Faculty Members Agency in Teaching and Research: A Comparative Study of Applied Linguistics and Chemistry

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Department of Foreign Languages and Linguistics Shiraz University

2 Shiraz University, Department of Foreign Languages and Linguistics

Abstract

This study explored how agency is perceived and exercised in teaching and research among Iranian academics in Applied Linguistics and Chemistry. Using a qualitative narrative inquiry design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with ten faculty members from two Iranian universities and analyzed thematically. The findings revealed clear disciplinary differences in the construction and enactment of agency. Applied Linguistics faculty viewed agency as relational, pedagogical, and classroom-centered, with teaching as the primary domain of professional influence. Research was mainly seen as a resource for enhancing instructional practice, while agency was exercised through reflective teaching, responsiveness to students, and pedagogical adaptation. In contrast, Chemistry faculty viewed agency as strategic and research-centered, expressed through research planning, scholarly productivity, resource management, and academic leadership. Interpreted through Priestley et al.’s (2026) ecological model, the findings further showed that agency emerged through the interplay of iterational, practical-evaluative, and projective dimensions. Applied Linguistics faculty drew on past teaching experiences, evaluated present classroom conditions, and oriented future agency toward pedagogical development, whereas Chemistry faculty drew on research experiences, evaluated research resources and institutional conditions, and oriented future agency toward publication, productivity, and scholarly advancement. Overall, the findings demonstrate that faculty agency is discipline-sensitive and context-dependent, shaped by disciplinary histories, present conditions, and future professional goals, highlighting the need for contextually responsive approaches to understanding and supporting faculty agency in higher education.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Applied Research on English Language

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 14 September 2026

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History

  • Receive Date: 18 August 2026
  • Revise Date: 02 September 2026
  • Accept Date: 14 September 2026

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