Students' disempowerment as a result of teacher domination

This research paper presents part of a qualitative case study that aims to explore teacher-student power relations in the dynamic process of teaching and learning in classrooms. Based on 16 classes of grades four and five students from four Hong Kong primary schools, this study investigates how teachers and students experienced and exercised power in classrooms and why the classrooms contained varied combinations of power relation patterns. Drawing upon observations, individual interviews, and document analysis, the study found three teacher-student power relation patterns in the observed classrooms, including teacher domination, equal opportunity for power sharing, and student self-empowerment. Among the three patterns, teacher domination was the most common. The environment involved a classroom setting in which the teacher exercised authority over the management of students’ classroom behaviour and learning, whereas students obeyed the teacher’s orders and instructions. This paper discusses the basic features, teacher and student roles, and power strategies used in relation to teacher domination. It argues that teacher domination results in students’ disempowerment. Copyright © 2010 Office of Research, Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong.