ERIC Number: EJ823598
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Feb
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0141-1926
EISSN: N/A
"Bowing from the Heart": An Investigation into Discourses of Professionalism and the Work of Caring for Students in Further Education
Robson, Jocelyn; Bailey, Bill
British Educational Research Journal, v35 n1 p99-117 Feb 2009
Since their incorporation in 1993, further education (FE) colleges in England have been responsible for their own staffing and, faced with funding constraints as well as recruitment and retention targets, some have introduced a new category of staff referred to here as "learning support workers" (LSWs). Though their employment conditions and specific duties vary considerably, LSWs' work often includes providing individual care for students. In this small-scale study, using semi-structured interviews, the perceptions of some teachers and LSWs about the nature of their relationships with each other and with students are investigated. The study is set broadly in the context of debates about the impact of public sector reform on FE colleges and teachers. A discourse analysis approach is adopted in discussion of the data. The authors conclude that although they are differently positioned in relation to traditional discourses of professionalism, both teachers and LSWs are perceived to be carrying out what Hochschild termed "emotional labour". The contradictory nature of emotional labour is also highlighted. Some of the implications of employing a new group of workers in FE are discussed.
Descriptors: Teacher Role, Adult Education, Discourse Analysis, Foreign Countries, Public Sector, Higher Education, Interviews, Teacher Student Relationship, Employment, Vocational Education
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Adult Education; Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (England)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A