An analysis on language teacher immunity in the context of educational leadership: a retrodictive qualitative modelling
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Tarih
2025
Yazarlar
Dergi Başlığı
Dergi ISSN
Cilt Başlığı
Yayıncı
Çağ Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü
Erişim Hakkı
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Özet
This study investigates the dynamic phenomenon of language teacher immunity within the framework of educational leadership using a Retrodictive Qualitative Modelling (RQM) approach informed by Complex Dynamic Systems Theory (CDST). The research aims to identify distinct teacher immunity archetypes of educational leaders and uncover the underlying trajectories, and contextual influences that shape their professional trajectories over time. The study was carried out through an integrative research design (Hiver & Al-Hoorie, 2019). For the first phase of the study, a purposive sampling approach was utilised. In this initial phase, the Language Teacher Immunity Questionnaire (LTIQ), developed by Hiver (2016), was applied to 62 administrative members at universities in Türkiye to reveal the distribution of the School of Foreign Languages (SFL) management team members across the immunity types (e.g. productively-immunized, maladaptively-immunized). The collected quantitative data was subjected to the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software for analysis. Depending on the mean scores, four participants were selected for the subsequent phase of the study, using a mix of purposive sampling (Dörnyei, 2007) and convenience sampling methods, considering their availability, willingness, and ease of access (Charmaz, 2017). In the second phase of the study, in-depth rich data were collected through semi-structured interview questions, and narratives (Barkhuizen & Wette, 2008) of the administrators on adaptation to the managerial role, reaction to administrative challenges, the effect of the process on the managerial skills, coping strategies applied to deal with the dynamic nature of teaching environment, and pursuing an equilibrium between occupational burdens of teaching and administrative roles. All qualitative data were collected in two intervals, and the data were subjected to thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006), and subsequently to narrative analysis (Polkinghorne, 1995). Quantitative findings indicated that 62 participant administrative members clustered around 4.16, so they demonstrated a productively immunized managers archetype. Additionally, the qualitative data generated several themes referring to educational leaders’ early career trajectories as EFL teachers, transition to leadership within a higher education context, adapting to challenges, and current and future perspectives as administrators. Despite administrative constraints, each participant was empowered by key affordances such as supportive higher management, collegial support, and institutional familiarity. The significance of administrators’ resilience, the pivotal role of collegial support, the influence of institutional culture, and the coping mechanisms employed during critical incidents of the participant educational leaders all shaped the psychological immunity of the educational leaders. Finally, the findings found that all participants demonstrated progress from early overwhelm or burnout risk to resilience and forward-looking leadership, namely, from halfway-immunised leaders to productively immunised leaders. Through a novel perspective, this study offers significant implications for teacher development, institutional policy-makers and related stakeholders such as CoHE and THEQC, advocating for leadership training and school cultures that prioritise emotional support, professional agency, and collaborative engagement to enhance educational leaders’ resilience and long-term professional sustainability in the higher education EFL context.
Açıklama
Anahtar Kelimeler
Complex Dynamic Systems Theory, Educational Leadership, Language Teacher Immunity, Retrodictive Qualitative Modelling
Kaynak
WoS Q Değeri
Scopus Q Değeri
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Sayı
Künye
Durmaz, Z. (2025). An analysis on language teacher immunity in the context of educational leadership: a retrodictive qualitative modelling. (Yayımlanmamış doktora tezi). Çağ Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü İngiliz Dili Eğitimi Bölümü Ana Bilim Dalı, Mersin.
