Browsing by Author "Walinen, Päivi"

Objective of the study. Teachers' professional agency can be used to examine how teachers learn in their work. There exists little earlier research on the professional agency among teachers in the induction phase, even less has it been studied during the global pandemic. It was therefore necessary investigate the topic in detail. This study had two research questions. The first step was to examine what kind of key learning experiences basic education teachers had during the Covid-19 pandemic in their teacher-student interactions. Second, it was examined how the professional agency of basic education teachers appeared in their teacher-student interaction situations during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods. The research material consisted of eleven individual interviews with basic education teachers in the induction phase. The data were collected as part of the " Early Career Teach-ers' Professional Agency Across Four European Countries – Key for Sustainable Educational Change? research project carried out in 2018–2022 funded by the Suomi Akatemia. The inter-view had three themes which related to the interviewees' 1) significant learning experiences and professional development, 2) the professional community in the early stages of their ca-reers, and 3) working during the Covid-19 pandemic. The interviews were analyzed using the method of qualitative theory-driven analysis. Results and conclusions. The results of the study showed that during the Covid-19 pandemic, the key learning experiences of induction phase teachers were related to remote and in-person classroom situations with groups of students and individual students. The professional agency of the teachers in the induction phase was strongest in classroom situations. The independent activities of teachers were emphasized in the chosen strategies. Teachers were motivated by commitment to students. Teachers' self-efficacy was illustrated by coping with work tasks dur-ing the Covid-19 pandemic. Compared to previous studies, this study especially highlighted teachers' willingness to meet their students individually. The teachers had a positive attitude towards the use of new IT applications and platforms, which they planned to utilize even after the exceptional circumstances. The findings can be applied to supporting the professional agency of teachers at the beginning of their careers and in the versatile implementation of teaching outside the exceptional circumstances.