AN ECOLOGICAL LOOK AT LANGUAGE TEACHER EDUCATOR WELLBEING IN TÜRKİYE

Date

2025-8

Author

Sak, Mehmet

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This qualitative study sought to explore the wellbeing of university-based language teacher educators (LTEs) in Türkiye, focusing on the factors that facilitate and inhibit their wellbeing, as well as how they exercise agency for self-care in the face of challenges. The study also investigated LTEs’ perspectives on the ideal characteristics of a wellbeing-supportive positive institution. Two rounds of interview data from 8 participants underwent within-case analyses using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, followed by a cross-case comparison. The findings revealed a complex web of interconnected ecological factors supporting the wellbeing of LTEs, such as the service-oriented nature of language teacher education, constructive collegial relationships, manageable workload, institutional appreciation, research accomplishments, intellectual fulfillment, and optimistic mindset. Sources of pressure were more substantial, including heavy workload, imposter syndrome, unsupportive and challenging institutional settings (e.g., staff shortages, underappreciation, power hierarchies, feelings of marginalization driven by the lack of seniority), contrast with more fulfilling experiences abroad, and aspects of the wider sociopolitical landscape of Türkiye (e.g., insufficient financial gains, misguided educational policies). All the participants displayed strong agentic efforts for self-care across personal and professional domains by engaging in personal interests and hobbies, drawing on meaningful social connections, striving for a healthy work-life balance, and using emotion regulation strategies (e.g., cognitive reappraisal, attentional deployment, situation selection) to manage work-related stress. They also identified inclusive, appreciative, collaborative, transparent, fair, flexible, workload-sensitive, and resource-rich workplace cultures as key to positive institutions. Overall, these findings suggest implications on ways to nurture the professional functioning and flourishing of LTEs.

Subject Keywords

Language Teacher Educators, Wellbeing, Higher Education, Agency, Positive Institutions

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/115516

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis