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Papers by Katja Vähäsantanen
Professional and practice-based learning, 2022
Early Childhood Education, 2018
This is a self-archived version of an original article. This version may differ from the original... more This is a self-archived version of an original article. This version may differ from the original in pagination and typographic details.
Professions and Professionalism
When external requirements conflict with teachers’ personal beliefs and values, the resulting int... more When external requirements conflict with teachers’ personal beliefs and values, the resulting internal struggles can lead to identity tensions. Contributing to discussion on teachers’ identity development in a challenging context, this study investigated teacher identity tensions and related coping strategies in Hong Kong. We conducted 21 semi-structured interviews with qualified teachers and then performed a deductive thematic analysis of the data. We categorised the identity tensions as positioned on the micro or macro level, and distinguished the coping strategies as emotion-focused or problem-focused behaviours. The identity tensions and related coping strategies seemed to be associated with teachers’ career stages. We further found identity tensions to be related to the school’s sociocultural environment and to the specific political and societal forces in the region. The study demonstrated the need for continuous and differentiated support catering for teachers’ needs, and hig...
Professional and practice-based learning, 2022
Pedagogy, Culture & Society
International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training
Context: This research was conducted in the context of Finnish vocational education and training ... more Context: This research was conducted in the context of Finnish vocational education and training (VET) teacher training. The teacher training was work-based, meaning that each teacher trainee was already working as an unqualified VET teacher. Workplaces were comprehensively utilised as the learning environment, with teacher training support also being provided in the form of contact days, webinars, and online learning activities. Approach: We aimed to explore the main components of information and communications technology (ICT) competencies among vocational teacher trainees within work-based training and also to reveal the supportive and challenging factors related to developing ICT competencies within the training. Overall, 44 vocational teacher trainees participated in our study. The data were analysed via qualitative content analysis. Findings: Six main ICT competence components were identified during the work-based training: (1) The use and creation of digital learning material...
Vocations and Learning
The concept of agency has recently emerged as a fruitful construct in understanding organizationa... more The concept of agency has recently emerged as a fruitful construct in understanding organizational practices and development. However, agency has tended so far to be seen as a rational and goal-oriented phenomenon, with little attention paid to the role of emotions within it. There is thus a need for theoretical discussion on both agency and emotions in organizations, and also on how the two phenomena are related. This paper aims to introduce an elaborated conceptualization of emotional agency at work, based on recent theories on professional agency and emotions in organizational contexts. We suggest that emotional agency can be understood as the competence to perceive, understand, and take into account one’s own emotions and those of others, and further to influence emotions within organizational practices, actions, and interactions. Our paper provides an integrative definition of emotional agency at work (EAW), usable in future research. It also elaborates how emotional agency may...
Recent studies have described professional identity as the interplay between individual agency an... more Recent studies have described professional identity as the interplay between individual agency and social context. However, we need to understand how these are intertwined in different kinds of work settings. This paper focuses on teachers' professional identity negotiations as involving the work organisation, the professional community and individual agency. The data were gathered from two work organisations representing different management cultures and sources of control over teachers' work. Open-ended narrative interviews were used, focusing on teachers' own experiences and perceptions. A data-driven qualitative analysis was applied. Our findings indicated that different work organisations provided differing resources for teachers' professional identity negotiations. Teachers were more committed to their work organisation if they had enough agency, if they had opportunities to practise their own orientations towards the profession, and if major changes were not i...
Aikuiskasvatus, 2021
Tarkastelemme tutkimuksessa toimijuutta ja identiteettiä korkeakoulutettujen uratarinoissa. korke... more Tarkastelemme tutkimuksessa toimijuutta ja identiteettiä korkeakoulutettujen uratarinoissa. korkeakoulutettujen urapolkuja tutkimalla tunnistamme sekä korkeakoulutettujen urien rakentumisen tapoja että yksilön ja yhteiskunnan asettamien odotusten ja tavoitteiden merkitystä urapoluilla. Aineisto koostui Töissä.fi-verkkopalvelun kautta kerätyistä korkeakoulutettujen uratarinoista (N = 462). Tutkimusaineiston narratiivisessa analyysissa tarkastelimme, millaisia urapolkuja uratarinoista oli tunnistettavissa sekä millaisia toimijuuden ja identiteetin yksilöllisiä ja sosiaalisia painotuksia uratarinat sisälsivät. Analyysin pohjalta loimme seitsemän uratyyppitarinaa, jotka nimesimme urapolun rakentumista kuvaavalla tavalla. Uratyypit olivat 1) suunnitelmalliset, 2) osaamisen tunnistajat, 3) aktiiviset, 4) sattuman kuljettamat, 5) intohimon ohjaamat, 6) polveilijat ja 7) yrittäjähenkiset. Uratyyppitarinat kuvaavat, kuinka korkeakoulutettujen toimijuus ja identiteetti olivat uratarinoissa er...
Research Approaches on Workplace Learning, 2022
Teaching and Teacher Education, 2015
International Journal of Educational Research, 2009
Yliopistosektorin nopeat ja dramaattiset muutokset ovat tuoneet uusia haasteita yliopistossa työs... more Yliopistosektorin nopeat ja dramaattiset muutokset ovat tuoneet uusia haasteita yliopistossa työskenteleville opettajille. Artikkelissa tarkastellaan, millaisia haasteita tiukkakytkentäinen hallintamalli tuo opettajien työhön. Ratkaisuna haasteiden kohtaamiseen ja käsittelemiseen kuvaamme opettajien ammatillista identiteettiä ja toimijuutta vahvistavia työpajoja, joissa käytetään yhteisöllisiä ja toiminnallisia menetelmiä.
International Handbook of Research in Professional and Practice-based Learning, 2014
ABSTRACT This chapter elaborates professional learning from two complementary perspectives, namel... more ABSTRACT This chapter elaborates professional learning from two complementary perspectives, namely professional identity and agency. Starting with the conceptualization of identity and agency, the chapter illustrates how professional identity and agency are intertwined with workplace learning at the individual and social levels. In theoretical terms we adhere to a subject-centred socio-cultural approach. This implies that professional learning is seen as a dual process, involving identity negotiation and the development of work practices (including the practice of agency), with both aspects taking place within the socio-cultural and material conditions of the workplace. We see professional identity as constituted by subjects’ conceptions of themselves as professional actors, i.e. as individuals with professional commitments, ideals, interests, beliefs, values, and ethical standards. Agency is needed for the renegotiation of work identities, and for the continuous and innovative development of work practices. We see professional agency as being exercised when professional subjects and/or communities influence, make choices, and take stances on their work and/or their professional identities. The chapter summarizes evidence on the constraints and resources that appear to be most influential for professional identity negotiations and for the practice of professional agency at work, especially in education and health care work. Empirical evidence is presented on aspects operating at the work community, work organizational, and individual levels. As a practical conclusion, it is suggested that there is a need for practice-based interventions that will promote professional learning concurrently at the individual and social levels. Such interventions will involve agency-centred couplings between these levels.
Vocations and Learning, 2008
Journal of Education and Work, 2009
Professional and practice-based learning, 2022
Early Childhood Education, 2018
This is a self-archived version of an original article. This version may differ from the original... more This is a self-archived version of an original article. This version may differ from the original in pagination and typographic details.
Professions and Professionalism
When external requirements conflict with teachers’ personal beliefs and values, the resulting int... more When external requirements conflict with teachers’ personal beliefs and values, the resulting internal struggles can lead to identity tensions. Contributing to discussion on teachers’ identity development in a challenging context, this study investigated teacher identity tensions and related coping strategies in Hong Kong. We conducted 21 semi-structured interviews with qualified teachers and then performed a deductive thematic analysis of the data. We categorised the identity tensions as positioned on the micro or macro level, and distinguished the coping strategies as emotion-focused or problem-focused behaviours. The identity tensions and related coping strategies seemed to be associated with teachers’ career stages. We further found identity tensions to be related to the school’s sociocultural environment and to the specific political and societal forces in the region. The study demonstrated the need for continuous and differentiated support catering for teachers’ needs, and hig...
Professional and practice-based learning, 2022
Pedagogy, Culture & Society
International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training
Context: This research was conducted in the context of Finnish vocational education and training ... more Context: This research was conducted in the context of Finnish vocational education and training (VET) teacher training. The teacher training was work-based, meaning that each teacher trainee was already working as an unqualified VET teacher. Workplaces were comprehensively utilised as the learning environment, with teacher training support also being provided in the form of contact days, webinars, and online learning activities. Approach: We aimed to explore the main components of information and communications technology (ICT) competencies among vocational teacher trainees within work-based training and also to reveal the supportive and challenging factors related to developing ICT competencies within the training. Overall, 44 vocational teacher trainees participated in our study. The data were analysed via qualitative content analysis. Findings: Six main ICT competence components were identified during the work-based training: (1) The use and creation of digital learning material...
Vocations and Learning
The concept of agency has recently emerged as a fruitful construct in understanding organizationa... more The concept of agency has recently emerged as a fruitful construct in understanding organizational practices and development. However, agency has tended so far to be seen as a rational and goal-oriented phenomenon, with little attention paid to the role of emotions within it. There is thus a need for theoretical discussion on both agency and emotions in organizations, and also on how the two phenomena are related. This paper aims to introduce an elaborated conceptualization of emotional agency at work, based on recent theories on professional agency and emotions in organizational contexts. We suggest that emotional agency can be understood as the competence to perceive, understand, and take into account one’s own emotions and those of others, and further to influence emotions within organizational practices, actions, and interactions. Our paper provides an integrative definition of emotional agency at work (EAW), usable in future research. It also elaborates how emotional agency may...
Recent studies have described professional identity as the interplay between individual agency an... more Recent studies have described professional identity as the interplay between individual agency and social context. However, we need to understand how these are intertwined in different kinds of work settings. This paper focuses on teachers' professional identity negotiations as involving the work organisation, the professional community and individual agency. The data were gathered from two work organisations representing different management cultures and sources of control over teachers' work. Open-ended narrative interviews were used, focusing on teachers' own experiences and perceptions. A data-driven qualitative analysis was applied. Our findings indicated that different work organisations provided differing resources for teachers' professional identity negotiations. Teachers were more committed to their work organisation if they had enough agency, if they had opportunities to practise their own orientations towards the profession, and if major changes were not i...
Aikuiskasvatus, 2021
Tarkastelemme tutkimuksessa toimijuutta ja identiteettiä korkeakoulutettujen uratarinoissa. korke... more Tarkastelemme tutkimuksessa toimijuutta ja identiteettiä korkeakoulutettujen uratarinoissa. korkeakoulutettujen urapolkuja tutkimalla tunnistamme sekä korkeakoulutettujen urien rakentumisen tapoja että yksilön ja yhteiskunnan asettamien odotusten ja tavoitteiden merkitystä urapoluilla. Aineisto koostui Töissä.fi-verkkopalvelun kautta kerätyistä korkeakoulutettujen uratarinoista (N = 462). Tutkimusaineiston narratiivisessa analyysissa tarkastelimme, millaisia urapolkuja uratarinoista oli tunnistettavissa sekä millaisia toimijuuden ja identiteetin yksilöllisiä ja sosiaalisia painotuksia uratarinat sisälsivät. Analyysin pohjalta loimme seitsemän uratyyppitarinaa, jotka nimesimme urapolun rakentumista kuvaavalla tavalla. Uratyypit olivat 1) suunnitelmalliset, 2) osaamisen tunnistajat, 3) aktiiviset, 4) sattuman kuljettamat, 5) intohimon ohjaamat, 6) polveilijat ja 7) yrittäjähenkiset. Uratyyppitarinat kuvaavat, kuinka korkeakoulutettujen toimijuus ja identiteetti olivat uratarinoissa er...
Research Approaches on Workplace Learning, 2022
Teaching and Teacher Education, 2015
International Journal of Educational Research, 2009
Yliopistosektorin nopeat ja dramaattiset muutokset ovat tuoneet uusia haasteita yliopistossa työs... more Yliopistosektorin nopeat ja dramaattiset muutokset ovat tuoneet uusia haasteita yliopistossa työskenteleville opettajille. Artikkelissa tarkastellaan, millaisia haasteita tiukkakytkentäinen hallintamalli tuo opettajien työhön. Ratkaisuna haasteiden kohtaamiseen ja käsittelemiseen kuvaamme opettajien ammatillista identiteettiä ja toimijuutta vahvistavia työpajoja, joissa käytetään yhteisöllisiä ja toiminnallisia menetelmiä.
International Handbook of Research in Professional and Practice-based Learning, 2014
ABSTRACT This chapter elaborates professional learning from two complementary perspectives, namel... more ABSTRACT This chapter elaborates professional learning from two complementary perspectives, namely professional identity and agency. Starting with the conceptualization of identity and agency, the chapter illustrates how professional identity and agency are intertwined with workplace learning at the individual and social levels. In theoretical terms we adhere to a subject-centred socio-cultural approach. This implies that professional learning is seen as a dual process, involving identity negotiation and the development of work practices (including the practice of agency), with both aspects taking place within the socio-cultural and material conditions of the workplace. We see professional identity as constituted by subjects’ conceptions of themselves as professional actors, i.e. as individuals with professional commitments, ideals, interests, beliefs, values, and ethical standards. Agency is needed for the renegotiation of work identities, and for the continuous and innovative development of work practices. We see professional agency as being exercised when professional subjects and/or communities influence, make choices, and take stances on their work and/or their professional identities. The chapter summarizes evidence on the constraints and resources that appear to be most influential for professional identity negotiations and for the practice of professional agency at work, especially in education and health care work. Empirical evidence is presented on aspects operating at the work community, work organizational, and individual levels. As a practical conclusion, it is suggested that there is a need for practice-based interventions that will promote professional learning concurrently at the individual and social levels. Such interventions will involve agency-centred couplings between these levels.
Vocations and Learning, 2008
Journal of Education and Work, 2009