Proud Professionals: Agency and a Teacher-Led Social Studies Group in the Context of Reform

This study assesses the role a teacher-led social studies group played in the evolution of three teachers' professional biographies over the course of seven years. It uses a conceptual framework based on Priestley, Biesta and Robinson's (2015) theory of teacher agency to explore the ecological relationships between professional biography, the macro context of state-level social studies reform, and the micro contexts formed by both the group and each teacher's home school. Some scholars have argued that both teacher-led groups and teacher agency can promote educational reform. While this study affirms that possibility, it also demonstrates that both may just as easily reinforce traditional social studies instruction. The study found that, although long-term group membership did enhance each participant's agency, some members used their agency to reinforce the status quo. This study has implications, not only for those who hope to promote inquiry-based social studies, but also for the implementation of any open-ended educational reform. Its primary lesson is that educational leaders and policymakers should pay close attention to the impact of the multiple contexts in which teachers simultaneously practice. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]