Teachers’ Perceptions of Supported Autonomy

: A Bourdieusian Analysis of Capital Exchange in Schools

Abstract

The aim of this research was to understand teachers' perceptions of supported professional autonomy and the conditions in schools that may or may not promote this. It did this by using Pierre Bourdieu’s (1930 – 2003) theoretical lens of capital capital exchange to analyse and understand Teachers’ perceptions of supported autonomy in schools.

This study critically examines the literature on autonomy theory and considers it against the professional role of teachers working in England and the recent political discourse of supported autonomy. This explores the discourse of nine teachers and three senior leaders from a Primary Academy located within a Multi-Academy Trust in southern England. Through semi-structured interviews, it explores teachers’ understanding and perceptions of their professional autonomy and the conditions which promote or deny it in their practice.

Discourse analysis and critical discourse analysis are used against Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of capital exchange to understand how behaviour, relationships, professional learning, and school culture can support, promote and deny teachers’ autonomy. The research findings consider the role of individual agency and shared dispositions as doxa and habitus, which shape the ethical and philosophical position of the school in shared autonomous behaviour, which seeks to raise cultural capital for its children.

The key contribution of this research is to understand teachers' autonomy from a Kantian perspective of moral autonomy as a professional concept in an individual and shared construct in the school. Significantly, this research identifies that participants' perception of their autonomy is predicated by their confidence and trust in themselves and others. It draws conclusions for the school, illuminating further research around its accumulation of capital for autonomy within its Multi-Academy Trust and beyond.

Date of Award	28 Sep 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Winchester
Supervisor	Victoria Randall (Supervisor), Janice de Sousa (Supervisor) & Emma Till (Supervisor)