"In the palm of your hand": the ecological and complex nature of teacher agency

Abstract

The potential of mobile phones as a resource to mediate teaching and learning opportunities has been the subject of research in the educational context. However, the role of these devices in teacher education, especially regarding the exercise of teacher agency, has been insufficiently investigated. The concept of agency has been discussed from different perspectives, and many studies in this area share the idea that agency is one of the characteristics of human behavior. In this paper, we attempt to discuss the concept of agency through the lens of the ecological approach and complexity, perspectives that shed light to the way human beings’ exercise of agency emerges as agents who can influence and be influenced by their context. The aims of this study were to identify: i) instances of agency in the actions of pre-service teachers; ii) actions mediated by the use of mobile phones by these teachers; and iii) intrapersonal issues that can influence the agency of these teachers. Data was collected through a semi-structured questionnaire in undergraduate classes on the use of digital technologies in language teaching and learning. The data was then processed and coded using Atlas-TI software, and the analysis and discussion of the data was based on the characteristics of agency as a complex system. With this study, we hope to demonstrate the multifaceted nature of the concept of agency as these mobile technologies are integrated into teaching practices and to underscore its importance for language-teacher pre-service initial education.