Date of Award

Spring 5-1-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

PHD - Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Education

First Advisor

Patricia Crain de Galarce

Second Advisor

Theresa DeFrancis

Third Advisor

Salvatore Terrasi

Abstract

Using a mixed-methods case study design, this study explored teacher agency, student engagement, and the relationship between these two complex constructs at a Northeastern urban high school, “City High School” (CHS). Teacher agency refers to the level of control or power teachers have in their classrooms and in a school system as well as to feelings of belonging, of being supported, and of competency. Fredricks et al. (2004) suggest student engagement is an intricate construct that includes behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement. A social constructivist and critical theory lens informed the research. Three guiding research questions focused on teacher agency and student engagement at CHS: (1) What do teacher agency and student engagement look like at CHS? (2) What are teachers’ perceptions of teacher agency and student engagement at CHS? (3) What is the relationship between teacher agency and student engagement at CHS? The case study probed for an in-depth view into student-teacher relationships and described practices and teachers' perceptions of student engagement and teacher agency to gain a deeper understanding of how the school functions. Data collected and analyzed included document review, field notes, surveys, observations, and interviews. Analysis began with understanding what each data tool revealed about CHS, then examined data for broader patterns and themes. The resulting themes, layered with the literature, suggest systemic inconsistency threatens student engagement and teacher agency, positive relationships are the powerhouse, and teacher agency and student engagement lay the foundation for what Freire (1970) calls praxis, a combination of reflection and action. Recommendations for practice include whole school, whole child approaches while promoting teacher agency, student engagement, and positive relationships. Neither teacher agency nor student engagement operate independently but are part of the broader educational system. By supporting teacher agency and student engagement, school systems have an opportunity to promote democratic, critical, engaged, and culturally relevant pedagogies. This may allow teachers to become more empowered, reflective practitioners who are better equipped to teach and learn alongside active, engaged students.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

Language

English

Number of Pages

236

Embargo Period

5-1-2024

Download

Share

COinS
 

Rights

The author owns the copyright to this work.