Professional autonomy in the innovative teacher

Approaches to teacher professional autonomy

While the literature on learner autonomy is vast in didactics, the literature on teacher autonomy is much less much less extensive. It is a concept that is both vague and It is a concept which is both vague and multiform and which emerged in the field of didactics late, which depends both on the teacher himself as an individual himself as an individual with his personal and professional identity but also on the much wider context of the context of the latter : institutions, families, educational policies as well as institutional policies themselves.

All First, there is autonomy, which is perceived by many as the freedom to act, the freedom of one's pedagogical choices. For others, defining it would be a matter of defining the contours of what it is not rather than what it could be. Thus, the Belgian psychologist Polet-Masset affirms that it is neither individualism, neither the independence, nor the dependence. To believe that it would be then the disorder, the freedom or the constraint would also be false according to him. him. In the same way, the autonomy is not absolute power nor the absence of identity.

The autonomy of the teacher is described according to C. Martinez as the one who:

• "Accepts responsibility for what he/she experiences, makes decisions according to his/her personal criteria and makes choices about the interventions and pedagogical methods, which he/she uses in the classroom;
  
  
• Exhibits a sufficient degree of assurance in his/her role in the classroom. This is important because it touches on the person, his or her professional identity, and his or her representations of himself or herself;
  
  
• Is able to go beyond confrontation with the class group to enter into communication with students individually and adopt a creative functioning toward students."

Professional autonomy professional under control...

When we talk about autonomy, many are inclined to talk about freedom, independence, but is this a red herring?

The professional autonomy autonomy may seem like a paradox when we know that teachers are when we know that they are placed under institutional constraints and under the yoke of pedagogical reforms that constrain their freedom of freedom of exercise and practice. If the professionalization of the teacher through professionalization of the teacher through training is promoted by the educational educational authorities as participating in their professional development leading to greater autonomy, this professionalization also has a also has a less envious side. Indeed, it is perceived by some practitioners as " deprofessionalizing ".

This form of professionalization reduces the freedom for the teacher to train when he or she wishes and on the This form of professionalization reduces the teacher's freedom to train when he or she wishes and on the choices to be made regarding the objects of knowledge and skills to be acquire. If the incentive to adopt a practitioner's approach seems to give the teacher more autonomy, the injunction to adopt predetermined practices based on approaches that are increasingly socio-constructivist in their approach to learning learning, the imposed modes of evaluation thwart the pedagogical the pedagogical freedom of the latter according to C. Mauroy.

From Moreover, the obligation of results via the success programs for all is an additional layer of pressure that Christian Mauroy emphasizes in his analysis . In addition, they must face parental interference in class councils, which has the effect of calling into question the class councils, which has the effect of calling into question their professional skills.

Better at the top level?

A freedom that seems to take off more in higher education, where the teacher is no longer under the pressure of academic inspections academic inspections, unlike in primary and secondary schools, but is this But is it enough? Not so sure.

In effect, the incentive to to use specific pedagogical approaches also reduces the teacher's also reduces the teacher's margin of action in the choice of his or her practices. One example is competency-based approaches, which also restrict freedom of strategic choice in practice, which is contrary to pedagogical freedom.

It The same is true for the teacher in certain educational systems so-called "spoon feeding " characterized by the pedagogy of of " performance " in which the learner is only a good head to only a good head to fill and where the teacher has still not left his pedestal of pedestal of the masterly holder of knowledge, with little freedom in his free in his strategic choices. So is autonomy a lure? autonomy, is it a lure?

The components of the teacher's professional autonomy

For  N. Monnier  & N. Yassine-Diab, autonomy is not a lure; in other words, it is very much present. There would be several forms of it.

Three visions of the professional autonomy of the teacher in French higher education have been identified by Monnier and Yassine-Diab in a study conducted among language teachers. The study reports a rate of

• 54% of a vision of professional autonomy centered versus
• 33% learner-centered and
• 13% for a blended approach.

They would be associated with adaptation, constraints, investment investment, and...fun.

Adaptation to the students, to their needs in order to prepare them to their needs in order to prepare them as well as possible for their professional insertion, to their rhythm and level but also to be free to adapt its teaching to the characteristics of the group.

Autonomy would also be linked to investment : being able to invest in projects and in a desired degree.

It would also refer to pleasure, pleasure of teaching linked to the realization of a childhood dream teaching is part of their DNA for some, part of their identity. The notion of passion is also present. The interaction with students, colleagues stimulates, emulates and incites change. and encourages change.

Finally, autonomy is also for teachers jeopardized by constraints related to a constraints related to a deterioration of working conditions, a lack of student the lack of motivation of students, large classes or a heterogeneous heterogeneous public. Similarly, human, material and administrative constraints or administrative constraints work against the autonomy of the respondents in the study. respondents of the study.

In addition, the study a leads to the definition of the components of the teacher's professional autonomy. These components are articulated at the heart of three axes that are professionalism, professionality as well as pedagogical and didactic knowledge.

Power to act or power in terms of skills? Both, according to the study's findings. As for knowledge and expertise, no one would be acting autonomously without mastering the essence of the discipline being taught.

Approaches of Educational Innovation

"  An innovation is a measurable improvement that is deliberate, sustainable and unlikely to occur frequently "(Huberman)

It carries with it creativity, originality (Cros) and presents itself with its share of new ideas, experiments, reforms, change reforms, change, improvement.

From In general, innovation involves both processes, services processes, services, programs and partnerships. In education, an innovative intervention must result in improved improve learning and lead to greater equity. It must also contribute to providing solutions to simple problems and be simple problems as well as being of the same magnitude as the problem it is trying to solve (UNICEF).

Innovation innovation has been discussed by several researchers who have defined its attributes.

• First, it refers to the " new " (Cros), to renewal through the introduction of a practice " borrowed " from other fields of activity.
  
  
• Some speak of " transfer " of practice. As As M. E. Lacroix and P. Potvin point out, in education, several innovation: we speak of pedagogical innovation, innovation in education innovation, innovation in education, school innovation or simply or simply innovation in training. It starts from an intention on the observation of inadequate practices, a situation or situation or maladjustment and aims to improve the objectives through a process relative to the targeted objectives through a process of change on a situation, a method or an operation (Cros). (Cros).

Who who says innovation, necessarily says change or modification at the level of practice  it is then also a question of innovative practice. innovative.

However, However, innovating for the sake of innovating is not innovative in itself, nor is it innovative practice in education must result in the success of the students and the should result in learner success and improved outcomes for learners. of their results. Innovation is part of his professional development process (F. Muller).

Innovation does not necessarily result necessarily result from any use of technology but since ICT is ubiquitous in our everyday lives and in education, innovation often involves the use of tools, methods or practices that partially, piecemeal, or fully utilize technology, partially, piecemeal, or wholly involving technology.

The innovative teacher innovative teacher is not necessarily the one who adopts practices related to ICT but rather the one who learns and and questions his or her practices and who adopts a reflective attitude reflexive attitude towards his or her practices. A A teacher who learns is a student who succeeds (F. Muller).

Innovating to improve the quality and effectiveness of education is, according to François Muller :

On the question of creativity and innovation, one might then ask what are the decisive factors among autonomous autonomous teachers influencing pedagogical innovation.

The hypothesis put forward by Androniki Charitonidou according to that the autonomous teacher is more inclined to innovate his/her practice was confirmed by the results of the study. The study conducted among Greek language teachers in higher education had the purpose of the study was to investigate the autonomy of teachers and aimed to determine the elements characterizing the autonomous teacher and how they influence the decision to the implementation of a pedagogical innovation .

Teacher autonomy is described according to C. Martinez as the one who :

• "Accepts responsibility for what he/she experiences, makes decisions based on his/her personal criteria and makes choices about the interventions and pedagogical methods, which he/she uses in the classroom;
  
  
• Demonstrates a sufficient degree of confidence in his/her role in the classroom. This point is important because it touches on the person, his professional identity and his representations of himself;
  
  
• Is able to go beyond confrontation with the class-group to enter into communication with the students individually and adopt a creative functioning towards the students."

It is on the basis of this definition by Martinez that A. Charitonidou and G. Loannitou conducted their study having as a focal point the three determinants stated at the very beginning, i.e. acceptance, assurance as well as overcoming the confrontation with the group-class. The findings of their study resulted in highlighting the following factors:

By In addition, the authors also highlighted reasons identified in teacher discourse that did not encourage them to innovate:

The author concludes his study with the following recommendations : " to innovate the teacher must be able to demonstrate autonomy and to do so, he or she must develop skills ".

Autonomy professional, motivation and integration of ICT

The professional development has already been the subject of numerous studies. many studies. When this development has as its context the integration of ICT, the question of motivation arises for the teacher. What are the motivating factors for teachers when they What are the motivating factors for teachers when they want to integrate ICT into their practices? The possibility of professional development, educational policies and the educational policies and the organization of teaching work are the three three determining factors in the use of ICT by teachers (Karsenti and (Karsenti & al.), which necessarily implies a direct link with the professional This necessarily implies a direct link with the professional competence to integrate these same ICT.

The components that underlie this competence refer to the exercise of to the exercise of critical thinking, the ability to evaluate the potential of the potential of digital tools, to use these tools as well as to be able to use and to be able to use ICT effectively for research, information processing and research, information processing, use of networks, etc. networks, etc.

Finally, These teachers must be able to help learners to appropriate ICTs (Karsenti & al.). take ownership of ICT (Karsenti & al.).

Behind this professional competence to integrate ICT, there is of course the obviously the motivation of teachers in the professional development professional development related to ICT already highlighted by numerous research. The multiple curricular reforms have the disadvantage of not sufficiently taking into account the commitment and and motivation of teachers (Fullan), even though these are central to their central to their professional development. Professional development professional development aims to professionalize the teacher, giving him or her status of a professional who continuously constructs his or her knowledge knowledge in complete autonomy in order to master his or her teaching interventions. pedagogical interventions.

Motivation to continue

In a study of the determinants of teacher motivation in ongoing professional development in an ICT context, based self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan) and complemented by the supplemented by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), T. Karsenti  and A. Rasmy have highlighted four main sources of motivation motivation that are :

These four determinants lead to the satisfaction of basic psychological needs psychological needs, which is the driving force behind motivation in professional development. Among these determinants, the feeling of autonomy is the most significant in explaining human human behavior. The feeling of autonomy has been studied here studied here in terms of the teacher's responsibility, the choices made in terms of learning activities, participation in the development of participation in the development of activities, the possibility of giving to give their opinions on the training contents as well as decisions regarding the decisions regarding the approach to vocational training. professional training.

The study shows low satisfaction with regard to the feeling of autonomy. Yet this feeling is a major major importance of motivation in adult learning according to the self-determination adults according to the theory of self-determination, which, according to the the author of the study, is " disturbing ".

The author further emphasizes that " the teacher who engages in a process of professional development, must identify the components of this practice as well as the values that constitute. "

Autonomy as a precursor to innovation

At view of the elements presented above, and considering the characteristics of innovation that presents within it the seeds of creativity, adaptation and adaptation and change, of new ideas new ideas and experimentation, we can from these data, we can deduce that to innovate, the need of autonomy must first and foremost be be satisfied in the teacher.

" Developing professional autonomy is therefore a matter of developing a multitude of skills that multitude of skills that participate in its development. "

This is in any case what Nolwena Monnier affirms. Nolwena Monnier and Nadia Yassine-Diab à through the different components presented in their study and which make up the that make up the teacher's professional autonomy, which are are the powers and freedom, knowledge and expertise, creativity and innovation, lucidity and analysis, adaptation and change, collaboration and reflection and finally ethical reflection. ethical reflection.

By cross-referencing with the components of the teacher's professional autonomy autonomy defined by N. Monnier and N. Yassine-Diab, we can see that they are in line with the components of the teacher's professional autonomy. Yassine-Diab, we can see that they are similar to the components of innovation as defined by Cros, which are the capacities for creative thinking, motivation, and expertise.

Deciding of an innovative practice is indeed a matter of a certain degree of of autonomy, but innovation is not the work of an isolated individual. isolated. It is part of a wider circle, that of the with which it interacts. In short, just as autonomy cannot develop in a too restrictive and regulated framework that leaves framework that leaves the teacher little room for manoeuvre, innovation in education, particularly that initiated and implemented by the teacher, cannot be innovation in education, particularly that initiated and implemented by the teacher, cannot emerge in a too arid a terrain. In other words, one can sow the seed of innovation but it will not germinate. innovation but it will only germinate if the external conditions are external conditions are favorable...

Illustration: Adobe Stock by Worawut 

References

Teacher autonomy : what elements characterize the autonomous teacher and how they influence the decision to implement an educational innovation ? (Androniki Charitonidou & Gina Loannitou)
https://gerflint.fr/Base/France9/androniki.pdf

What professional autonomy for teachers? The Case of the French Community of Belgium (Christian Maroy)
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272436649_Quelle_autonomie_professionnelle_pour_les_enseignants

Professional autonomy for teachers in French higher education: fiction or reality? (Nolwena MONNIER & Nadia YASSINE-DIAB)
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01235438/file/autonomie%20professionnelle%20des%20enseignants%20-%20EDL%2022.pdf

Educationand innovation (UNICEF)
https://www.unicef.org/french/education/bege_73537.html

The Innovative Practices in Education (M.E. Lacroix & P. Potvin)
http://rire.ctreq.qc.ca/les-pratiques-innovantes-en-education-version-integrale/

http://www.karsenti.ca/livre_rifeff_2016.pdf

The determinants of teacher motivation in the context of ongoing professional development related to technology integration (Aziz Rasmy and Thierry Karsenti)
https://www.erudit.org/fr/revues/ritpu/2016-v13-n1-ritpu02924/1038875ar.pdf

Factors influencing the use of information and communication technologies among secondary school teacher candidates -( S. Villeneuve, T. Karsenti, S. Collin) by P. Lenormand
https://eformation.hypotheses.org/575

The Innovation Map (François Muller)
https://methodal.net/IMG/png/1-5.png?1490782739

The professional development is... (F. Muller)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETf8gUOSjdE

https://www.agreenium.fr/sites/default/files/linnovation_en_pedagogie_et_les_modeles_dapprentissage_f.cros_002.pdf