how universities approach teaching evaluation and support. Rather than relying on traditional metrics, the research suggests using teacher agency as a framework for assessing educational quality, offering a more authentic, holistic, and meaningful measure.
Universities need to genuinely value teaching and educational development, the research emphasizes, calling for policies and practices that empower lecturers and recognize the complexity of their professional work.