A narrative inquiry of language teacher leadership in the context of technological innovation

The integration of technology into the higher education curriculum has led, in particular, to the implementation of online and blended learning. Online learning has been adopted by tertiary institutions on the grounds that it can increase flexibility for faculty and students and lead to the design of more effective learning and teaching environments. While there is growing research on online language teaching and teacher professional development, less attention has been paid to the experiences of those professionals responsible for implementing online learning in their institutions and addressing the training needs of their colleagues. This narrative study explored curricular innovation and change by examining how a blended learning program was put into action by a group of English language teachers at a Colombian tertiary institution. The focus was on examining the experiences of four teacher leaders as they managed the challenges and opportunities in the process of implementing the blended program. Data were collected during an academic semester through regular narrative interviews with the teacher leaders and senior management. Findings indicate that the transition to blended learning has the potential to affect teacher leaders both cognitively and emotionally, impacting their sense of themselves as language teachers and as teachers in middle leadership positions. However, despite their significant role in implementing change, the types of knowledge and skills that leaders need to succeed in their leadership roles are not typically taught in courses offered in postgraduate programs, nor are they part of institutional development programs. In this presentation, I discuss the professional landscape in which the four Colombian language teacher leaders performed their roles and suggest implications for the professional development of teachers involved in the planning and implementation of innovations in the workplace.