Choose Your Own Adventure? The Experiences of Occasional Teachers in the Reproduction or Transformation of Educational Systems

This research looks at the experience of occasional teachers (OTs) in the reproduction and/or transformation of teacher roles and forms of education in schools. I examine if, how, and to what extent the experience of OTs provides opportunities for professional learning, applying teaching innovation, and exerting creative agency or, alternatively, mechanisms for deskilling and the induction into institutionalized patterns and routines. This project looks at three elements that can cause deskilling or transformative change: (1) institutional experiences and social interaction with others in the OT role; (2) experiences with curriculum, day plans, and pedagogy; and (3) teacher evaluation and professional learning opportunities. In the introduction and literature review, the project uses a narrative inquiry approach to compare my OT/LTO experiences to the research and literature on OT experiences in schools. Then I take the experience of the occasional teacher from the research literature and put them in a digital gameplay simulation form for occasional teachers (research participants) to play. Participants are invited to identify or disidentify with the avatar (OT) experience during the gameplay experience and to tell their own stories concerning gameplay events and the research questions. In my findings, I analyse the participants' responses to the OT Simulator game and reflect on how they speak to research questions.