Exploring Finnish vocational teachers’ agency in teaching migrant students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3384/njvet.2242-458X.2616145Keywords:
vocational teachers, adult education, migrant students, teacher agency, professional agency, FinlandAbstract
This study examines how vocational teachers perceive their agency as professionals teaching adult migrant students and what hinders these teachers’ agency when approaching migrant students. Thematic analysis of interviews with 12 teachers and the director of the institute with experience in teaching adult migrant students revealed two ways of acting as teachers of migrant students by: (1) limiting own responsibilities to teaching contents of vocational subjects; (2) assuming a broader set of responsibilities in supporting migrant students. Independently of the undertaken position and depending on the situation, these teachers actively searched for new ways of supporting migrant students. The teachers’ professional agency and ability to undertake new responsibilities were delimited by restricting assumptions on migrants, their skills, the role of VET as well as challenges with the distribution of resources, teachers’ lack of knowledge in some areas and lack of professional development support. Thus, VET teachers’ in-service and on-the-job training must be reshaped to meet changing conditions and to create possibilities for rethinking of their responsibilities and the redistribution of resources.
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