Studies of Teachers' Emotion Percepts in Relation to Their Self-efficacy and Agency, 2020-2022

Porter, Karen (2023). Studies of Teachers' Emotion Percepts in Relation to Their Self-efficacy and Agency, 2020-2022. [Data Collection]. Colchester, Essex: UK Data Service. 10.5255/UKDA-SN-856301

A doctoral research project examining the role of emotion percepts on teachers' beliefs about their professional efficacy, sense of agency, and subsequent behaviours.
Consideration of teacher agency to date has not examined the role of emotion percepts on the beliefs that teachers have about their capabilities to perform effectively, their goals and values, and the degree of choice that they perceive themselves to have to act in ways that are congruent with their percepts and cognitions that are relevant to the circumstances in which they operate. This project aims to elucidate which, if any, emotion percepts serve to motivate teachers to respond to difficulties and opportunities that arise in their professional lives.
Studies using a variety of methods examine what themes relate to emotions that motivate teachers to engage in teaching, how the emotions identified link to beliefs and actions both individually and collectively. Having identified four percepts of CARE, CURIOSITY, COOPERATION and CHALLENGE, studies also consider the effect of awareness of the percepts on teachers' beliefs and actions.

Data description (abstract)

A series of studies were conducted to gather data illuminating teachers' experiences of emotions that motivate their professional engagement, together with associated relevant cognitions and actions. The first qualitative study involved interviewing teachers at the start of the pandemic lockdown. Analysis of interview transcripts confirmed an a priori assumption that teachers were motivated by CURIOSITY about the subjects they taught, and about effective pedagogical practice. Additionally, themes of motivation by CARE, COOPERATION and CHALLENGE were identified. Links to teachers' beliefs about their efficacy and their volitional actions were also identified.
Survey data was then collected to examine relations between the four emotional motivators and teachers' self-efficacy and agency. Based on emotional motivations, five profile types were identified, each with distinct levels of self-efficacy and agency.
A subsequent qualitative study gathered interview data from seven primary teachers who were initially introduced to findings from the first two studies, giving them insight into four proposed emotional motivators. Over the course of four interviews each, participants demonstrated how they used their new awareness as a framework to reflect on their practice, resulting in them prioritising self-care to optimise their capacity to perform effectively and persistently.

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