The pandemic (first disruption) eventually led to a forced digital transformation (second disruption) in higher education. Consequently, university educators had to re-navigate their academic teacher identity. This study's purpose is to contribute new knowledge about how teaching quality in current, post-pandemic, higher education might have been affected by these structural changes. To identify consensus and patterns of disagreement regarding subjectively perceived changes, rather than investigating an objective reality, Q methodology was selected. Forty-three university educators shared their views by rank-ordering a set of teaching quality aspects. Q method analysis allowed the emergence of three statistically distinct factors (F1-F3), which were interpreted. More openness concerning new teaching methods and technological innovations and increased accessibility of teaching were seen as positive changes by all factors. Different areas of change regarding teaching quality were most prominent in the three factors: promising change concerning educators' use of visualizations and their pedagogic knowledge and skills (F1); a loss of support for and facilitation of students' learning processes (F2); aspects connected to their own mental health and their awareness of what makes them happy before and during classes (F3). Additionally, results illustrate that in post-pandemic higher education, some university educators might distinguish between mode of delivery and content of teaching when discussing teaching quality. In conclusion, data shows that the disruptive time, despite its unfortunate origin, seems to have triggered both positive changes and revealed new areas of academic development. It remains to be seen how permanent some of the subjectively perceived changes are.

Middle leaders were required to navigate the complexities of educational disruption and respond to internal and external demands throughout the pandemic. This shifting educational context necessitated a sensemaking process to better understand and act on the issues which gave rise to ambiguities in their school environment. This study investigated the sensemaking processes employed by 27 middle leaders from 20 government schools in Qatar, at a time when COVID- related restrictions had been lifted and face-to-face learning had resumed. To collect and analyze data, Q-methodology was applied. A 34-statement Q-sample was developed based on a proposed conceptual framework of sensemaking during times of disruption which included three dimen- sions: intrapersonal, relational, and institutional. Q-factor analysis revealed two significantly differ- ent viewpoints regarding how participants enacted certain practices in response to educational disruption. These were (1) sensemaking as a relational endeavor and (2) sensemaking as an agentic endeavor. The two viewpoints differed in sources of sensemaking and its mechanisms. Sensemaking offered a useful theoretical construct as it revealed middle leaders’ perceptions and enactments, and their struggles in maintaining a balance between structure and agency. The study has implica- tions for middle leadership policy and practices in times of educational disruption and beyond, with its distinctive methodological and contextual contributions. 

This volume investigates the ways in which Q methodology can uncover and foreground new perspectives and contribute to language education and language policy research. It demonstrates the flexibility of this research methodology in addressing dynamic and complex language issues across a variety of educational topics and geographical contexts. The chapter authors use Q methodology to explore topics such as identity, motivation, cognition, emotion, pre-service and in-service teacher beliefs and to evaluate language programmes, curricula and policies. These contributions highlight Q methodology's potential to inform theoretical developments by revealing fresh perspectives on contemporary issues and generating new hypotheses. They foster further Q methodology research, demonstrating how it can contribute to a science of subjectivity and allow researchers to value the perspectives of all stakeholders for more inclusive research. This book will be of interest to graduate students and researchers in language education and language policy research and those in the broader field of social sciences looking to expand their knowledge of the methodology and how it can be used to study contemporary, dynamic and complex issues.

The purpose of this study is to contribute to the discussion concerning adaptations and improvements of preschool teacher education. Such changes are crucial, because many newly qualified preschool teachers struggle to live up to the requirements the profession places upon them. This study is conducted in Sweden, where early childhood education has a long tradition and is well established. Simultaneously, Swedish preschool education follows the international tendency of schoolification in early childhood education. A Q methodological study design was selected to investigate the views of preschool principals on newly qualified preschool teachers. Q method results were enriched with qualitative data from a written questionnaire and findings reveal a consensus among the 55 participants. This confirms previous research stating that newly qualified preschool teachers are perceived as competent in planning teaching and adhering to curriculum intentions. At the same time, this study shows that the increasingly academicized preschool teacher education does not seem to sufficiently prepare the next generation of preschool teachers to build relationships with guardians and colleagues. The study suggests the need for a comprehensive understanding of the profession and intensified collaborations between various stakeholders to better support newly qualified preschool teachers in Sweden and beyond.

This presentation sheds light on the self-efficacy beliefs that language teachers hold in respect to the effectiveness of their teaching to improve the learners’ language competencies, and it includes the perspective of teachers based in Europe, Australia, and East Asia, teaching a variety of European and Asian languages in different educational contexts. The concourse for this study is built by extrapolating statements about language competencies from the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) (Council of Europe, 2020), and the final set of statements is representative of all domains and scales included in the CEFR. The analysis shows that teachers hold different, sometimes contrasting, beliefs regarding the effectiveness of their teaching of, among others, language awareness, fluency, ability to recognise socio-cultural conventions, and ability to use non-verbal language. In addition to a qualitatively rich description of different perspectives regarding the effectiveness of foreign language teaching, final results are expected to provide both a prompt for practice-oriented individual reflections, and insights for the design of teacher training and professional development programs. 

This is the editorial paper for the virtual special issue “Using Q methodology in higher education: Opportunities and challenges”, consisting of nine original research studies from different international contexts. In addition to presenting novel findings, contributors were invited to discuss the following two questions at the center of the special issue call: In what sense has Q methodology served as a fitting approach to investigate subjectivity in higher education? What methodological opportunities and challenges arise with Q methodology in higher education settings? This editorial provides an overview and discussion of the various justifications mentioned for Q methodology. Furthermore, it collates the opportunities and challenges contributors discuss in relation to their studies using this almost 90-year-old methodological approach. The editorial paper concludes with recommendations for future Q methodological studies in higher education and beyond.

Feelings of shock, a difficult professional socialization process and unrealistic expectations create a challenging career entry phase for teachers. Too many newly qualified teachers feel stressed and leave the profession early, leading to a lingering teacher shortage. Much research in the field and many well-meant support interventions follow a deficit perspective and overlook newly qualified teachers' potential for school development. This study aimed to better understand how school principals, a crucial but comparatively under-researched stakeholder group, characterize newly qualified teachers' competences. Q methodology was selected to holistically study the views of 24 principals of compulsory schools in Southern Sweden without imposing any potentially deficit-oriented categories. Following standard protocol and enriched with interviews, four distinct factors were identified and qualitatively interpreted. Results show that newly qualified teachers are perceived as confident and well-prepared concerning pedagogical and didactical aspects of their profession. Regarding the use of digital tools, they are regarded as assets for school development, while diversity management and relationship-building emerged as areas of improvement. Based on our findings, we argue for more practical elements during campus-based pre-service teacher education and an intensified focus on reflective teacher identity development. Teachers' career entry phase should be treated as a specific area of in-service teachers' professional development at teacher education institutions, where a strengthened cooperation with employing schools will be particularly important. We expect these adaptations to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of support matters and provide future avenues that acknowledge newly qualified teachers' expertise.